Book Bouncer Author Summary: John Green

John Green

John Green, age 37 (born 24 August 1977) is the talented author of The Fault In Our Stars, An Abundance of Katherines, Will Grayson, will grayson, Looking For Alaska, Paper Towns and Let It Snow. His debut novel, Looking For Alaska, won the 2006 Printz Award, and The Fault In Our Stars debuted at #1 on The New York Times Best Seller List in January 2012.

He has a wife, Sarah Urist Green, two children (Henry and Alice Green) and a brother, Hank Green, with whom he made VlogBrothers. Initially, the project had only meant to last from January 1, 2007 to 31 December of the same year, going by the name Brotherhood 2.0, but after the deadline, the project continued. The Green brothers' fanbase call themselves the Nerdfighters (which I am proudly part of).

Although his characters are memorable, he adds a certain level of maturity to the characters that make them seem ten years older than their actual age. This could only work if there was a really critical moment in the character's life that caused them to be like this. For example, Hazel Grace Lancaster - The Fault In Our Stars - had cancer, which made her how she is: cautious about everything she did, partially pessimistic and very practical. But you can't give maturity to characters who are seventeen and have a healthy future life with minor problems that can always be solved.

Aside from that trait, John Green has books which have romance and witty humor in them. So obviously, I recommend his books to those who like love stories and have a knack for romantic comedy. But, the common thing I've observed from all his books is that there are always consequences and two sides to the story.

Collaborations

Will Grayson, will grayson

David Levithan and John Green

In April 2010, Will Grayson, will grayson was published. John Green wrote all the odd chapters of Will Grayson, with everything correctly capitalized. David Levithan wrote all the even chapters of will grayson, which were completely in lower case.

Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances

                                          John Green                                                       Maureen Johnson                                                       Lauren Myracle

On October 2, 2008, Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances was published. The book was split into three stories, each one written by one of the three authors. Johnson wrote the first story: The Jubilee Express, Green: A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle, and Myracle: The Patron Saint of Pigs. The stories intertwine with one another to make one overall story.

Achievements

John Green was nominated for the Michael L.Printz Award for An Abundance of Katherines, while winning the same award for Looking For Alaska. He won the Edgar Allan Poe Award and Corine Literature Award for Paper Towns, and at the Children's Choice Book Awards, won Teen Book Of the Year for The Fault In Our Stars. As an author, he won the Visionary Award in 2014, the Innovator's Award in 2013, and the National Author Award in 2012.

Let's Leave A Mark Behind...

John Green is an amazing writer, always making his characters want to matter in the world. They want to do something that will leave a memory of them - a mark - behind, and this in turn reflects on the type of person John Green is and what his morals, values and beliefs are. Putting his thoughts on paper and having them shown through characters; and publishing what eventually becomes a popular, brilliant book, is how John Green left his mark.

He is included in the list of the top 100 most influential people in the world.

Book Bouncer Review: 'Looking For Alaska' by John Green

'Looking For Alaska' by John Green

What could be the consequences of befriending Alaska Young? Alaska Young, who was beautiful, with green eyes and a daredevil side. Alaska Young, who loved books as much as she loved drinking and smoking. Alaska Young, who was spontaneous, open but still so reserved and mysterious.

What could be the consequences of developing feelings for someone that was so close, but still out of your reach? That someone was Alaska Young, the girl who taught Miles Halter the true value of life and love.

I didn't enjoy reading Looking For Alaska. John Green has a great skill in writing books that make you question even the questions regarding life. But the only question that I had stuck in my mind was: "What have I just read?"

I don't know where to begin with all the problems I had with this book. I'll just start with what I liked about the book. As usual, with every John Green book I have read, there was the witty humor that was always entertaining. And then there was Miles, who's in-depth point of view really got to me, and made some sense in this book.

Now what I didn't like: Alaska Young. She acted double her age, and she kept feelings bottled in. I understand protagonists are usually caught up in internal and external conflicts, but Alaska seemed to be too consumed in herself in the first half of the book.

The second half was a total let down. The reasons behind what she did might have been crucial for the whole plot of the story to work out, but her decisions were rash and careless. For some of her choices, she took the easy way out to avoid what could have happened. It aggravated me.

If you choose something, acknowledge the advantages and disadvantages, and try to picture the path you'll have to walk on to get through the consequences. There are never any shortcuts; there are dirt roads and detours which seem like too-good-to-be-true solutions. It's either go the whole way or back out before it's too late.

Unfortunately, Alaska mistook a hazardous detour in the route for a shortcut. That just messed up the book for me, which was poignant because I was hoping Looking For Alaska would be a good read.

There is swearing in this book, so readers under thirteen should not read Looking For Alaska. Also, this book does have some intense scenes which do require a higher level of thinking and comprehending.

While I do admit that this book didn't exceed or even meet my expectations, it is a book that does pose for good discussion questions and give an outline of the results that come out of making decisions that are either well-thought out or quick and hasty.

Book Bouncer Review: 'Will Grayson, will grayson' by John Green and David Levithan

'Will Grayson, will grayson' by John Green and David Levithan

Meeting in a very peculiar way, two boys by the name of Will Grayson cross paths outside a store, and enter each other's lives. Who knew both could have such an impact on the other?

This was a collaboration between David Levithan and John Green. This was also the first book by David Levithan that I had ever read. It was unusual to read the chapters which he had written, because I was so used to John Green's work at the time that I was surfing through all the books he had written. There were noticeable differences between the two authors' writings to differentiate the one Will Grayson from the other.

For one, John Green wrote all the odd chapters on Will Grayson, whose story was written with capitalization. David Levithan, on the other hand, wrote the even chapters, and his character was lower case will grayson. Will Grayson was straight, and will grayson was not. I liked Will Grayson more than I liked Levithan's will grayson. The was due to the fact that his circumstances were not as easy to comprehend with, seeing as he was suffering from the crucial period he was going through. And John Green's Will Grayson also didn't quite cut it out for me. 

Will Grayson, Will Grayson was a unique read that I have mixed feelings for. While there was slight humor and well-written characters, I can't quite pinpoint the highlights of this book. There were mild jokes and romance, but nothing extreme that could make me recall this book as amazing. This book did not prove to be as extraordinary as I was hoping it to be.

John Green, as always, had created quite a character that was intelligent and - in my eyes - a bit too mature for his age. And David Levithan's will grayson seemed to appear too emotional and depressed.

I do not recommend this book to: people who are under the age of thirteen, and those who have a problem against homosexuals and same sex romance.

Book Bouncer Review: 'Paper Towns' by John Green

'Paper Towns' by John Green

Margo Roth Spiegelman is different. Quentin 'Q' Jacobsen had to find that out the hard way. After climbing into his room through the window - they were neighbors - and dragging him along with her to complete all her last-minute plans, Margo vanishes off the grid the following day.

Where did she go? Is she alive or dead? Is she OK?

Why did she go?

Quentin decides to go after her. Along the journey, accompanied by his friends, he takes notice of Margo's words and habits. And with every clue, there's more depth to her once empty words. Could everything he ever knew be exactly what Margo had said they were? Paper? Fake? Not there, but there?

I found this book really intriguing. The idea of the story was brilliant in its entirety, but it took me a while to understand the whole concept while I was reading it. I liked the characters, and John Green always includes witty humor, which I always enjoy.

The supporting characters were funny, which brought out the contrast to how serious Quentin was once Margo disappeared. Ben Starling and Marcus Lincoln, Quentin's friends, made up for the lack of comedy that Quentin and Margo had.

Margo was a difficult character, acting many years greater than her actual age by giving extra thought to the simplest of things. She was the reason Quentin did what he did, and the reason the plot could be carried out. I think she was very advanced compared to majority of the other characters, but she had quite concrete reasons for being so. The character was very outgoing and rebellious.

Quentin was quite the investigator, unearthing anything that posed as a clue left by Margo. He tailed her endlessly, and after identifying a familiar habit of hers, knew where to find her. He was a character that understood things one-dimensionally, and when progressing through the book, expanded his thinking. Originally, he didn't quite understand the reason behind Margo's words, but as he got closer to finding her, he comprehended her definition of 'paper towns'.

Paper Towns did have some mild swearing, but nothing that can't be ignored. In a way, the swearing made the scene more expressive. This book was written with such excellence, that I would recommend it to everyone.

Paper Towns is being made into a movie starring Nat Wolff as Quentin Jacobsen (who acted as Isaac in The Fault In Our Stars) and Cara Delevingne as Margo Roth Spiegelman. Ben Starling will be played by Austin Abrams, Marcus by Justice Smith, Lacey Pemberton by Halston Sage, and Marcus's girlfriend by Jaz Sinclair. The film is scheduled to be released on 19 June 2015.

Only if you have read Paper Towns and want a detailed meaning behind the book's title and three sections: http://onlyifyoufinishedpapertowns.tumblr.com/post/28581065293/could-you-please-go-over-the-meaning-of-the-title

Book Bouncer Review: 'An Abundance Of Katherines' by John Green

'An Abundance of Katherines' by John Green

Is it possible to have had nineteen girlfriends that all had the name Katherine? John Green proves that it can all happen to Colin Singleton, the main character of An Abundance of Katherines. And not just that; he's been dumped by every Katherine... or at least, that's what he remembers of how all his relationships ended.

Already a prodigy, Colin is chasing the title of being a 'genius'. After being dumped by Katherine XIX and persuaded into going on a road trip with his best friend, Hassan Harbish, Colin begins working out an equation that could predict how long his relationships would last. Throughout the book, he learns about the few factors that influence this unique equation.

Lindsey Lee Wells is the tour guide for those touring the tomb of Archduke Ferdinand, and she's also the reason Colin grows closer to creating the equation. Hassan and Colin befriend her and her friends, not knowing what's in store for them. Could Colin possibly have his Eureka moment and be declared a genius? Or is the equation just a dead end and a way to ignore being dumped by Katherine XIX?

And furthermore, is he destined for a Katherine XX?

I found this book very cute and funny. Colin was highly ambitious and logical, practical when in his element, and inexperienced with the world outside of the one he built for himself. Even though he's a prodigy in the book, the way he tackles a few situations suggests otherwise.

Hassan wasn't my favorite character, but he had his moments. He was the character that added humor to the book. Lindsey was a character I had trouble relating to. She wasn't that easy to connect to in the first half or so of the book, but later on, when it was apparent that she and the boys were becoming really good friends, it was easy to understand how and why she acted the way she did, and what sort of person she was.

An Abundance of Katherines is a unique story of ambition, perseverance and logic. I learnt that history can repeat itself eighteen times for poor Colin, but that history can also avoid being repeated. I wouldn't recommend this book for everyone, given that it does have content that is not suitable for readers younger than thirteen, and has substitute words that sound very similar to the words they are replacing. Also, there is a lot of math and logic included within the pages, and not everyone is a fan of math. Right?

But I do hope that whoever reads An Abundance of Katherines does agree with me when I say that this book was one of Green's best. Out of all the books he ever wrote, I feel that this one gave the right level of maturity according to the characters' ages. This book was definitely worth reading.

Book Bouncer Review: 'Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances' by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle

'Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances' by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle

Miracles can happen at any moment.

Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances is broken into three memorable love stories which prove that fate is a funny thing, and that love is unavoidable.

Story #1 - The Jubilee Express by Maureen Johnson: Jubilee's got a perfect life. A boyfriend who's sporty and intelligent and parents who are fun. But everything goes downhill when the worst storm in fifty years occurs, and her parents get arrested for participating in a hobby of theirs that takes an ugly turn.

What's worse? The train she boarded stalls due to the mounting snow, and cheerleaders are around her, giggling among themselves and flirting with Jeb, a friend Jubilee made along the way. Using Waffle House as a warm sanctuary, Jubilee meets various people, of which one is Stuart Weintraub. He invites her to his house to celebrate Christmas with his family. What could go wrong?

Story #2 - A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle by John Green: JP, the Duke (Angie) and Tobin are friends with Don Keun, btu while he is stuck with his two colleagues at Waffle House, the other three are watching James Bond movies... until Don calls them.

Given a challenge to reach the Waffle House before the friends of Don's other two colleagues so that they can meet the cheerleaders practicing their routines there, the trio take Carla - Tobin's mother's car - through the storm to Waffle House.

Throughout the journey, they encounter many problems, like running into Timmy and Tommy Reston (their competition for Waffle House), Carla breaking down, forgetting the Twister in the car and having to go back for it in order to gain entrance to Waffle House, and stopping at the convenience store to get socks for Tobin's nearly frost-bitten Puma-covered feet.

But is going through all that just for a bunch of cheerleaders really worth it?

Story #3 - The Patron Saint of Pigs by Lauren Myracle: Jeb's had a tough week. His girlfriend, Addie, cheated on him out of anger because of the fight they had just been in; his phone broke, diminishing all hope of him being able to contact her to explain why he couldn't meet her at the spot she wanted to reconcile their relationship at; there were cheerleaders trying to get his attention; and the storm had delayed his train to Gracetown, where Addie was.

Addie's miserable, and it gets worse when everyone admits she's self-centered. It didn't help that she had cut her blonde hair short and dyed it pink after the break-up with Jeb. Things go overboard when she promises to pick up her friend's pig, but forgets when she gets caught up in Starbucks. Mayzie, an elderly person believing she is an angel, poses as Addie's saving grace when the pig that she was supposed to pick up is adopted.

Can she get the pig back? Will Jeb be able to meet Addie? Or is it better for them to stay apart?

I really loved this book, and I've made up my mind: I'll be reading these three stories around Christmas every year (if I remember to). I loved John Green's bit of the book. It was more funny than romantic, and that just made the book so much better. I love romance as much as I like humor, but I'd like to laugh more than just smile at someone's dream love story becoming a reality.

I've read some books written by Maureen Johnson, and I know that she has a funny bone. Her romantic side in Let It Snow equalized the humor. I especially loved Lauren Myracle's story, because it was insightful, and there was a moral present behind the words printed on the last third of Let It Snow's pages.

The flow between The Jubilee Express, A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle, and The Patron Saint of Pigs was brilliant, and it was incredible how all the characters mentioned were intertwined within each other's lives and stories in Let It Snow flawlessly.

I'd recommend this book to everyone who believes in miracles, and loves a good romance (in this case, romances).

 Maureen Johnson - The Jubilee Express

John Green - A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle

Lauren Myracle - The Patron Saint of Pigs

Book Bouncer Review: 'The Fault In Our Stars' by John Green

'The Fault In Our Stars' by John Green

Awarded Goodreads Choice Awards Best Young Adult Fiction and nominated for Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, The Fault In Our Stars is a captivating story that opens the reader's eyes.

The Fault In Our Stars focuses on Hazel Grace Lancaster, a cancer patient who is suffering from thyroid cancer. Forced by her mother to participate in a cancer support group held at church, Hazel befriends Augustus Waters, an ex-cancer patient who had osteosarcoma.

Throughout the book, Hazel fights cancer, and develops a deep relationship with Augustus. Embarking on a journey to meet the pair's favorite author and have some questions of theirs answered, Hazel and Augustus acknowledge reality, and how they can outrun it for a while, but never escape it.

The Fault In Our Stars highlights the mortality the protagonists of this book possess, the love that every individual shares and expresses, and the various battles they experience - external and internal.

Filled with humor, romance and hope, The Fault In Our Stars is an exceptional read that makes the reader realize that life is unpredictable and short, but that love will remain forever, and hence, this book is highly recommended.

The Fault In Our Stars has been made into a film that released on 6 June 2014. Shailene Woodley portrayed Hazel Grace Lancaster, and Ansel Elgort as Augustus Waters.