Paper Towns by John Green

Paper Towns by John Green

Publication Date: Sept. 22, 2009 (Orig. Published Oct. 16th, 2008)

Published by Dutton Books

Paperback, 320 Pages

Source: Purchased

Summary from Goodreads:

"When Margo Roth Spiegelman beckons Quentin Jacobsen in the middle of the night—dressed like a ninja and plotting an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows her. Margo’s always planned extravagantly, and, until now, she’s always planned solo. After a lifetime of loving Margo from afar, things are finally looking up for Q . . . until day breaks and she has vanished. Always an enigma, Margo has now become a mystery. But there are clues. And they’re for Q.

Printz Medalist John Green returns with the trademark brilliant wit and heart-stopping emotional honesty that have inspired a new generation of readers."

My Review: ***** = 5 Stars

For a long time I have heard of the brilliance and genius that is John Green. Sometimes though, it isn't enough to simply hear praise about an author, you have to experience it for yourself. While it may have taken me some time to finally pick up one of his books and say to myself, "Okay, okay, let's see what the big deal is?" that time did finally come.

And now I'm saying to myself... "Why the hell did I wait so long to read one of his books?"

Paper towns is an amazing book. The story itself, is nothing phenomenal. A girl, Margo, who seems outgoing and amazing and full of life to the outside eye but feels differently than that. A neighbor boy, Quentin, who has loved this image of Margo for as long as he can remember, and will do anything to find her once she leaves them all behind. What is phenomenal is the writing and the characters. Green transformed what is a story of love and adventure, something that could just be a typical story, into something I have never read before, something that I couldn't have imagined I would enjoy so much. Everything was planned out and created with such amazing detail, yet the reading is so smooth and real.

Paper Towns is a mystery, an adventure, a love story, and so much more. There is laughter and friendship, but sorrow and loss, understanding and accomplishment. Green has created a novel that will have many fans cheering for the friend next door, anticipating the next clue that will hopefully solve the mystery that is Margo Roth Spiegelman.

Since this story is such a mystery, I will leave out the details. It was an enjoyment and a pleasure to read. For those of you who are already familiar with John's work, I'm sure you're thinking it took me long enough to join the party, and for those of you who haven't, I recommend checking out John Green's work for yourself.

While Paper Towns is the only novel of his that I have read, I have ordered An Abundance of Katherines and Looking for Alaska, both of which I have heard high praise for as well. I look forward to seeing if I can get lost in his writing over and over again(which I'm pretty sure I will).

Have you read any of John Green's books? Which is your favorite?

Sherry<3