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Most Helpful Favorable Review
39 out of 40 people found this review helpful.
AMAZING!!!
If you have not read this book, I recommend immediately you get up and go to your nearest library and get this book. This book will blow your mind, one of the books I almost teared up in. The author greatest achievements in this book is how he builds gut wrenching tensi...Read More
If you have not read this book, I recommend immediately you get up and go to your nearest library and get this book. This book will blow your mind, one of the books I almost teared up in. The author greatest achievements in this book is how he builds gut wrenching tension after every chapter with the 100 day till and so on. And when you finally hit the climax you will be in disbelief. Oh and be prepared to fall in love with the most diverse and compelling characters ever written.Show Less
posted by LastCapitalist on March 11, 2009
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4 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
Well written but...
I am very surprised so many people love this book. I read it based solely on the positive reviews thinking perhaps the book's summary didn't do it justice. But the book was boring, dull and aside from one or two things, entirely uneventful. It seemed to me like it wa...Read More
I am very surprised so many people love this book. I read it based solely on the positive reviews thinking perhaps the book's summary didn't do it justice. But the book was boring, dull and aside from one or two things, entirely uneventful. It seemed to me like it was a wanna-be Catcher in the Rye although not nearly as good. During the "after" section, I mostly kept hoping the book would end. I am disappointed I wasted time reading this book and that the main female character was unlikable and downright annoying at times.
Pass on this book if you value your time.Show Less
Pass on this book if you value your time.Show Less
posted by SamRead on January 16, 2012
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AMAZING!!!
If you have not read this book, I recommend immediately you get up and go to your nearest library and get this book. This book will blow your mind, one of the books I almost teared up in. The author greatest achievements in this book is how he builds gut wrenching tension after every chapter with the 100 day till and so on. And when you finally hit the climax you will be in disbelief. Oh and be prepared to fall in love with the most diverse and compelling characters ever written.
39 out of 40 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous
Posted March 27, 2012
I know who I am. That is all that matters.
I feel heavy. And empty.
I have read the book. It is over. For me, anyways.
This makes me sad.
The reviews of this book make me sad, and also a little bit angry because when people say that a book like this is 'amazing,' I think that they do not understand.
This book was enormous.
Today I told a friend that I was reading a beautiful book called 'The Fault in Our Stars,' but that she had better not read it, because it was mine.
I understand Hazel.
This book was enormous, but it came and went very quietly. I do not want it to be a sensation. I do not want it to be sensational for anyone but me. I do not want it to be anything. I do not want it to be made into a movie.
I want it to be loved.
I am very conflicted.
I do not want people to read it who will not understand.
I think I understand.
I feel like I am breaking it. Everything.
But this is how I feel.
I wish that I had not purchased this book electronically, because then I could take the copy that I do not own wherever I go, pages folded, spine cracking, soft cover bent and loved and worn and used and perfect.
This book was enormous, and yet it came and went... so quietly.
It is a quiet book.
After.
You cry. You laugh.
But the after.
It is a quiet book.
Thank you, John.
~Me15 out of 16 people found this review helpful.
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Starts slow and then sucks you in
I was pleasantly surprised by Looking for Alaska. For me, it started out very young and teenager-ish, which is probably because.well, it's a book about a bunch of teenagers, doing very teenage things. For a while I was thinking that I was just listening to a book that was going to be basically just that, teenagers doing teenage things; drinking, smoking, sex, and tormenting each other (yes, all of the above are included in this book). I figured there was going to be some great disaster and a lesson learned and wam-bam, you've got a book. The thing is, the book received several great reviews that I just couldn't give up on it. People saying how great a book it was - usually "people" do know what they are talking about.well at least some of the time.
It took half the book - and then it happened, the great disaster I was talking about before. The thing is, it's much greater than you wanted or expected. And John Green is a genius, because by this time, you're laughing and enjoying yourself with these characters, so the blow is not just to the characters, but you feel it too.
So, no, this book is not about a bunch of teenagers, doing teenage-y things, no matter how much of it is included in the book. It's a book about life. It's a book about very young people attempting to discover the meaning of life, love, true friendship, having fun, tragedy, depression, and even God. I was so impressed with some of the things that the author included about God, and religion in general, and not just one but several different religions. I am a Christian, and while he was simply skimming the surface of religions and religious beliefs, John Green nailed some things on the head, or at least included things that nailed it on the head. My favorite religious section: the discussion about the lady (I can't remember names right now - and since this is an audiobook, no book to reference) who wanted to destroy Heaven and Hell because she wanted people to love God not because he could get them into Heaven, keep them out of Hell, but because God is God!
Many of the reviews I had read said that due to the mature nature of some of the stuff in the book, it probably isn't for young teenagers. I would have to agree. There are moments when I felt like smoking and drinking and even sex was not glorified exactly, but it seemed normal. And it is, somewhat, but as adults and parents, we should attempt to move and motivate for it not to be normal. On the flip side, the consequences of some of these actions are shown throughout the book.10 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
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rachael22
Posted January 13, 2009
Looking for Alaska and finding your self
When reading this book i laughed, became angried, and cried. This book is so gut wrenching that you can't put down the book. Looking for Alaska is a quick read and a good one too. The mysterious Before and After is quite ingenious if you ask me. I felt as though i knew something was going to happen but until that point it never really struck me. The quote "How will I ever get out of this labyrinth?" plays a huge part through out the book. This book is very relatable in the sense that you are a teenager or you once were the average teenager looking for adventure. I reccomend this book to anyone over the age of 13.
8 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
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SamRead
Posted January 16, 2012
Well written but...
I am very surprised so many people love this book. I read it based solely on the positive reviews thinking perhaps the book's summary didn't do it justice. But the book was boring, dull and aside from one or two things, entirely uneventful. It seemed to me like it was a wanna-be Catcher in the Rye although not nearly as good. During the "after" section, I mostly kept hoping the book would end. I am disappointed I wasted time reading this book and that the main female character was unlikable and downright annoying at times.
Pass on this book if you value your time.4 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous
Posted December 25, 2011
Amazing!
I'd watched the Vlogbrothers for the longest time w/o reading one of John's books. My friend actually had to rave about it before I allowed her to loan it to me.
Don't wait like I did! READ THIS FANTASTIC BOOK NOW!3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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joannazasiewski
Posted May 1, 2010
amazing book.
i loved it. i cried throughout the entire 'after' part. like a baby. the only reason i regret reading this book is that now i don't believe any book will ever measure up to this one. absolutely great. there's nothing more to it!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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This book details the lives of four students at a boarding high school and includes a tragedy. I thought all but Miles to be shallow and the behavior of the students a little too insane to be believable. Review may have problems- wouldn't fit in 3500
On the first page, Miles Halter, a social outcast at his school, is preparing to leave for Culver Creek, a boarding high school in Alabama. His chief distinction is his extensive knowledge of famous last words, telling his parents that, in the last words of Francois Rabelais: "I go to seek a Great Perhaps."
As the story goes on, he arrives at the school and meets his roommate, Chip Martin (otherwise known as the Colonel, because of his role in planning the traditional Culver Creek pranks). The Colonel knows the name of every country in the world, as well as a lot of other weird information. He's been going to Culver Creek since his freshman year, unlike Miles who is now a junior.
The Colonel introduces Pudge to Alaska, a fusion-reactor hot girl who, unfortunately for the instantly infatuated Miles, already has a boyfriend that there is no competing with. She is the absolute most random, crazy person Pudge has ever seen outside an insane asylum.
Miles becomes known as Pudge because of his skinniness -"It's called irony, Pudge") The Colonel, true to his reputation and his hatred for the Weekday Warriors because of his family's poverty, pulls off a plan wherein the Warriors in question get blue dye in their hair gel and progress reports sent to their families meticulously detailing how they are failing some of their classes.
The four of them (including Takumi, an Asian student who has known the Colonel since his frosh year) like most of the rest of the Culver Creek student body, smoke, drink, and generally start their college experiences a little early under the ever-present threat of expulsion by the Eagle. Through insights by Dr. Hyde in World Religions class, and Alaska's thinking which has taken up permanent residence several miles away from the box, there is no question that he finds his Great Perhaps.
On the very day that he finally hooks up with Alaska, disaster strikes. And I quote the back cover: "Nothing will ever be the same."
My biggest problem with the book was that the characters were too wild for it to be realistic. During Thanksgiving break, Alaska and Pudge take a "self-guided" tour of the dorm rooms and find that every single student has alcohol, drugs, porn, or all of the above and more in their rooms. Seriously. There would be at least one person entering Culver Creek not wanting to risk getting kicked out for his/her own entertainment, if you want to call it that. Peer pressure and high school irresponsibility only go so far.
Many of the characters were fairly one-dimensional, although if the one dimension is spontaneity I suppose you could say Alaska has an infinite number of dimensions. The Colonel is fairly flat before the disaster I mentioned, which the very heading system of the book revolves around: He studies crazy stuff and does crazy stuff. In the post-disaster part, he's a bit more believable as we watch him and Pudge struggle through grief's many permutations. Pudge is more believable-I can sympathize with him myself, entering the world after a long period of isolation. He has dimension. He isn't totally, insanely reckless like Chip and Alaska.
What the point is is debatable, and it's hard to tell exactly what the author had in mind. How to get out of "this labyrinth of suffering" (as Bolivar and then Pudge put it)? Who is really responsible for the central tragedy, and to what degree? Should Alaska have tried to let go of the past that walled off her future? And so on, and so on.2 out of 13 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous
Posted April 19, 2012
Understanding alaska . ...
This book was a intriguing book with twist and the every day life of some teens . You get to look into a world of a group of teenagers and see lust , drugs use , pranks , sex and everyday teens exploring themselves and the things around them just trying to keep out of trouble . The before will have you in depths of the book just to see if pudge and alaksa end up together . And to get to the after. Were the book changes courses completely . Ive only read this book once until i lent it to a friend and never recieved it back . Im buying it again bexause its worth the read . No mattter what book i purchase little peaces of the colonel , pudge, alaska and the others will stary in your mind , this is a once in a lifetime book made by an inspiring author who really tries to capture hopeless teens in love or lust . Each having their dofferent qwerks an intresting things abot them .
Buy this book , read this book , you will NOT regret it .1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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harrypotterfan9
Posted January 1, 2012
I Also Recommend:
speechless.
i love john green, so i was expecting a lot out of this book. i was not disappointed. this is tied with harry potter as my favorite book of all time. i love the theme, i love the characters, i love all the pranks that are played, i love that miles memorizes last words (just like me!), i love all of it. it's a little inappropriate at times, so definitely a 15+ age range though. but DEFINITELY a must read. can't wait for the fault in our stars! DFTBA!
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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kaelacake995
Posted April 11, 2011
The ending ruins it
I thaught it was alright untill i got to the part were everything changes. It ruined the book for me. I continued to read it, hopeing it would get better but it didnt. I dont recomend it
1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Amazing!
Looking for Alaska, I thought, was just an amazing book that can draw you into Pudge, Colonel, Takumi, Lara, and Alaska's lives' at the Culver Creek. The book had a little bit of a different set up there was the before part that the after part. During the before Pudge, Colonel, Takumi, Lara, and Alaska were always getting into pranks that were hilarious. I personally could put the book because I wanted to know the next clever thing that they were going to do. Alaska and all of them were some little rule breakers and they found almost every way to slide their way past getting expelled. In the After part the book changed its way and turned into a little more serious side of the group without Alaska. It also brought out the real truth in everyone else's feelings and who they really are. Looking for Alaska was a suspenseful, clever, funny, intriguing, book that I think is great read.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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5283954
Posted November 27, 2010
Wow
One of, if not, my favorite book of all time. The characters are so realistic and enguaging. It felt so real like i was there the entire time.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Luv2Read24
Posted June 24, 2010
Oh.My.God.
This book was so unique and amazing in so many ways. I grew attached to all of the characters right away, and this book was just so incredible. I reccomend it to ANYONE.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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SoundBeachBLVD
Posted March 12, 2010
I Also Recommend:
I Love John Green!
This book was great. Definitely for kids 15 and up due to a couple of things. Otherwise its brilliant! i kept wanting to read and read and read some more. the character were people who you could either relate to or see your self being friends with. The story was one that everyone should read. Culver Creek Boarding School undergoes some socking and amazing events. I Loved it!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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O_McC
Posted December 1, 2009
I Also Recommend:
A Reader's Review
Looking for Alaska is a very well written book that makes the characters come to life. One aspect of the book that is different from anything I have read before is that there are no chapters; instead the book is split into days leading up to the climax. For example, if it were 134 days before the climax, it would say 134 days before. This was a very amusing way of splitting sections of the book, but it was great because it added to the suspense. It kept me constantly wondering: before what? The writer's craft was unlike other books because it is easy to tell when the climax is about to happen. The author did something unique and it keeps the reader addicted to the book. The main characters are not the stereotypical rich and snotty boarding school teenagers. The author described the characters so well that I felt like they were my friends. The book also has amusing facts woven into it. The writer uses a teenager's vocabulary, but incorporates advanced words as well. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the book one negative attribute is that the author brings up a religion class that the main character takes, and it is obvious that the class plays a significant role in the book, but then the author abruptly stops writing about it. The religion class isn't brought up again until the end. The book has a superb plot, but becomes predictable at the end. Although the resolution is anticipated, that doesn't mean it is dissatisfactory. Overall, Looking for Alaska is a quick read, but filled with many different emotions expressed through vibrant characters. The author's craft was a little unusual, such as the "chapters", but it fit the book, and even made it more enjoyable.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous
Posted July 18, 2009
I Also Recommend:
Great reading!!!
This book is extremely well written and keeps the reader engaged. Not just for teens. Mom read and thought it was awesome as well. Hopefully, John Green will publish another book soon.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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just plain awesome
this is, by far, one of the best books i have had the pleasure of reading in a long time. good, well developed characters, and well developed plot. and oh, the climax of the story, how you caught me unaware. how you saddened me, how you interested me, how you made the plot that more involved! i would definatly recomend this book to everyone!
the only thing, however, is that John Green's characters tend to sound the same throughout all his books. i'm not complaining, mind you, because they are very well written characters, i'm just making a point.1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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One of the top 5 books I ever read
With its compelling language and characters, John Green writes one of the best books for teenagers since The Outsiders. His captivating characters send you on a thrill ride through a boarding school in the middle of no where. Everyone is able to relate to someone in this book. Whether it be the funny and tough Alaska or the mesmerizing junkee Colonel. This book will capture you into its world and you will love every single minute of it. Its will make you laugh out loud with its quick wit and playful pranks. This book is one of the best books I have ever read hands down. So if you want a quick fun read that will leave an imprint on your life then pick up Looking for Alaska.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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A Must Read!!!
A friend told me about this book, she said it was good so I bought it. OH MY GOD!!! It was so good!!! I couldn't put it down for a minute!!
It's about a boy named Miles, who goes to a new school. There he meets a girl named Alaska. He falls for her. But then something happens and everythings differnt.
I woulnd recommend this book to any of my friend. GO READ IT!!!!1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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