Originally written November 16, 2012

Now here’s an awesome book. I’ve been reading through John Green’s books in order they’ve been released, so at this time of review, I’ve also read Looking For Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, and the collaboration book he did with Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle, Let It Snow. I haven’t read a work of his yet that I didn’t like, but I did definitely like Looking For Alaska more than An Abundance of Katherines (his Let It Snow story is hard to place with them since it’s a short story). While reading Paper Towns, I definitely had it on par with Looking For Alaska, but by the end of it I’d say it’s my favorite John Green book so far.

Before I talk about the plot at all, let me just say I’ve noticed that there are certain elements common in John Green’s books. We have a relatable main character. He has a great, usually really funny best friend who tends to be one of the best side characters. There’s a love interest that seems unobtainable at first, but she’s always interesting and intriguing. These characters find themselves in a variety of crazy situations. And the tone and feel always shifts from funny to moving very well.

Paper Towns has all of this and then some. It’s about a guy named Quentin Jacobsen, and he and his best friends, Ben and Radar, aren’t exactly the most popular guys at school. Quentin has always longed for an old childhood friend who has drifted from him over the years, Margo Roth Spiegelman. One night, Margo shows up at Quentin’s window and takes him out for the night to “set things right,” by seeking revenge on people who have wronged her and fix things with people she’s wronged. After an exciting night out, Quentin wakes up the next morning to find that Margo has disappeared. Thinking Margo wants him to find her, Quentin sets out searching for clues to where Margo might have gone.

While An Abundance of Katherines had all of the elements I previously listed in a John Green book, it had something missing that Looking For Alaska had, and I couldn’t quite pin it down until reading Paper Towns. It was a sense of mystery. The mystery of both where Margo’s gone and just who Margo is is a huge element of the book, and it makes it interesting because it gives Margo a lot of depth without even being in the book for most of it. I liked all of the other characters a lot too, and this is something Green has excelled at. You care about these characters and want to see how their journey unfolds.

It’s hard to talk about anything else about the book without spoiling anything, which I don’t want to do, because this is a story that deserves to be experienced. It’s a great read that keeps you intrigued, makes you laugh, and makes you sad. The ending is one of the best I’ve read in a while, because it’s heartbreaking but it seems right. I really felt for the characters by the end of it. I really do recommend Paper Towns.

4.5/5