The Fault in Our Stars

 

Alright, the review's finally here! Yup, I just finished reading this book, and I must say it's just......wow. 5/5 ratings definitely.

So, the general summary is about a 16 year old girl named Hazel Grace who is suffering from thyroid cancer. She has been diagnosed when she was 13 but she's on a fictional medicine that lengthens her life for an unknown amount of time. Then one day she meets Augustus Waters, a 17 year old boy who suffered from osteosarcoma and had his right leg amputated because of that. They got to know each other through books, poetry and their similar views on life. Eventually, they both went through a journey to figure out the meanings of life.... (Or at least that's what I 'saw' them doing)

Anyway, so reasons to why I love this book. Firstly, I just love how John Green had written it. It was like I'm listening to Hazel actually telling her story. Like, I'm hearing her voice and to me, that was very, very cool. I also totally loved the characters. From the kinda moody, in-between girl Hazel, to the sad old man, Van Houten. It was just amazing.

 I especially loved Augustus. He's just...I don't know. I loved how he incorporates everything into metaphors- like smoking an unlit cigarette. I mean, can you imagine walking down a street and seeing a 17 yr old guy does that? And his reasons are just...wow. He's also such a kind and interesting guy. Although he was nice though, it's like underneath all those sweet words, he actually had a hatred for the world. Just like Hazel. For example when he refused to wait at the waiting room in the airport, and instead sat somewhere else. It shows that even though he's not as obvious as Hazel, it is clear that he also hates how his disease makes people treats him differently. (Well in some cases it was helpful to them though XD) Even now I'm not 100% sure of Augustus' character, and that makes it kinda cool too. I'll definetly re-read it again.

Hazel's character meanwhile is more of a character who's kinda...I guess still figuring out what it means to be alive. I mean, of course having cancer would probably make you hate the world. It's devastating! But, I think at the start she didn't realise how fortunate she is to be given that time. Meeting Augustus and experiencing all those times together really helped her I think. She realised that there were still people who would treat her for who she is. Not like a fragile glass that could break any second. Her experience in Amsterdam and meeting Van Houten I think also helped her. I think after finding out that he's just this sad, old man who had become a drunk, it made me realise something too. Sometimes we have this perfect view of something, whether it's a place, a person or anything. We don't realise that in this world, everything has flaws. Nothing is perfect, and well...that's just the way it is. We have to learn to accept that, we have to also learn to accept that we are also not perfect. We often want to mould ourself into this 'perfect' idea, but that's not gonna happen. You just gotta accept sometimes that well, there are people who are smart, there are those who are not so smart. There are those who are rich, and others..not so much. There are people, who are kind and yet are crap at writing, and there are those who are mean, and yet is a great writer. (if you've read it, well...you'll understand what I mean).

*Warning, don't read this part if you don't want any clues about the ending*

The end of the book just....killed me. In a good way, if that makes sense. I just wanted to cry, though I couldn't. (I was at school :P) It was just so bittersweet. Even though I knew it'll probably happen a few chapters earlier, I still couldn't accept it. Even when the words were glaring at me. I was just like, "what is this!!". But no, this is not a criticsm at all. Because well, even though it made me sad, I completely believe that it was the perfect ending. The letter at the very end was just....I don't know, it's indescribable. It was just so like Augustus and Hazel. All their feelings just came out, and I could feel them as well. I was also glad that finally, Hazel found that something which makes her appreciate the world more. Although we don't really know what happens with Hazel afterwards, I personally thinks that she probably eventually died. The choices are open, but there are just hints that points to that direction.

This book definitely thought me many lessons about life. I'm not gonna list them all here because well....I could write an essay about it. But, it's just that kind of book which sticks to you because it really relates to you, and everyone else- especially teenagers. I just, gosh if you're still wondering whether you should read it or not, just go and do it! You won't regret it!