Paper Towns a mystery novel written by John Green who has also written Looking for Alaska and The Fault in our Stars was published in 2008 and creates a story that teens and adults alike can be captured into.
The novel is split into three parts “The Strings” “The Grass” and “The Vessel” with about five major characters Quentin or “Q”, Margo, Q’s neighbor, Ben, “Q’s best friend, “Radar”, Q’s other best friend, and Lacey, Margo’s best friend. Margo is the popular girl who everyone loves while Q is the silent boy with weird friends. The book begins in a typical manner where the popular girl asks the non-popular boy for a favor and through a night of many adventures they become quick friends. Margo and Q spend the night terrorizing the people they see fit and by the end of the night Q is under the impression everything will change that morning at school. However, Margo is nowhere to be seen the next day- or the next day, or the next day. Finally, Margo’s parents file a missing person report without much worry considering she has ran away before. However, Q does not believe this is another Margo stunt. Q begins to find clues that he thinks Margo left so Q could find her. Through various clues from poets, posters, and maps Q slowly attempts to put together the difficult puzzle Margo left. Then, on the day of their graduation Q figures it all out. Q, Lacey, Radar, and Ben decide to skip graduation and go on a cross country trip all to find the girl who does not want to be found- Margo.
Overall, John Green has succeeded again in writing an A+ book for teens. The story includes everything a teen can relate too. Unrequited love, longing for something more, graduations, and of course the feeling of not belonging. Green presents the typical teenage story, the outcast and the popular girl, the popular girl wanting out, the outcast wanting in. With the twist of the teens trying to find out what life is and attempting to find themselves. The story is well written and easy to follow and one that readers will find themselves reading again and again.
Recommended for all high school teens to read, John Green presents the story that will change your life and will encourage teens to find their way in life like Q and Margo do in the story.
