John Green Novels

[Ryan Mead]

This is not a review, just some thoughts that I have after reading his novels

So in the last week, I have read three of John Green's books: Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns, Will Grayson, Will Grayson.

Of the three I have found Will Grayson, Will Grayson to be the one which felt the most like what my high school experience was like. I am not like either of the Will Graysons, and my high school experience was not like theirs, but when reading the book i knew people just like them. I could relate those characters, in fact not just those two but all the characters, to people i knew.

All of these novels reminded me of the influence one person can have over a whole community, whether they are aware of it or not. I only wish that I had understood that much better in high school. I should have done more. But, seeing as it has been years, i should probably get over that now. The truth is that i was never the smartest one, but i loved being with smart people. I looked up to those who were smarter, as i looked up to those who were more athletic. I was jealous of their natural talent, something which cannot be learned. But I was also proud of what I was and who I was.

So in the end, i guess that reading John’s novels have made me think, which I am outrageously grateful for. I missed reading novels, and his were exactly what i had hoped for.

[Kenny (TOK)]

That last paragraph is how I also feel about them. I took a long hiatus from my love of reading, and his books rekindled it, as well as my love of philosophy. Unfortunately WG/WG is the book I still need to read.