-John Green, The Fault In Our Stars
John Green again, yes. But, come on, you can't read a book by John Green and NOT read The Fault In Our Stars! It's what all the cool book nerds are raving about, so I knew I needed to add it to my site. Fun fact: the movie comes to theaters on June 6, 2014, according to IMDB.
Most of us don't know what it's like to be sick. Sure, we've all had the cold, a virus, or some weird infection now and again, but those things go away. Cancer doesn't go away. Some cancer does, but not the kind that Hazel Grace Lancaster has. Her cancer affects her lungs to where they fill up with liquid and she has to get them drained periodically just so she can sort of breathe. Without her cannula, the tubes always resting in her nostrils, she wouldn't be able to breathe efficiently. Her oxygen tank is always with her in a cart she has to roll with her anywhere she goes. Hazel gets out of breath when she walks up a flight of stairs because her lungs fail to work the proper way. Most of us don't know what this feels like.
There ARE people who know this pain of having a sickness that takes a lot of life's joy from them. Hazel met these people in a support group. Hazel HATED going to the support group, but her mom wanted her to go so she could make friends. Ugh, okay mom. She went, just to please her, but she did end up making friends there, like Isaac. He lost one of his eyes to a cancer and wears an eye patch. Isaac is really Hazel's only hint of sanity in the group.
Isaac brought a friend once, and Hazel would have noticed him even if she was the one with only one eye. The weird part about it was that this boy was noticing her. What is there to notice about a skinny sick girl who didn't care about her appearance at these meetings. Why was he looking at her? She noticed he only had one leg, so she knew he had been sick at some point. Soon enough, she learned his name and his story.
Augustus Waters was the air her lungs could never let her breathe. He was real, he was handsome, and for some reason, he liked her. And she was determined to find out why. Hazel was afraid to like him because she knew any day could be her last, and she didn't want to hurt anyone she didn't have to. It's bad enough seeing the pain in her parents' eyes every day. But there was something about him that she couldn't shake.
The quote I chose was not one that I had originally planned on using. This one continued to stick in my mind because it was a constant struggle for Hazel, and I think it's something that a lot of us can relate to in many ways, even if we aren't sick. For those of you who have already read it, leave your favorite quotes in the comment box below!
To steal from the people creating the movie, it is "one sick love story." I love the play on words there, and it fits this book perfectly. This is a story you won't want to miss. It's not a mushy love story or anything like that. It's actually very moving. The way they deal with their sickness is comedic relief in their lives. It shows how both healthy and sick people should appreciate every second, because (healthy or not) no one knows when the last day is.
Read The Fault In Our Stars, and I guarantee you'll fall in love with this book. It's a book for both genders! I love books with humor, and this book is PACKED with it! I laughed so much while reading it! Although you would expect it to be a sad book, I actually closed the book with a warmth that surprised me.
I know many of you have already read this, and I would love for you to add your thoughts and comments below so that my other readers and I can see your opinions!
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