My review of Looking for Alaska

01/01/12 - Looking for Alaska by John Green - Released 31st March 2011

One single tear slipped down my face....all the emotions I was feeling captured in one tear.

Miles has a quirky interest in famous people's last words, especially François Rabelais's final statement, "I go to seek a Great Perhaps." Determined not to wait for death to begin a similar quest, Miles convinces his parents to let him leave home. Once settled at Culver Creek Preparatory School, he befriends a couple of equally gifted outcasts: his roommate Chip―commonly known as the Colonel—who has a predilection for memorizing long, alphabetical lists for fun; and the beautiful and unpredictable Alaska, whom Miles comes to adore.

The kids grow closer as they make their way through a school year filled with contraband, tests, pranks, breakups, and revelations about family and life. But as the story hurtles toward its shattering climax, chapter headings like "forty-six days before" and "the last day" portend a tragic event―one that will change Miles forever and lead him to new conclusions about the value of his cherished "Great Perhaps."

John Green expertly re-tells the drama of boarding school with a dramatic twist. I fell in love with John's style of writing. Deep and emotional, yet full of fun and laughable moments.

Miles, he's not much is he? He is first described as a skinny and pale....stick, but as the book progresses you realise that his appearance doesn't really matter at all. I found him a lovely character, innocent and inexperienced, not quite sure how to handle life. His love for Alaska was so strong, so true, it was beautiful.

I felt quite bad for Lara, knowing that Miles's attention wasn't really on her. She was a nice girl, who couldn't really pronounce words clearly, which I found hilarious!

Favourite Quote: 

“It's not because I want to make out with her."
Hold on." He grabbed a pencil and scrawled excitedly at the paper as if he'd just made a mathematical breakthrough and then looked back up at me. "I just did some calculations, and I've been able to determine that you're full of s***.”

A wonderfully thought out story with surprising twists. A novel that will make you smile, make you cry and make you laugh out loud!

I rate this book: