By John Green
5 Stars
Looking for Alaska is the remarkable debut novel of John Green. It follows the story of Miles "Pudge" Halter, a teenage boy, and his journey at a boarding school. In his new school he meets many new people, including a girl named Alaska and other friends. His life drastically changes after he moves to his new school. The book follows a before-and-after structure, building suspense around an important event in the novel. The characters are very compelling and are vividly drawn. They are relatable as teenagers, and they are very memorable. The book reflects on complex subjects, such as self-discovery, the quest for meaning and life's fundamental questions. It also includes philosophical reflection, incorporated through a religious studies class that the characters attend. The book explores questions about life and death and even invites the readers to reflect and think of their own experiences, thoughts and beliefs. 
It is a captivating book that explores teenage life and friendship. John Green's writing combines humour and deep reflection flawlessly, making it an effortlessly easy book to read and very hard to put down. The complex themes make it a very good book to write a report or a school project on, and the humour and interesting characters make it a great book to read on your own time as well. The book won the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award for being an extraordinary debut novel, and I would agree with that. Personally, this is my favourite book. I would give it 5 stars, and I highly recommend it to anybody, including teenagers and adults.
Reviewed by Zahra
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