Whether or not you're a fan of John Green, he absolutely hits it out of the park with Paper Towns. This novel sets itself far apart from the others by showing the world through the eyes of an average teenage boy who experiences love, loss, joy, and stress, just like the rest of us. Its shocking realism and relatability will captivate you.
After just the first chapter you will find yourself attached to the novel's characters, feeling everything they feel. When Quentin gets screamed at by bullies, it feels as if you are being screamed at. Quentin and his friends endeavor to have the best senior year ever while searching for Margo, the love of Quentin's life who has gone missing. This story will keep you on edge throughout and leave you in tears.
I promise that the storyline is believable. The mystery of what happened to a girl who ran away after being driven mad by the monotony of high school and family drama seems a lot less far-fetched than the classic deranged serial killer plot. Not only is the plot believable, but it also switches directions extremely fast. One minute Quentin may be discovering secret notes with clues to Margo's location, and the next he's driving his drunken friend home from the biggest party of the year.
Paper Towns is certainly not a mindless read. From the first clue to the last, I found myself thinking through every possible scenario to figure out the mystery. Green's masterful tale of suspense and romance, all interpreted through the endlessly wise eyes of a teenaged boy, provides real insight into life. You come away learning that people aren't paper; they are complicated beings who can't be accurately viewed based only on their image.