Originally written December 9, 2011

This is the first book written by author John Green, and a very good one, I might add. The book is about a boy named Miles “Pudge” Halter, who has a strange fascination with last words. Miles is tired of minor life, and decides to go out in search of what the poet Francois Rabelais calls “the Great Perhaps.” To find his Great Perhaps, Miles goes to Culver Creek boarding school, where he finds all the excitement he needs, including a best friend named the Colonel and a girl who he immediately falls in love with, Alaska Young.

The book has a strange setup, divided into two parts, “Before” and “After.” This just means that there’s events leading up to before a crucial event happens, and then the aftermath of said event, similar to BC and AD in terms of Christianity. My main problem is the beginning of the book, to be honest. It just didn’t hook me in right away, and it took me a little while to *really* get into it. It was just kinda like “Yeah, this is all right.” But when it did get good I really did enjoy it quite a bit.

The book has great characters that you start to love, and some pretty sweet moments, both funny and emotional. It’s not like many other books I’ve read, so it does get props for standing out from the crowd. Aside from the good story it’s got going for it, I think the reason I like this book the most is because it’s thought provoking. It’s one of those books that stays with you, the kind that leaves afterthoughts resonating in your mind after you’ve finished reading it. And those are the kind of books that I go back to in the future for repeated readings. I really liked the whole themes of “the Great Perhaps” and escaping the labyrinth of suffering. Overall, pretty good book. I enjoyed it, and I’d recommend it.

4/5