Looking for Alaska by John Green
Since my kids are so enamored of this author, I felt obligated to read yet another of his books. This one, a story about Miles, a previously nerdy boy who has come to a prep school to seek the “Great Perhaps,” is actually quite good. Miles’s roommate, “the Colonel” takes him under his wing and introduces him to Alaska, a beautiful, smart, extremely distraught student who lives down the hall. Together, they create mischief (staging pranks) and share experiences until the “Before” becomes the “After.” There is a turning point at which the story turns upside-down and it is a matter of finding their “way out of the labyrinth.” Very philosophical and interesting analysis of exactly what that labyrinth really represents.
This is very well-written and in my opinion, appeals to a wider audience than just the young adult. Anyone who’s ever been a teenager can relate to the types of problems that these characters encounter, although hopefully they have not had the sort of “before” and “after” that took place here.
Good book!
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