As all the other 3 of the John Green books it lived up to the expectations, John Green always captures the inner thoughts and feeling of teenagers and young people really well, even though he writes books about teenage life his words translate to everyone with the way he writes.
Looking for Alaska is following Miles (Pudge) story is lives in Florida with his parents he's a loner in school not popular 6 foot tall skinny kid who likes to read biographies of writers but he never has read any of the work by the authors, his "thing" is remembering all of their "last words" before they die.
He was wanting a greater perhaps knowing that there is greater things and adventures to be had, he thought his great perhaps was going to Culver creek boarding school in Alabama where his dad went when he was a teenager. he had told him of his adventures he had whilst he was there and Pudge was hoping this was his greater perhaps so he said goodbye to his parents and went to Culver's creek.
Pudge was greeted by his room mate chip martin who everyone called the colonel he was short and liked to memorise countries and states, he was all about loyalty that meant a lot to him, he also hated the rich "weekends" those who went to the school during the week then back to their rich parents and big houses on the weekends. the colonel was from a trailer park but had a lovely loving mother and didn't want Pudge to hang out with him if he wanted to be popular, Pudge had never been popular so wasn't bothered and wanted to be friends with him.
Through colonel Pudge met Alaska who was also their on scholarship like colonel they loved to play pranks, Alaska had a room full of books she bought from second hand stores wanting to read them all. she is mysterious through out the book not really knowing her it turned out when she was 8 she was at home with her mother who started to fit she just sat there and watched and when her dad arrived home and hour later she was dead. Alaska cant get over that she didn't try to save her mother instead she just sat there silently while her mother died
On his first night pudge was ripped from his bed only in his underwear it was a ritual to throw every new student in the lake, this time they changed the rules they tapped Pudge up like a mummy throwing him in and he could of drowned this angered colonel and Alaska. they did it because they thought colonel was the person who ratted out Alaska's roommate at the end of the last term her and her boyfriend were caught breaking 3 major rules and were kicked out. colonel being all about loyalty he hated rats he never did it so he and Alaska and Takumi who pudge met the previous day vowed revenge.
He also met Lara who is Romanian and would be his girlfriend for all of a day, and Takumi who loves to rap. they make a great group of friends they do pranks, drink, smoke at the smoking whole its a new world for Pudge, he's never had friends though he's being himself the whole time he kind of is going along with everyone with smoking and drinking that wasn't really his thing but that's what we all do when we are younger we do what we have to fit in but they loved that he was this skinny kid who was kind and loyal.
The book is counting down to a life changing event for them all, though pudge went out with Lara for a day he was infatuated with Alaska even though she could be a bitch at times, she would never answer questions to do with when, where, how etc but she was really smart and when her and pudge first met they were taking about books and she asked him how do you get out the labyrinth?
One night Pudges prayers where answered when they were hanging out in Pudge and colonel's room he and Alaska started to making out didn't go any further but she gets a phone call and then comes back in crying saying she needs to leave even though shes drunk they let her go.
The next day they heard the worst news whilst driving Alaska drove into a police car and was dead on impact. they didn't know how to deal with it, they wanted to know what happened on the phone call, did she try to kill herself because she didn't swerve so many unanswered questions they needed to know the answers.
Pudge was so wrapped up on her last words to him to be continued did she really want to continue with him, did she like him or was she up set that she cheated on her boyfriend that she always said she loved. he and colonel blamed themselves for letting her go, Takumi made them realise that the reason she was so upset was that she forgot to put flowers on her mums grave as it was her anniversary she felt that she did nothing but screw up things up, she betrayed her room mate she let her mum die, she cheated on her boyfriend and then she goes and forgets to put flowers on her mothers grave.
At the end of the book we find out that though Pudge and colonel blamed themselves for Alaska's death them being the last to see her they weren't the last Takumi saw her later trying to find flowers to pick and put on her mothers grave he thought she would go to bed and go the following day. they didn't realise he thought a lot of her to and didn't like that they kept the searching I the beginning from him like she only meant something to them he loved her too.
Through the book you want to know more about her you never really get to know the real Alaska, and that's what Pudge realised whilst they were trying to find out whether she killed herself or if it was an accident. through trying to find out he realise he didn't know her but he had got to know his friends even more he got to know the people they were it brought them even closer.
Pudge has two questions to answer through the book the greater perhaps he thinks it dies when Alaska did but with the searching realised it didn't with the help of his friends they made him see life didn't end with her. they have to move on and keep living their lives there are so many more greater perhaps out there to be had.
Two how to get out of the labyrinth and the answer to that is that ever since Alaska didn't help her mother she held on to so much guilt though she was a child even if she called for help she wouldn't of survived but she never forgave her self and felt that all she ever did was screw up. that guilt effected the rest of her life the labyrinth is dark and the only way to get out was to forgive your self and others and by letting those around help you and support you yes its hard to get out of but you can don't hold on to the past as that will keep you in there and it will always be a dark place.
It's a great read and I would recommend it
Peanut xx
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