I recently finished reading Looking for Alaska, and before selecting it, I read reviews that claimed that this book was life-changing, which made it a compelling choice. This is a coming-of-age story, complete with a teenager’s search for identity and a tragic event that helps to solidify that quest. The relationship between the group of friends in the story seems to be nothing remarkable, but this, I think, is what makes these characters so appealing. They are so very ordinary that it is easy for teenagers to identify with them. Pudge, the protagonist, and his friends the Colonel and Alaska, are just normal teenagers with normal teenage problems and experiences, which makes the tragedy that occurs toward the end of the novel so tragic and upsetting. This story is definitely a tear-jerker, and the author uses just enough foreshadowing for the reader to know something upsetting is coming, but is subtle enough that the event is completely shocking. The book is separated into two sections: “before” and “after,” and the chapters count down to this tragic event that changes Pudge’s life, a tactic that adds to the suspense of the story.
Additionally, the characters are real, another element of the story that makes it so appealing to teenagers. They break the rules, they curse, they push the boundaries and try to get away with as much as they possibly can. They aren't 100% wholesome and pure, just like most teenagers. Alaska's character is carefree, laid-back and doesn't seem to worry about anything on the outside, but it's clear that she is troubled, and I can see a lot of teenage girls being able to relate to her.
Pudge, the main character, has an obsession with last words, and researching the last words of famous people would be an interesting activity for students. This novel would work well as a selection in literature circles, and I would likely recommend it for older students as it does contain profanity, drug and alcohol use, and sexual content.
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