Looking for Alaska by John Green

After hearing so many positive things about John Green's Looking for Alaska at school, I decided to finally read it this summer. With very high expectations, I began reading and I honestly did not like it at first. But, I kept on reading it with the hope that it would get better, and by the last page, I realized how great of a book it really is.

Looking for Alaska is narrated by the main character, Miles "Pudge" Halter--an unpopular boy from Florida who memorizes last words. Francois Rabelais' last words were "I go to seek a great perhaps" and this is exactly what he intends to accomplish by going to Culver Creek Boarding School in Alabama. There, he is exposed to drinking, smoking, enemies, pranks and so much more. His roomate, Chip "The Colonel" Martin dubs Miles "Pudge" despite his lanky figure. He is also thrust into the world of the wild Alaska Young who he is enamored by. Simon Bolivar's last words were "How will I ever get out of this labyrinth?" and Alaska is and has always been looking for the answer.

This book is separated into Before and After in reference to a huge event in the lives of Alaska, Pudge, The Colonel and another friend, Takumi. Green describes each of the characters so well and because they all have such strong and distinctive personalities, it makes the book a fun read at times. More than anything though, it teaches you about life and incorporates the ideas of the Great Perhaps that Pudge is always seeking and how to get out of the labyrinth of suffering we are in. This is such a thought-provoking book that teaches lessons about life and still provides time for a lot of pranks and many new experiences for the characters.