Difference between revisions of "Looking for Alaska"

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(Review)
(Review)
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===Good===
 
===Good===
* The main characters are all well-written and believable. The various halfhearted adventures, the pranks they pull, substances they abuse when they're bored, the mistakes they make when they're mad, the embarrassing sex they have; it all feels perfect for teens.
+
* The three main characters are all well-written and believable. The mischief they get into, substances they abuse when they're bored, mistakes they make when they're mad, the embarrassing sex they have; it all feels perfect for teens.
 
* There are several passages which I thought were very cleverly written.
 
* There are several passages which I thought were very cleverly written.
* Green does a good job describing how people react when a friend dies, with a combination of sorrow, guilt, and anger.
+
* Green does a good job describing how people react when a friend dies a combination of sorrow, guilt, and anger. Also, I like that, while Green doesn't leave the reader completely hanging, he doesn't solve the mystery for them either.
  
 
===Bad===
 
===Bad===
 
* Occasionally, I would read a simile or idiom that felt a bit forced or out of place. For example, there is a passage where Pudge compares Alaska to heavy rain, but it would have made more sense if it were used several chapters earlier, when it was raining heavily.
 
* Occasionally, I would read a simile or idiom that felt a bit forced or out of place. For example, there is a passage where Pudge compares Alaska to heavy rain, but it would have made more sense if it were used several chapters earlier, when it was raining heavily.
* Alaska Young, who I assume is meant to have undiagnosed bipolar disorder, essentially functions as a manic pixie dream girl.
+
* Alaska Young, though a fully realized character in her own right, still functions largely as a [[manic pixie dream girl]] who I assume is meant to have undiagnosed bipolar disorder.
 
* Having the Colonel's mom cover for a prank is one thing, having Pudge's father take part in a prank seemed a bit far fetched.
 
* Having the Colonel's mom cover for a prank is one thing, having Pudge's father take part in a prank seemed a bit far fetched.
* The events after Alaskas death take too long to unravel.
+
* The slow reveal of events as the kids look for clues to how and why Alaska died is poorly paced causing the book to feel a bit slow near the end.
* the "indestructible soul part Pudge ascribes to Alaska is annoying.
+
* The indestructible soul Pudge ascribes to Alaska and himself in the ending, while it fits the book's theme, is a bit annoying.
  
 
===Ugly===
 
===Ugly===

Revision as of 20:59, 19 March 2024

Looking for Alaska
Author John Green
Published 2005-03-03
Type Fiction
Genre Drama
Themes Coming of age, Death, Friendship, Suicide, Teen
Age Group Teen

Looking for Alaska is a teen coming of age novel written by John Green and published on 2005-03-03. The book was intended to be made into a movie, but, after years of stalling, it was eventually adapted into a miniseries in 2019. Due to descriptions of teens drinking, smoking, and having sex, it became one of the American Library Association's most-challenged books.

In the book, Miles "Pudge" Halter, a skinny teen nerd has grown bored of his simple home life and seeks a bigger challenge, so, he convinces his parents to send him away to boarding school. Once there he discovers that most of the kids are smarter than he is, with richer families, but he is able to find a few other students who aren't stuck up and makes friends with them. In particular there is Alaska Young, a beautiful and teen girl who is way out of his league and keeps getting him into trouble with her constant desire to stave off boredom with pranks, sex, and mild drugs.

Personal

Own?No.
Read?Yes. Audiobook read by Wil Wheaton
Finished2024-03-19.

I first heard about John Green through his YouTube videos with Hank Green and was surprised years later to learn he was also a published author. I didn't look much into his books, but, while searching for a new challenged book to read, his name caught my eye, so I decided to try it out. I was impressed.

Review

Overall:

Rating-7.svg

— This section contains spoilers! —

Good

  • The three main characters are all well-written and believable. The mischief they get into, substances they abuse when they're bored, mistakes they make when they're mad, the embarrassing sex they have; it all feels perfect for teens.
  • There are several passages which I thought were very cleverly written.
  • Green does a good job describing how people react when a friend dies — a combination of sorrow, guilt, and anger. Also, I like that, while Green doesn't leave the reader completely hanging, he doesn't solve the mystery for them either.

Bad

  • Occasionally, I would read a simile or idiom that felt a bit forced or out of place. For example, there is a passage where Pudge compares Alaska to heavy rain, but it would have made more sense if it were used several chapters earlier, when it was raining heavily.
  • Alaska Young, though a fully realized character in her own right, still functions largely as a manic pixie dream girl who I assume is meant to have undiagnosed bipolar disorder.
  • Having the Colonel's mom cover for a prank is one thing, having Pudge's father take part in a prank seemed a bit far fetched.
  • The slow reveal of events as the kids look for clues to how and why Alaska died is poorly paced causing the book to feel a bit slow near the end.
  • The indestructible soul Pudge ascribes to Alaska and himself in the ending, while it fits the book's theme, is a bit annoying.

Ugly

  • Nothing.

Representation

Strong female character?PassAlaska is confident, intelligent, and eager to change her world for the better.
Bechdel test?PassAlaska and Lara talk to each other.
Strong person of color character?FailTakumi Hikohito is Japanese, but he's a minor character
Queer character?FailThere are no queer characters.

Links

Link-Wikipedia.png  Link-GoodReads.png