Looking for Alaska

Looking for Alaska, the young adult novel by author and vlogger John Green, is about Miles Halter, a teenager who is obsessed with the last words of famous people. After a goodbye party which is attended by two people, Miles heads off to Alabama to attend boarding school Culver Creek, in search of his ‘Great Perhaps’.

Upon moving into his dorm room, Miles is given the nickname ‘Pudge’ by his roommate Chip ‘The Colonel’ Martin due to his extreme skinniness. He is also introduced to one of Chip’s friends, Alaska Young. Alaska is confident, self-destructive and beautiful, and Pudge is attracted to her immediately.

After an uneventful night where he is questioned about Simon Bolivar’s labyrinth and thrown into the school’s lake, Pudge begins life at Culver Creek. He is introduced to Takumi the Japanese rapper and Lara the shy Romanian, has a culinary orgasm over a bulfriedo and is introduced to the world of alcohol, smoking and pranks.

Looking for Alaska portrays life as a teenager at high school in a way that is both realistic and enjoyable. Green employs the use of unusual chapter headings, dividing the book into the days ‘before’ and ‘after’ a big incident, and manages to capture moments of both sadness and joy. Overall, I found Looking for Alaska to be an extremely enjoyable read, and would definitely recommend it.