Paper Towns by John Green

From the Publisher

Two-time Printz Medalist John Green's New York Times bestseller, now in paperback!

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. 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 the girl he thought he knew.

Publishers Weekly

Green melds elements from his Looking for Alaska and An Abundance of Katherines- the impossibly sophisticated but unattainable girl, and a life-altering road trip-for another teen-pleasing read. Weeks before graduating from their Orlando-area high school, Quentin Jacobsen's childhood best friend, Margo, reappears in his life, specifically at his window, commanding him to take her on an all-night, score-settling spree. Quentin has loved Margo from not so afar (she lives next door), years after she ditched him for a cooler crowd. Just as suddenly, she disappears again, and the plot's considerable tension derives from Quentin's mission to find out if she's run away or committed suicide. Margo's parents, inured to her extreme behavior, wash their hands, but Quentin thinks she's left him a clue in a highlighted volume of Leaves of Grass.Q's sidekick, Radar, editor of a Wikipedia-like Web site, provides the most intelligent thinking and fuels many hilarious exchanges with Q. The title, which refers to unbuilt subdivisions and "copyright trap" towns that appear on maps but don't exist, unintentionally underscores the novel's weakness: both milquetoast Q and self-absorbed Margo are types, not fully dimensional characters. Readers who can get past that will enjoy the edgy journey and off-road thinking. Ages 12-up. (Oct.)

Booklist

[Green is] clever and wonderfully witty...he's a superb stylist, with a voice perfectly matched to his amusing, illuminating material. Starred review

VOYA

Quentin has been in love with his next-door neighbor, Margo Roth Spiegelman, since early childhood. Their connection was forever bonded when they discovered a dead body together at the age of nine. Now they are ready to graduate from high school. Although Margo has not been part of Quentin's life for many years, she shows up at Quentin's window late one night, enlisting his help with a wild scheme of revenge against her cheating boyfriend. Despite his natural reluctance to break the law, Quentin goes along with her, imagining that this teamwork will signify a new, more romantic turn to their relationship. But then Margo disappears, leaving only wisps of clues to her whereabouts and a tormented Quentin in her wake. In this story set in Orlando, Florida, Green perfectly captures the tone of this grotesquely over-developed town when Margo comments, "It's a paper town . . . look at all those cul-de-sacs, those streets that turn in on themselves, all the houses that were meant to fall apart." This theme is echoed as both Margo and Quentin struggle to discover what is real in their own lives. The writing is as stellar, with deliciously intelligent dialogue and plenty of mind-twisting insights. The book suffers a lull about midway through, as Quentin keeps hitting dead ends in his search for Margo, but even this hitch seems to be an accurate reflection of Quentin's stubborn determination. Language and sex issues might make this book more appropriate for older teens, but it is still a powerfully great read. Reviewer: Diane Colson

VOYA

Based on the cover, I never would have picked up this book on my own because I-and I think we all secretly do-judge a book by its cover. But once I opened it, I couldn't put it down and read ninety pages in the first sitting. The book is a perfect length; quick enough so you stay interested but slow enough to prevent it from being choppy or confusing. There is just enough humor to prevent it from becoming monotonous. I think this book would appeal to both male and female high school readers. Reviewer: Molly Teague, Teen Reviewer

Alan Review

Quentin Jacobsen believes everyone gets one miracle in life, and his is living next door to Margo Roth Spiegelman. Margo is the epitome of Quentin's dreams, and he will do anything for her. When she appears in his room in the middle of the night, dressed all in black, and asks him to go on a top secret mission with her, Quentin ignores his better judgment and goes. What follows is a night full of escapades, revenge, dead smelly fish, and the creation of a bind between the two friends. When Margo mysteriously disappears and leaves enigmatic clues for Quentin, he feels he must drop everything and find her. In his best book date, John Green provides original, quirky dialogue and enough twists, turns, and mystery to keep the reader turning the page. Once again John captures the essence of a geeky high-school boy who is pining for the out-of-reach girl, and fully develops the supporting cast of characters — Quentin's friends and the elusive Margo Roth Spiegelman. Reviewer: Melanie Koss

KLIATT

Printz Award-winner John Green has crafted a story that explores the themes of honesty and image, of identity and friendship. Quentin is a high school senior who lives next door to his classmate Margo. Margo is an unusual young woman who lives according to her own rules. Late one night, she knocks on Quentin's window and drags him out of his studies and into a wild escapade. As he takes part in her revenge tactics, Quentin realizes how much he really cares for this crazy young woman. In the morning, she's gone. Margo has run away before, and Quentin remembers that each time she leaves clues to her whereabouts. Because he is concerned about her emotional state, he enlists the help of his friends Ben and Radar, and Margo's friend Lacey. The four hunt for clues with the help of Margo's little sister. While Ben and Lacey, Radar and his girlfriend attend their prom, Quentin spends the night alone and finds what he believes to be proof that Margo is in a deserted "paper town"—a town that exists only on a map. So instead of attending their graduation, the three embark on a wild cross-country road trip to "save" Margo. Quentin tells his story with laugh-out-loud humor and heartfelt poignancy. Language and situations make this a realistic high school experience as Green explores the issues and ramifications of authenticity and image. These are characters readers will remember for a long time. Reviewer: Janis Flint-Ferguson

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up

Quentin Jacobsen, 17, has been in love with his next-door neighbor, Margo Roth Spiegelman, for his entire life. A leader at their Central Florida high school, she has carefully cultivated her badass image. Quentin is one of the smart kids. His parents are therapists and he is, above all things, "goddamned well adjusted." He takes a rare risk when Margo appears at his window in the middle of the night. They drive around righting wrongs via her brilliant, elaborate pranks. Then she runs away (again). He slowly uncovers the depth of her unhappiness and the vast differences between the real and imagined Margo. Florida's heat and homogeneity as depicted here are vivid and awful. Green's prose is astounding-from hilarious, hyperintellectual trash talk and shtick, to complex philosophizing, to devastating observation and truths. He nails it-exactly how a thing feels, looks, affects-page after page. The mystery of Margo-her disappearance and her personhood-is fascinating, cleverly constructed, and profoundly moving. Green builds tension through both the twists of the active plot and the gravitas of the subject. He skirts the stock coming-of-age character arc-Quentin's eventual bravery is not the revelation. Instead, the teen thinks deeper and harder-about the beautiful and terrifying ways we can and cannot know those we love. Less-sophisticated readers may get lost in Quentin's copious transcendental ruminations-give Paper Towns to your sharpest teens.-Johanna Lewis, New York Public Library

Kirkus Reviews

Printz Medal Winner and Honoree Green knows what he does best and delivers once again with this satisfying, crowd-pleasing look at a complex, smart boy and the way he loves. Quentin (Q) has loved Margo Roth Spiegelman since they were kids riding their bikes, but after they discovered the body of a local suicide they never really spoke again. Now it's senior year; Margo is a legend and Q isn't even a band geek (although quirky best friends Ben and Radar are). Then Margo takes Q on a midnight adventure and disappears, leaving convoluted clues for Q. The clues lead to Margo's physical location but also allow Q to see her as a person and not an ideal. Genuine-and genuinely funny-dialogue, a satisfyingly tangled but not unbelievable mystery and delightful secondary characters (Radar's parents collect black Santas)-we've trod this territory before, but who cares when it's this enjoyable? Lighter than Looking for Alaska (2005), deeper than An Abundance of Katherines (2006) and reminiscent of Gregory Galloway's As Simple as Snow (2005)-a winning combination. (Mystery. 13 & up)

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