Looking for Alaska by John Green

One of John Green's first novel follows the life of a young guy named Miles Halter on his junior year at Culver Creek Preparatory High School where she met the girl that would change his life -- no other than Alaska Young.

Characters

• Miles 'Pudge' Halter - the novel's main protagonist. He is described as tall and skinny and has a strange likes for people's last words. He went to his junior year seeking for his 'Great Perhaps'.
• Alaska Young - the love interest of Miles. Known as moody and unpredictable yet one of the prettiest and famous girl in school. Together with Chip, she is usually part of the planning for the group's prank.
• Chip 'Colonel' Martin - Miles' friend and roommate. Described as a guy with nice physique though lacking of height. He is usually the mastermind and of all the gang's pranks.
• Takumi Hikohito - a friend and a part of the gang with Miles, Alaska and Chip
• Lara Buterskaya - a student from Romania. Alaska's friend and Miles' girlfriend (eventually they broke up)

Synopsis

Miles Halter's search for the Great Perhaps made him closer with his room mate and his friends especially Alaska Young. As expected from kids of their age, pranks and other mischievous acts are part of growing up. The group's bond grew closer and closer as they started knowing each other. Specifically, Halter started falling for the mysterious and pretty Alaska Young even though he already had a girl friend.

On the night after their greatest prank, Alaska Young, wasted with alcohol, went on a rage and demanded to go out of the campus with the aid of Halter and Chip which eventually leads to her death. Being broken and guilty to their friend's death, the Chip and Miles search for reasons on how or why exactly Alaska Young died.

What I Can Say

The book tackles almost all the controversial vices such as smoking, alcohol, sex and even drugs (marijuana). Though the way it was presented in my opinion doesn't take it as book who advertises such behaviors but rather a way of giving every character an inner depth and showing a part of teens' real life journey.

Dissecting it From the perspective of Miles, you can clearly see a young man looking for something in life that could make him. It's a reflection of every one who's in fact, even without admitting, is looking for their place in this giant playground called 'LIFE'.

With regards to the point of Chip, it clearly shows a young man trying to make his way up for his family.

On the other hand, Alaska shows a teen having difficulties emotionally and yet masking herself as a strong girl so that no one could tell that she's badly broken.

Overall, the book was a way of showing teens of today in a different perspective.

Quoted from the Book

At some point, you just pull off the Band-Aid, and it hurts, but then it's over and you're relieved.

- Miles

I may die young, but at least I'll die smart.

-Alaska

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.

- Miles

You're not looking, Pudge. When I go into your room, I see a couple of guys who love video games. When I look at my room, I see a girl who loves books.

-Alaska

What is an "instant" death anyway? How long is an instant? Is it one second? Ten? The pain of those seconds must have been awful as her heart burst and her lungs collapsed and there was no air and no blood to her brain and only raw panic. What the hell is instant? Nothing is instant. Instant rice takes five minutes, instant pudding an hour. I doubt that an instant of blinding pain feels particularly instantaneous

- Miles

Sometimes you lose a battle. But mischief always wins the war

- Alaska

Rating

4.0 out of 5

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An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Another young adult book written by John Green and was release on year 2006. The story stars a young prodigy, who loves anagram, named Colin Singleton.

Being a smart kid, the story deals mostly with mathematics and equations that sometimes scare the readers though at the end, you'll realize that he's just an ordinary teen dealing with life and love.

Characters

• Colin Singleton - a Jewish 17-year old guy who loves anagram and maintained a status of being a prodigy
• Hassan Harbish - a lazy obese Muslim guy and a best friend to Colin
• Lindsey Lee Wells - a paramedic in training and has been Colin and Hassan's tour guide on the tomb of Archduke

Synopsis

Colin Singleton has been treated as a prodigy since he was a kid and wishes to be acknowledge as a genius. Being dumped recently by her 19th girlfriend who by any coincidence (or intentionally for the 19th time) was named Katherine, he went out on an adventure with his best friend Hassan.

On their way, they stopped at a town where the tourist spot known as the tomb of the Archduke was said to be found. There they met Lindsey in a store and volunteered herself as the duo's tour guide. Later he and Hassan settled themselves on the town to work for Lindsey's mom and here Colin started to work on his formula hoping to create an equation that will determine the curve of any relationship based on several factors of the personalities of the two people in a relationship. Having the experience of being dumped from nineteen Katherine (or as he remembers it), he thinks he can do the proper calculation for this.

As time goes by, Colin and Lindsey gets closer by knowing each other's secrets and helping him in his equation. But with the equation he was able to resolved, he seems to be afraid that their relationship may come in the end too.

What I Can Say

Well, I have no math anxiety nor arithmophobia and in fact, I actually love math and numbers. But reading the story made my head ache and skipped some parts where Green has to explain the Math parts, because honestly, I think the story would still live even without elaborating on those subject.. it just made my head ache. :P

The geekiness of the main character made me hate him in the start since he sound as a stubborn nerd. But as the story progresses and the author starts unfolding the characteristics of Colin, you'll soon understand his actions. For me, he's just a teen looking for his rightful place in this giant playground called life. As far as experience goes, every person suffer or at least felt the same way in their life where everyone keeps on searching for something making themselves look like jerks.

Quoted from the Book

"Prodigies can very quickly learn what other people have already figured out; geniuses discover that which no one has ever previously discovered."

- Colin Singleton

"I don't think you can ever fill the empty space with the thing you lost. Like getting TOC to date you doesn't fix the Alpo event. I don't think your missing pieces ever fit inside you once they go missing."

-Colin Singleton

I feel like, like, how you matter is defined by the things that matter to you. You matter as much as the things that matter to you do.

- Lindsey Lee Wells

The thing about chameleoning your way through life is that it gets to where nothing is real

- Lindsey Lee Wells

But I always wonder about that. If people could see met the way I see myself -- If they could live in my memories -- would anyone, anyone, love me?

- Colin Singleton

"Everywhere man blames nature and fate, yet his fate is mostly but the echo of his character and passions, his mistakes and weaknesses"

Rating

3 out of 5

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Paper Towns by John Green

The third book written by American author, John Green, on year 2008. The story starts with the life of young friends Quentin (aka Q) and Margo seeing a scene that has changed their life without them knowing.

The story flashes forward to their high school years when one night, Margo and Q went for a one night of great adventure. Here is a story of getting lost and being found.

Characters

• Quentin "Q" Jacobsen - the story's main protagonist. A young man who has a crush for his neighbor Margo since they were kids
• Margo Roth Spiegelman - Q's love interest and neighbor, who went missing after one night of great adventure with Quentin
• Marcus "Radar" Lincoln - one of Q's best friend and the author of "Omnictionary". His parents are said to own the largest collection of Black Santas and described in the book as having all type of Santa figures in their home.
• Ben Starling - one of Q's best fried and has a reputation as "Bloody Ben" after a kidney failure that most people think that it was because of chronic masturbating.
• Lacey Pemberton - an old friend (best friend) of Margo who went with Q and friends on finding Margo. She has been Ben's boyfriend too.

Synopsis

Started when both Quentin and Margo were younger and saw a murder scene in a park. Realizing the event, they thought that a guy has it's strings broken, a metaphor at their young age, was the reason the man died.

From there, the story flashes forward to their high school years. They were maybe neighbors but on campus they are just strangers living on their own life.

One night, Margo knocks on Q's window and persuade him for a night adventure - a series of pranks and revenge plotted by Margo Spiegelman leaving only her initial on every crime scene. It was a night full of laughter and realization, a night that Q didn't realize would change him.

The day after, Margo suddenly disappeared without notifying everyone leaving no trace (or the way it looks like). Days passes by until Q accidentally found a clue on Margo's window telling him the whereabouts of her. From there the story progresses as Q looks for more clues and hints that she leaves in the hope of finding her.

What I Can Say

I find this story one of the few that you can't put down upon reading. The suspense on every chapter fills me as it unfolds the mystery of Margo's disappearance.

I love how the story defines the title Paper Towns - giving two meanings (an unfinished subdivision that just exists on brochure and a map trademark use for cartography) but I think it conveys that some places are just imaginary. One thing though that I really love about the story is how the protagonists explore the world, leaving his comfort zone, for an adventure worth remembering.

Quoted from the Book

"It is so hard to leave—until you leave. And then it is the easiest goddamned thing in the world."
-Margo

"The town was paper, but the memories were not."
-Margo

"I didn't need you, you idiot. I picked you. And then you picked me back."
-Margo

"At some point, you gotta stop looking up at the sky, or one of these days you'll look back down and see that you floated away, too."
-Detective Otis Warren

"Okay, you're the Grammar King again. You've regained your throne. Now take me to SeaWorld."
-Margo

"It's always seemed so ridiculous to me, that you would want to be with someone just because they're pretty. Like choosing breakfast cereal based on color instead of taste"
-Margo

Rating

4.5 out of 5

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The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The fourth book written by John Green and published by January 2012. This young-adult novel tells the story of a young 16-year old girl, with thyroid cancer, and her journey through teenager's life.

Characters

• Hazel Grace Lancaster - a 16-year old girl diagnosed with Stage 4 thyroid cancer. Augustus Waters' girlfriend.
• Augustus Waters - described as a tall, smart, attractive young guy. Similar to Hazel, he is diagnosed too with cancer.
• Isaac - a friend to both Hazel and Augustus. At the start of the story he was describe to have been diagnosed wiht eye cancer and for him to be NEC, he's eyes were removed permanently making him completely blind.
• Peter Van Houton - an American writer of Hazel's favorite book -- An Imperial Affliction

Synopsis

Hazel Grace, diagnosed with cancer, was force to attend a Support Group where she met Augustus Waters, a young guy with "one leg". The two get along together, went on dates, and even shared secrets and hobbies most specifically Hazel's favorite book entitled An Imperial Affliction. AIA is a book written by Peter Van Houton telling a story about a young girl diagnosed with rare blood cancer. Apparently, the book ended unusually when the main character died leaving readers, including Hazel and Augustus puzzled about the ending. Their questions about the book brought them to Amsterdam where that made their relationship even deeper. On their last day on their trip, Augustus tells Hazel that he's cancer has returned and he's getting worse as day passes.

Returning to their hometown, the couple faces the worst truth about life and the pain of living that soon enough one of them has to go on first with facing death.

What I Can Say

Many people get hyped after reading this especially after it was turned into a movie during the summer of 2014. People were so dazzle with how the love story of two people ended up so tragic and leaving everyone with teary eyes.

But being a person who doesn't really appreciate romantic scenes, I see more of the story showing how life gives you joys and tears both on unexpected moment.. both on unexpected timing. I love how Green tackles the truth about cancer, that even though it was somehow fictional, he somehow shows the good side of the world on how others see people with said disease.

Technically, it gives me an impression that even though you're at your weakest point, life has still its own way of showing you the beauty it has to give.

Quoted from the Book

"That's the thing about pain, it demands to be felt."
— Augustus Waters

"My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations."
— Augustus Waters

"Some infinities are bigger than other infinities."
— Hazel Grace Lancaster

"The marks humans leave are too often scars."
— Augustus Waters

"Maybe 'okay' will be our 'always'"
— Augustus Waters

"Some tourists think Amsterdam is a city of sin, but in truth it is a city of freedom. And in freedom, most people find sin."
— Augustus Waters

Rating

4.5 out of 5

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