Review: The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars

John Green
Published by: Dutton Books
Released: January 10, 2012

WARNING: This book will make you sob from the moment you pick it up until you drop it from heartache

Don't say I never warned you.

Description from Goodreads because every time I think of this book, I burst out crying:

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, 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.

Well...This book was amazing. Terribly sad. Pissed me off so so so much. But amazing.

I usually never like to read what I deem "Normal" books. Reading stuff without fantasy, mythology, dare I say it vampires, just bores me to death. I read this book mostly cover to cover. I picked it up from the library last night, took a little break called sleep, then immediately picked it up and finished. I ran over to my aunt's house and sobbed because I was sick of listening to my little sister laugh at me. THIS BOOK WILL MAKE YOU CRY. It will. I'm usually a tough nut to crack and get to cry. The only times I ever cried over a book was City of Glass and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. So yeah. And those happened in public places, dooming my fate as a bookworm. At least in this case, I only had to deal with my sister and aunt.

Let's talk about what I loved the most in this book: The Characters.

Hazel. I just wanted to jump in and give this poor girl a hug. I feel so so so so horrible for what that girl had to go through. Her life just sucks. She was constantly worrying about her lungs, her health, and worrying about Gus. The girl did not just stop worrying.

Some quotes that just killed me:

"Sleep fights cancer."

"'Keep your shit together,' I whispered to my lungs."

Let's move on to Gus before I burst out crying again.

Gus. Oh. My. Lordy. That guy is so sweet, so amazing, so wonderful. I love how his parent's give him encouragements, little things with happy sayings placed all over the house. He is in love with Hazel despite the fact that they know she won't make it long. *Minor Spoiler* He even gives up his Wish to go to Amsterdam with Hazel in order to meet the author who has a big influence in their life. *End of Minor Spoiler* Then I read some more of the book. *Some MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD* His cancer comes back. I died. I like literally flung the book across the room. His life just became defeated. He lost his spark, I guess I could call it. He was fighting a losing battle and he knew it and I just continued to sob and sob and sob. Then he died. He died. WHAT THE FLIP IS THIS?? Excuse me as I go scream my head off outside.

I will let Cass from Supernatural describe what I felt:

And I still feel like that. I am a big sucker for happy endings. THIS DOESN'T COUNT AS HAPPY! *End of Spoilers*

Okay. Okay. Okay. Let's move on to the much more happy aspect of the story: Their Relationship.

Okay. That's their word. They know everything will be okay if they just use okay.

When they first kissed, I was cheering along with all of the adults. It made me happy that they were happy. Then the book just becomes all depressing afterwards. And I sob some more.

The ending of the book killed me, ripped right into my chest and stomped on my heart. It left you sort of hopeful, but a wee bit hanging. It's not a hard core conclusion. It is up to the reader to believe what ever they want to.

Me? Well, personally, *SPOILERS* I would have Hazel die, then head up to heaven where she meets Gus again and is reunited, and plays a good ol' game of basketball in the sky. That would make me very happy as long as they are together. *END OF SPOILERS*

So would I recommend this? Only if you are in need of a major tear jerker. I loved this book, it was just more sad than I predicted. Which is fairly shocking, considering it's a book about a kid with cancer. This is my first book I read that was about cancer because I usually try to stray away from them. They are really depressing. This one was no exception. It had its moments of humor which I found funny. But it really is a tragedy.

If you are looking for a happy story, don't go for this one. If you are looking for a heart felt story of star-crossed Cancer victims, then yes pick it up. You won't regret it. But also break out the tissues. You will need them.

Review by Caly