Review: Paper Towns by John Green

 

Published: October 16th 2008 by Dutton Juvenile
Pages: 305
Part of a Series: No
Read For a Challenge: No
Recommended By: Nerdfighteria
Teaser: "You know your problem, Quentin? You keep expecting people not to be themselves. I mean, I could hate you for being massively unpunctual and for never being interested in anything other than Margo Roth Spiegelman, and for, like, never asking me about how it's going with my girlfriend - but I don't give a shit, man, because you're you. My parents have a shit ton of black Santas, but that's okay. They're them. I'm too obsessed with a reference website to answer my phone sometimes when my friends call, or my girlfriend. That's okay, too. That's me. You like me anyway. And I like you. You're funny, and you're smart, and you may show up late, but you always show up eventually."
In a sentence or so: Realizing fully that no one's life is perfect. Taking a closer look at the person you idolize and seeing that when you thought they were laughing they were actually crying.
*Rating: 10/10
GoodReads Description:
Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous 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 Q gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew.


1. Type of story: YA Mystery (Free 1 point)
2.Consistency: Weirdness of word choice: Long and sorted VS Long and storied. This happened twice in the story. I am accustomed to the first and John uses the second. This gave me pause while reading but instead of annoying me it enhances a feeling I have for this book. The feeling I get from this book is an intense concentration on word choice. The word choice in this book seems so deliberate that this book stands out to me as a tribute from John to many authors that influenced him and changed his life but at the same time the writing in this book is uniquely John Green. (1 point)
3. Flesh: The characters in this book are more real than many because of the journey they go through imagining each other complexly. The fullness of these personalities is so infiltrating they may make you realize some wrong imaginations you've been making about people around you. This makes everyone more real than they had been to you before. (1 point)
4. Flow: Quick ups and longer downs. The pacing runs the way I would think an investigation would: fast when you discover a clue then frustratingly slow as you try to piece it together in the big scheme of things.(1 point)
5. Character Growth: These characters learn about what's most important to them and confront assumptions they make about people in their lives.  (1 point)
6. A Point/ Purpose/ Journey: Imagining others complexly and knowing the damage caused when we don't. (1 point)
7. Witty Dialogue: These kids play Metaphysical I-Spy, where in what you spy can not actually be seen, enough said.
8. Love: Through admiration, glorification, and finally through the cracks. Friendship in the truest way is found in these pages.  (1 point)
9. Evoke Realistic Images: I will leave you with a couple examples. "Giant white wall of cow" and ""IT IS NOT MY FAULT THAT MY PARENTS OWN THE WORLD'S LARGEST COLLECTION OF BLACK SANTAS.” You can't shake those images, can you? Yeah... read this book.(1 point)
10. Writing/Story telling: Another thought provoking tale from John Green. It will change you if you let it. (1 point)

Reread Worthy: Yes. Good to have around when you're drowning in feelings of "WHY WOULD ANYONE EVER DO THAT?!?!?" You'll need help to imagine them more complexly.
Recommendation: Everyone who has to coexist with other people. Fans of John Green, Maureen Johnson, Markus Zusack, Walt Whitman, ...any writer really, if you like to read you should read this, it's worth your time.

*Click Rating to see post about my 10 aspects of a great book.

I met Jenny Lawson

I met The Bloggess, in person... and barely said a word, damn social awkwardness. I wrote this the next day, but am just now gathering the strength to post it. Jenny, if you somehow stumble upon this, Thank you for being you in public, that is an admirable trait.

8/16/2012

I was so very excited to meet Jenny last night. I was nervous for a week thinking in short bursts about ramble after ramble to spout at her. Then I promptly lost more an more of those words as I stood in line waiting to meet her.

It wasn't as though I was scared of her, really, but the prospect of this moment being the only impression I could ever make on her. That if I didn't make an impact I would have failed at properly meeting someone I find inspiring, because this would probably be my only chance. (Below is what I wanted to portray, so it addresses Jenny Lawson directly.)

The book store was crowded, and I was alone, spineless. I felt rushed to express something about why your book and your blog meant so much to me. What I got out was the gist of the most important point I had. That you, Jenny Lawson, are an inspiration to all us weird girls out here. It wasn't the most poignant delivery. And by weird I meant every shy, anxiety ridden, different and honest woman trying to be herself and be successful at the same time. For each one of us that doesn't fit society's mold you are a testament to the possibilities.

You inspire me through the pain of not fitting in. Your journey makes me think, maybe I can contribute and live the honest life I've dreamed of for years. Maybe I do have something interesting enough to share. Maybe my honesty will encourage others. This is what you have given me, not only in your blog and book but also your strength to do appearances despite your anxiety. Here in Oregon you were so funny and still so genuine towering over the fear of being surrounded by so many strangers. Possibly because you knew a lot of us were facing the fear of the crowd just to meet you, to thank you, for being you in public and encouraging us all to do the same.

And now for everyone, the lists:

Things that are awesome about meeting The Bloggess:
1. She understands.
2. She said thank you and my squeaking compliments brought tears to her eyes, meaning even if she's heard it from every other fan we are all important to her.
3. She is Hi-Larious
4. You get to be in a room full of people who are "fucked-up in the best possible way."

Not So?:
1. The manager who promised she knew how to use my camera failed to get a picture of me with Jenny, and I didn't know until I got home.
2. I forgot all the words! Then I cried, happy for remembering the most important thing, that it touched her, but also because I was so mad that I let myself feel scared and rushed.

What I wanted to say to The Bloggess:
1. I DID buy your book! Just the audio version, and that is why I only had a picture, not a book, for signing. I am going to frame it and make people jealous, all the people will be jealous!
2. You should totally be able to pick up BITCH Magazine at Book People in Austin, but you have to ask for it.
3. You are awesome. Your insights about writing, through pain, anxiety, and depression give me a weapon to beat my current career depressions and insecurities with.

One day maybe I will be on tour and Jenny will come to see me. We will laugh at the circular nature of life, the tragedies that made us who we are, and how great it all ends up.

Top Six Tips For New Book Bloggers

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

I am still working on my blog -- so I often feel like a new blogger. But these are my thoughts:

1. A unique opinion in the writing.
2. Concise content: Rambling is OK every once in a while but usually I, and many others according to surveys, only have a few minutes.
3. Easy to read: Artistic vision is great but make sure it doesn't distract from the writing (leave your background in the Background).
4. Have your own touch -- deliver more than facts -- be funny or ranty or inquisitive or whoever you are, just give people something to relate to.
5. Read and take hint from as many TTT suggestions today from bloggers you like/admire.
6. Be open to suggestion, and (I know it's hard) criticism. Some people are just mean, some are helpful, some are both.

That's all I have this week, I am going to take my own advise and see what everyone else has to say. If anyone has suggestions I would love to know, and thank you all who read this and who comment, you guys make my week!

Deceiving Ten

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

1. Wildefire: The cover is a beautiful and mysterious piece of art (look above) and the synopsis promises crazy times with teenage mythological Gods. It still angers me how shallow and underdeveloped the actual story was.
2. Ditched: What seemed like it would be cute and light was surprisingly substantial and moving.
3. The Name of the Star: Fun with the paranormal became a story about making sure you are a person you respect and not letting the world just happen to you. (+ bits of intriguing history)
4. The Knife of Never Letting Go: A boy chased by an army on an alien world seemed like an interesting sci-fi that would be full of action. BUT this is also a story about truth and hope and all the big questions.
5. Atlas Shrugged: I thought this super thick philosophy classic would hold important insights but be a typical dredge. Really, though it has some monster monologues, it was rather enjoyable with amazingly complex characters, moments of extreme action and shocking reveals.
6. Divergent: I thought this interesting debut would be fun but ultimately forgettable in the sea of dystopians. What I discovered were characters I instantly connected with and cared about + can't put it down action.
7. Anna and The French Kiss: I thought chick flick in Paris, fun but typical fluff. This story is actually unforgettable and moving, and the Paris in the story puts you there in the bustle of a real word, not a fantasy. A world you'll never want to let go.
8. The Hunger Games: I thought this would be a remake of older "fight the man" stories (Brave New World/1984/etc) with teenagers; unoriginal. But surprise: Katniss is pure, caring, witty, independent and affecting; and the story was able to stand on its own and excite revolutionary thought.
9. The Fault In Our Stars: I thought nerdy coming of age, emotional with great characters (ya know, typical John Green). It was those things but it was also a real life epic. Life changing without the use of extraordinary circumstance.
10. Haunted: I sought interesting tales about the dark in some people. The disturbing result  bore into my brain making all people a little frightening after reading a story about what people will subject themselves to for financial freedom and then later survival.
Have you guys read any of these, and were you as surprised as I was? Any suggestions on what surprising novel I should delve into next or completely avoid?

Top Ten Books To Read In A Day

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

I took this as what would I read in a 24 hour re-read-a-thon. These are some of my shorter favorites.

1. Animal Farm: 112 pages. What happens when the animals take over. I remember loving reading this in a history class, but I have lost all the details as to why.
2. Fahrenheit 451: 179 pages. I love this every time I read it. In a future where individualism is so frowned upon firefighters burn books, one fire fighter's life is turned upside down by them.
3. Stargirl: 186 pages. This story of a girl that embraces her differences. It is so uplifting.
4. Poetry Out Loud: 203 pages. This is one of the best poetry collections I've seen. The poetry spans the ages and genres. And all these do lend themselves to being read out loud so it would break up a marathon reading day nicely.
5. Ella Minnow Pea: 208 pages. A funny love affair with letters, very creatively written.
6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower: 213 pages. A favorite of mine that is long over due for a re-read. This story takes you through every emotion. A wonderful coming of age story.
7. Something Maybe: 217 pages. The cutest little story about a girl coming out of her shell after hiding from the spotlight her mother tries to live in.
8. Angus Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging: 247 pages. The hilarious diary of British teenager in school and in love.
9. Ditched: 288 pages. Ever look at things the wrong way and mess things up? A desert of a story. Check out my review.
10. Anna and the French Kiss: 372 pages. Kind of long but if I had a whole day I was using to escape into reading I couldn't resist this beautiful story.