Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Last Thoughts

   I'm not used to reading novels that are told my male characters, so it was difficult to get into Miles' head. Not that he was unlikeable because I did like him, it's just sometimes reading a booking told in a point of view of the opposite sex it can be harder to get into. I discovered that with the first ten or 15 pages where I was bored and the information was dull because it was just the set up of the novel. However, it got much better as I continued to read.
   Alaska is one of those girls that bring out the side of ourselves that is hiding underneath the proper exterior we portray to the world. Her view of life and people can be contagious and upsetting at the same time. Miles is drawn to her, even though she has a boyfriend already. The scene that is quite possibly the foundation of the whole novel is when the two of them were alone and talking about Simón Bolívar’s last words, how will I ever get out of this labyrinth?
   A staple throughout the book was Miles and his memorization of famous last words. The reason he went to boarding school was based on François Rabelais’ last words: “I go to seek a Great Perhaps.” After reading many of the last words quotes, it made me want to read more. You know a book is good when it inspires you to do something yourself, even though it’s somewhat unoriginal.
   I recently complained about not understanding boys, and this book was actually very eye-opening. The boys in here Miles and Chip are deeper than you expect to ever find in some boys. So often are there male characters that are less likeable and undesirable, it was nice to see a new kind of smart boys. Not just smart, but that they have emotions, and show their emotions. At several points, I wanted to scoop them up and hold them in my arms.
   I finished Looking For Alaska with a sense of understanding. Not necessarily that I knew exactly how to explain what I understood, just that I had this feeling of completion that felt like it altered my outlook slightly.
   I enjoyed this, some may not. I can’t say why. That’s a big spoiler. Let’s just say I almost hated it when I figured out what was going to happen. However, it felt reminiscent of those books that seem awful but have a deeper meaning. John Green wrote an amazing novel here. Whether you like the story or where it ends somehow doesn’t matter. It’s the journey that counts.