Author: John Green
Series: ---
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery, Coming of Age, Realistic Fiction, Romance
Publication/Year: Penguin Group • 2008
Page Numbers: 246
Synopsis from Goodreads:
"Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life—dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows.My Rating: ★★★★
After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they’re for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees of the girl he thought he knew."
Quote(s) I Like:
"If I had a nervous breakdown every time something awful happened in the world, I'd be crazier than a shithouse rat." - Quentin
"Margo always loved mysteries. And in everything that came afterward, I could never stop thinking that maybe she loved mysteries so much that she became one." - Quentin
"It's Mission: Impossible shit now. Used to be I could sneak out like a regular goddamned American -- just climb out the window and jump off the roof. But God, these days, it's like living in a fascist dictatorship." - Margo
"Well I don't remember exactly what I called her, but it was something along the lines of 'sniveling, repulsive, idiotic, backne-ridden, snaggletoothed, fat-assed bitch with the worst hair in Central Florida -- and that's saying something.'" - Margo
"It's a raccoon! Oh, thank God. It's a raccoon. Jesus. I am so fucking glad to see that dead fucking raccoon." - Ben
My Thoughts:
I liked this book a lot. I see what people mean about John Green's writing, very great. Quentin was a really cool character. At the beginning he seemed like a wimp, but during his search for Margo he definitely grew some balls. The introduction of Margo was hilarious to me as she wanted Quentin to join her on her "revenge" escapade. As the story progressed I felt sad for Margo and the life she lived, it really sucked. I'm happy she wasn't dead, but sad she decided to stay away and not return home.
Ben, Radar and Lacey are cute characters. Ben definitely was a humorous one for him. His obsession with sex and females just cracked me up.
- Spoiler Alert -
Quentin definitely seemed like a pure wimp to me at first. It seemed as if he let people walk all over him. It wasn't until Margo went missing that he finally matured and became a bit serious. I didn't like that he was so consumed with finding Margo, but it does make him a good friend. He should not have skipped prom or graduation day though -- that's a bit excessive in my eyes.
Margo...I felt bad for her throughout this entire book. She seemed like a cool chick at first that loved to have fun, but after she ran away and hearing how her parents talked about her I felt bad. Was her life really that terrible that she had to run away multiple times? If she didn't want to be found, why would she leave clues? -- that's a bit contradictory. She just seemed like an ungrateful person to everyone who wanted to help her. She needed some help!
I did not like the ending at all. I really wish Margo would have just sucked it up and went home with Quentin and everyone else. She could have gotten some type of help and started a beautiful relationship with Quentin. They would have been perfect for one another by balancing out each other. It just sucks she was ungrateful for being found and being a real bitch towards Lacey.
I will say, I did feel okay because she didn't kill herself, so maybe the ending wasn't that bad in that aspect.
Overall Conclusion:
The writing, the premise and the characters sucked me in and kept me intrigued. For my first John Green novel I was definitely impressed. Can't wait to read another one by him soon.
Have you read this book?