This is hands down one of the smartest, most dead-on accounts of teen angst that I've ever read. The characters are witty, sensitive and really well-developed.It centres around Miles "Pudge" Halter, Takumi, and Alaska (the novel's femme fatale), three teens who meet at a boarding school.

Alaska is an extremely troubled character, but both Pudge and Takumi adore her. Their relationship turns into a unique love triangle, wherein Takumi sort of steps aside when he realizes the connection between Pudge and Alaska. There's a devastating twist right near the end, which is written so well that it makes you wonder how on earth Green will manage to follow it up with a good ending, but he does.

It's just really, very good. Not fluffy at all. Totally open about sex and matters of the heart without being overly explicit or sappy. The characters are brainy but not cynical or insufferably ironic. Everything ultimately goes wrong and it's a heartbreaking story, but it's awesome.

Have I mentioned that it's awesome?