Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

 

 

Title: The Fault in Our Stars

Author: John Green

Published: Penguin Australia Jan 2013

Status: Read on January 23, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy Penguin Au/Netgalley}

My Thoughts:

I was thrilled to finally get my hands on a copy of The Fault in Our Stars. A bestseller in it’s year of release of 2012, it has received accolades from both critics and readers alike. The gushing, gif laden reviews on Goodreads are hard to ignore as is the frequency at which this novel comes up in ‘best of’ lists amongst bloggers.

In The Fault in Our Stars, John Green explores the sensitive subject of adolescent cancer with heart and humour. Hazel is sixteen, her constant companion a portable oxygen bottle, the cancer invading her lungs that will someday claim her life kept at bay by a miracle drug. Forced to attend a Cancer Support Group by her parents, Hazel meets seventeen year old Augustus, in remission after sacrificing his leg to sarcoma.

Rarely has a book left me feeling so conflicted, The Fault in Our Stars is moving, poignant, funny and charming. I teared up several times, laughed out loud, smiled like a goon and sighed heavily. I read it in a few frantic hours and refused to look up. I cared about Hazel, fell in love with Augustus, sympathised with their families, wanted to smack the douche bag drunken author about the head with his own book. In short I adored it.

The thing is The Fault in Our Stars has plenty of flaws too. It is emotionally manipulative, it often contradicts it’s own intent to be subversive and it is at times it’s terribly glib. I tried to care, but in the end I had to simply let it go.

The Fault of Our Stars is incredible – not perfect – but compelling and masterfully crafted. What more is there to say?

Available to Purchase

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