John Green is a fantastic author, and Looking for Alaska, his debut book, is an excellent read; everyone who loves love and heartbreak and tragedy (classic themes in Green’s books) should definitely read it.
Looking for Alaska is admittedly mature, with lots of drinking and smoking and generally hard-hitting stuff. I won’t spoil the book, but it is split into two sections, Before, and After. Throughout the entirety of the ‘Before’ section, John Green has you guessing what is such an important event that it deserves a before and after.
I love this book, because it speaks the truth, and you never want to put it down. Looking for Alaska is a gem of modern literature, and should be read by all.
Green is a generally fantastic author, and I would recommend so many of his books, but Looking for Alaska is by far my favourite, telling the tale of a boy (Miles) who moves to a boarding school in search of what he calls his ‘Great Perhaps’. Miles ends up in a group of close friends who quickly accept Miles into their group, and all kinds of mishaps ensue. Every page brings a new surprise and it is the classic tale of teenage misbehaviour.
So, if you loved The Fault in Our Stars, or Paper Towns, the prepare to have your minds blown as soon as you open the first page…
• Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop
