Paper Towns

What Our Readers Are Saying

Share your thoughts on this title!

Average customer rating 4.6 (11 comments)

---

`

It is no secret that John Green has a bit of a cult following--and it is easy to see why. He's a talented writer and he is tuned in to what young adults feel. He's not afraid to tackle tougher topics, but he also doesn't dumb things down for his audience. For that, I have great respect for him. My first encounter with John Green came when I read The Fault In Our Stars, a book I greatly enjoyed. Since the movie version of Paper Towns is soon to be released, I decided that I would make this my 2nd Green read--so I can only compare it to The Fault In Our Stars. I say this because, based on these two books, I get the feeling that John Green is a formulaic writer. Both books feature characters at a crossroads, which admittedly is not uncommon in Young Adult Fiction. They also feature scenes of property damage sprees and unbelievably understanding parents. Okay, that last part isn't necessarily a bad thing. The fact that there is a framework may not bother many people. Let's face it, if it were a universal sin to be a formulaic writer, Dan Brown wouldn't have a prayer. Unfortunately, it does bother me. John Green is a very talented writer, but I really wish that he would get out of the box of his own making--at least I hope he does. I will most likely read more of his books in the future so, you know, it could happen. Heck, it may have already happened for all I know. But the fact that this book was so similar to the other one of his books that I read did negatively impact what I felt about this book. However, let me address what I did like. I liked Quentin as a main character. I found him to be a believable narrator. He's an essentially good kid--a young man who is trusted by his parents, gets good grades, and has a good social circle. I enjoyed reading his interactions with his friends, who were the sort of people I knew in high school. Yet, putting him next to Margo highlights what a troubled young woman she is. As I said, I am a fan of Green's writing--he is eloquent without being dramatically poetic. I think this is what makes him so appealing to young adults. Let's just say there is no shortage of quotable passages in this book. Yet, he is still able to capture the vernacular of high school students and weave it seamlessly into his prose. Now, to my main problem with this book--and I have to admit that my own experiences greatly affected my feelings here--which is Margo Roth Spiegelman. You see, I knew a Margo when I was in high school--granted my Margo wasn't as clever as Green's Margo and she never led us on a cross country hunt (probably because it never occurred to her), but I know first hand how damaging someone like this can be. In many ways, Green romanticizes Margo and that just left a bad taste in my mouth. Margo is a very, very troubled person and that is never truly addressed. Quentin actually sacrifices quite a bit for her, yet he never really sees the cost of what he's done for her. In this respect, I found the book unsatisfying. So, I'm torn on this. Was this a successful book for me? No. Would I recommend it to others? I don't know. I do think that the younger the reader, the more likely they are to enjoy this book. Yet, the farther the reader is from their own youth, the more likely they are to see the consequences of the characters' actions and behaviors and, as a result, the more likely they are to be dissatisfied with this story.

`

I must say that it is not my favorite book written by John Green it's still way better than most YA I've read. The characters are quirky yet believable and the plot is enticing, pulling you along with little whispers of Whitman's Song of Myself and Leaves of Grass and forcing you to think about how you see the people around you and how you connect with them. Quentin, and possibly John Green, ask you whether or not you can really know a person or if you will only ever know your own built up "idea" of them or some version of them that is just a projection of yourself.

`

I started reading John's books after being a long time nerdfighter and watcher of his video blog vlogbrothers. The first book of his I read was an abundance of Katharines which was truthfully kinda meh but I gave his books another try because of nerdfighteria. I feel in love with this book. I really loved how it looped around leaves of grass by Walt Whitman. on the surface the book is just about a boy oppressed with a girl he can never have and can't stop thinking about after one night of teenage antics. It has some pretty stander a teenager could have said that lines and some make you crack a smile lines. So for a quick read you will get a quick laugh. But if you take some time to actually enjoy the book and sink into the main character it really opens up. You discover much more than the surface layer just as with leaves of grass. On quick inspection the poem is morbid but on rereading and savoring it is hopeful much like life. The book is a non tome way to read a book about imaging people complexly which as a teenage or even as an adult can be hard. This book will not be for everyone John has a certain odd humor but if you give it a try I suspect you have a good chance of being happy with the end.

`

Like John Green's other novels, this one is bursting with cleverly unique humor, and also manages to leave me overwhelmed with profoundity.

`

Entertaining, thought-provoking, often frustrating, John Green's novel sheds light on the high school experience, first love, and growing up. Although the teenage jargon gets to be a bit much and the story drags in parts, Paper Towns is a modern and relevant bildungsroman that is worth a read.

`

This is definitely my favorite John Green book and one of my favorite books. It's one of those books that you could just read over and over again and find more and more to love. Filled with a lot of food for thought and a great message, this is a must-read book.

`

One of the best books I've ever read. There are layers and layers of meaning, and the characters are more realistic than I've read in so many books, and it really is amazing. Go nerdfighters!

`

This book is made of awesome. It has exactly what most young adults, and more importantly EVERY ADULT, needs to learn.  Paper Towns is the story of a teen named Q and his neighbor Margo. But when Margo goes missing, the whole school shifts and changes. Following clues that Margo left for him, Q starts to see the many different sides of Margo that most didn't know about.  Coming of age story? Finding oneself? Learning about human assumptions? This book has all the bases covered, and author John Green hits it out of the park. Can't recomend it enough.        

`

Another fantastic book by John Green. "Paper Towns" is witty and captures the essence of the "slightly awkward kid in the midst of high school" perfectly. I laughed out loud and fell in love with Green's writing style and relatable characters. Definitely a must-read.

`

Paper towns was one of the best books I've ever read and the first book by John Green that I read. It was amazing and funny and made me read his other two books, (i.e. looking for alaska, an abundance of kathrines).

`

one of the best books ive ever read. very funny.