The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Author: John Life-Ruiner Green
Publisher: Dutton
Released:  January 10th 2012
Pages: 313 (Hardback)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now. 

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 tumours 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.


It has been just over a year since I first read The Fault in Our Stars, and for some stupid reason, I thought  I was ready to reread it. Turns out I wasn't, and now I'm left with incredible Augustus Waters feels and also a strangely philosophical sense (seriously, the amount of amazingly philosophical and sob-worthy quotes in this book is ridiculous.)

Now, I've already reviewed this book on the blog, so part of me thinks why should I do it again? Nina, shouldn't you be concentrating on reading the review novels you've got piling up? But in all honesty, this novel is so great that it deserves a gazillion reviews on just one blog alone, so heck, let's just write another one. However, instead of a normal review, this one will contain GIFs, quotes, and many feels.

Last year, this book took me a few days to read. This time? Five. Hours. I know I can say a lot of books are "unput-downable", but I think this read takes it to a whole other level; a whole other literal level. I kept saying to myself, One more chapter and then you GO TO SLEEP. An hour later, and I was still saying the same thing to myself. It's crazy addictive, like crack (I will not say heroine, as that is far too close to a Twilight quote, and we all know how I feel about that franchise.) I don't think I can exactly pin-point the thing that makes this book so amazing - I think it's a collaboration of the gorgeous language used, the quirky but natural characterization  the incredibly original storyline, and simply John Green's awesome.

I don't think I will ever be able to convey to you the amount of love I have for each and every character - even Monica! (okay, that was a bit far. Everyone hates Monica - FEEL THE ABOVE BUFFY HATE, HATER!) Hazel is one of the best main protagonists I have ever come across. I don't know whether it is just me, but I was completely able to relate to her in most senses. She has no friends and spends the majority of her life reading - doesn't that just sum me up? She's easy to fall in love with - but not as easy as it is with Augustus Waters. (All aboard the feel train, people!) I do not want to post spoilers but I just can't describe just how much he affects the reader, as well as Hazel. In a life where you're just waiting to die, what could be more amazing than finding a hot, yet clever and understanding guy, who thinks your oxygen tank just makes you sexier? He is a dream-boat dream-guy, and I entirely blame him and John for my unrealistic expectations of men and relationships.

I cannot tell you the feels. Augustus is possibly my all-time favourite character, and his involvement in Hazel's storyline just makes me want to sit and cry and eat a very large and unhealthy amount of Ben and Jerry's ice cream. The feels are endless.

Okay, I can't contain them anymore - this next paragraph is SPOILER CENTRAL. Why? Why, why, why, why? WHY WOULD YOU KILL HIM OFF, JOHN? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO ME I just don't understand you think it is going to be okay and then and then and THEN they go to Amsterdam and he's all like, Oh yeah I relapsed and it's NOT OKAY it is not okay on what planet is it okay to do that to a person, like MY FEELINGS they are just all over the place and I cry and tears and he's so vulnerable and he was never vulnerable and it's ugh I just want to hug him and hug myself and hug Hazel and hug Isaac and heck, let's just hug Monica too because I am hurt and it is I AM EMOTIONALLY SCARRED forever upset over Gus.

Okay, lets just write up loads of deep quotes while I gather up my destroyed feelings and repair my sanity:

"As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once." 

"My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations."

"Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book."

"That's the thing about pain...it demands to be felt."

"What a slut time is. She screws everybody."

"You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world...but you do have some say in who hurts you."

"Some infinities are bigger than other infinities."

"Books so special and rare and yours that advertising your affection feels like a betrayal."


" 'May I see you again?' he asked. There was an endearing nervousness in his voice. I smiled. 'Sure.'
 'Tomorrow?' he asked. 'Patience, grasshopper,' I counseled. 'You don't want to seem overeager.' 
 'Right, that's why I said tomorrow,' he said. "I want to see you again tonight. But I'm willing to wait all night and much of tomorrow.' "

"But I will say this: When the scientists of the future show up at my house with robot eyes and they tell me to try them on, I will tell the scientists to screw off, because I do not want to see a world without him."

"I believe the universe wants to be noticed. I think the universe is improbably biased toward the consciousness, that it rewards intelligence in part because the universe enjoys its elegance being observed. And who am I, living in the middle of history, to tell the universe that it-or my observation of it-is temporary?"

Right, okay, I have put myself back together somewhat...Okay, no I haven't, and I will never be okay again, but it is totally worth it. After rereading it, I guess I've got to make it official; The Fault in Our Stars is my favourite novel of all-time - and if it isn't yours, then I will hunt you down and make you love it!

Joking! (sort of.)

But in all seriousness, this book is a definite must-read. Yes, I probably overuse that phrase, but for this book I really mean it. Every time I read it, it changes my perspective on life just a little bit, and I'm left with this feeling...this feeling of being infinite. It gives me hope for humanity - that in this corrupt society, there is good. And I know it is a work of fiction, but maybe out there, there is an Augustus Waters for each and every one of us? I guess it just takes a matter of patience and time.

So read it. Next time you see the gorgeous blue cover, buy it, and never look back.
Rating: 9932576209483235/5