I sometimes think it is unfair to judge a first-person narrative on its use of certain techniques. This is a hallmark of John Green, and it is through these skills that he is able to take what might be “stock characters”, like “the nerd” or “the cool girl” and give these characters depth and make them feel like real people. For me, this is a strength of the novel and what makes it so readable. The dialogue is funny, at times touching, and always helps to move the story along. The quote section of this article could have been 10 times the length that it was. It is through dialogue that the book really shines. I feel the character of Margo is deeply compelling and Quentin’s narration is engaging and helps a reader see the world through his eyes. I think Ben and Radar could have been fleshed out more, but that would have affected the pace of the book. I know there have been those that are critical of the characters in ‘ Paper Towns‘ and claim that they are walking tropes. However, focusing mainly on the primary character allows the book to march along at a good pace and the narrative voice is strong enough to command a reader’s attention anyway. It serves its function and helps drive the story along (pun intended) In novels like this you could make the argument that secondary characters could be fleshed out and interweaving subplots lead to a better narrative.

Margo goes missing and her friends solve “clues” to find her and then it transpires she doesn’t want to be found. You could argue that it is a road trip story. The plot doesn’t really break any new ground. The quick-witted conversations and flawless dialogue in ‘ Paper Towns‘ move the plot along nicely, plus, the characters are hard not to love.

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