Miles Halter is exhausted by his perfectly safe, completely boring life at home. Obsessed with the famous last words of historical figures, he leaves for Culver Creek Boarding School in search of what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the Great Perhaps. The moment he arrives, his predictable world is flipped upside down by his new friends, especially the clever, funny, and deeply self-destructive Alaska Young. She pulls Miles into her chaotic labyrinth of late-night pranks, secret smoking rings, and intense emotional highs. He quickly falls for her, captivated by her unpredictable energy and hidden sorrow. But when sudden tragedy strikes the campus, Miles is left grappling with unanswerable questions about grief, guilt, and the profound impact one person can have on your soul. The relationships he builds at Culver Creek will challenge his perspectives and push him to break out of his comfort zone forever. This raw, unflinching story explores the messy transition into adulthood and the painful beauty of first love and loss.