Hazel Grace, the girl that doesn't know when she's going to die. She only knows she's sick, she only knows there's one medicine that keeps her alive. But for how long? Augustus Waters, survived it. One leg was all it took to be saved, to be a survivor of the sickness that captures people and doesn't let go that easy. The moment these two collide there's no denying to their attraction. However Hazel feels like she's a time bomb and will explode at any time, Augustus doesn't take any distance. They fight or have been fighting for such a long time in their lives and it brings them closer together. So close that it brings them to Amsterdam. It's only then that life seems to take a turn neither of them expected to happen.
This is a book where you just need tissues by your side. And I'm not even kidding. John Green does it again and how?! The first book I read by this author was Looking for Alaska and the book absolutely captured me with its emotions as well as it's deep thoughts. The Fault in Our Stars does the same thing to you. It grabs you, it makes you think and it makes you understand.
Hazel Grace, the girl with the respirator at her side is the girl you would want to be in such a hard situation. She's strong and keeps going while there's so much at stake. I absolutely admire her courage. The best thing about this character is that she doesn't think about herself, she doesn't think about how much she's suffering but about who she's leaving behind if she is going to die. She believes that there will come a day, soon, where she's going to explode and will hurt everyone around her. This is what I was keen on most with this character, she thinks about everyone but herself, while she's the one that's going to die.
As for Augustus Waters, he's the most goofy person of them all. He's funny and can exaggerate, he's amazing. He survived his sickness and now tries to enjoy each and every moment of his life. And it's a life he wants to share with Hazel. I think that's really something beautiful in this book and with this character because in real life it's not that easy to just bind yourself to someone. He goes for it, for the full 100% and that's the thing I admired with him. He's there if anyone needs him, he'll find a way to brings a smile on the other character's face.
Another character that I absolutely want to discuss is Isaac. I often wished that he was in the story a lot more. The plot focuses more on Hazel Grace and Augustus and less on the other friendships that are around. I understand why the focus on those two is more important but I was just such a fan of Isaac. How he dealt with everything. Hazel is sick, Augustus survived and Isaac is half a fighter, half a survivor. The parts where we did get to see him he was either being brave or being heartbroken and I absolutely wished there was more to see than we already have seen in the book.
The plot was, in my point of view, similar to the movie which I've seen. I remember telling myself I was never going to read the book after I saw the movie. I was so emotional after the movie, I absolutely didn't want to go through it again with the book. I guess something went wrong there because I did read the book.
I don't know if I regret reading the book. Part of me regrets it because I'm again stunned and emotional but that's also the good part about a book. This one, and the other book by John Green, never ceases to capture me with its realistic elements and its high level of emotions. I knew how things were going to go because of the movie but I was still so surprised. I never thought the book would capture me as much as it did. Sure I did love the movie, but the book made me live in it and that's a whole new different level of love.
The best part about the book in comparison to the movie are its philosophical elements: the poems, the citations. Looking for Alaska had the same thing, questions and statements that made you think and form your own idea of the labyrinth we call life and now the author makes us do it again but with death as a subject. All this comes together with such a high level of emotions that come to you at such a speed it's insane. All this makes the perfect formula for a book that both makes you think and makes you enjoy it.
I don't think it's really necessary to go over the plot because I'm pretty certain we all know the hype its plot. But I do want to underscore again that it still amazed me, even if I saw the movie first (which I did). I was still so into the book and I absolutely enjoyed each moment the characters had together. Let me say it like this: the last 20 pages of the book, gave me the same emotions as the last 20 minutes of the movie. This means that I needed a box of Kleenex by my side and had to look away after a couple of minutes or pages because I couldn't do it anymore. The book is going to tear you apart, there's no denying it. It is going to hurt you but then again it's a privilege to get hurt by it. The pain you feel while reading it, comes so close to the pain in real life, it's just so spectacular to have this in a book. And since it does tear you apart, it must mean this book is amazing to some extend, otherwise you wouldn't have felt like this.
This book might tear you to pieces but it also gives you the real facts about life and about how everybody goes through things that are this hard. After reading this book, I understood things better and I could give my own interpretation to the questions that were asked subtle and between the lines. The Fault in Our Stars gives you a good perspective on life and death.
One remark I do want to make is that often I had the feeling that Hazel Grace was a little bit annoying. She became so mad some times and I understood her frustrations but I also didn't like her tone. I don't know if it's just me or not but sometimes it bothered me a little bit that she reacted the way she did. But it won't stop me from recommending this book! Oh and I also wanted to mention that I'm glad he had detail for Amsterdam. I adore it when authors take time to describe the atmosphere and environment of the city it takes place. So well done John Green!
John Green did it again, after Looking for Alaska, he brought me another spectacular book that also had detail for real-life philosophical and deep questions. Next to poems and citations of books I'm also happy to say that this book really got me into the story and made me feel all the suffering and heartbreak that someone else in the book might have. It didn't only make me feel the sadness and heartache, it also made me fall in love with the wonders of life and made me laugh because of Augustus his goofy and insane self. I guess it's clear that even if you did see the movie, the book can still be so inspirational and so surprising that you should read it anyway. John Green, even after the second book I read by you, you still know how to amaze me with your writing skills. I'm a major fan!
“As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.”
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