Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Book: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Genre: YA
Rating: *****
For: Fun
From: Pre-ordered and signed... from Amazon.

It was a very exciting week last week, finally getting this book that I'd heard so much about delivered to my front door. Yes, it was "signed" (read scribbled) but no, it was not Hanklerfished. No matter, I just wanted to read the book!

This is what mine looked like.

I ended up going a bit slowly, which meant instead of finishing that very day, I managed to make it last until the following evening, but could NOT put it down in those last few pages.

Beware, this book tackles a sad sad subject... kids with cancer. But does so in typical John Green style, using humor and clever creativity to get you, and the characters, through it. In this story, we meet Hazel who is suffering with a form of cancer that has rendered her lungs pretty much useless without a constant companion of an oxygen tank. She is content to stay at home and watch TV and withdraw from the world. Yet still, when she goes to a support group, quite unwillingly, she meets a guy, Augustus, who is in remission from another form of cancer (one that left him without a leg.) They form a fast friendship.

Together, they suffer through the ups (because there are cancer perks you know!) and downs of having cancer. They know what it's like, so they can tease each other about it. They can make fun of the whole thing and laugh. It's awesome.

But then stuff happens, and one of those things includes an author that Hazel has revered forever. Ah, revering an author. Sounds a little familiar, no? And I won't tell you what happens from there, but you'll be glued, I can guarantee it.

The best way I've found to describe John Green's books, including this one, is that they are intellectually funny. They make you use your brain. You will learn new words while reading. You will ponder and think... you will want to get out a red pencil and underline things. You will learn stuff and you will want to remember it and live by it. His books are also a bit gritty and edgy, somewhat, most often, a bit depressing too. Things are not rosy in his books.

In other words, you will feel all the range of emotions. And I can't think what better praise to give a book.

On the back of the book are several blurbs by different authors... one of them I just had to share:

"The Fault in Our Stars is John Green at his best. You laugh, you cry, and then you come back for more." -- Markus Zusak, bestselling and Printz Honor­ winning author of The Book Thief

Awesome.

Bottom line: I loved it.

Other Reviews:

Book Harbinger
Things Mean A Lot
Reading Rants