Paper Towns

Paper Towns
by John Green
YA fiction. 305 pp.
Dutton. 2008.

flap copy:

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificent Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life—dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows.

After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew.

Printz-medalist John Gree returns with the brilliant wit and searing emotional honesty that have inspired a new generation of readers.

I really really really like John Green's writing. Paper Towns is no exception. Sure, all three of his books seem to follow the somewhat geeky, antisocial boy who is obsessed with the ever enigmatic and illusive girl. But it works. And it works well. I like the intelligence and wit that Green brings to his characters. Even when his characters are built around one or two primary characteristics, they still feel like they've been fully rounded out. And I find them to be likable.

What I like most about Paper Towns is the journey encapsulated herein. The book is told in three parts with the first being a ruckus night about town, the second being a more plodding exploration of identity and image, and the third being another ruckus night, this time a road trip. The themes of identity and interconnectedness are explored quite well throughout. I think this book can safely claim a spot in my top ten list this year.

Oh. And apparently the book isn't released until October 16. Go figure. I would say shame on the Devil's Den for getting it to me a week early, but I'm not really complaining.

Oh. Also, as per usual with Green, there is language. And underage drinking. Be forewarned if you're sensitive to those things.

Other reviews:
Becky's Book Reviews | Presenting Lenore | Biblio File | Wantz Upon a Time | LibrariAnne | Jen Robinson's Book Page