Looking for Alaska by John Green

John Green's novel about 15 year-old Miles' experiences at an Alabama boarding school is an incredible read. The first person narrative takes the reader into a world that not many teenagers have the opportunity to experience: independent living where friends serve as family and school is life. Miles speaks so genuinely and his interactions with his friends are so realistic that you feel as though you are there. I have seen John Green speak and to be honest I was worried that he could only be funny in person, but I was pleasantly surprised by his hilarious writing. Who would have thought that rapping in a novel could actually be effective? (even more so if you are willing to read those parts aloud!)
One of my favorite elements of this book is that Miles has friends, teachers, and family members from all walks of life--the same as any reader likely would. And these characters are dealing with big important issues that other authors might shy away from, but Green attacks them head on and does it extremely well. As a writer he has a keen appreciation of what these kids can handle and doesn't sugarcoat issues like death, drugs, alcohol, sex, and relationships. He sees adolescence for what it truly is: a confusing, exhilarating, eye-opening, stressful, enjoyable, roller coaster of a ride. He gets it. And that is what makes this book so awesome.
The book's title character, Alaska Young, can really only be described as a charming whirlwind of a human. Feisty, feminist and flirty she draws in not only the protagonist but the reader as well. The title of the novel is quite accurate, as a large percent of Miles' time is spent trying to delve a little deeper into what makes this mysterious girl tick.
Not only are Green's characters intriguing, but they are not flat. Each of them has a background, a struggle and a multi-faceted personality. They are not just names on a page. Take for instance, the protagonist, Miles. Like all of his classmates, he is quirky, and his particular idiosyncrasy is that he studies and remembers "last words." This adds an element of darkness to the novel, but in a way that is seen as lighthearted and eccentric.
Miles, or 'Pudge' as he has been ironically dubbed (he more closely resembles a string bean than anything remotely 'pudgey') has a very tight relationship with his roommate Chip or the Colonel. This is also a bold move on Green's part that I applaud. It is not often that we as readers see the interworkings of male-male friendships and it is really refreshing to see them talk to each other, rely on each other and support each other in similar ways to female-female friendships or male-female friendships.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to YOU. Whoever you are...for while you are "looking for Alaska" you will undoubtedly find out something more about yourself.
Happy reading!