The Fault in our Stars

If you read a lot of novels and want something fresh that you can read with some iced tea under the sun; then I’d highly recommend The Fault in Our Stars. Initially, it feels like the kind of story you’d quickly push away: a touching romance among two teenagers with cancer, which questions the essence of life and would make you cry. Such narratives are often forced. But John Green wrote this book better than I genuinely expected, which made me enjoy it despite a few flaws that I noticed.

Hazel’s role made is piece incredibly interesting. She has self-aware, sharp voice from the start, and she still feels layered and real even when she is a bit cynical or guarded. She has an intelligent, quiet humour and the plot works best when it lets her be herself: a teenager living with illness. Augustus is equally likeable. He exudes an emotionally bold, theatrical and charming energy. These two have a synergy that is natural and keeps you eager to hear their next conversation. I also liked the fact that the book considered other people around them including Isaac and Hazel’s parents: all of whom make the book well-rounded.

Moreover, this book became popular largely due to its emotional side. There are several unforced and genuinely memorable, painful and tender moments. The book portrays them as they are and shows that when people are sick, other concerned parties are equally affected. These parts made me cry heavily because I lost my father to cancer and know the months leading to his death felt quite heavy. Other scenes like the Amsterdam trip, how Augustus and Hazel’s relationship constantly chances and the final pages are touching. I cried while writing this review because I read this book as though it happened to me.

At the same time, I read several reviews criticizing the book and I understand their bias. The obvious flaw for me was the dialogue. Augustus and Hazel’s conversations are compelling yet so articulate, witty that they stopped sounding like real teenagers. If you read deeply, you could tell that John Green was strong behind those characters. Some emotional moments were also clearly and distinctive written and though most of them are good, they become easy to tell. Still, I had a great time reading this book even though it meant sitting quietly with the ending afterwards, feeling a bit broken, and laughing at different intervals. Essentially, I loved that the book’s message didn’t focus on sickness but covered other themes like memory, fear, love and what it means to be valued by others. All in all, I believe that this book is worth a 4 out of 5 stars because the story stays with you once you connect with it.