Cancer is such a dreadful disease, indiscriminate in its
choice of victim, choosing with aplomb regardless of age, gender or status. There are a myriad of stories behind the
tragedy and many of them remain untold.
In The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, he builds a story
out of darkness and despair. He takes
the tragedy of cancer and immerses us in the lives of characters that could
very well be real. Many know of the heartaches in dealing with those who fight
the fight, and many of those scars last a lifetime. He brings his story in the form of a teen
girl, Hazel Lancaster. Stricken with
cancer from a young age, she believes she has come to terms with what her life
has become. Then she meets a young man, Augustus Waters, a survivor of cancer.
He is drawn to her in a way that is initially uncomfortable, and as she tries
to push him away in her sarcastic vein, he finds her to be exactly the type of
girl he has been looking for. Throughout
the story there is a beauty and humor, a ‘candle in the wind’ for each of those
whose lives have been touched by such an uncaring disease. For cancer touches
not just the victim but all those who love and are in anyway touched by them.
Be prepared for a story of romance and anger, excitement and
humor, and friendship and bravery for that is the direction we are led as Green
develops the personality of a group of teens that have the courage to bring
both laughter and tears. The story’s
that encircle each individual gives you a glimpse of the character and daring
as well as the abiding hope. Hidden
within that strength they also hide the depression and hopelessness as they try
hard to protect their family and friends by showing only the smiles and
strength whenever possible.
Written so beautifully your heart and emotions melt, you
come to be a part of this group as well as their families, their triumphs and their
losses. The friendships as well as the depths the families go through preparing
for the worst while holding out hope is like a beacon of light.
The courage and humor, the energy and despair all keep you
on a roller coaster of emotion. Green
takes you on a journey both terrible and beautiful.
While a difficult book to categorize I found it to be one of
the most important finds of the last few years. Green shines a light on cancer
in a way that sends a tremor of intent awareness, an incandescent monument to
those that have both won and lost the fight, as well as the damage done to
those closest. The story blasts away the
veil of secrecy and hooks you from the very beginning.
Rating 5/5
2 comments:
I think I'm the only person around who hasn't read this. I still haven't decided if I will or not. Great review!
I read this whild visiting my grandaughter, it is one of her treasure trove of books. I was not really interested until I began, but then it bacame difficult to put down.
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