Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Author: John Green
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Death, Young adult
Dates read: 12th – 14th February 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Penguin Books
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: Um, Support Group Hazel?

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

INSIGHTFUL, BOLD, IRREVERENT, AND RAW, The Fault in Our Stars brilliantly explores the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

I knew as soon as I grabbed this book that it was going to be sad. I mean, it was all over the media how tragically beautiful it was a while ago. What I didn’t expect was that I would finish it and feel like my heart could have possibly grown ten sizes. Kind of like the Grinch. It was that moment of painful WOW that I just sat there in shock.

There is a great sense of honesty throughout this story. A lot of stories which talk about illness (let alone cancer), especially in a child talk about how wonderful and accepting the child is. How they’re an inspiration. Ya da ya da ya da. What happens in this story is that there is no sense of god-like hope and wonder to the child. Hazel isn’t always optimistic, but she is brutally honest. And I love this honesty. I’ve been around people with cancer and terminal illness… they’re dying, they don’t have this ray of sunshine all the time and it was so damn nice to read a story that was so freaking honest about that fact.

We all remember our first love. Whether it was the forever love, or puppy love. That first person is special. I love that this is a story about falling in love, even under the worst of circumstances. And then what happens when you lose the one person you love? That was the part I found hardest – imagining either myself or my partner going through the loss of each other. Imagining a world in which that one person you love above all else is gone… and yet, it didn’t feel completely sad. There is a gratefulness to the fact that they got to love one another. Even if it was just for a short period.

Even days after reading the book (I had to take a breath and a pause because of all the feelings)… I still don’t have words for how majestically powerful this story is. It will hit you in the heart, very potently. But not in the way that necessarily leaves you sobbing in the corner. Don’t get me wrong, you will sob. But you’ll also remember all of the wonderful, happy, joyful and loving things in life. It will remind you to live.

<- An Abundance of Katherines

Looking for Alaska ->

Image source: Amazon