Paper Towns by John Green

 I just discovered that GoodReads now offers the option of cross posting book reviews to a blog, which is terrific, since I always mean to post more book reviews but have trouble finding the time.

I devoured an ARC of John Green’s Paper Towns recently, and it was everything I  hoped it would be.  Here’s my micro-review (because school started this week, after all). 

(Note for those wondering why all my reviews on GoodReads get five stars…  I review books that I love or that I’m pretty sure someone else will love.  I’m a teacher as well as a writer, so I’m in the business of selling good books, and I’d hate for someone NOT to pick up a book just because it wasn’t my cup of tea.  My solution is to shout about the books I love from the rooftops and set the others quietly aside so other people who do love them can talk about those.)

Paper Towns by John Green

Paper TownsMy review


rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s hard to choose a favorite of John Green’s books, but for me, this one is right up there with Looking for Alaska and An Abundance of Katherines, and I bet it will get the same kind of award buzz. Paper Towns has phenomenal voice and that trademark mix of humor and gut-wrenching teen angst that makes his writing so made-of-awesome. Plus some Walt Whitman connections, just in case you weren’t won over already. Loved it!

4 Replies on “Paper Towns by John Green

  1. Kate – I’m so glad to hear someone else has the same book review philosophy of me. And I’m not a teacher, just an author who knows how hard it is to write a book and get it published and understands not everyone is going to love everything. 🙂

    I loved PAPER TOWNS. I think LOOKING FOR ALASKA is still my favorite but this is a close, close second. I love that he can write a thought-provoking book and make me laugh as well.

  2. Well, yes…and there’s that whole issue of knowing what it’s like to be on the other end of a review, too. :^)

    Glad you enjoyed PAPER TOWNS, too. I can’t tell you how many times I laughed out loud.

  3. You know, I started out with that philosophy … maybe I should go back to it. Although I’ve only given 4 stars to two books, I think. I’m not going to list any that I think are less than 4 or 5 stars.

    I loved PAPER TOWNS, too! I think it’s his best. And yes, I laughed a bunch!

  4. I loved it too. Although I still love Alaska best. I’ll be posting about it at Guys Lit Wire in October, and talking about all the Walt Whitman (and Emily Dickinson) in it!