Looking for Alaska was a good book - not a great one. I think that had I read this at 15, my 15 year old self would have been blown away by this novel, and really YA books are meant to blow away 15 year old selves, no?
Looking for Alaska is centered around "Pudge" a super skinny teen who, dissatisfied with his own life, chooses to go off to a boarding school seeking the "Great Perhaps." Pudge finds his perhaps with three wonderfully written classmates "The Colonel," Alaska Young, and Takumi.
The novel is written in a countdown to an important event in Pudge's life, and then reels from it for the last third of the book. The style of it is wonderful. The characters are thoughtfully drawn up, the events feel very immediate, and it draws the reader right into the situation.
I can totally see a teenager loving this book. It never flinches or underestimates the facts of teenage life. My one issue with this book is how they wrap it up, and that issue wouldn't exist for me 13 years ago.
Its a great read for teens and adults. And according to Wikipedia, this book has been picked up to be made into a movie. Which could be great except the suspected title, Famous Last Words, is nowhere near as intriguing as Looking for Alaska.
I give this one a solid 7 out of 10.
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