Looking For Alaska

Reader reviewed by mearley

Miles Halter is a new student at an Alabama boarding school.  He is quickly drawn into a circle of friends bound by their prank war against another clique and their quest to find a safe place to smoke where the dean won't bust them.  Miles, like many other boys at the school, falls in love with Alaska, an intriguing girl who is the group's clear leader.  None of them, however, are prepared for the shock Alaska is going to give them.

Graphic discussion of sex and liberal use of alcohol make this only appropriate for more mature high school students.  However, John Green's excellent writing style and examination of the meaning of life, suicide, and the possibilities of life after death raise this novel above the typical sex-booze-and-pranks-at-boarding-school story.

Reader reviewed by Brittany Leigh

Looking for Alaska by John Green might be one of my favorite books of all time.

Here's the jist...Miles, the male lead, is a teen obsessed with people's last words. Actors, writers, presidents...you give him a name and, if they have passed, he will know their famous last words.

I guess you could say that Miles wasn't the most popular boy in school. So when he meets Alaska Young, a wild, carefree girl, at his new boarding school, his life gets turned upside down.

He and his new friends have good times and bad times. But it's the worst time that has him and a few friends wondering what happened on a night that no one at Culver Creek Boarding School will ever forget.

Reader reviewed by Averie

Looking For Alaska is one of my favorite books and John Green is an amazing author. The book follows the story of a boy whos just normal. There isn't anything really outstanding about him. He doesn't have the coolest firends, he doesn't have any firends really. He moves to a new boarding school where he joins a group of very eccentric firends. He starts to understand what it is to have firends and maybe even fall in love. Its a great book with an unexpected outcome. Marvelously funny with just a touch of heartache.  

Reader reviewed by Chantel

Green did it with this heart stopping novel.
It leaves with you heart ripped in two.
Unanswered question that leave you relating the story to life all the time.
Will anyone ever understand what really happen to Alaska, does she want you to know?
Will Pudge go on without her?
READ IT

Reader reviewed by MssJos

What I like about Green's male protagonists is that they aren't jocks, captain of the football team, wizards, invisible, or extraordinary in any particular way (well except for maybe being child prodigies or having memorized every famous persons' last words). Other than though, they are typically completely regular guys who are in search of something. In Miles "Pudge" Halter's case, he is looking for the "Great Perhaps."

While I wasn't completely sure what the "Great Perhaps" was, and for that matter, neither was Miles, I was surely hoping he would find it at Culver Creek private school which happens to also be in the state where I live. (that's probably tmi for a blog but it's a big state so I feel okay about it).

Though the Great Perhaps eluded Miles for the majority of the novel, he did make his first real friend, take his first drink, smoke his first cigarette, and have his first sexual encounter. So it was a big year for Miles. Through Miles, Green reminds us what it was like when we first started letting our parents' voices fade into the background, making our own decisions (some good...some not so good) and living our own lives.

At Culver Creek, Miles meets Alaska Young, a beautiful but deeply troubled young woman who leaves a severe impression on everyone she meets. Alaska reminds me of an ancient Chinese proverb that states:

"Life is like a peice of paper, on which every passerby leaves a mark."

After meeting and befriending Alaska, Miles changes a great deal throughout the novel, sometimes in ways that might make parents reconsider sending their children to private school. But underneath it all, he remains an intelligent, believable, likable, confused young man. If you liked Laurie Halse Anderson's Twisted, and J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, you will enjoy Green's characters.

Looking for Alaska was a wonderful read and again, another great male perspective ya novel. Green's depiction of teenage dialogue is 100% authentic. Green accurately depicts how truly screwed up being a teenager can be and how the power of friendship can change your life forever. Alaska's intensity, and Miles' need for it, keep the pages of the novel turning rapidly.

Reader reviewed by katie

The book, Looking for Alaska, is a reading that opens your eyes to the reality of teenage life. Suicide, drinking, and smoking are all scary things that happen in high school. Instead of saying everything is all good if you just say no, the author, John Green, shows what really happens and the pain of it all. High-schoolers who are looking for an adventure would enjoy this book. Looking for Alaska is also a good read for people who are getting over the death of someone close. The points made in Looking for Alaska on death are ones you can relate to. I think what really makes this book stand out from others is that it doesn't have a happy ever after ending. It is sensible and stays true to its genre, realistic fiction. Overall I recommend this book to people who want an emotional story that makes you start to think.

Reader reviewed by ambeen

Looking for Alaska is a great novel. The teenage angst and insecurities are perfectly pitched. The boarding school setting is a common one nowadays, but it really felt like a part of the story instead of a plot device to get the characters away from parental supervision. There is the issue of whether or not the sex scene is inappropriate. It is an awkward, embarrassing encounter. Very realistic and nothing to be concerned about, in my opinion. There's been worse in YA literature. Anyway, Looking for Alaska is a great book, a great introduction to the writing of the full of awesome John Green!

Reader reviewed by Kayla (Midnight Twilight)

Miles is looking for the "Great Perhaps", this is why he moves to a boarding school called Culver Creek. Here he finds a zany group of friends, "The Colonel" (Miles roommate who gave him the ironic name of "Pudge"), Takumi, and the most influential person, Alaska Young. Alaska buys the cigarettes and booze then sells them to the boys, this starts Miles' bad habits. Alaska is also very good at pranks, so is the Colonel. This may cause Miles more trouble, but he loves Alaska, so he'll take whatever comes at him. But when something goes wrong everyones lives are changed forever.

This book was amazing. It will make you laugh and make you cry many times (at least that's what happened to me.) John Green has become one of my new favorite authors. The characters are very well written and seem down to earth, and the plot keeps you fully attentive. I think this is one of the best coming-of-age books ever!

Reader reviewed by hillary

Miles is going to boarding school. But it's not like he's leaving a bunch of friends and is totally depressed by the thought. That's right, he actually does want to go. When he finally gets there, he meets his roommate, Chip Martin, more commonly know as the Colonel, who introduces him to Alaska Young, the pretty girl a few doors down that Miles it totally fascinated with. They hang out and become friends throughout the school year. But then, something terrible happens and everything becomes completely different.

The book really held my attention. It's split up into two parts, before and after. Luckily I was able to overpower the curiosity that made me want to flip right to the after and know what happens and I am so glad that I did. Which is pretty much my way of saying that if you want the book to be as wonderful as it was for me, then don't you dare look ahead.

This book is great and I would definitely recommend it to anyone I know. I liked it so much I don't trust very many people with it and therefore have only allowed two people to read it, my fellow book lover/best friend and my older brother. This book can be liked by both girls and boys. And I think the cover is absolutely gorgeous. I know, you're not supposed to judge a book by it's cover but it's nice to have something pretty to look at when you're done.

Also if you like this book, check his other book, An Abundance of Katherines. I haven't read it yet but I'm sure it's just as good.

Reader reviewed by Megan

Miles Halter was always a fan of last words. While some people pride themselves on knowing the capitals of the states, Miles prides himself on knowing famous peoples last words. So when Miles reads a biography of Francois Rabelais, he learns his last words were I go to seek a Great Perhaps. Convinced now that he himself is after a Great Perhaps, Miles begins his journey at Culver Creek boarding school.
His roommate Chip (called Colonel) introduces Miles (whom he nicknames Pudgie complete irony, seeing as Miles is insanely skinny) to his friend Takumi, and more importantly, to Alaska. After meeting Alaska, Miles is sure that he is in love with her. She completely confuses him, being flirty and sweet one day, then moody the next. But, Miles continues to hang out with these people who become his friends, and he agrees to help out with the pranks that they are planning. After all, they are teenagers and invincible what could go wrong?
John Greene entertains readers with these unique characters. My favorite character is Alaska; there is no doubt about it. Just the fact that her character was given the power to pick her own name shows how unique she really is. The whole novel was definitely unique in its story line, and I really enjoyed reading it.