Books

What Your Favorite John Green Novel Says About You

by Farrah Penn

Although John Green’s debut novel, Looking for Alaska , was published a decade ago, there has been a sort of John-splosion! all over the YA world. With the wide success of The Fault in Our Stars and the upcoming adaptation of Paper Towns , only time will tell when he is officially crowned King of Young Adult Contemporary. Not only are his books smart and meaningful with perfectly delivered humor, but the entire nerdfighteria culture has taken on an inspirational life of its own.

One of the fantastic side effects of being a John Green fan is that when you see someone reading one of his books, you have this obsessive urge to stop and talk to them about it. Which is definitely NOT COOL. Because interrupting someone while they’re reading is almost as rude as interrupting someone while they’re sleeping. It’d honestly be easier if science made it physically possible to walk around with the cover of our favorite books in thought bubbles over our heads. Or maybe we could all just wear T-shirts.

Another truth is that every John Green fan has a favorite book that he’s written. I’m always surprised when a friend says, “Oh yeah, X book was my favorite of his” and I’m like, IT WAS? Then: Oh, well that makes sense. Because if I know the person, it’s fun to connect the dots back to the characters in that book in comparison to their personality. This is all very scientific, mind you.

So without further ado, here are scientific facts* that explain what your favorite John Green novel says about you.

(*Not actually science)

Looking for Alaska

You’re the type of person to look around a room full of people and ask yourself, “WHY IS EVERYONE HERE SO MUCH COOLER THAN ME?” But that’s not the case. I’m willing to bet you have a set of intriguing quirks that make you the kind of person your friends enjoy hanging around. You’re the type who probably needs to be convinced before going on an impromptu escapade. But as long as you’re with your close circle of friends, you know you’re always in for a good time.

Paper Towns

You have an adventurous spirit, but sometimes you’re overly impulsive. On a Saturday night, you’re NOT the one curled up in your PJs watching Friends reruns. You’re usually the one who convinces your besties to go on a spontaneous trip or to try new things. On the flip side, you tend to build fantasies up in your head and may become disappointed when they don't play out in your favor.

An Abundance of Katherines

You can recall one moment in your life where someone has told you, “WOW! You’re really talented.” You tend to sometimes be too hard on yourself, but that's only because you want to achieve all the goals you’ve set. No one doubts that you’re a driven person, but it’s good to give that overworked mind of yours a break from time to time. Who knows? Something unexpected may come your way once you break away from routine.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Your loyalty is your shining quality, but you sometimes feel overshadowed by other people in your life. While you’re compassionate by nature, there are secrets you keep locked away for fear of being misunderstood. Music is definitely your saving grace. You’re the master of creating perfect playlists and discovering new artists. You try your hardest to be a really great friend, which can be both a strength and a weakness.

The Fault in Our Stars

You’re a romantic, complex, vibrant person who strives to make every second count. You’ve often been caught smiling too long at someone or overusing the heart emojis. The world around you interests and inspires you. You simply cannot help feeding your need to explore EVERYTHING. Most importantly, you tend to believe that life, no matter how short, should be lived to the fullest.