Monday, May 5, 2014

{The Fault In Our Stars} by John Green

{Synopsis- from amazon.com}:
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.
{Review}:
I’m not even sure where to begin. This was an impulse purchase at my local Wegman’s. It was on an end-cap, I’d heard amazing things in the halls of the school that I teach {by the teachers…we only go up to 5th grade}, and in the blogosphere.
Now, with that said…. I don’t typically love hyped-up books. I thought The Hunger Games trilogy ended with Suzanne Collin’s drinking the JK Rowling kool-aid to try and prolong her series into “just one more  book”… but unlike JK…failing miserably in the attempt {I STRUGGLED THROUGH book 3 of the series).
But I figured I would give this one a chance.
We are taken through a modern day fairytale. Except Cinderella has cancer, and has to lug a portable oxygen tank with her everywhere. Oh, and prince charming? He only has one leg. Throughout the novel, we’re taken through the journey of Hazel and Augustus—all of the awkwardness of a first love, complete with the C-word being a third wheel.
There were some parts of this book that I while I was reading, I thought, “Why is all of this time being wasted on this seemingly uninteresting part?” Trust in Mr. Green. He knows what he’s doing. It’ll all come full circle. Promise.
There were four things I absolutely adored about this book:
1.      I read it in 2 days. I love any 300+ page book that I can read quickly, especially starting it at night on a Sunday, and finishing it before dinner on a Monday night, when I’ve worked all day. It was incredibly easy to “get into”.
2.      John Green writes teenaged girls incredibly well. You almost have to remind yourself as you’re reading that this is a grown man, writing this incredibly poignant stuff.
3.      The father in the book. He is one of the best characters in the entire book. I absolutely adored him from the minute I met him.
4.      Where the book ends up. You never *really* see the end coming. I mean, yes…you kind of do…but not in the way it’s delivered. I was ugly crying on and off from around page 170 until the end of the book. You’re always reading this story, knowing that there is a finality lurking in the horizon of this perfectly crafted piece of writing. You’re reading this incredibly personal story of these two kids, and your heart is breaking for them. Every line, you think about your own mortality.

And every line becomes that much more poignant.


{Where can I buy this?}:
Anywhere that sells books, basically.


B & N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-fault-in-our-stars-john-green/1104045488?ean=9780525478812&itm=1&usri=9780525478812&cm_mmc=bing-_-Children%27s%20Books-_-John%20Green%20-%20The%20Fault%20in%20Our%20Stars-_-Fault%20in%20Our%20Stars&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=bing&utm_term=Fault

{What would I rate it?}:
 5/5. Easily the best book of 2014 I’ve read thus far.


{Who would I recommend this book to?}: 
Adults. Anyone over the age of 15. They can handle it. There is some sex, and the subject matter just might be too much for younger children to handle.

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