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A review by jojobrown
Paper Towns by John Green
3.0
For whatever reason, I have mixed feelings about John Green's novels. Because on the one hand, they aren't the most fantabulous books I've ever read in my whole life (contrary to popular opinion of those in my age group) and yet they still fascinate me enough to read an entire 300 page book in two days. In fact, this book was so fascinating to me that I couldn't even will myself to put it down to go to bed at 2am, because I just HAD to finish those last 50 pages and know what happened.
This book is a story about a boy named Quentin who is boring, to say the least. Or at least, his life is. Straight and narrow, full of routine, and Quentin likes it that way thank-you-very-much. Until one night there is a tap on his window from none other than the mysterious, eccentric girl-next-door, Margo. Margo is nothing like the straight-and-narrow. She makes it so her life darts from one dramatic adventure to the next, creating magnificent and often unbelievable stories for everyone to whisper about at their lockers when she finally returns. Margo is the silent queen of Jefferson High, and simultaneously the love of Quentin's young life.
So when she raps on his window that one night and asks him to come wreak mayhem on those who've just done her wrong, how could he not accept (anxious and panicked as he was)?
After a long night of exhilarating, revengeful antics, Quentin feels connected to Margo and wonders why she chose him. He doesn't get to ask the next morning, because Margo has disappeared. But this is not another one of her short escapades. This time, Q fears, is for good.
It is up to Q, the wild personalities of his band-geek friends, and some other unexpected friends to decipher the clues Margo has left him as to where she has fled, which makes for the craziest end to their high school career ever.
I enjoyed the book mostly because it was such an intricate weaving of information and mystery. There was momentum and Q's obsession with finding Margo was so captivating to the reader. On top of that, the characters move through a shift when they begin to realize that nobody – not even Margo Roth Spiegelman – can be this idealized version of a person. People are just people, with feelings and problems and a feeling of emptiness when night has settled, and the moon is the only one they trust enough to listen.
The characters are round, and developing, and there's so much complexity within them. As it should be. That's why I couldn't put this book down. Just like Q, I had to know. But not just about Margo. I had to know about him too. I had to finish it, so I could know what they both said to the moon.
This book is a story about a boy named Quentin who is boring, to say the least. Or at least, his life is. Straight and narrow, full of routine, and Quentin likes it that way thank-you-very-much. Until one night there is a tap on his window from none other than the mysterious, eccentric girl-next-door, Margo. Margo is nothing like the straight-and-narrow. She makes it so her life darts from one dramatic adventure to the next, creating magnificent and often unbelievable stories for everyone to whisper about at their lockers when she finally returns. Margo is the silent queen of Jefferson High, and simultaneously the love of Quentin's young life.
So when she raps on his window that one night and asks him to come wreak mayhem on those who've just done her wrong, how could he not accept (anxious and panicked as he was)?
After a long night of exhilarating, revengeful antics, Quentin feels connected to Margo and wonders why she chose him. He doesn't get to ask the next morning, because Margo has disappeared. But this is not another one of her short escapades. This time, Q fears, is for good.
It is up to Q, the wild personalities of his band-geek friends, and some other unexpected friends to decipher the clues Margo has left him as to where she has fled, which makes for the craziest end to their high school career ever.
I enjoyed the book mostly because it was such an intricate weaving of information and mystery. There was momentum and Q's obsession with finding Margo was so captivating to the reader. On top of that, the characters move through a shift when they begin to realize that nobody – not even Margo Roth Spiegelman – can be this idealized version of a person. People are just people, with feelings and problems and a feeling of emptiness when night has settled, and the moon is the only one they trust enough to listen.
The characters are round, and developing, and there's so much complexity within them. As it should be. That's why I couldn't put this book down. Just like Q, I had to know. But not just about Margo. I had to know about him too. I had to finish it, so I could know what they both said to the moon.