By CAITLIN HOFEN
Everyone eventually speaks their last words. While many last words are famously profound and recorded, most last words are barely memorable.
In the book “Looking for Alaska,” by John Green, readers are introduced to Miles “Pudge” Halter. Growing up, Miles was fascinated by famous last words, leading him to search what the dying poet François Rabelais called, “The Great Perhaps.” That search led him to Culver Creek, a boarding school deep in the Alabama heat, and to Alaska Young, a beautiful, hurricane of a girl who challenges Miles to get out of the labyrinth.
The voice of Miles is so raw and innocent at the beginning of the story; it’s easy to believe that the character hasn’t experienced much life.
As Miles and his friends skirt around getting caught with contraband, pulling pranks on the Weekday Warriors and dealing with loss, his growth as a character is shown through his understanding of how life is more than just last words.
The character of Alaska Young was not what I expected at all when I first read the book many years ago. She is first portrayed as a huge bookworm, constantly buying more books, while promising to read them all one day. As Miles gets to know Alaska better, her unstable homelife and need to dull pain with alcohol become her main characteristics.
She is determined to make it out of the Labyrinth of Suffering described by Simon Bolivars, challenging Miles to find the exit with her. So much of her story is revealed later that she is truly a mysterious character until the end of the novel.
This book deals with challenges all teenagers and young adults go through. It has plot twists and heart-wrenching scenes filled with humor, life-lessons and the realization of how much one life affects others.
I’ve gone back to this book many times when I needed a comfort read. The characters are relatable, and the storyline is intricate. I will admit that it took me a few times of reading this book to completely unlock everything the story offers.
The story does deal with alcoholism, abuse and loss, so if that could be too much for certain readers, maybe take the novel slow or look for another read.
Though it isn’t marketed as such, “Looking for Alaska” really is a mystery. It takes the entire book to uncover secrets woven through the plot, and readers won’t regret taking the time to find them.