BOOK REVIEW:- LOOKING FOR ALASKA

Date; April 15, 2020

When l completed the book LOOKING FOR ALASKA, I was so happy and hopeful. This was my second book by the famous author, John Green.  As first novel of him I read was The Fault in Our Stars. He is a really amazing writer. He wrote his first novel looking for Alaska, at the age of 28, published in March 2005.

Looking for Alaska was a psychological and little philosophical novel.  It was about young adults, and their emotions, romance, love, breakups, the strictness of dean of the college. It totally presented the modern time College/ University system, young adults problems, especially; pranks, search for meaning, and heartbreaking moments. Characters and setting of the plot was connected to the writer's personal life, while the story was fictional. When I started reading it, I was excited about the thrilling story of novel, which made me read more and more. Just didn’t want to put it down.  It’s a short novel with only 262 pages. Read it in one sitting.

Ø  Plot: The plot was simple and leading to a thrilling story. The novel was divided into two parts;

1.      Before:

 Miles Halter (also as Pudge) lived safe and simple school life at Florida. That was somehow boring as well until he left for new school. He went to Culver Creek Preparatory High school at Alabama. There he met with chip (his nice black friend) and Alaska (his friend, to whom he fall into love). Some other friends were also there, but these mentioned two were all-important into his life and with whom he had new adventures and experiences. These friends together had many pranks to other students, so the same happened with them in back.

I liked the best quality of Miles was remembering the last words of people. John Green himself has such passion for the last words of famous personalities, the same we found in Miles. The reason Miles explained (in the first part) for his coming to Culver Creek was also the last words of François Rabelais. Last words: "I go to seek a Great Perhaps.”

 In the First part of Novel, chapter after chapter was days before something happened. Like so fast coming to a big thing. The best story. I couldn’t wait for what would be next. There must be something so interesting and best, so continue reading, until I reached the event. So terrible situation, I was crying like shit happened to me.

 Alaska, she died. The unwanted event, the climax falls there. Without even my own realization that how far I went away, attached with Alaska and Miles. I felt everything was over there. So there left no chance to come out of the labyrinth of suffering. But Ooh! there came another part, after.

2.     After:

After Alaska’s death, Miles and his friends wanted to know the actual reason for her death. So I thought that real mystery started from the beginning of the second part.  Coming next chapters were so sad and also much deep knowledgeable. Their Teacher an old man Dr. Hyde, taught them religion. Three religions; Islam, Christian, and Buddhism. He was so genius, I was really inspired by his words. Discussing the philosopher's key ideas and religious pinpoints.

Dr. Hyde showed them a true path to living a life and be hopeful even your loved ones or dear things were stolen away from you. I was thinking that “Living is a hundred times better than dying hopelessly.”  Their search for meaning in life was a good lesson for me and for every reader, at a young age it’s adventurous. 

Finally, at the end of the novel, they solved the mystery of her death. The day she died, was also the day of her mother’s death anniversary. She drove that night as drunk. She died then in a terrible accident.  She left so much for them, to live on. As chips and Miles regain their faith in religion and had hope for good that would come someday. Miles's life was like a train onto the track, but after meeting with Alaska everything changed. As he himself said nothing remains the same.

Ø Themes:

1.      Search for Meaning   2. Sadness/grief  3. Hope  4. Relationship issues

5. Mentally grow into person. 6. Labyrinth

Ø  Genre: Young adult fiction. (one of my favorite genres)

v  There were many well-known last words, but l liked two a lot that was;

                                i.            Last words of Simón Bolívar, “Damn it. How will I ever get out of this labyrinth!”

from the book The General in His Labyrinth.

                     ii.        Last words of Thomas Edison was "It's very beautiful over there". I don't know where there is, but I believe it's somewhere, and I hope it's beautiful.”

From book Looking for Alaska.

Ø  Narration: Complete novel was narrated by Miles (protagonist) as a first-person point of view.

Ø  Message from the writer:  Forgiveness is the only way to come out of the labyrinth of suffering.

   Note: Dear readers read the novel first, it’s best to experience for me that’s why I recommend you novel than a movie or series. I watched mini tv series based on the novel, which was so good but, again first read novel than watching those.

                  #MylifeMyChoice  #reviewsbymehr

#JohnGreen #LookingforAlaska #Youngadultfiction

#Mehrreads .