“What a treacherous thing to believe that a person is more than a person.” Quentin “Q” Jacobson is surprisingly alright with having his days fade into the same shade of identicalness. Going to school, staring at the clock for seven hours, going home, IM-ing with the same friends, and admiring the same girl who’s had his heart since they were nine years old. May 5th was supposed to follow the same routine – until Margo Roth Spiegelman appeared on the other side of his window in the middle of the night, nine years after telling him to shut it. Margo promised Q a night of exhilarating revenge, one certainly to remember and shine out alongside all of the dull, repetitive days.

What would turn out to be the aftermath of possibly Q’s most electrifying night alive, is not what he expected nor was prepared for. Margo had always been a fan of mysteries, although Q never quite expected her to become one herself. Thought to be left with an unfinished ending, it doesn’t take long before Q realizes that she left a trail of clues behind – specifically for him.

On the cusp of adulthood, the story follows Q and his ambition to discover what happened to Margo. But the farther he ventures down the path that is the enigmatic life of Margo Roth Spiegelman, he’s quick to learn that she may not be the girl he always thought she was.

Paper Towns by John Green will absolutely lasso you right into the creases of each page, not letting go until that final page is flipped. To the average reader, it may seem like a wonderfully-spun and crafted mystery – it is, without a doubt. Although the best aspect of the book is not the plot at all. Perhaps the best aspect of the book is the depth hidden behind the name of each character. The depth that lies behind a mere combination of phonetic letters, practically an iceberg with secrets entirely
submerged in unforeseen waters.

When the story comes to an end, the reader may think it’s a good book. A stereotypical, guy-cannot-live-without-the-girl kind of young adult novel. If you peel off that cliche like a patch covering a hole in an article of clothing, what is awaiting to be discovered is the philosophical features that John Green intertwines with each sheet of paper. It adds a new hidden level of intellect to each character, and the plot itself. It transforms from what seemed to be teenagers messing around, simply having fun just months before their graduation, to falling down a rabbit-hole that are the ponderous questions of life.

With that said, there isn’t a book without any flaws. While reading, I found myself wishing that Q would talk about something other than Margo. It is the plot of the book, yes, however a never-ending 20-page train of thought about one girl seems a bit much. I hoped that the book would include more elements about his life as the protagonist such as school, instead of solely around Margo.

To the people who aren’t afraid to open their mindset to new ideas and questions, this book is a great recommendation. This recommendation is also open to those who enjoy romance (a rather underwhelming amount) and mysteries especially. The
writing itself is well-organized and has a comedic flair to it, specifically a taste in childish, immature humor. It keeps the book lighthearted and not spiraling down into endless, philosophical thoughts.