"Looking for Alaska" (2005) by John Green REVIEW

Having read and enjoyed The Fault in Our Stars by the same author, it was recommended that I read John Green's Printz-winning debut novel Looking for Alaska.

Miles "Pudge" Halter lived a rather uneventful life, having no friends and finding a great interest in famous last words. He wanted something big to happen to him, a Great Perhaps, and requested to his parents that he go to Culver Creek Boarding School, the same school his dad went to. Upon entering, he finds a real shift in life: friends, pranks, and the "gorgeous, clever, funny, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating" girl down the hall named Alaska Young. Told through the eyes of Miles, Looking for Alaska spends the school year telling of his events and the possibility that he may be in over his head looking for the Great Perhaps.

Amazingly written, John Green gives Miles Halter a realistic voice in this YA novel. All the characters are fleshed out as well, including adults (which is a rare find in the Young Adult genre). The pacing doesn't falter, the drama and the comedy are well balanced, and the book ends with a stunning conclusion.

Though surprisingly explicit, Looking for Alaska is a wonderful read for those who are looking for an insight on life and what may lie beyond.

Rating: 16+
5/5 Stars

Comments

What to Read After Insomiac's Spider-Man

So you've just defeated the Sinister Six, maybe done a side mission here and there, or perhaps 100% completed what most are considering the best Spider-Man game ever made (and they're right). What now? Where do you go from here to learn more about the wisecracking wall-crawler? Besides Tom Holland's performance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we've never really seen Spider-Man portrayed so solidly like we have here. This, my friends, is where the fun part comes in: Entering the vast world of Spider-Man presented in comics and novels. Allow me to be your guide, providing recommendations for any requests you may be wishing for. "I just want more..." Well, you're in luck because Marvel has 2 options for you! Spider-Man: Hostile Takeover is the official prequel novel to the game, taking place 6 months prior. It follows Spider-Man trying to find an imposter killing people, working with a newfound friend from the police force to take ...

Books on Film by Black Authors

There's no real order to this list, nor can I guarantee which ones are worth reading or not. However, the quality of the books are not the point, but rather we should lend these voices our eyes, ears, and time, giving them a stronger voice than they would have had without at least mentioning them. Titles link to the Goodreads page for the specific book and additional links will be listed to buy the book from Barnes & Noble and/or Thriftbooks (non-affiliated). Don't forget to see if your local bookstore might have these in stock! Missing your favorite? Tweet me @AuthorKLau and I'll update the article! Independent Visions: A Critical Introduction to Recent Independent American Film by Donald Lyon Far from the big money movie machine of Hollywood lies the cutting-edge, artistically fresh world of American independent film. These independent filmmakers, working outside the formulas and constraints of the big studios, produce today’s most exciting and innovative movies. In ...

Is Thanos the Best MCU Villain?

Spoilers ahead! Avengers: Infinity War set out to be a huge, climactic start to the final main wave that originated back with Iron Man in 2008. In this installment, audiences are finally getting a front row seat at the big bad Marvel has been teasing since the first Avengers film: Thanos. Infinity War takes a macguffin approach in this story, the main items the characters are fighting for being the six infinity stones. The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy team up to keep the stones from Thanos but, if you've seen the film, they fail to do so and half of the universe gets wiped out Left Behind style. The Avengers couldn't beat Thanos because he was much too powerful for them. This, in turn, should make him the best villain in this cinematic universe, correct? Well, not quite. Marvel has had a rocky track record when it came to good villains in their films for the past 10 years. There are great ones like Killmonger ( Black Panther ), Vulture ( Spid...

Kevin Lau

Search This Blog