John Green's best

Discuss the April 2015 book of the month, "Paper Towns" by John Green.
Barbara Larkin
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Re: John Green's best

Post by Barbara Larkin »

Paper Towns and The Fault in Our Stars rank as my top 2 John Green books. One was excruciating but beautiful pain and the other was comedic teenage suffering and angst. Both were wonderful works.
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Post by Wy_Bertram »

I personally haven't read a lot of John Green's books, I've actually read none (shame), but I certainly did enjoy the adaptations I've seen, most especially Looking for Alaska. I don't know what the book is like, but everything about the series resonated with me. While I watched, I couldn't stop thinking that I wanted – had to write something that made people feel this way, and I guess I'm still working towards that.
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Post by ReadMeow »

I am not typically a fan or romance novels or novels in which romance plays a large role, but John Green does an excellent job of connecting emotionally with his readers and creating very real and distinct characters. I have found things in all of his books that have resonated with me and made me feel very invested in his characters. I also enjoy the lack of perpetually happy endings. It may sound strange but I am not a fan of happy endings for everyone all the time. I think its because that makes It feel like the author is lying and it ruins the reality of the story for me somewhat.
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Post by bush reads »

Alpha_Betty wrote: 03 Dec 2016, 10:00 I loved Paper Towns. I've read all of John Green's books, some multiple times, and this was by far my favorite. The Fault in Our Stars was huge and amazing, but Paper Towns resonated more strongly with me, as it has with many of my high school library patrons. I loved that it was about ordinary teens (the extraordinary Margot notwithstanding), and their hopes and dreams and how they interact with the world. It works as a coming-of-age novel, a road trip novel, a quest, a comedy and a tragedy. What sticks with me about it is how Quentin comes to the realization that Margot is not, in fact, some intangible goddess, but a regular person with issues and insecurities and questions who's just trying to find her place in the world. That she exists outside his mythology of her. Green invented (or at least popularized) the manic-pixie-dream-girl in Looking for Alaska, and I love that in Paper Towns, he destroys that and makes her a real live young woman.

I thought the movie version was well-done--great script, good pacing, excellent cast--but I was disappointed that certain elements of the book didn't make it into the screenplay. The relationship between Margot and Lacey in particular--that psychological competition that girls so often feel with each other over body image and self-worth was something I loved in the book that didn't quite come across in the film. When I'm recommending books to my students, I always encourage them to read this one before seeing the movie, so they can fill those parts in in their minds. It's a book I recommend all the time, to boys and girls.
God, same! I wanted the part about body image to be in the movie as well! Plus, I loved Cara's acting but I couldn't just see her fit for Margot's role in the movie. Margot was a completely different person in my head.
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Post by bush reads »

I think my favorite was Looking for Alaska for a good time. But, if I were to choose a book that I still think about and found it really close to my heart, it'd be turtles all the way down. I'm not a fan of the book's plot. But, the book had these bits and pieces that really struck a chord for me
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Post by Pamela Bianca Mas »

Alpha_Betty wrote: 03 Dec 2016, 10:00 I loved Paper Towns. I've read all of John Green's books, some multiple times, and this was by far my favorite. The Fault in Our Stars was huge and amazing, but Paper Towns resonated more strongly with me, as it has with many of my high school library patrons. I loved that it was about ordinary teens (the extraordinary Margot notwithstanding), and their hopes and dreams and how they interact with the world. It works as a coming-of-age novel, a road trip novel, a quest, a comedy and a tragedy. What sticks with me about it is how Quentin comes to the realization that Margot is not, in fact, some intangible goddess, but a regular person with issues and insecurities and questions who's just trying to find her place in the world. That she exists outside his mythology of her. Green invented (or at least popularized) the manic-pixie-dream-girl in Looking for Alaska, and I love that in Paper Towns, he destroys that and makes her a real live young woman.

I thought the movie version was well-done--great script, good pacing, excellent cast--but I was disappointed that certain elements of the book didn't make it into the screenplay. The relationship between Margot and Lacey in particular--that psychological competition that girls so often feel with each other over body image and self-worth was something I loved in the book that didn't quite come across in the film. When I'm recommending books to my students, I always encourage them to read this one before seeing the movie, so they can fill those parts in in their minds. It's a book I recommend all the time, to boys and girls.
I agree! I loved Paper Towns the most! ❤️ It was the adventure; going after the girl he loves, and learning about life along the way. The characters in this book are, for me, more relatable. I love the fact that the book contained a simple story packed with so much life lessons to take with you long after you’ve put the book down.
Pamela Bianca Mas
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Post by Maddie Atkinson »

The Fault in Our Stars is, in my opinion his best book as it is so beautifully written and so emotional. However, my favourite is most definitely Looking for Alaska because, although it is sad, it is also funny and draws on the themes of growing up and discovering things like sex and drugs and how young people deal with them. I just found it an emotional rollercoaster and so so interesting.
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Post by Jasy95 »

Will Grayson, Will Grayson isn't as widely spoken about as the other John Green books mentioned on this thread, but I really thought it was an amazing book.
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Post by Rayah Raouf »

Hmm, I've only read one of his books. 'The fault in our stars'. I haven't tried any of his other books, but I've been told 'Paper Towns' and 'Looking for Alaska' are pretty good.
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Post by Hiru1998+ »

I would say The fault in our stars is John Green's best. I didn't get much of an impact by Papertowns. I still don't get the purpose of the book.
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Post by Athira MG »

A personal favorite book of mine is The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. I Would definitely recommend it to teenagers and new readers.
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Post by Dzejn_Crvena »

bobRas wrote: 09 Apr 2017, 11:59 There is a theory of the "John Green Effect" going around, that you'll love the first John Green book you read, but hate the second. This thread demonstrates that it isn't as common as those people think.

Wow, my thoughts exactly! I read The Fault in Our Stars as my first John Green book after anticipating books into movies that time. It was a page-turner, and it is one of my favorite. All other Jonn Green books pale in comparison!
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Post by Angel Brillo »

John Green really knows how to touch people's heart in a way you could feel all the emotions in once, may it be happiness, sadness, hatred, and all. No matter what emotions the novel has, it will really stick into your heart.
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Post by t_mann23 »

The Fault in Our Stars is definitely my favorite of John Green's books even though it hurts every time I read it, but I did really enjoy Paper Towns. I actually saw the movie first before I had the chance to read the book, which is usually not the case for me, but I still loved it. The mystery, the humor, the frantic road trip quest--it was so fun and I couldn't put it down!
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Post by Clare Jose »

I've read three books by John Green so far. Besides 'Paper Towns', I've also read 'The Fault on our Stars' and 'An Abundance of Katherines'. 'The Fault in our Stars' is still my favorite but I did enjoy the other books as well.

The thing about John Green books is that it's unpredictable. The books are (the ones I read so far) emotional in some way, and makes me as a reader, think about a lot of things I wasn't even noticing.
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