MC Reader: ‘The Fault in Our Stars’

If you read this column last year, you know I have an abounding love for young adult novels. Summertime is always the perfect opportunity for me to pick up some new books.
“The Fault in Our Stars” by beloved author John Green was a top-choice.
He has written a couple of other novels, runs a video blog on YouTube, and is all-around a pretty awesome person. Filming just recently started for the movie adaptation of this novel so it is the perfect time to check it out.
Hazel Grace Lancaster is 16-years-old and dying of cancer.
A miracle drug has allowed her more time than she or her parents thought possible, but Hazel still struggles to come to terms with the ticking clock on her life.
At the urging of her parents, Hazel attends support group meetings with other people her age who either have cancer or are in remission.
There she meets Augustus Waters, who lost his leg due to bone cancer, but is now in remission. Although Hazel tries to distance herself from others, Augustus is persistent in befriending her and the two form a bond, largely due to Hazel’s favorite book “An Imperial Affliction.”
This shared interest leads Augustus to finally declare his “wish” from a fictionalized version of the Make a Wish Foundation; he and Hazel will go to Amsterdam to meet the author of the book.
Their adventure brings them hope, love, knowledge and discovery.
But when the pair returns home, not everything is okay as they hoped.
Alright, guys, I am totally passionate about books and I cry over them pretty often, but I have not cried over a book like I did this one since the Harry Potter series.
So, my warning to you is that this is a tearjerker and I probably would not read it in public. However, the book is also hilarious, poignant and will make you think.
“The Fault in Our Stars” will challenge whatever shallow opinion you have about young adult books and flip it over on its head.
Hazel and Augustus are both complex and relatable characters that will stay with you long after you read their story.
I cannot tell you how many people I have talked to about this book since reading it two months ago.
It’s practically become my welcome-back-to-school opener: “Hey how was your summer? You should read this book!”
It is hard to gush about Green’s book without giving anything way, so just trust me on this. I am an English Lit major, after all.
The movie is not set to be released until sometime in 2014 and just 318 pages, so you certainly have the time to find this book and read it even if your fall semester started full speed ahead.
You will not regret reading “The Fault in Our Stars,” so go find it or come borrow it.
Okay? Okay.