Looking for Alaska, John Green

Oh my gosh, this book pissed me off so much. I had to stop right when I got to "after," and I wandered around wal-mart like a maniac thing, idly poking myself with sharp things to see if I bled and staring at bread like I'd never seen it in bags before.

Now I give it four stars out of five, because it's masterfully done. But when I see it I still want to break things and scream.

Oh. My. Gosh. So much anger. GAHHHHHHH.

Pudge goes to boarding school. There he meets a motley group of people, and a circle of immensely important ones. Most importantly within the circle is the Colonel, his roommate, and Alaska, from down the hall. They teach him how to smoke, and swear in rhyme, and pull pranks, and other things of dubious moral integrity, that undoubtedly have long philosophical and ethical shadows in his life.  I read this book in conjunction with a friend, and we're not totally on board with the teen sex. I think the work used to describe it was "unnecessary." Also "gratuitous."

Pudge becomes part of a very tight, very intimate clan of friends. And then something happens. Screaming is probably the right response.

I still can't believe that this was John Green's first book. It's insanely good.  It's just- really, really well done. I'm not sure that you should read it, but if you like being emotionally abused by books, this one is REALLY GOOD at it.