Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Bookshelf: John Green



I seem to be on a John Green kick right now. I read PAPER TOWNS on a six hour flight two weeks ago and now I'm working through LOOKING FOR ALASKA. Both had been recommended to me by Kaitlin from We.Are.The.Tide. after I told her how much I adored THE FAULT IN OUR STARS (which is still my favorite work of Green's).

I love the depth of each character Green creates, whether it's a cancer-ridden teen or a lost boy searching for the girl of his dreams, each character, both main and side, feels real. Their actions and reactions are genuine and true to what we as an audience know about each character. I really appreciate when an author does this because (not going to name names here) sometimes you read a book and think, Wait, that really doesn't seem right, and then you're left feeling duped by the author.

Here is my only qualm with these two books. I read PAPER TOWNS on a transatlantic flight and was exhausted, so when I stumbled upon (I truly felt like I stumbled) the first change in tense I had to turn back the page and double check that indeed it had gone from past to present tense, and then when it happened a second time a little while later in the book I thought, Great, I bought the one wonky book. But then it happened in LOOKING FOR ALASKA. It only lasted a page or two and then went back to past tense. And I wanted to pull out my hair.

Here's how I feel, because clearly I did not get the wonky book and this was done on purpose, I need to have a conversation with Green. I need him to tell me why he chose to change tense mid-story and why for only a page or two at a time. I feel like I've been excluded from some inside joke and everyone's laughing and I'm standing there saying under my breath, I don't get it. I need to know what I'm missing! What was the purpose of the tense changes? Help me John Green, you're my only hope!

If anyone out there knows the answer, PLEASE contact me so I can stop worrying the hem of my shirt. Thanks so much.

Happy Reading!
Stephanie
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