Book Review: Looking for Alaska by John Green

Looking for Alaska
Author: John Green
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Published: March 3rd 2005
Review Source: Library
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps." Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps.
Looking for Alaska brilliantly chronicles the indelible impact one life can have on another. A stunning debut, it marks John Green's arrival as an important new voice in contemporary fiction.

Looking for Alaska was a book I picked up to read as part of the #ForbiddenBookClub book of the month for January. I had no idea what it was about and I had never heard of the author. Seems I was a little behind on knowing who John Green is. I now know he is a real popular author and many love his books. As for Looking for Alaska, it was a simple read. It didn't make me gasp or hold my breath and I didn't want to devour the pages. I've read other realistic fiction that has cause those emotions while I read the book so I was a little let down. Still I did like reading it. John Green has a style of writing that is a bit sarcastic yet serious at the same time. 

Looking for Alaska is a story about Miles and him choosing to go to boarding school on his junior year of high school. See Miles is a nobody at his current school and he believes by choosing this new path he can find his "Great Perhaps". Miles meets his roommate "The Colonel" and they hit it off instantly. Then of course he finally meets Alaska. This trio together spells trouble and mischief. You read about all the pranks they set up and pranks that they are hit with. Tons of smoking and drinking yet schoolwork gets done. Then something truly unexpected happens and lets just say many questions full of guilt pop up. Will Miles survive Culver Creek? Did I mention what Miles favorite thing to do was? He loves to read deceased famous people's last words. 

This book contains quite a bit of what I consider more mature YA topics and its showcases underage drinking and smoking. So I would not recommend it to a younger YA audience. Parents might want to read before letting their child read. On a fun note I fell in love with the "Befriedo". Not sure if it exist or not, but if it does I would love to eat one. I'm glad I got to read this book with the book club. I now know who John Green is and will try reading very soon his latest book.