Reflection

                 Over the last week, I finished Looking for Alaska, which had a pretty surprising ending. Chip and Pudge thought that Alaska had possibly killed herself because she seemed pretty upset about something when she left the night she died. But after they investigated, they figured out that Alaska hadn't killed herself. She was really upset because she forgot about the anniversary of her mother's death and didn't want to disappoint her again. But as she drove off campus, she crashed because she was heavily intoxicated with alcohol. After they figure this out, Pudge and Chip feel less responsible for the death of Alaska and they decide to move on. In honor of Alaska, they pull off one of her original pranks.

         

            Through out this semester, I did not reach my goal of reading 3 books. I only read two books, The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska. Also I did not reach my goal of blogging 6 posts. I have completed only 5 posts. For reading, I just didn't have time to complete several books. And for the blogging, there were times when I just forgot about it and there were times when I remembered but procrastinated and thought I would do it later. So for next semester, I do want to complete 6 or more blog posts and read at least 3 books. I will make more time for independent reading and I will make sure to blog every other week.

Looking for Alaska

Looking for Alaska

                For the past weeks, I have been reading Looking for Alaska. I have about one-third of the book left and the climax has just taken place. A lot has happened between this post and my last blog-post in the book. A quick summary of what I've read so far is: After Pudge was thrown into the lake (and almost died), he and his new friends(Chip, Takumi, and Alaska) want to get revenge on the students who did that to him. They threw Pudge into the lake because they thought that Chip was responsible for 2 former students of Culver Creek being expelled. But he wasn't. Alaska was the one responsible but no one knows that except for Pudge, Chip and Takumi. As they plan a prank involving blue hair-dye being put in the hair of the students they want to get revenge on, another girl is introduced, named Lara, who Alaska wants Pudge and  to date. Even though throughout the story, Pudge and Lara grow closer, Pudge only really likes Alaska. And as all 5 friends spend more and more time together, they learn a lot about eachother, and their families. Chip and Alaska didn't have a typical family and because of that, they struggle. So, they both resort to drinking alcohol or smoking, and soon Pudge(the main character) starts smoking and drinking too. A couple days later, Pudge, Chip and Alaska were hanging out together and they all got drunk. The next morning, Chip and Pudge found out the Alaska had been drunk-driving and she was found dead.

             The genre of this book is realistic fiction. And although this was written by John Greene, whose novel, The Fault in Our Stars is one of my favorites, I do not like Looking for Alaska as much for some reason. I think the plot is pretty good and it has some humor to it, but I don't like it as much as I thought I would.

Looking for Alaska

Looking for Alaska

            Recently I have begun reading Looking for Alaska. I chose to read this book because it is by John Greene, who wrote The Fault in Our Stars, which I really liked. I haven't gotten very far in the book; I've just read, so far, that the main character, Miles, otherwise known as "Pudge," goes off to a boarding school. He meets his roomate, Chip, Takumi, and finally Alaska, who is very clever, pretty and always making trouble. Pudge has a very rough start at the boarding school, because he was basically kidnapped, duct-taped and then thrown into a lake by some other students. This happened to him because of some conflict between the students and Pudge's room mate, Chip.     

               That's about all I've read so far but here's a link to a quick summary on Amazon:  

http://www.amazon.com/Looking-Alaska-John-Green/dp/0142402516

The Fault in Our Stars

           This week I finished The Fault in our Stars, and it is probably one of my favorite books. The author, John Greene, surprised me when Augustus Water's cancer had come back. (Sorry if I spoiled it for anyone but pretty much everyone has already read the book except for me). Anyways I had expected Hazel to be the one to die because Greene mainly talked about her cancer and how it was getting worse. But when he brought Augustus's cancer back and when Augustus died, I thought it was very interesting (and sad) and a good plot twist. I rated this book 5 stars probably because of the main character, Hazel. She is very smart, funny and witty throughout the book. And when Augustus's cancer came back, her humor put everyone in a better mood, especially Augustus. She is very kind and confident, and she speaks whatever is in her mind. After Augustus's death, she became even more grateful for everything and everybody that she has. Even while going through cancer, she kept a positive attitude and I think she is a great role model.

The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars

Gaby Pathrose

           Over the past weeks, I've been reading The Fault in Our Stars and I'm about more than half way done with it. Known for its sad plot of the main character, Hazel Grace Lancaster, having a very severe stage of cancer, meeting a boy named Augustus Waters, who has been on remission for a year and a half now. Knowing what she is going through, Augustus can  relate and they easily connect with each other. Besides that, Hazel loves a book called An Imperial Affliction, but it has a very incomplete ending. She is sort of obsessed about trying to find out what happens at the end. She has tried to contact the author of An Imperial Affliction, Peter Van Houten, several times, but is never able to reach him because he's very reclusive and he lives in Amsterdam. After meeting Augustus, Hazel tells him all about the book and he reads it and really likes it. He also becomes very curious about the ending of the book. He emailed Peter Van Houten, telling him that Hazel had shown him the book, and they are both very curious about what truly happens at the end. His assistant responded, saying that Peter would love to meet both of them and talk to both Hazel and Augustus. So he decided to use his "Make a Wish" wish, that he had been saving (Hazel had used hers to go to Disney World when she was younger). The Make a Wish organization arranged a trip for Augustus and he asked if Hazel could come with him. So Augustus, Hazel and Hazel's mom traveled to Amsterdam to meet Peter Van Houten. (And that's about how far I've read.)

         While some readers might see this storyline as too cheesy and stereotypical of oh the girl has cancer, falls in love, and then probably dies in the end, I like the care-free writing and honesty that John Greene incorporates in the story. I like how the author is writing in the perspective of a girl and also captivates all her girly feelings and thoughts that she has about being sick and her relationship with Augustus.

         
          So far, this book has reminded me of the movie, My Sister's Keeper, because they both are about a girl with a bad illness, falling in love with a boy who has also been sick. I really like the style of how the book has been written. It is written in a very informal way, showing how Hazel thinks. (The genre of this book is realistic fiction.)