Looking for Alaska review by shethinksimbeautiful
I was finally able to finish January's book, which gives me no time for February, but hopefully I can jump back in for March! Anyway. On to the review!
How many stars do you rate the book? ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ (of five)
How many stars do you rate the author? ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ (of five)
What is your favorite quote? "You can't just make yourself matter and then die, Alaska, because now I am irretrievably different..."
Do you like the ending? What would you change about it? Considering the flow of the novel, I love the ending of the novel. If it had been Pudge's narration, I don't think it would have felt complete somehow. It took Takumi's letter to help Pudge feel like he was not alone, and it took the final paper for his Religion class to come to terms with the events of the story (no spoilers here!). Closing the novel with Pudge's paper ties everyone together. He is answering Alaska's question, with his own understanding, brought to him by the best friends he'd ever had, while attending his new school so far from home. It expresses in such a short amount of space, how much Miles truly grew as a person during his first year away at boarding school. The final line of the novel, "I don't know where there is, but I believe it's somewhere, and I hope it's beautiful," impresses a sense of contended uncertainty that the entire novel (and life) is all about. It is beautiful.
Any life lessons learned? Looking for Alaska is a wonderful coming-of-age tale all about life lessons. The novel broaches life, death, the Great Perhaps, the labyrinth of why...
Final thoughts? The book is broken into two parts--"days before" and "days after." The event that marks its separation may as well be as monumental as BC and AD for Pudge. The parallels to his religion class define Alaska as his Jesus. Alaska changed Miles; she saved him, in a way. She brought him out of his comfort zone and really taught him what life is about--living.
