If you have read my previous book review of "Looking For Alaska", you would be aware of the fact that I mentioned you would cry your eyes out while reading. Now if you compare the tears shed for both novels. The tears I cried for "Looking For Alaska" were a drizzle compared to the tsunami I sobbed for "The Fault In Our Stars".
"The Fault In Our Stars" is narrated by Hazel Grace Lancaster, sixteen year-old Thyroid cancer patient. Her parents force her to attend a Support Group and it's at the "literal heart of Jesus" that she meets the young and incredibly attractive seventeen year-old Augustus "Gus" Waters. Who is in remission from Osteosarcoma. From their first interaction, it is clear to the reader that there is a distinct attraction between the two.
They exchange favourite books and Hazel tells him about her most cherished novel "An Imperial Affliction" written by Peter van Houten (which is completely fictional by the way). Its with the mutual love and frustration towards the story that deepens their friendship.
Throughout the novel, Hazel and Augustus' relationship blossoms into more than just an infatuation, but Hazel is afraid of what will happen to Gus' state of mind if she were to pass away, so she tries to convince him to not get too close...and fails.
Even though Hazel requires 24-hour oxygen and Augustus has a prosthetic leg, living with the fact that at any given time, his cancer could come back; things seem to be perfect between them both.
At around this part of the book, your eyes start pooling with tears and from here on in, the tears do not stop. No matter how hard you try, they don't stop falling, by the end of the novel, you've flooded the earth.
Now I'm not going to continue with the synopsis/overview of the novel, as no matter how I word it, it will ruin it for you.
Now I know most people get turned off from reading books about cancer patients because its so overused, but TFIOS is anything but cliche. Its very wittingly written and will definitely make you laugh...and cry.
By the time you read the last sentence in "The Fault In Our Stars", you will have a whole new appreciation for life. I can not express my love for this novel enough, it is utterly brilliant and if you thought "Looking For Alaska" had some great one-liners, you should read the one-liners in TFIOS, ingenious!
By the time you've finished, your heart will have been ripped out of your chest, torn into shreds, stomped on, spat on and disregarded in the gutter, by John Green himself.
"The Fault In Our Stars" oozes with philosophical symbolism and metaphors, its most definitely a profoundly written, beautiful tragedy.
If any of you weren't already aware, there is going to be a film adaptation of the New York Times bestseller and on the 19th March, it was announced that Shailene Woodley will be playing Hazel Grace. Avid readers are hopeful that Joshua Brand will be given the role of Augustus Waters, but only time will tell! And I am well excited.
I also found this picture on tumblr, clearly inspired by "The Fault In Our Stars" and thought some of you might appreciate it. Now I wish I can say that I made this, because its so brilliant, but I didn't; so all credit for this beauty goes to nerdfighterz
