A Fantastic Book and Green's Best.
Let's face it: Cancer is a popular topic among the literary world, both in fiction and non-fiction. For years, authors have penned the tumultuous lives of those affected by cancer, as well as the lives of those who know people with cancer. I have been following Green's work for several years now, and I have been consistently impressed with the work he has done. However, his previous novels have always fallen short of excellence, something that has changed with the Young Adult author's newest outing. The Fault in Our Stars is wonderful. Plain and simple. Too often "cancer books" are downtrodden with overemotional drama that saturates the reading experience with misery. Fortunately, this book changes that. The tone of the book is primarily humorous, as is Green's specialty, and does not dwell excessively on drama. That does not mean, however, that the severity of the characters' situation is ignored. Rather, the cancer is more of a supporting character, always hovering around our narrator, but never entirely interfering with the flow of the story. The cancer simply exists, and while it makes itself known, it does not do so loudly. This offers a nice change of pace for those accustomed to the achingly detailed books about cancer and hospice they might have read in the past. Most importantly, the characters are not the wise and all-knowing cancer kids that is common in many stories of young people suffering with the disease. They offer their perspective, but they are scarcely blatant about it. Hazel, our narrator, offers often amusing observations about the world she lives in as well as the situation she has found herself in, but she is not and does not claim to be an all-knowing book of infinite knowledge. The same is to be said about Gus, our heroic best friend. While the story lacks extravagance, that doesn't stop it from becoming one of the best novels I've read in recent memory. It is a stubborn little book, and will not be easily forgotten like so many other books lining the bookshelves of the present. The prose is quiet and minimal, while still retaining a sort of muted beauty. The dialogue is sharp and witty. The characters are well-drawn out, and you might even find yourself wanting to hug the venerable (and fictional) author Peter Van Houten by the end of the book. In conclusion: Whether you have enjoyed Green's previous works or are familiar with his on-going YouTube phenomenon, you will certainly enjoy The Fault in Our Stars. It's a fantastic book filled with fantastic characters, and is written by a fantastic author. This is destined to be one of the best books of the year, and should not be missed.
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