This summer, the movie was the regular premiere of John Green's best-selling paper cities. The book of reviews actually was very ambiguous: some sang praises to her, others claimed that this was second-rate literature aimed at adolescents, and the underlying meaning was more than contrived. Needless to say, that after the film, the judgments were very similar? Only criticism of the actors' game was added, and fan opinions were divided into "it is ingenious" and the main one "in the book was not so." After the latter, the question of how it was in the book is of particular interest. Did John Green actually write something outstanding on these lines? After all, this book has hooked people with something.
What is Paper Cities about?
The reviews book, as has already been said, has a very mixed motif. It’s hard to say what happened in the popular novel. Every now and then among the opinions, the name of Margo Roth Spiegelman flickers, but the ignorant do not understand what the fans of "Paper Cities" are talking about. It is worth briefly telling the plot.
Plot
High school student and almost graduate Kew Jacobsen and the “queen of the school” Margot Roth Spiegelman are neighbors. In childhood, they often walked and made friends. But as they grew older, their opinions began to separate somewhat: the calm, cautious Kew and the restless Margo, for which there were no limits and barriers. At one point, their paths simply diverged - without any quarrels and disputes, it just happens. Many years passed, and Margot Roth Spiegelman became one whom it is impossible not to notice, and Kew became (or remained?) Just a freak, in love with his “queen” head over heels.
What is the climax?
One fine night, Margo breaks into the window to Kew and offers to make the most incredible adventure in his life - to punish and avenge her offenders. The couple splendidly raids and ends the night on the highest floor of the tallest building in the city, where Margot Roth Spiegelman actually speaks the famous phrase, which gave the book its name - "Paper Cities". The book reviews specifically for this reason has, as already supposed, contradictory ones: there are those who admire the thoughtful "this is a paper city ... paper people in paper houses", and there are those who claim: in fact, the author, John Green , only gave his heroine a little pathos, but this does not say at all about her wisdom, and the wisdom of the book itself.
The climax is that the next morning, Margot Roth Spiegelman disappears. Well, the knight Kew Jacobsen decides to find her nobly. How it all ends, the book "Paper Cities" itself can tell.
Reviews
The book of John Michael Green by the plot, in principle, touches - it has the intrigue, so necessary so that the reader does not get bored. Curious characters. A pair of funny minor heroes. Claim wise thoughts.
What do readers think about all this?
Book reviews of the paper cities assure that the book is good for the contingent for which it was written: school-aged teens will enjoy the sense of humor inserted in the place and somewhat naive situations that surprise older readers.
Reviewers devote much attention to how the author constructed the finale. It can be safely called open: John Green does not pose direct questions, he leads to reflection, and it becomes interesting for the reader to find the answers for himself.
A similar style is not alien to Green: a similar one is observed in the lesser-known “In Search of Alaska”.
Advantages
Paper Cities is a book whose reviews are interesting to read no less than the work itself. Its pluses are called a simple syllable - this book is easy, you can read it overnight and be satisfied with such a valuable acquisition. Also, high-quality humor, which, by the way, abounds, is an uninhibited plot, is taken for virtues. This is true: in the "Paper Cities" there is no cliche either for events or for characters, which is very pleasing. After all, this is modern prose, and it is sometimes difficult for young authors to resist the use of time-tested ones.
disadvantages
Unfortunately, the advantages that are such, since they are suitable for a teenage audience, come down to this particular disadvantage - a narrow age category. For young readers, John Michael Green’s book “Paper Cities” is too full of adult events, they will not understand this, for adults it is naive and simple-minded. This also causes an illogical sequence of events, and sometimes even strange behavior of the heroes.
On average, a book gives an estimate of about 6-7 points out of a possible ten.
Positive opinions
Many read the “Paper Cities” after the acclaimed “Guilty Stars” and received equally vivid impressions, although the books, in fact, are different. Enthusiastic reviews are often directed towards Margot Roth Spiegelman - an unusual heroine as opposed to such an ordinary Kew Jacobson. Readers claim that the book is ideal for fans of love, adventure and detective novels.
Not surprisingly, many of the City fans are girls. They fell in love with them due to their penetration and philosophical implication. Loving riddles, they joyfully accepted and understatement in the finale.
In our crazy high-speed world, its small volume is also considered a plus of a work. That's what some reviews say.
Paper Cities (John Green) is a fairly popular book, so there have been many reviews and opinions on it. Readers assure that the book can be called very kind, it makes you think about the attitude to your loved ones, to the world, to the notorious stereotypical rules of society.
The moral of this fable is this ...
There are several key findings that come to the fore after reading a book.
Firstly, the one asked by Margo Roth Spiegelman herself, speaking of her worldview - she calls everything paper, and the reader thinks: maybe the truth is paper? Maybe he himself - paper?
Secondly, the one that occurs immediately after the finale: stereotypes, what are they? What frameworks have we come to terms with for a long time? Maybe it's time to let go of these silly rules?
Thirdly, the one that appears after some reflection on the paper Paper Cities (John Green). Book reviews do not always take this conclusion into account. And here it is: if you run faster, you still can’t escape. Was Margot’s attempt to escape to the immediately adult (in her understanding) version of herself more than stupid? Didn’t she build her own ones instead of illusions of this world that she doesn’t like, which is actually no better?
Fourth, the one that is least noticeable among the reviews: the problem of idealizing the image of the “queen” Margot Roth Spiegelman. Her idols were erected by Quentin (Kew) Jacobsen, and fans of Paper Cities also take her there. This is wrong, because the author himself in the finale indicates how important it is to see not the image of a person created in your head, but to try to discern the true essence. Loving fiction is always easier, giving the character whatever qualities. A kind of ideal. And the problem of such an illusory love, which is important, is relevant not only for adolescents, but also in adulthood. Moreover, the older the person, the more painful it is to abandon such a habit.
Negative opinions
The intricacies of light and complex, inconsequential and serious - that’s what the book “Paper Cities” is. She has not only good reviews. Those to whom the work did not sink into the soul, found enough shortcomings in it.
They say that despite the fact that John Green’s books are called "vital", in reality they are not. Margot is too perfect, Quentin is too ordinary.
The meaning in the work is blocked by too vulgar and vulgar conversations of friends-comrades who, it seems, do not feel a gram of shame for the said things.
The plot is ultimately confused so much that the final comes out not so much open and unsaid as unconvincing. The character should not closely correlate with the reader, but it should be written so that the hero’s choice can be understood, even if everyone else in the work just could not recognize and accept it. Green’s easy syllable did not cope with this task.
As for the syllable to the author, claims also arise. Paper Cities is a book whose reviews always begin with how the author writes. And not everyone is happy with his simple style. In addition, some even complain that in the middle of the work, instead of being exciting, it becomes monotonous and tedious. This indicates that John Green failed to make the transition from easy to serious successfully.
Is there a consensus?
Unfortunately, no, there is no consensus. Book "Paper Cities" (John Green) customer reviews characterize very ambiguously. As always: to whom lemons, to whom boxes from under lemons. And for every one who puts Paper Cities on the altar, there is someone who prefers to throw it away and unsubscribe, that the money and time were wasted. Well, in order to have your own opinion, you should just read it!