Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

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.

My thoughts:
Many of you might be skeptical about this book because it's about cancer but I encourage everyone of you to read it anyway. Even though it's a book about something as tragic as a 16 year old with a terminal disease it is such a beautiful and funny story. I think I laughed out loud at least three times before page 25 but of course I shed some tears as well by the end of the book. I also have to admit I briefly regretted starting the book one or two times but sometimes these books are the ones you end up remembering the longest.

I have seen some reviews of this where the way the young adults, Hazel and Augustus, talk to each other in this book are described as unnatural and too grown up. I don't agree, I think it's perfect for this story and what makes me like it even better. John Green writes beautifully and I can't wait to read more of his books. He tells the story with humour and oddness which makes it bearable for me as I read it and is also how the characters "survive". Our main characters Hazel and Augustus are indeed a bit odd and different from other teenagers. I had to take a few breaks from the book, especially when reading on work when the tears dwelled up. These breaks made me reflect more about the content and some of the thoughts of Hazel and Augustus. So I think it's a good thing to stop and think along the way because this is an easy-read (language- wise) so it's easy to just get carried away.

 I don't want to say too much about this but I hope you read it yourself.

Source:
Checked out at the school library


My rating:


Silje*