Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

 So, I decided to return to John Green after a bit of a break and here is where I ended up: reading the much anticipated The Fault in Our Stars.  Now, I was quite apprehensive about reading this as I wasn’t sure how I felt about cancer stories. Funny how it turned out to be not only my favourite John Green book but also one of my favourite books off all time.

So, let the review commence...

Plot

Hazel is 16 years-old and she has cancer.  She has gotten used to it, after being diagnosed a few years before, and her condition is steady but she still can’t escape the fact that things could get a lot much worse at any time.  One day at her support group she meets Augustus, an ex-cancer patient with a charming personality who is utterly unbothered about Hazel’s condition.  The two (obviously) fall in love but soon it becomes apparent that Hazel’s condition isn’t the only problem.

Good points

It was perfect.  It really was.

I was so happy because there has been so much hype about John Green and all the other books I have read of his (Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska and Will Grayson, Will Grayson) have been slightly disappointing.  But this totally turned it around.

I completely fell in love with Hazel and Augustus.  They were written so well.  Hazel’s honesty about her condition was so refreshing.  She wasn’t portrayed as either really self-pitying or ignorant about the severity of her illness.  Her personality was also so likeable; I find that it’s really rare to find a female protagonist who is so easy to read.  She was so down to earth and really witty.  Similarly, Augustus had just the perfect amount of wit and charm mixed in with real romance and logic.

As a couple they were wonderful.  There was none of the usual, ‘but what if he thinks this about me?’ or ‘what if I’m not good enough for her?’ or ‘what I’ve said the wrong thing?’ that you find in the usual teen romance novels.  They were completely honest with each other and weren’t afraid to take the micky at just the right moments.

That is what I enjoyed the most about the book.  It wasn’t just another cancer story, as I feared it might be, but the focus was all on Hazel and Augustus’ relationship.

Bad points

Ummm...

I’m struggling here...

Okay, so I did cry for about five minutes straight at a certain point in the book but I hardly see that as a bad thing.  It was only a reflection of how stunning the writing was.

Summary

I was completely blown away by the beautiful writing and was completely taken by the characters.  It was such a lovely story with a lovely message. To be honest, it was just really lovely all round!

Without a doubt...

Rating = 5 stars

Additional Points

All I can say is... OMG I can’t wait to see the film!