Warning: This review contains spoilers. If you haven't read The Fault in Our Stars, proceed at your own risk!Even though The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is centered around two teens with cancer, it does not end up cliched or seem as if the author were trying too hard to make this story about cancer. This isn't a perfect book, but it doesn't disappoint.
Sixteen-year-old Hazel started off with thyroid cancer, but now it has moved to her lungs. Her and her oxygen tank go to a support group for teens with cancer every week, and it is there that she meets sweet, suave Augustus Waters. She is instantly attracted to him because he's hot and because he is of course smart, witty and sweet. Augustus or Gus had osteosarcoma and lost half of his leg due to the disease, but it seems that he is in remission. Hazel tries to resist falling in love with him because she knows she is going to die soon and doesn't want to hurt him, but it is inevitable (I mean he's gorgeous, intelligent, and sweet, so how couldn't she?!). The two lovebirds bond over Hazel's favorite book entitled An Imperial Affliction, and they travel to Amsterdam to visit the author, and it is there that they truly fall in love. It is only when they get back that Gus tells Hazel that his cancer has returned in full force. So, instead of Hazel dying and breaking Gus' heart, the opposite happens.
This book was well-written, and was very honest about what it means to have cancer and cope with all that comes with it. However, I didn't like how predictable it was in terms of Gus having cancer and dying instead of Hazel. I saw that coming right away. Even so, their love story is so real and believable. Green has done a wonderful job making these two teenagers come to life despite their bouts with cancer. I don't like some of the name-dropping of bands and movies and such in the dialogue but the story and characters were so great that I didn't mind too much.
Because I knew that someone was going to die, it was difficult to let myself love the characters because it was going to be a heartbreaking ending. I did not want to spend an evening sobbing on the couch. In consequence, I distanced myself from the characters so I wouldn't be so devastated when one of them died. I think this made the book less enjoyable since I wouldn't let myself become too caught up in the story and emotions.
I had heard so many good things about this book before reading it, that I had pretty high expectations. The Fault in Our Stars was all I expected it to be, but I wish I could have discovered it without having any preconceived notions about what kind of a book it would be.
Even though you seem a bit disappointed, you still gave it five stars? I'm glad you liked it! I enjoyed it, but also let myself get invested in the character thus turning into a sobbing mess on the couch.
ReplyDeleteI was also a bit disappointed but also gave it 5 stars. One of my things too was that I wished they both died. That was what I thought would happen and what I wanted to happen. Ok, want, is the wrong word. I didn't WANT them to die but I knew they would so I wished it had been both of them instead of just the one.
ReplyDeleteIt was still fabulous but that was my biggest thing.
Yes, I still loved it enough to give it 5 stars. I also think that if I knew nothing about the book going into it, it would have been absolutely amazing. A 5+ rating!
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