Monday, July 30, 2012

Book Review: The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

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Title:  The Fault in Our Stars

Author: John Green (Author Website)

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; First Edition edition (January 10, 2012)

ISBN 10: 0525478817

Pages: 336 pages

Format: Hardcover (Library Loan)

About the Book: 

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumors 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 tumors 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. (from Goodreads.com)

Setting: Indiana/ Amsterdam



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About the Author:

John Green's first novel, Looking for Alaska, won the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award presented by the American Library Association. His second novel, An Abundance of Katherines, was a 2007 Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His next novel, Paper Towns, is a New York Times bestseller and won the Edgar Allen Poe Award for Best YA Mystery. In January 2012, his most recent novel, The Fault in Our Stars, was met with wide critical acclaim, unprecedented in Green's career. The praise included rave reviews in Time Magazine and The New York Times, on NPR, and from award-winning author Markus Zusak. The book also topped the New York Times Children's Paperback Bestseller list for several weeks. Green has also coauthored a book with David Levithan called Will Grayson, Will Grayson, published in 2010. The film rights for all his books, with the exception of Will Grayson Will Grayson, have been optioned to major Hollywood Studios.
In 2007, John and his brother Hank were the hosts of a popular internet blog, "
Brotherhood 2.0," where they discussed their lives, books and current events every day for a year except for weekends and holidays. They still keep a video blog, now called "The Vlog Brothers," which can be found on the Nerdfighters website.  (from Goodreads.com)

Related Media: – Book Trailer

My Review:  The Fault in Our Stars is a story that has stayed in my thoughts long after I finished the book.  As a parent, I can only wonder how could I possibly manage if one of our children was diagnosed with Cancer.  It is unimaginable to me. I have to keep reminding myself this is a young adult book. One of the reason I think I forgot this was a young adult book, was the voice of the narrator, Hazel Grace.  Hazel’s voice seemed to be too old.   But the more I thought about that I remembered that most of her time was spent with adults, doctors and books.   She had to grow up very quickly to face and deal with the realities of her life and death.   It is so unfair that any child must live a life being sick and knowing they will die. 

Hazel was annoyed with her mother hovering.  But I think her mother was doing pretty good.   I know I hover even more than that when my children have a simple illness.  But honestly, this is a coming of age, love story.   Cancer is a part of that story, but really takes a backseat to the love story of Hazel and Gus.   I just loved Hazel and Gus as a couple – they really complimented each other well.   Gus was charismatic, witty, and so in love with Hazel. 

So if you have read this review and thought you wouldn’t want to read a story about kids with cancer, I encourage you to read Fault In Our Stars anyways.   You will not be disappointed.  You will laugh, cry and be amazed by the lives and attitudes of these young people facing the most uncertain future, but finding love along that way. 

My Rating:  4/5 – I really liked The Fault in Our Stars -  I would recommend it to others.   I did lose a few hours of sleep trying to finish The Fault In Our Stars by John Green.   The Fault in Our Stars very well might change my attitude about the genre of Young Adult fiction, which I have avoided reading for the most part.

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing

Other Bloggers Reviews :

Book Journey

Time 4 Reading

Baby Got Books

Rhapsody in Books

Happy Reading!

2 comments:

  1. I still have yet to read this one and all I hear are good things about it!

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  2. I'm in the same camp as Meg above, I keep hearing fantastic things about this book but haven't read it yet. I do plan on it though :) Have a great weekend!

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