‘Looking for Alaska’ by John Green
Having followed John Green’s video blog with his brother Hank for several months, I became intrigued by John’s career in writing Young Adult literature. Fortunately for Christmas, a friend bought me his first novel ‘Looking for Alaska’. Not knowing anything about the plot I delved right in. It chronicles the goings on with a 17 year old boy Miles at boarding school before and after a certain event - SPOILERS IN THE NEXT SENTENCE - which is later revealed to be the death of his friend and first crush Alaska Young.
The book was surprisingly moving and wonderfully written, even beautifully at times. I say this with surprise because it’s been a long time since I read YA and from what I remember, with the brief exception of Tamora Pierce and JKR, it wasn’t very good. Therefore I’ve pretty much stayed clear of the genre. If John is anything to go by, I may have to get back into it (yes, I know, I’m at university and studying Literature, but I need some downtime and frankly? American Psycho is not cutting it - more on that in February).
I have to say, the first half of the novel is refreshing and funny. I like that Miles’ experience are so recognisable to me. The sneaky drinking, the wanting to be so much more than you are. Miles isn’t perfect, none of them are and that’s okay. It was also nice to read something written for teenagers that doesn’t patronise you. That said, whilst I did enjoy that first half, it is Green’s masterful descriptions of a teenage experience of grief in the second half. In fact, the fact that I say it’s teenage at all makes it sound like I’m belittling it or somehow suggesting that adults experience grief in a different way. That’s not the case. I’m not sure I’m explaining myself particularly well.
What I particularly loved was the sense of growing up throught this grief, that Miles comes to the realisation that he doesn’t have a monopoly on grieving her, as one of his friends once puts it. What was even better is that at first, he knows that, but continues to act the way he was before. It’s not a morality lesson, it’s not a guidebook for behaviour as YA lit does tend to do. It’s just beautifully written, and funny too.
Thank god for Brotherhood 2.0 and YouTube for bringing the Green Brothers, and this book, into my life.
