133 pages 4 hours read

John Green

Looking for Alaska

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2005

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

In Looking for Alaska by John Green, sixteen-year-old Miles Halter leaves his unremarkable life in Florida to attend Culver Creek Prep, motivated by a pursuit of the "Great Perhaps." There, he befriends his roommate, the Colonel, and becomes infatuated with Alaska, a captivating yet troubled girl. Alaska's mysterious death deeply affects Miles, prompting him to grapple with themes of suffering, guilt, and forgiveness. Miles realizes that while life is filled with hardship, forgiveness is the key to navigating suffering. Sensitive topics such as death, guilt, and emotional volatility are central to the story.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Readers appreciate John Green's Looking for Alaska for its raw and poignant exploration of adolescence, grief, and self-discovery. The characters are well-developed and relatable, and its prose is engaging and thoughtful. Criticisms include a predictable plot and occasional melodrama, but overall, it resonates emotionally, particularly with a young adult audience.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Looking for Alaska?

A reader who would enjoy Looking for Alaska by John Green is typically a young adult interested in coming-of-age stories marked by deep emotional experiences and introspective journeys. Fans of J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye and Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower would find it compelling.

Recommended

Reading Age

14-18years

Lexile Level

850L

Book Details

Genre

Realistic Fiction

Mystery / Crime Fiction

Modern Classic Fiction

Themes

Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness

Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Topics

Depression / Suicide