Friday 27 April 2012

Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Title and Author: The Fault in Our Stars, John Green
Format: Paperback
Pages: 318
Release Date: January 10th, 2012
Publisher: Dutton Books

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.


Have you ever read a novel that, from the very first page, captivates you and just holds you there long after you've read the last page? Have you ever read a novel that was so heart-warming and heart-breaking and everything in between? One that made you feel a million emotions all at once? The Fault in Our Stars is one of those novels. I don't think I can describe just how amazing this book was. I laughed with the characters and cried for them when times got tough. I was still sobbing after I'd read it. When my eyes had stopped watering enough for me to be able to decipher the words on the pages,  read it all again. I honestly didn't want hazel and Augustus' story to end ever. 

{Characters}

The characters in this novel are like none I've ever encountered before. They are so full of life it's sort of hard to believe they're only fiction. I found myself getting lost in their stories and forgetting that this was all just John Green's imagination. I think it's safe to say I loved every single character. Hazel Grace, our narrator, is one of the strongest, most amazing females in the YA literary world. Having lived with cancer for four years, a quarter of her life, I would never have expected her to be as pleasant and lovely as she was. Her humour and witty comments had me smiling like an idiot and her many interactions with Augustus left me feeling giddy. Augustus was also just as spectacular with his contagiously radiant nature. he was one of those people that could make you laugh when you felt like all you wanted to do was cry. The two of them were perfect for each other and their story broke my heart. I wished with all my being that they would have more time but sadly, there wasn't much left for these two.

There were other characters besides Augustus and Hazel, of course. Isaac, Augustus' blind friend was a joy to read about. He had me on the brink of tears at some points and at others, laughing out loud. I loved their parents and how realistically they dealt with their tragic situations. 

This book is very much character-based and I'm not sure what else to say except that every single moment will touch your heart and some will leave you in tears. Be warned, it will probably leave a lasting impression in your memories and maybe smash your heart to pieces but it really is worth it. It isn't often you will stumble upon a book as brilliant as The Fault in Our Stars so if you haven't already, please do yourself a favour and read it. 


2 comments:

  1. I won a copy of this the other day and I am going crazy waiting for it to arrive. Lovely review- you've made me even more anxious to get to it! :D

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    1. Oh yeah, it's truly amazing! Thank you :) I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. ♥

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