Like many of John Green's books, this one follows a pattern. It lets you think you know what is going to happen and then all of a sudden, you are completely surprised and the story takes a path you couldn't have anticipated. Looking for Alaska, is set out in two parts, a before and an after. The chapters countdown towards an event in the before section and away from an event in the after section. The fact that the chapters are labelled in such a way made me instantly curious from the beginning, you want to know what the chapters are counting down towards and you spend the whole of the first half of the book trying to guess.
Looking for Alaska, is written in the first person, from the view of 16 year old Miles or Pudge ( a nickname he takes on very early on) who has an unhealthy interest in memorising the last words of famous figures throughout history. It follows him on a journey whereby he has decided to leave public school and enrol in his father's boarding school. From his first day at Culver Creek it is apparent that the days of friendlessness and being considered extremely odd, are behind him. He is instantly adopted into a friendship group who are not only extremely intelligent but send him in the direction of smoking, drinking and playing pranks on classmates and of course their head teacher named The Eagle. After all, that's what school is all about right?!
Each character is very complex in their own way, however none are as mysterious as Alaska is, the only girl in the group but also the definite instigator of all the unruliness I've mentioned. From the instant Miles meets her, he is infatuated with her. She is the most interesting out of all the main characters even Miles, because no-one really knows who is is not even us as the reader. The first section of the book is dedicated to witnessing Pudge as nicknamed by his new friends, tirelessly trying to get his head around who she is, why she has mood swings, why she hates going home so much. There isn't much more I'm going to say about Alaska because I don't want to spoil the story for you so I'm going to allow her, her mystery for now.
This book is a brilliant depiction of how we all make amazing friendships at school and those relationships are unlike any bond we make later in life. It shows the struggles we go through trying to figure out who we are at Pudge's age, all the pressures you are put under and the hard decisions you have to make.
A running theme shown by Green throughout, is the question all of us ask ourselves throughout our lives, what is the meaning of life and what is it that comes afterwards. It left me with probably more questions than answers but it really makes you think on a much deeper level and encourages you to make the most of each moment.
I found Looking for Alaska such an easy read, I didn't want to put it down and I had finished in within a few days. It's a nice travelling to work read as well.
So get reading, and write in the comments below what you thought!