Monday, April 9, 2012

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Author: John Green
Published: Jan. 10, 2012
Publisher: Dutton Books
Pages: 313 pages
Rating: 5
Synopsis (via goodreads): Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.



*Pokes head out of the ground and looks around.* I feel like I need to adjust myself to the sunlight. It has been so long since I posted a review. The last time I posted a review I wanted to start posting frequently again. As you know....that did not happen. I'm hoping it will happen this time. My schedule is actually allowing it. It wasn't just my schedule that wasn't allowing me to post. It was me. I was not reading. I was stuck in a very long reading slump. I would pick up a book and I just could not get interested. Nothing was keeping my attention. I'm not quite sure why, honestly, there could have been a multitude of reasons. So much has happened in my life lately. A lot of good. And a hell of a lot of bad. I'm reading again. I'm excited about reading again. I feel addicted to it again which makes me very happy. Anywayyyyy....

I have something to admit. Brace yourselves.



This is the FIRST John Green novel I have read. I obviously know who John Green is and I admire him even though I'd never read one of his novels. Ah....not true. I read Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. I...wasn't impressed. I've heard so much hype about John Green for years. All this hype honestly made me nervous to read his novels. I felt like I would be nothing except disappointed.

I was wrong. I was so totally and completely wrong.

The Fault in Our Stars is beautiful, heartbreaking, raw, real, an emotional roller coaster. I laughed. I laughed hard. I was sitting in Barnes and Noble reading the first few chapters trying to contain my laughter, but I ended up snorting. I was pulled into this story from the very first page. The writing is brilliant and oh so lovely.

Hazel is so smart and unique. You can feel her emotions on every page. You are right there with her as she battles everyday. I love her sense of humor. I admire how humble she is. She is the perfect character to narrate this heartbreaking story. She carries you through. I truly admire this girl.

I am having so much trouble writing this review. I seriously just want to keep gushing and calling it beautiful. I am going to try to continue and convey to you why this novel is so brilliant.

Augustus Waters, oh how you captured my heart. Intelligent, funny, memorable. I fell in love with him the same way Hazel did. His words were amazing. His love for Hazel is boundless. You could feel their chemistry and the intense love between them. Their relationship felt so real. It wasn't forced, just flowed naturally.

The supporting cast of characters were also excellent. I adored Hazel's dad. I thought he was so cute! Her mom is a warrior. All of them were brilliant and so well written.

I felt that this novel rang with so many truths about cancer and losing the battle to cancer. And, there were so many sentences that made me stop in awe of how magnificent they were.

I strongly urge all of you to go pick up this fabulous book. It is worth owning. It is worth buying. I'm still in awe. I've been in awe since I set it down last night. You will laugh and you will most definitely cry, but it is so worth it.

3 comments:

  1. Have you read The Probability of Miracles? Probably not since you were going through a reading slump. It has a pretty similar story line to The Fault in Our Stars. You might like it. I freaking loved it.

    Like you my blogging has been pretty lackluster. After moving some personal stuff went down and I went through a "whole lot of hell" and then I hit my reading slump. Which is still going on. I mean, Insurgent just came out and half the cafe has read it (because I forced them to read Divergent) and I'm the last one to read it. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!

    Wow. Long comment. Sorry. So, I wanted to say hi online as opposed to my two second "heys" at work. Side note: Our blog names are pretty similar! I'm Just a YA Girl.

    ♥ Trish
    Just a YA Girl

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  2. I like the book cover though, but this is not the book I was looking for, thanks sharing!!

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  3. A living book
    A living book
    A Book of Living life
    A Book of Living life
    book of the just
    book of the just
    book of the just

    ReplyDelete