The Fault in our Stars: A young adult
novel everyone was talking about, that I avoided to read until I heard its
movie adaptation was about to hit the big screens in Greece. I thought that it
would be another heart-breaking, chick flick full of sweet teenage romance -
cancer drama, as the heroes fall in love while they give their battles against
cancer, which might not appeal to my age or taste.
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And then I said
hey, it’s summer and I enjoy relaxing with chick flick movies, but as always I
HAD TO READ THE BOOK FIRST. So, I did and I was so WRONG! It’s a book packed
with tragic realism and bluntness that sometimes made it so painful to read,
but I kept reading non-stop until I reached the last page. The harsh realities
of life as a teenage cancer patient, including fears, physical flaws and humiliations,
emotional ordeals, the relationships with family, friends, doctors are exposed
very honestly through the voice of a very mature, sarcastic, slightly rebellious
teenage girl.
I kept stopping
to underline phrases and then re-read paragraphs, as Hazel, Augustus and Isaac
were wrestling with the big issues of cancer
and life: "Cancer
kids are essentially side effects of the relentless mutation that made the
diversity of life on earth possible." p.49, death: "Nostalgia is a side
effect of dying, he answered" p.235, loss
and grief : "Grief does not change you, Hazel. It reveals you" p.285 and lasting love: "Gus, my
love, I cannot tell you how thankful I am for our little infinity. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and
I am grateful" p. 259
The Fault in Our Stars is a hip, smartly crafted page turner with an unexpected story twist and
razor-sharp characters, but it is NOT another cancer book. It’s a painfully
beautiful story about life, illness, loss and true love in between and you
should expect to laugh, cry, think deep and ask to re-read.
* Τhe above photo was taken for personal use. Please just make sure to link back to my blog, if you use the above image.
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