Paper Towns by John Green

Review by Tanusha Poreddy , 12

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John Green’s novel, Paper Towns, exemplifies the message of an ideal coming of age story. Paper Towns follows the life of Quentin, also known as “Q” as he embarks on a journey to find Margo, a mysterious girl who disappears on her own accord. Q believes that Margo left him clues to help him discover where she’s hiding. Although Q has a minimal amount of “clues,” he is determined to find Margo.

Paper Towns does an exceptional job of accurately portraying the lives of seniors in high school. The characters are relatable, and aren’t fabricated, making the novel enjoyable and easy to read. Q, who has always been seen as a shy “nerd,” breaks out of his shell and learns how to spontaneously live his life. As the novel progresses, Q and his friends are able to learn more about each other. You can see them “grow up” as they try to piece the clues together to find Margo. Q’s friends, Ben and Radar, are also troubled by their own struggles and unique backstories. The development of these side characters allows the reader to connect with all of the novel’s protagonists on a deeper level. The additional information the reader receives about Ben and Rader goes to show how the characters truly progress throughout the novel and offers a unique insight into the authentic relationship between Q and his friends.

Although the motivation behind paper towns is to find Margo, the story itself focuses on the development of Q’s character. He’s spent most of his life figuring out how to fit in with his classmates, but this adventure allows him to discover who he truly is. So the main goal of the novel isn’t actually about finding Margo, it’s about finding Q’s true identity.

Paper Towns is an exceptional novel that truly highlights the theme of coming of age. If you haven’t had a chance to read this book, I highly recommend it.