Paper Towns Characters
Get to know the characters: Understand the characters in Paper Towns.
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The novel was so successful it was adapted into a popular film.
Key Facts about Paper Towns
- Title: Paper Towns
- Writer: John Green
- Published: October 16, 2008
- Genre: Young Adult Fiction/bildungsroman
- Point-of-View: First-person
- Setting: Primarily Orlando Florida
- Climax: When they decide to avoid graduation to go find Margo.
- Antagonist: Margo Roth Spiegelman
- Protagonist: Quentin Jacobsen.
John Green and Paper Towns
Green has so far written five novels and one collection of essays. Many credit Green as responsible for a shift of tone in YA fiction in general. He broke the trend of all YA fiction being related to the supernatural and instead ushered in an era of fiction based on pithy dialogue, realistic characters, and realistic romance – this has been affectionately referred to as GreenLit.
As well as writing, Green is an avid social media user. In particular, he runs a couple of popular YouTube channels. The first, “vlogbrothers” is run by John and his brother Hank. The second Crash Course also features both brothers and consists of educational videos.
Books Related to Paper Towns
A lot of books written for the YA market would fall into this bracket. Since Green started writing, many authors have tried to emulate his style. A few similar books are discussed below:
‘Tietam Brown’ by Mick Foley
Despite being a wrestler, Foley is both articulate and funny. In his first foray into fiction, he looks at the life of Antietam “Andy” Brown. Abandoned at a young age and lost in the foster system, his abusive upbringing makes him a volatile young man. The story of him trying to reconnect with his estranged father is both funny and heartbreaking.
‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ by Stephen Chbosky
This charming effort is by writer/filmmaker Stephen Chbosky and details the life of Charlie as he navigates through life as a curious and reflective character. As with ‘Paper Towns’, there is a film adaptation, this time starring Emma Watson and Paul Rudd.
Legacy of Paper Towns
Although John Green’s ‘Paper Towns’ is relatively new in the literature timeline, it has still made a significant impact. As well as having a feature film based on it, it picked up the Edgar Award and spent some time on the New York Times bestseller list for children’s books.
Due to its accessibility, it has been widely read in schools, especially in the US. However, one school took exception to its references to sex and drinking culture and consequently removed it from their reading list.
Paper Towns Historical Context
Setting the scene for Paper Towns: Understand the time and place that inspired its creation and relevance.
Paper Towns Review
What does a book expert think: Get a comprehensive overview of the reception and review of Paper Towns.
Paper Towns Themes and Analysis
Unlock the hidden meanings: Dive deeper into the central themes and symbolism, and analysis of Paper Towns.
Paper Towns Quotes
The words that resonate: Find memorable quotes from Paper Towns that capture its essence of the book.
Paper Towns Plot Summary
Paper Towns in a nutshell: A quick overview of the essential plot points, characters, and ideas.