A very nice, nachdenklichstimmende history

Content
Miles enters the school and will now go to a boarding school in Alabama. There he is standing together on a room with the Colonel, a boy who has a scholarship. Because the Colonel is not rich, he despised the rich kids at school. Because Miles, who has received from the colonel nicknamed Pudge, befriends him, the rich kids at school are not well disposed towards him. He also learns Alaska know and love with him it. Together with her and the Colonel he plays the other youth pranks, drinks and smokes. Until there is a twist ....
Opinion
The beginning of the story I liked because it was not immediately threw in the story and you had such time to get to know first Miles / Pudge and his friends closer. The chapter headings (... days before) have also built up tension because I wanted to know what will happen. The characters have loved them because they could not be simply classified into a category. Although all of them are very intelligent, but still smoke and drink. The slow construction of the story I also liked good. However, I would have preferred if it had given to the then more chapter.
Since I have no longer read English book more, I'd get in trouble at the beginning in the book, because there were many unfamiliar words. In addition, some characters speak in the book with an accent, which is pretty hard to understand. I had to first mentally make clear how they say it, because almost all the words have been swallowed and only one letter remained standing.
The surprising turn in the middle of the book I liked it very much because it was very surprising to me. I would have a completely different book expected. In addition, I think it is good that the book is both sad / thoughtful and funny. The book gives a lot of material, more than one can think.
Conclusion
A book that gives food for thought. Unfortunately it was a bit difficult to read it in English.