Looking for Alaska

Looking for Alaska, by John Green raises questions about ways of dealing with suffering, as well

as the struggle for a teen to find a group of friends that he fits in with and appreciate him.

Miles Halter goes from being a loner to a cool guy. In only a couple of days! During his going away party that his parents set up, Miles didn't have many friends show up because, well, he didn't have any. After his first few days at Culver Creek, however, this all changes.

Miles goes from being completely obedient to having a certain disregard for the rules. He definitely is going through a stage where he experiments and acts impulsively. Yet, while dealing with the constant pressure of longing to fit in, he builds relationships with some of the other students at Culver Creek boarding school that will last a lifetime. Whether Miles and his friends are just hanging out having a cigarette, or planning their next big prank, there is never a dull moment in his new life.

Green uses effective foreshadowing to let the reader know that a character might die during the novel. Miles has always been interested in famous people's "last words." Although unique, his friends, especially Alaska, find this to be pretty cool. The coolest thing about it is that John Green is actually the one who finds last words fascinating. So he was able to put one of his own interests in the book as a trait of the main character.

The novel also has an interesting layout. In the first half of the book, or "Before," Miles and his friends get into all kinds of trouble. It isn't until tragedy hits, however, until Miles discovers what he has been looking for. The "After" part of the story shows how Miles and his friends deal with the harshness of life, and how each day must be appreciated because no one knows how much time they have.

This is a great book that all different types of teens with different interests can relate to in a similar way.