Thoughts for Thursdays: The Fault In Our Stars

Page 17. 

That's how long it took for John Green to put me on the verge of tears with his most recent book. Seventeen pages. I have to say that's a new record.

John Green's The Fault in Our Stars came out what feels like ages ago. (By ages I mean January of 2012. Which now that I look at it isn't really that long ago, but damn does it feel like this book sat on my shelf forever. I can be hyperbolic at times. Might want to get used to it. Also literal. Or at least I use the word "literally" correctly, which I suppose Hazel and Augustus would appropriately enjoy. Good lord, that's a long parenthetical. Oh, the blessings of non-academic writing.) I pre-ordered my copy, and I am the proud owner of a magenta J-Scribble. (...yeah, it's complicated. Just go watch this video. The man himself can explain the mess far better than I can.) I put my faith in his writing. I own copies of Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, and Paper Towns. I've loved all his work so far, so I had little doubt that I would enjoy The Fault in Our Stars. (Hereafter called TFiOS, because come on, I'm not typing the title every time. That's just crazy talk. And I have feels to spill, so that's my priority.)

It took me awhile to finally pick up TFiOS. Between school and a million other factors, it just stayed with my other books untouched until now. But I made the choice to pack it in my carry on bag for my flight home for the holidays. My first flight was from Syracuse to Chicago. At some point during the flight it hit me that I could be flying over Indianapolis...whether I did or not, I don't care. In my mind I was.

Two things struck me most as I started reading. One, it doesn't feel like a "cancer book." I'm not quite sure how to describe it, but while yes, cancer plays a role, that's not what the book is about. I'd describe TFiOS the same way Hazel describes her favorite book, An Imperial Affliction: "But it's not a cancer book, because cancer books suck." TFiOS isn't a book about two teenagers with cancer. It's a book about two teenagers. Now, I know what you're thinking. A book, about teenagers. And that's it? How can this be? Well, technically, no, that's not it, but at the core of the story it is about Hazel and Augustus. I know, revolutionary idea. A story about... the two main characters. Mind boggling. But it works, mostly because of the second thing that struck me as I read it.

Hazel and Augustus feel real and honest. They are teenagers. I can hear their voices as I read. I can hear their inflections. I can hear the sass, the snark, the sarcasm, all of it. I hear Hazel telling the story as if she's sitting next to me, telling it with crazy, flailing hand gestures, snarky side comments and all. I feel like I'm talking to a friend, a close friend. Of course, that only makes it all the more painful and heart wrenching.

Sitting down to try and describe the emotions TFiOS evokes is hard. When I read it, I was a gibbering, emotional mess. I gasped out loud as I read it, I cried, I laughed, I turned pages more quickly hoping that it would somehow make it end...better. Don't get me wrong, the ending is beautiful, but it hurts. You become Hazel's best friend from page one, and you will become invested in the events that unfold. And it will hurt. But somehow, it's a good hurt. You'll feel better for having known these characters for what time you spent reading.

I feel like I'm not doing this book justice. I want you to read this book, but I also want you to experience the events of it organically. I want you to fall in love with Hazel and Augustus the way I did. I understand now why John was so intent on readers not spoiling what happens. It makes perfect sense. If you know precisely what is coming, it ruins it somehow. It is a part of the experience I won't take away from you. (And it only occurs to me now that it's maybe strange to refer to a New York Times Best Selling Author by his first name. I don't know him personally. It feels as if we, the fans that is, do sometimes though. Not once did it occur to me to call him John Green, or Mr. Green, or anything remotely...pretentious like that. I suppose that's a whole blog post of its own for another time.)

The Fault in Our Stars isn't just a good book. It is one of the best books I've ever read. I'd like to say that's just me being hyperbolic, but it is. Very few books have ever moved me the way TFiOS does. And for that reason, I recommend you read it. Plus, they're making a movie. They filmed it over the summer, and it is set to be released on June 6th, 2014, starring Shailene Woodley as Hazel Grace Lancaster and Ansel Elgort as Augustus Waters. I'll be watching, and I hope you will too.

You can find the author, John Green, on Youtube as half of The Vlogbrothers. You can also find him on twitter as @realjohngreen. For more information on the movie, check out @TFIOS_Movie on twitter.