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John Green
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Looking For Alaska: TikTok made me buy it! Read the multi-million bestselling smash-hit behind the TV series Kindle Edition

by John Green (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 31,747 ratings
Teachers' pick for school years 1–9

The unmissable first novel from bestselling and award-winning author of THE FAULT IN OUR STARS and TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN.

“In the dark beside me, she smelled of sweat and sunshine and vanilla and on that thin-mooned night I could see little more than her silhouette, but even in the dark, I could see her eyes – fierce emeralds. And beautiful.”

BEFORE. Miles Halter’s whole life has been one big non-event until he starts at anything-but-boring Culver Creek Boarding School and meets Alaska Young. Gorgeous, clever, funny and utterly fascinating she pulls Miles into her world, launches him into a new life, and steals his heart. But when tragedy strikes, and Miles comes face-to-face with death he discovers the value of living and loving unconditionally.

AFTER: Nothing will ever be the same.

Poignant, funny, heartbreaking and compelling, this novel will stay with you forever.

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  1. Print length
    369 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Harper Fire
  4. Publication date
    31 May 2012
  5. Reading age
    13 years and up
  6. File size
    1.6 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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From the Publisher

Looking For Alaska

Looking For Alaska

Looking For Alaska

Looking For Alaska

Looking For Alaska

Looking For Alaska

Looking For Alaska

Product description

Review

“Miles's narration is alive with sweet, self-deprecating humor, and his obvious struggle to tell the story truthfully adds to his believability.” School Library Journal

“What sings and soars in this gorgeously told tale is Green's mastery of language and the sweet, rough edges of Pudge's voice. Girls will cry and boys will find love, lust, loss and longing in Alaska's vanilla-and-cigarettes scent.” Kirkus

“This is an amazing first novel by a writer who is young enough to vividly remember his powerful years of high school and he expertly turns remembrance into story.” Children’s Literature

“The novel's chief appeal lies in Miles's well-articulated lust and his initial excitement about being on his own for the first time.” Publishers Weekly

From the Author

John Green is an award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of several YA novels including THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, which was a smash-hit film in 2014. He has received numerous accolades including the Printz Medal, a Printz Honor and the Edgar Award. John is also one half of the Vlogbrothers; co-creator, with his brother, Hank, of the popular video blog Brotherhood 2.0, which has been watched more than 30 million times by Nerdfighter fans all over the globe (youtube.com/vlogbrothers).

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0084WTGII
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Fire (31 May 2012)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.6 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 369 pages
  • Customer reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 31,747 ratings

About the author

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John Green

John Green

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

John Green is the award-winning, #1 bestselling author of Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, Will Grayson, Will Grayson (with David Levithan), and The Fault in Our Stars. His many accolades include the Printz Medal, a Printz Honor, and the Edgar Award. John has twice been a finalist for the LA Times Book Prize and was selected by TIME magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. With his brother, Hank, John is one half of the Vlogbrothers (youtube.com/vlogbrothers) and co-created the online educational series CrashCourse (youtube.com/crashcourse). You can join the millions who follow him on Twitter @johngreen and Instagram @johngreenwritesbooks or visit him online at johngreenbooks.com.

John lives with his family in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
31,747 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book well-written and thought-provoking, making them think deeply about life while keeping them interested. They describe it as an emotional read that makes them cry and smile, with well-developed characters that readers can connect with strongly. Customers appreciate its humor and consider it a great coming-of-age book that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. The story quality receives mixed reactions, with some finding it a profound tale of love and loss while others say it gets boring at times.

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720 customers mention ‘Readability’693 positive27 negative

Customers find the book captivating and well-written, though some note they only enjoyed the first half.

"...Intelligent, flawless, brilliant main character, friendship, romance, a page turner. What more could you want from a book?..." Read more

"...and honest and the characters well developed, each with their own unique flaws, strengths and complexities...." Read more

"...how he'd previously had no friends because he's a very sweet, very smart young man who really cares about..." Read more

"...Green's descriptions of what's happening are so vivid, with minimal words used, and you definitely feel as though you're intruding on Miles, Alaska,..." Read more

203 customers mention ‘Emotional content’176 positive27 negative

Customers find the book emotionally engaging, describing it as a heartbreaking and touching tale that made them both cry and smile.

"...for a number of reasons, but the main reason above all, was that it had soul!..." Read more

"...The ending is sad, poignant and very moving, where the characters not only come to term with their own labyrinth of suffering, but Green leaves the..." Read more

"...Overall a very touching, funny, heartfelt story that I think I'll be thinking about for a while to come. From..." Read more

"...beautiful, there's a mix of comedy, mischief, guilt, confusion, love, anger and I think anyone who has been through teenage life and went to school..." Read more

203 customers mention ‘Thought provoking’187 positive16 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking, keeping them interested and making them reflect on life.

"...Intelligent, flawless, brilliant main character, friendship, romance, a page turner. What more could you want from a book?..." Read more

"...that turbulent and emotionally charged period of their lives with deep insight and depth of feeling, which will particularly resonate with young..." Read more

"...how he'd previously had no friends because he's a very sweet, very smart young man who really cares about..." Read more

"...I think the aftermath of 'That Day' was handled beautifully, and whilst the character's reactions and emotions prove extremely emotional, you get to..." Read more

199 customers mention ‘Writing quality’185 positive14 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, describing it as amazingly readable and a great piece of literature, with one customer noting its fabulously structured language.

"...A theme that was beautifully illustrated through John Greens words, that I was scared of tearing up in front of my dad in the passenger seat...." Read more

"...His writing style was relaxed, witty and honest and the characters well developed, each with their own unique flaws, strengths and complexities...." Read more

"...Again, John Green is a good writer. He has in incredible way of evoking a teenager's feelings...." Read more

"A quick easy YA read. The book follows Miles, a quiet guy who goes to boarding school looking for a great perhaps...." Read more

119 customers mention ‘Humor’116 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, finding it both amusing and emotional, with several mentioning it made them laugh and cry.

"...His writing style was relaxed, witty and honest and the characters well developed, each with their own unique flaws, strengths and complexities...." Read more

"...happened and more importantly why. John Green is also a humorous writer and although this is not as present in this book as it was in..." Read more

"...The character development is beautiful, there's a mix of comedy, mischief, guilt, confusion, love, anger and I think anyone who has been through..." Read more

"...He makes new friends, enjoys life and feels like he’s found what he was looking for...." Read more

113 customers mention ‘Character development’96 positive17 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, noting that the characters are well-developed and easy to connect with.

"...Intelligent, flawless, brilliant main character, friendship, romance, a page turner. What more could you want from a book?..." Read more

"...His writing style was relaxed, witty and honest and the characters well developed, each with their own unique flaws, strengths and complexities...." Read more

"...The character development is beautiful, there's a mix of comedy, mischief, guilt, confusion, love, anger and I think anyone who has been through..." Read more

"...The characters were well described, not so much their features but their personalities. The best thing about this book is how real it is...." Read more

70 customers mention ‘Ages’61 positive9 negative

Customers praise this book as a great coming-of-age novel that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages, serving as an introduction to real life for teenagers.

"...after death with sensitivity, honesty and an unexpected depth of understanding for his age...." Read more

"...Overall I think it's a good mix of older teen/young adult book and as an 18 year old I enjoyed it...." Read more

"...But it is definitely a life story. A book that will appeal to teens and adults alike. A book to make you think...." Read more

"...of emotions until the end, and it is honestly one of the best coming-of-age books I have read in a long time...." Read more

73 customers mention ‘Story quality’31 positive42 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's story, with some praising it as a profound tale of love and loss, while others find it boring.

"...reasons for her self-destructive behaviour, I did find her a bit overly dramatic, annoying and self-absorbed...." Read more

"...Intelligent, flawless, brilliant main character, friendship, romance, a page turner. What more could you want from a book?..." Read more

"...nicknames, which are irrelevant, unexplained, and give an air of immaturity to the novel...." Read more

"...is beautiful, there's a mix of comedy, mischief, guilt, confusion, love, anger and I think anyone who has been through teenage life and went to..." Read more

A fun, touching novel for teenagers and young adults anywhere
4 out of 5 stars
A fun, touching novel for teenagers and young adults anywhere
Miles, tired of his friendless, dull life in Florida, convinces his parents to send him away to boarding school in Alabama to seek the “Great Perhaps”. There he meets his roommate and soon-to-be best friend named Chip aka. The Colonel, and a wild and moody, but gorgeous, Alaska Young - whom becomes the subject of his lust. Miles is enlisted in their war between the rich kids, - known as the Weekday Warriors - and the group bond over pranks, studying and rule-breaking. About halfway through the book, a heartbreaking tragedy occurs and the others are trying to make sense of it; to solve this mystery and pull the greatest-ever-prank for the last time. This is a book about friendship, school and love. Three things I love to find in a book. There were some really funny parts that made me laugh out loud: while others managed to really anger. However in the second half, it was a heartbreaking shock to find out what happened next. This book is one of my favourites. The quote: “And then something invisible snapped insider her, and that which had come together commenced to fall apart.” This quote was the most emotional to me with the use of language. I’d give it a 4.5 star rating.
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Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Con McHugh
    5.0 out of 5 stars WTF IS THIS MAGIC!?
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 November 2011
    Verified Purchase
    A brilliant book for a number of reasons, but the main reason above all, was that it had soul!
    You get book's that read off the pages like an instruction manual, and then you get books that replace your dreams and inspire you to live.
    This book triumphantly finds itself in that second category.

    So I'm on my way to France, and this book struck me as the one to read. My gut instinct has never been so right. I consumed this whole book in my 12 hour car journey across England and France, only stopping to go to the toilet, and eat and drink.

    And it was only when I tore myself from the books last words, that i realised could quite easily fall asleep on the spot.
    This book was KEEPING ME AWAKE.
    WITHOUT ME EVEN NOTICING.
    WTF IS THIS MAGIC!?
    UMAD!?

    So, why was this book good? You wan't to know right? that's most probably why you are reading this review. Or you like to listen to me ramble. Either way, both of those about to come true.

    The best thing about this book, was that it teaches you so many lessons. I won't go through them all, but the title of the book reflects one of the themes.
    Looking for the "great perhaps"
    A theme that was beautifully illustrated through John Greens words, that I was scared of tearing up in front of my dad in the passenger seat. (me being in the passenger seat, him being in the drivers seat, obviously. I can't read and drive, duh. Is that illegal? reading and driving? "Excuse me sir, not only are you under the influence of alcohol whilst driving, but you are also READING A BOOK!"

    The book, in a nutshell, as I have now noticed I commonly say, is a growing up story. Miles attends a boarding school searching for something better, a "great perhaps", and he finds his great perhaps through a sad and tragic journey.

    What was bad about this book? Nothing.

    Unless you include the two typo errors on the page I would list here but I can't find it and if you have bought it, the typo's would have probably been fixed by then.

    Overall, an honour shelf worthy book, that's gong to sit snug alongside Delirium, Hunger games, Harry Potter and Eragon.

    Intelligent, flawless, brilliant main character, friendship, romance, a page turner.
    What more could you want from a book?
    Well it could make me a full English breakfast every morning, but for £5.00, I won't hold my breath.

    That is all ;)
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Mrs Wendy Lennox
    4.0 out of 5 stars A compelling and thought provoking read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 June 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Looking for Alaska follows the story of Miles, a nerdy, awkward teenager with a quirk for remembering famous last words. In his search for the Great Perhaps, Miles leaves his home in Florida to attend Culver Creek boarding school, where his roommate, Chip (The Colonel), a smart, sarcastic kid from a poor background decides to take him under his wing. When Chip introduces Miles or ‘Pudge’ as he is nick-named by his new friend to cool, mysterious Alaska Young, he immediately falls under her spell. Miles and Alaska’s relationship deepens as the story progresses but it is destined never to lead to anything more than friendship.

    The book is split into before and after a life changing event without the use of chapter breaks. Instead Green uses section breaks related to time e.g. 121 days before in order to build tension throughout the story. I thought considering this was his first book, it was very well written. His writing style was relaxed, witty and honest and the characters well developed, each with their own unique flaws, strengths and complexities.

    Green’s talent lies in his ability to vividly transport the reader back to their teenage or student years, exploring that turbulent and emotionally charged period of their lives with deep insight and depth of feeling, which will particularly resonate with young adult readers. My only criticism was that I couldn’t really relate to the character of Alaska, and although I can emphasise with her reasons for her self-destructive behaviour, I did find her a bit overly dramatic, annoying and self-absorbed. However, this is probably because I am not the right age for this book. I also found the event the story led up to was fairly predictable and therefore didn’t come as any great shock.

    The part of the book that really stood out for me was the second half. I think most of us at one time in our lives can relate to the quote by Simon Bolivar, ‘How will I ever get out of this Labyrinth?’ Green cleverly weaves this theme into the storyline in such a powerful and thought provoking way, I admit that I shed a few tears. He also explores difficult issues such as loss, grief and life after death with sensitivity, honesty and an unexpected depth of understanding for his age. The ending is sad, poignant and very moving, where the characters not only come to term with their own labyrinth of suffering, but Green leaves the reader with the thought that in our search for the Great Perhaps, all that really matters in life is love, friendship and hope.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Sarah
    5.0 out of 5 stars Bien
    Reviewed in Mexico on 11 July 2021
    Verified Purchase
    El libro llegó en buenas condiciones, yo ya había decidido no leer más de este autor pero vi muy buenas críticas del libro y la verdad se me a estado haciendo un poco pesado
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  • Fred
    5.0 out of 5 stars It’s no exaggeration to call this book a masterpiece.
    Reviewed in Italy on 31 July 2013
    Verified Purchase
    It’s no exaggeration to call this book a masterpiece.
    I lost count of the times I cried while reading it.

    John Green’s style is unmistakable, it captivates you. Therefore you even get to feel both Miles’ excitement and his grief first hand.

    I was totally struck by the way I could feel part of the book myself and by how I could side with Miles, even when he did something inappropriate in the book Miles is very easy to empathize with, no matter what he does.

    The Colonel was a great secondary character: he could always be there, but not in an intrusive way. He just played the role he needed to play, being ever so present, but never too present and never upstaging Miles and Alaska, even though he has his own story too.

    Alaska is the kind of girl you only meet once in your life. An ephemeral being. You think you know her and just a second after you realize you know nothing about her. You think you don’t know her at all, and then she surprises you, giving you the impression she’s exactly the person you think she is. She’s both the Alaska you think you know, and a totally different Alaska—she reminds me of Margo Roth Spiegelman, central character in Paper Towns. She’s nothing but a mystery. A puzzle that cannot be solved.
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  • Mybooksntea
    5.0 out of 5 stars Une lecture intemporelle
    Reviewed in France on 6 February 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Miles Halter a 16 ans et est passionné par les biographies et les dernières paroles de personnes célèbres. Il n'en peut plus de son lycée minable en Floride et décide de suivre les pas de son père : partir en pension à Culver Creek en Alabama. Cette décision, il la prend dans l'espoir de rencontrer ce qu'il appelle le Grand Peut-Être, qui lui permettra de rendre sa vie plus intéressante.
    À Culver Creek, il fait la connaissance du Colonel, avec qui il partage sa chambre. Ce dernier lui présente Alaska. Miles est tout de suite subjugué par sa beauté, sa présence, sa manière d'être. Avec eux, il a l'impression de vivre plus pleinement, il se laisse entraîner dans la vie trépidante sur le campus : les cigarettes, l'alcool, les blagues, les revanches, les bêtises.. mais aussi le travail, puisque les cours sont difficiles, notamment le cours de religions.
    Miles est pris dans l'engrenage de la vie en pension et s'installe peu à peu dans le confort d'un quotidien fait d'amis imprévisibles. Jusqu'au jour où le plus terrible et le plus imprévisible se produit, bouleversant sa vie et celle de l'école toute entière.

    Miles, le narrateur, est un personnage assez effacé, il donne l'impression d'être plus un spectateur qu'un homme d'action. Il se laisse influencer par ses amis plus déterminés et sûrs d'eux. C'est à travers son regard et son statut de narrateur que l'on découvre les autres personnages : le Colonel, ce petit jeune homme court sur patte mais ô combien virulent lorsqu'on s'attaque à ceux qu'il aime ; Takumi le japonais discret mais attachant ; la belle Lara et son accent roumain ; et bien sûr Alaska, imprévisible et insaisissable. Elle est dotée d'un caractère assez changeant, parfois caractérielle, mais tellement fascinante par son énergie et ses réflexions profondes sur la vie. C'est autour d'elle que tourne ce roman, autour des questions et de la fascination qu'elle provoque sur les gens qui la fréquentent.
    J'ai trouvé chacun des personnages justes et incroyablement bien construits, tant dans leur caractère que dans leurs émotions entre le avant et le après. John Green a parfaitement réussi à saisir cet état de l'adolescence, où l'on ne sait pas vraiment qui l'on est, qui l'on va et veut devenir. Toutes ces grandes questions que l'on se pose, celle du Grand Peut-Être, celle du labyrinthe de souffrance…
    Le fait de diviser la narration en deux parties, le avant et le après, donne au roman une dimension plus profonde et maintient le lecteur dans l'inconnu, le laissant se questionner jusqu'au bout sur l'événement assez terrible ou extraordinaire pour qu'il y ait un avant et un après.
    J'ai moi aussi été captivée par Alaska, et frustrée lorsque les questions de Miles sur elle sont restées sans réponses. Et je pense que c'est cette aura de mystère qui la rend aussi fascinante.
    C'est un roman que je lis et relis depuis que je l'ai découvert, huit ans plus tôt. A chaque relecture, il revêt une dimension différente, comme s'il grandissait en même temps que moi. Les personnages et le récit, bien que familiers, semblent s'adapter à mon regard de lecteur qui mûrit au fil des années, me racontant une nouvelle histoire.
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  • Precies zoals geadverteerd
    5.0 out of 5 stars Percect
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on 5 April 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Precies zoals geadverteerd
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  • Manu
    5.0 out of 5 stars Avaliação sobre "Looking for Alaska" :)
    Reviewed in Brazil on 2 August 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Livro simplesmente incrível. Essa leitura mexeu com as minhas emoções e se tornou um dos meus livros favoritos de toda a vida. As pessoas podem ignorar seus problemas até certo ponto, mas nunca totalmente e, quando eles vêm à tona, pode ser tarde demais para lidar com eles. É triste a forma que as pessoas mais próximas de você talvez não percebam os pequenos sinais que você dá sobre seus sentimentos. Vou deixar um dos meus trechos favoritos do livro!
    "You spend your whole life stuck in the labyrinth, thinking about how awesome it will be, and imagining that future keeps you going, but you never do it. You just use the future to escape the present." - Alaska
    Espero que com apenas essa citação eu tenha te convencido a ler! Vai com certeza te fazer pensar e observar mais as pessoas e a si mesmo.
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