Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Published by: Penguin
Release date: 3rd January 2013 (paperback)
Series: n/a
I got it from: Library

Quote: 
"You realize that trying to keep your distance from me will not lessen my affection for you. All efforts to save me from you will fail."

Goodreads summary:
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.

Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author John Green's most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

My review:
My Other Half asked me what I'm reading. 'A book about kids with cancer.' I replied. 'Cheery', he commented. 'You'd be surprised.' I replied.

Actually I lied when I said the book was about kids with cancer. That is the opposite of what it's about. It's a book about falling in love, about the moment when you realise that even though you're trying your hardest not to fall in love for whatever reason, it's going to happen anyway. It's not something you can control. It's a book about living, about dealing with life, about the absence of life. 

I thought a book containing such tragedy would have me bawling me eyes out, but strangely, instead it suffused me with an incredible gladness. A feeling of really appreciating everything I have that is good. Of course I couldn't stay completely dry-eyed throughout. But still, the overall feeling I had for most of the book was a sort of wonder at the existence of such a good book. It feels as though everyone who reads this book will come out the other side a slightly better person. 

Hazel is the best character ever. She is everything that I would have aspired to be at that age if I had known that such a person could exist. She is fictional after all, so maybe it's not possible, but I like to think it is. Augustus is hot, full of pretentious metaphors and sort-of wonderful. 

I want to give this book to every teenager in the western world. I'm not one of the legions of manic John Green fans that appear to be out there. I picked up The Fault in Our Stars simply because it was shiny and new, and my library hardly ever gets new YA books. I hummed and hah'd over whether to get it, because I wasn't sure I wanted to read about tragic cancer kids. I am so thankful that I decided to give it a chance.