What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedPaper Towns
Jake Schreier · Film · 2015
If you loved Paper Towns, start with Looking for Alaska (John Green, 2014) — a book on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Paper Towns across media.
What hooked you in Paper Towns was the way the pursuit of an elusive, enigmatic figure peels back the layers of small-town secrets.
Books on the same thread
Looking for Alaska
John Green · Book · 2014
Explores: Grief, Mortality, Existentialism.
Like Paper Towns, this story captures the intensity of young adult existentialism and the profound impact of an elusive, enigmatic peer on a protagonist’s journey toward self-discovery.
The Fault in Our Stars
John Green · Book · 2012
Explores: Teenage Cancer, Love and Loss, Existentialism.
Fans of Paper Towns will appreciate this exploration of mortality and connection, focusing on the way a singular, transformative relationship shifts the perspective of an observant young narrator.
The Girl on the Train
Paula Hawkins · Book · 2015
Explores: Unreliable Narrator, Alcoholism, Infidelity.
If the mystery of a missing person in Paper Towns kept you guessing, this psychological thriller mirrors that obsession by examining the disconnect between reality and perception.
THE PUMPKIN QUEEN
Megan Shepherd · Book
Explores: Identity Crisis, Self-Actualization, Whimsical Horror.
This narrative echoes the identity crisis found in Paper Towns, centering on a character grappling with the expectations placed upon them while navigating a surreal, atmospheric landscape.
Series on the same thread
Twin Peaks
Mark Frost · Series · 1990
Explores: Small Town Secrets, Doppelgangers, Good vs Evil.
Much like the suburban mystery driving Paper Towns, this series investigates the unsettling truth behind an enigmatic girl, revealing the dark secrets hidden within a quiet community.
Gravity Falls
Alex Hirsch · Series · 2012
Explores: Summer Adventure, Small Town Secrets, Sibling Relationships.
This show shares the spirit of Paper Towns by blending coming-of-age growth with a deep-seated curiosity about the strange, hidden conspiracies lurking just beneath a town's surface.
Gossip Girl
Stephanie Savage · Series · 2007
Explores: Privilege, Social Status, Secrets.
The social dynamics and obsession with the lives of others in Paper Towns are amplified here, focusing on the power of secrets and status within a closed group.
Stranger Things
Ross Duffer · Series · 2016
Explores: Government Experiments, Telekinesis, Monsters.
This series mirrors the suburban mystery of Paper Towns by focusing on a group of young people attempting to solve the disappearance of a peer amid supernatural forces.
Podcasts on the same thread
S-Town
Serial Productions · Podcast · 2024
Explores: small-town isolation, eccentricity, social decay.
If you enjoyed the way Paper Towns deconstructs the reality of a town and its inhabitants, this investigation offers a deep, cynical look at small-town isolation and history.
Small Town Murder
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: provincial life, tragic irony, forensic breakdown.
This podcast explores the same fascination with provincial life found in Paper Towns, analyzing the tragic reality of small towns through the lens of a singular, defining crime.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Paper Towns a movie about Quentin Jacobsen?
Yes, Paper Towns follows the story of Quentin Jacobsen, who has long admired his adventurous neighbor, Margo Roth Spiegelman. The film centers on his perspective as he joins her for a night of revenge before she suddenly disappears, leaving him to solve the mystery of her whereabouts.
Who directed the 2015 movie Paper Towns?
The 2015 movie Paper Towns was directed by Jake Schreier. The film portrays the life of Quentin Jacobsen, whose routine is interrupted when his childhood crush, Margo Roth Spiegelman, recruits him for a revenge plot before vanishing without a trace.
What happens to Margo Roth Spiegelman in Paper Towns?
In Paper Towns, Margo Roth Spiegelman is an enigmatic character who initiates a night of revenge with Quentin Jacobsen. After their adventure concludes, Margo disappears, leaving Quentin to navigate the aftermath and search for clues regarding her sudden departure.
Is Paper Towns about a revenge plot?
Yes, Paper Towns features an ingenious campaign of revenge orchestrated by Margo Roth Spiegelman. She recruits Quentin Jacobsen to assist her during an all-nighter, which serves as the catalyst for the events that follow after Margo becomes a mystery to those around her.