Paper Towns

Paper Towns was a pretty good read. It seemed like it was a little slow to get started within the plot. I kept waiting for the purpose of the book to happen. Once I got past the first several chapters, it moved a little faster. Once the adventure started with Margo and Quentin it began to move faster. Green did a good job to keep the reader interested on what would happen next. Paper Towns was a funny, adventurous, coming-to-age book. Quentin and his freinds were hilarious in the book. I am glad Green mixed humor with the seriousness of the book. It broke up the depressing undertone of the story. I liked the way Green introduced the characters in relation to Quinton. Quinton was the straight laced teenager that rarely did anything wrong except be late for school and say the occasional curse word. Green described him very carefully and thoroughly. He was a different teenage protaginist than any of the other books we have read. He was relitively close to his parents and talked to them effectionately and them to him as well. Quentin had his life planned and worked hard to succeed. Green did a good job throughout the plot to transform Quentin into a more adventerous teenager, unlike his personality before the Margo road trip. Each day Quentin got a little more out of his "norm". Radar and Ben were the typical sidekicks to the protaginist. Radar the smart , stable one and Ben funny one were right there with Quentin through his trials and tribulations. Many teeneage boys would be able to relate to these characters. I was intrigued with Margo from the beginning of the book when Green introduced her. She was the neighboor girl just out of Quentin's reach, like his fantasy. I was totally surprised when Margo chose Quentin to help he pull her final pranks before she left. Green did a good job at hiding the true Margo and how deep she was throughout the book and let us find out the clues right along with Quentin. Margo had alot of issues in her life that teenage girls could relate to. I also liked the way that Green intertwined poetry throughout the book. Poetry is such a hard language to read, and Quentin learned how it can be interpreted in different ways. My favorite poetry line from the book was when Margo told Quentin, "Forever is made of nows," from an Emily Dickenson. I believe that line really told Quentin who Margo really was. As Quentin was looking for Margo he learned how to live, love, and let go throughout the journey.