Introduction and about the book
Looking for Alaska by John Green is a young-adult fiction that revolves around a group of friends – Miles, Chip, Alaska and others. Miles has newly joined the boarding school, Culver Creek, and is introduced to others by Chip, also his roommate. The story progresses as Miles learns pranks, to drink and smoke, bunk classes without compromising his studies. His association with Alaska, her unpredictability, and a tragic incident, changes his views on life, labyrinth and last words.
The plot of the book
Miles Halter lives in Florida with his father and mother. He does not have much of a happening life or friends circle here and hence plans to join Culver Creek in Alabama to seek “Great Perhaps”. On day one, he meets Chip “Colonel” Martin, his roommate. They share introductions, talent and have an ice-breaker. Initially Miles finds Colonel bossy but over the period of time they become very good friends. Through Colonel, Miles “Pudge” meets rest of the group. One such girl is Alaska Young, who is gorgeous and funny. Over the time, Miles is one among them and joins them in revenge games, pranks, smoking and drinking, drives. There is something very unpredictable and mysterious about Alaska that makes Pudge curious, but she never opens up. There are instances when it looks like Alaska starts to like him (though she has a boyfriend, Jake), but she pushes him away when he tries to get close or asks more about her family. She even sets up Pudge with Lara, which does not last long. On one drunk night, Alaska kisses Pudge and they even get physically intimate. He even says those three magical words and Alaksa reciprocates, “This is so much fun, but I’m so sleepy. To be continued?”. They sleep and a phone call wakes up Alaska. She panics and demands Pudge and Colonel to distract Eagle, the dean, so that she can drive out of the campus. They try to ask her the reason or if they can accompany her, but she refuses. That was the last time they saw her! Where did Alaska go? Why did not she ever return? Who had called her and why was she in hurry? Read on to find more….
Characters
- Miles Halter, named Pudge by his friend and is the narrator of this book. He lives with his family in Florida. He joins Culver Creek Preparatory boarding School in Alabama and makes friends with others in the story. He reads and remembers last words of famous personalities.
- Alaska Young, is one of the main characters of this book. She is beautiful, moody and a complex character but a very good friend of everyone in the group. She has a boyfriend, Jake. Alaska is very emotional as she lost her mother at a young age. Miles has a strong connection with her and at one point maybe even falls in love with her.
- Chip Martin “Colonel”, is Miles’ roommate. He helps Miles settle down in the school during initial phase and becomes one of his closest friends. He plays many pranks against the “rich” group, who look down on other groups. He loves smoking, drinking and is very close to his mother.
- Takumi, Lara – they are the other people in the friends group. Lara and Miles dated for a day and Takumi provides a crucial information towards the end of the book.
Best lines from the book
“At some point, you just pull off the Band-Aid, and it hurts, but then it’s over and you’re relieved.”
“The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive.”
“You spend your whole life stuck in the labyrinth, thinking about how you’ll escape it one day, and how awesome it will be, and imagining that future keeps you going, but you never do it. You just use the future to escape the present.”
“Sometimes you lose a battle. But mischief always wins the war.”
About the Author
John Michael Green is an American author. His other books include Turtles All the Way Down, The Fault in Our Stars (which was adapted into Hollywood and Bollywood movies) and many more. His genre is mostly young adult fiction and we get to see some glimpses of beautiful quotes in his books.
Conclusion
Initially the book starts off as a usual teenage college friends’ story with studies, secret group meeting points, puppy love and group rivalries. As the story develops, it turns mature and though-provoking about “life as a labyrinth”. So, this book is a suitable read for anyone from adolescents to adults.
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