Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old
Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and
post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that
means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumors tenuously kept at
bay with a constant chemical assault.
Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer
kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her,
interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and
a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health,
life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.
“I’m a
grenade. I just want to stay away from people and read books and think and be
with you guys because there’s nothing I can do about hurting you; you’re too
invested, so just please let me do that, okay? I’m not depressed. I don’t need
to get out more. And I can’t be a regular teenager, because I’m a grenade.” –
Hazel
JUST A FAIR WARNING:
if you plan on reading this book, make sure you have an entire box of Kleenex ready to rock; you’re going to need them. All of them. I thought I could handle it, I thought I prepared myself enough. I didn't. This book
didn’t just make me cry – it made me sob uncontrollably. I’m talking an ugly
cry, where there are tears and snot and swollen eyes and you have to stop
reading to mentally get your shit together because you can’t even see the pages
through the waterfalls that have suddenly been installed in your eye sockets.
I’m not kidding. Here's a little something to give you a visual of the mess that was my life during and after reading this novel:
I’ve had a really hard time
trying to piece together this review, which tends to happen when I read a book
that just blows my doors off. This is one of those reviews where no matter what
I say, I know it’s not going to be good enough. I’m not going to be able to
convey to you just how much the story of Hazel and Augustus touched me. I don’t
know that I can describe the gutted, heartbroken, “life isn’t fucking fair”
feeling that overwhelmed me towards the end of the book. You know, I like to
think that I’m pretty good with words, but there are some just books that leave
you speechless, that touch you beyond belief – that make you realize, this
is why I read!
The Fault in Our Stars is one of those books.
I refuse to give away any
spoilers so I won’t go too much into the plot, but the relationship formed
between Augustus and Hazel is nothing short of spectacular. Their easy banter
and ability to relate to each other’s issues makes for a heartwarming, funny, seemingly
effortless connection. Augustus and Hazel’s relationship, however, wasn’t the
only one that made my heart happy; the other was the friendship between
Augustus and Isaac. Their quips back and forth to each other made me laugh out
loud, and added a necessary element of comedic relief to what could have potentially
been a super depressing novel.
This is, without a doubt, one of my top 10 books of all time and I will forever recommend it to friends, family, co-workers...anyone within earshot of me, really. I'll stand out in front of freaking Barnes and Noble and ask everyone that comes out, "Have you read The Fault in Our Stars? No?
Did you buy it today? No? Then you get your ass back in there and buy that
freaking book!" I don't know how long Barnes and
Noble will allow me to harass customers, but if that's what I have to do, then
that's what I have to do. I guarantee this
book will not disappoint you, and although you may look like an absolute train
wreck after you finish, it’s worth it. It is worth every tear, every tissue,
every sob, every smile, every laugh, every last bit of hope and heartache; it is sooo fucking worth it...
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