Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

This topic is open for discussion about Looking for Alaska by John Green



Book synopsis:
Before. Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more. He heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.

After. Nothing is ever the same.

Reserved

Reserved

Yay! I'm about 30 pages in now and I'm so excited for this book. I would say so far it's my least favorite John Green novel but of course it's too early to really say. But since Paper Towns is my #1 all time favorite book (tied with a couple others lol), it's a tough competition.

I can't decide whether or not I like the Colonel. One page I do, then I turn the page and not so much, but then I do again.

I read about 30 pages last night before I went to bed. I love all the characters, even including the awkward night before he goes off to boarding school party with exactly two friends and his parents.

The Colonel is an interesting character. I see what you mean about liking and disliking him. On the other hand, I think John Green is doing a great job of getting across a character who acts differently depending on whether he's with just one person or with a group.

"That was terrible. What do I need to do to ensure that never happens to me again?"

I don't know why but I'm in love with that line. Oh so many situations in YA would be solved if the character would just ask this question lol

Haha. Love it. So far, I've been in love with all the biography and book related references. Like how Miles doesn't like reading plays, he likes reading biographies. Or how Alaska has been going and picking up books from garage sales so she always has something interesting to read, but hasn't gotten to most of them yet.

I read those kind of lines and go, yup, this is my life. Right here, in John Green's book.

Yes! I love all the final words. When he talked about the guy who's final words were "on the contrary", I was like YES. I love this.

"That's obvious" was my fav so far. And also Alaska's reaction to it.

I'm up to 51 days before, and the countdown is really starting to feel ominous. Can't wait to find out what we are counting down to...

I unfortunately am already spoiled for that, having been in the John Green fandom forever at this point but I'm still looking forward to getting to it lol I'm just a few pages behind you, hoping to finish the book by this afternoon. I just want to see how he writes it all out, like he goes about it.

"Why would you try to kill this guy, Kevin? He's a genius. Nuts to your truce."

Hahaha the Colonel is starting to grow on me. Let's see how long that lasts!

Seeing as how we were only four layers away from doing it...

Ah high school...

I really like that I don't like Alaska. You know? I don't think we're supposed to like her, I think that's the whole point. But every time she spouts off something about the patriarchal oppression, I like her for at least one more page lol

Have you read Paper Towns? It was similar there I feel with Margo. Where you're supposed to come away realizing that not every girl in YA is the "manic pixie dream girl".

The Great Perhaps was upon us, and we were invincible. The plan may have had faults, but we did not.

GOOD GOD THIS BOOK JUST HAS SUCH GOOD LINES OUT OF NOWHERE!

I really love the Colonel. Actually, I really love them all. This book has definitely surprised me with how much I love it! Alaska is the least likeable of them, though. I found the same thing with the love interest in Paper Towns, actually. Maybe it's a John Green thing.

... I just read the rest of your comment. So I think I'll say now: yes, I agree.His main character boys are geeks in both books as well...

You are planning to finish it this afternoon? Yikes! I'd better take this book to work then so I have a chance of reading some more of it during my lunch break!!

I didn't finish but I'm about halfway through. Not sure where you are at so no spoilers but:

I love the Colonel.

I LOVE the Colonel.

I love all of them, I love this book, I love everything. *Heart eyes*

You know what I love? I love the relationship between Colonel and Alaska. That it's completely platonic makes me really happy for some reason.

I totally agree. How far in are you? Because there's this one section where Miles talks about how it's just the three of them and it took me up to that moment to realize how much I loved that. I can take or leave Takumi and Lara, they add a nice bit when they are all together. But at the heart of it, the three way friendship between Colonel and Alaska and Miles is what I really love.

Me too. Definitely. And to answer your question, I am 3/4 thru.

Then you know which scene I meant! When he's kneeling by the casket and the Colonel has his hand on his shoulder and he says it was just the three of them, " three bodies and two people."

I don't think I appreciated the bond between them until then which is really sad.

But a HAPPIER note, did you love the scene where they were all rapping? I smiled through that whole thing.

I just got to the part where they have their first day of classes After and the French teacher asks how they're feeling, the girl says awful, and she says to say it in French.

I am irrationally furious. Gotta give it to John Green, he always makes you feel something. I want to throttle that teacher to death.
--------------------------------

"If drunk were cookies, I'd be Famos Amos."
"Chips Ahoy would have been funnier."
"Forgive me. Not at my best."

I swear if at the end of this the Colonel and Pudge don't stay best friends for the rest of their lives, I quit everything. I take back everything bad I said about him by the way.

I am officially finished with the book. I'm going to hold off more comments until you are too and we can hack it to pieces but I will say...

I managed to somehow laugh hysterically while also sobbing at the same time. I am equal parts happy and devastated. And I just really loved that friggin book.

Oh honey, I completely understand the almost crying and laughing. I am up to page 230 where they are scabbing cigarettes for free and each of them tossing one in the river for Alaska.

Looking back, it's not that surprising what happened in After, but I'm really enjoying how it's playing out. I should also have this one finished today, I think.

Now that you're done (just read your review):

The part that made me laugh and cry at the same time? The stripper. How dumb is that! I have no idea why I started bawling but when Takumi goes THIS ONE'S FOR ALASKA YOUNG and the guy starts dancing and I was just imagining how proud Alaska would have been. And then when they were all asking if it was him and Pudge just said "No. It was Alaska." I totally lost it.

I have never cried over a fictional stripper before. THANKS JOHN GREEN.

I personally loved when the Eagle told them not to do it again but applauded the fact that it felt like Alaska had been there.

Oh! And the religion assignment!

Oh yes! How he wrote about how he knew she forgives him. Cried the whole way through that thing.

I just started reading this one. I hadn't noticed it till now and a friend recommend it. So here I go, diving head first into the mind of a fifteen year old boy......

I relate more to nerdy characters than popular ones so I like Miles. I loved that quote too "on the contrary ". Reminded me of a joke/line I read some where "Life's too short said Fred, then he died just to prove a point." "Lifes t..... said Albert, just to prove that life was shorter than Fred had calculated. "

Vodka and milk! Urrghh!

84 days before. .....Before what? I wonder what the countdown is too. Getting expelled? Losing his virginity? What else is important to a teenage boy?

I'm starting to get more involved in the book. I found it a little hard at first as I don't really relate to teenage boys but the teenage friendship dynamics are familiar.

@Renee - I had the same challenge. But I definitely got the hang of it. Love the dynamic between the MC, the Colonel & Alaska. The MC is such an innocent.

Still #10 for the library wait list. Hope some of you will come back when I (eventually) get to read this to chat.

Michelle wrote: "Still #10 for the library wait list. Hope some of you will come back when I (eventually) get to read this to chat."

Feel free to pm me if no one is chatting with you, but I'll try to keep an eye out.

Kristin ~ Experiment in Terror Junkie wrote: "@Renee - I had the same challenge. But I definitely got the hang of it. Love the dynamic between the MC, the Colonel & Alaska. The MC is such an innocent."

He is such an innocent and giving in to peer pressure - cigarettes and alcohol. I was very innocent too, glad none of my friends were into naughty stuff, because I probably would have gone along too. Friendship and being accepted is so important to me now, let alone when I was a teenager.

Up to 49 days before now
(view spoiler)[ Starting to think that the countdown is to a big prank - wonder what they will do... (hide spoiler)]

Just finished The Last Day
(view spoiler)[ The felatio fiasco - OMG I laughed so hard!

Just read the last paragraph of this chapter and I think I know what the countdown is too. But I don't want to know. Putting book down for a while until I'm emotionally prepared to find out. (hide spoiler)]

Up to 69 days after.
Yep, I was right.
(view spoiler)[ I should have guessed earlier. After reading The fault in our stars, I should have guessed that more than one of his books were an empirical punch in the face. Still enjoying it though. Better than specified teenage boy trouble. (hide spoiler)]

I started last night, and I am so glad it narrated from a boy! I hadn't realized until I started how many YA books are from the female perspective.

I love the last words knowledge that Miles has, it makes me want to adapt that.

So far loving the Colonel, not sure how I feel about Alaska though. Still early days for me, so I still have a lot of reading ahead!

Just finished The Last Day

Like you Renee, I'm putting it down for a few hours(view spoiler)[I also was thinking it was going to be running up to a big prank, until those last few sentences, yikes! (hide spoiler)]

I just got this on Kindle to join you all. I'll start in a few days and catch up.

Great Michelle! I also took advantage of the lower price at Amazon for the kindle version :)

I just this

❥☪LIZZ NEILL☪❥ wrote: "I just this"

So glad you're going to join us!!

I am reading it right now

Just finished (view spoiler)[love the last prank that they pulled for Alaska. By far, the Colonel is my favorite character in this story and I almost wish I had more of him. There were some great lines from this book, and now I am going to become addicted to last lines! (hide spoiler)]

Reading this and really like it.

at 47% (view spoiler)[ The characters are great. Really well done. I especially like Miles of course and I can understand why such an introvert would be especially attracted to Alaska. I'm so curious as to what event we're counting down to. I think I know what it will be, but I hope I'm wrong. (hide spoiler)]

I'll start in 2-3 days! :)

I am going to start with this one sometime very soon !

I'm really enjoying it.

At 86% (view spoiler)[The event was what I thought it would be, and it's not good. The Before is so much better than the After in lightness and laughs. (hide spoiler)]

I've finished and I really liked it.

My review can be found here my review

2 chapters in.. it is kind of ok till now..

This being my first John Green book..I have huge expectations from it! :)