Carissa Green Reads

My cousin is a great YA reader, and as I read a book or two from that genre every year, I took her advice when she told me to try John Green. However, she warned me, some people don't like him because they don't believe kids would ever actually talk this way. 

Last year, I read "The Fault in Our Stars," and I did see that Hazel Grace and Augustus were more erudite than their years would indicate. But because they spend so much time among adults, in their medical treatment, one might accept that as true. 

"Paper Towns," however, illuminated E.'s point to an extreme. By page 20, I was certain I was reading the teenage dialogue of future Aaron Sorkin-scripted film characters. It did add a veneer of un- or hyper-reality to the story. But although the female characters in "Paper Towns" are not particularly likable or well-done, I must say that even with their odd pitter-patter, the three main boy characters were completely endearing -- and as it was their story, that was OK.

The talky script was a problem at the book's conclusion, however. I hope this isn't too spoiler-y, but in the concluding scene between the main character and his particular friend, it all kind of became too much. Each says their piece to resolve the conflict, they perform a kind of concluding ritual, and then there are some more soliloquies and goodbyes that just don't seem like the words that would come out of the mouths of slightly-above-average American teenagers. A two-star ending to an otherwise four-star book. 

-cg