Below, readers can explore five of his novels. Throughout these books, John Green engages with themes like friendship, identity, and belonging. Readers of all ages have found meaning in his novels, but they are aimed at young adult readers.
The Fault in Our Stars
‘The Fault in Our Stars‘ is arguably Green’s Magnum Opus. Seemingly every teenage girl with a fondness for reading picked up a copy of this, and plenty of teenage boys too. As much as it can be enjoyed, it’s a real emotional rollercoaster. The main characters are both so engaging that one cannot help but read on until their bitter end. ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ details the relationship between two people with cancer.
Paper Towns
‘Paper Towns‘ builds on a concept that mapmakers used to put fictional towns on their maps in order to prevent others from stealing their work. It takes that idea and makes a novel around it, exploring the concepts of putting people on pedestals, being risk aversive, and the pitfalls of stereotyping people.
The plot revolves around Q, who is a slightly nerdy but high-achieving student, and his crush on his neighbor and former friend Margo Roth Spiegelman who is one of the most popular girls in school. The pair go on an adventure before Margo runs away. Q follows clues to eventually track her down, and the story plays out. The book was a critical and commercial success and spawned an adequate movie adaptation.
Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Will Grayson, Will Grayson was the first novel with LGBTQ themes to make it to the New York Times bestsellers children’s list. It stayed there for three weeks. The novel is written by both Green and David Levithan, with each author taking alternative chapters. Both authors write for two different characters who are both called Will Grayson. One of them has a capitalized name the other doesn’t – to help differentiate between the two.
The story follows the life of the two characters. One is a heterosexual man with a gay best friend. This Will Grayson is very introverted and wants to shun the spotlight. The other Will Grayson is gay and has very little going for him apart from an online relationship with Isaac, who has a big secret.
Turtles All the Way Down
This was Green’s first published book in the wake of The Fault in our Stars and as such, had big shoes to fill. Previous works had been influenced by Green’s life, for example, the location for Looking for Alaska. This is the first novel he has written that explores his own mental illness. Although a work of fiction, he holds the novel to be deeply personal. It explores the life of Aza who is dealing with the loss of her father.
Let it Snow
Let it Snow is like the literary equivalent of the film Love Actually. It features three separate stories that all cleverly interlink with one another and are all rather wonderful. It really does bring the reader in and leave one in the mood for the festive season without ever betraying the quirks that brought John Green so much success.
FAQs
What is John Green’s most famous book?
Commonly, his most famous book is cited as either Paper Towns or The Fault in our Stars.
What is Paper Towns by John Green about?
Paper Towns is about Q, a young man who falls in love with his neighbor, Margo. He goes on a revenge mission with her before she disappears. He, and his friends, spend the novel looking for her.
What is The Fault in our Stars by John Green about?
This novel is about two teenagers, both of whom are suffering from cancer. They fall in love.
