John Green, on the other hand, is more than a teen fiction author to me. I followed he and his brother Hank on their Youtube Channel (Vlogbrothers) long before I read John's books. They are still the only reason I passed AP World History, European History, and and am currently passing AP Biology. Therefore they hold a special place in my heart. I read the Fault in Our Stars in my Sophomore year in highschool and managed to throw the book across my room twice and only cry once! I had high expectations for Looking for Alaska, and I read it on a seven hour car ride to Universal Studios. The book begins with Miles Halter or "Pudge", leaving his home in Florida to attend Culver Creek Preparatory High School. There, he meets new friends, allies, enemies, and the elusive Alaska Young as he tackles his junior year of high school.
This book tore me to shreds.
Green - who will be referred to as such as I angrily berate him and his lovely book - starts by labeling each chapter with a countdown. (Example: XXX Days Before) This technique was not only heart wrenching, but it cost someone like me with little to no patience all I had to stop refrain from flipping ahead. I was stupid, stupid, stupid. I knew what I was getting into. I just knew.
The penmanship of this book is just beyond compare. As a writer, I have a great respect for dialogue. Description is great and details are exceptional, yes, but unless you can manage a world worthy of Tolkien, its best to lay off. John Green writes in such a way with words in such a manner that it blows me out of the water. There were times in my seven hour ride that I had to physically place the book aside and stare out the window at the scenery of I-10 (spoiler: its all trees) and consider my existence. Sayings, words, sentences, quirks; I can't even begin to fathom how he does it. John Green is so real, it kills me. What kind of genre is this book? It's not romance, it's not drama, it's not mystery, it's not comedy. It's a reality facing, truth telling, smack in the face. It's true and human and if it wasn't placed in a high school setting, it wouldn't be labeled a 'teen fiction' book. It left me so hollow, so seemingly aware, I was angry upon its completion. Green even has a page on his website dedicated to questions his readers ask about the ending of this book. Needless to say, he provides nothing of substantial value and yet, everything at the same time.
I can't say anymore. I have high hopes that one of you out there will see this review and read this book.
Favorite Quote: "So I walked back to my room and collapsed on the bottom bunk, thinking that if people were rain, I was drizzle and she was a hurricane." Because isn't that how we as a society think of each other? It seems entirely relevant. Why. Why do this to me?
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