Book Review:
Paper Towns by John Green
Full of metaphor and thought-provoking mystery, Paper Towns by John Green is a young adult novel that tells the story of Quentin and Margo – teens whose lives entwined when they were in grade school and together discovered the body of a man who committed suicide.
Quentin is the quintessential nerd and Margo, the popular girl, resides at the top of the high school hierarchy. Yet the two embark on a night of adventure and mischief as Quentin tags along on her quest for revenge. In her effervescent presence Quentin finds it difficult to adhere to his personal set of standards. He respects his parents, but sneaks out to accompany Margo. He is law abiding – never even breaks the speed limit – yet breaks into homes and commits vandalism. He is loyal to his friends, yet finds himself distancing himself from them as his focus shifts to Margo.
She is a candle. He is the moth.
Aware that he is risking his future (ivy leagues are calling) he is so enthralled with his idea of Margo and her fearless love of life that he can’t stay away.
The book confronts tough teenage topics – peer pressure, acceptance, sex, friendship and suicide. Through it all, it is Quentin’s strength of center – his deep awareness of who he is – that enables him to finally see Margo for who she is. She is more than a paper town, as are we all. “People love the idea of a paper girl. They always have. And the worst thing is that I loved it too. I cultivated it, you know?”
As a tool in the classroom, Green’s book provides the fodder for discussion about many situations that teenagers face. His use of metaphor interspersed with references to classic texts such as Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, challenge the reader to use external reference points to really “get it.”
As with any John Green novel, this one gets an A+.
