Second warning: If you're a die-hard fan of the book, stop reading right now - or you'll hate me.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is all the hype lately. Any bibliophile would surely hear about it because of all the rave reviews given by people - from ordinary bookworms to celebrities. It's the classic bestseller. However, I fail to see what makes this book "phenomenal."
At the risk of going against popular opinion and sounding mayabang, I will say that I honestly was not moved by the book. :-(
You see, when the book started to become popular, I was greatly intrigued by it. However, I did not have enough money to buy the book. When I found out my former officemate, Camille, had a copy, I jumped at the chance of reading it for free.
I had no idea what the book was about, so I absolutely had no biases against it. When I began reading it, everything sounded so promising. The protagonist, Hazel, is (frankly) hard to love but is intelligent and witty, so her company is enjoyable. And she has cancer. A lot of works (books, films) have been created with cancer as the main theme, so I was looking forward to seeing a different angle here.
However, I did not. These are my reasons:
Predictable Story
I found it predictable. Hazel, the beautiful cancer-stricken teenager who does not think she is beautiful, gets to know Augustus, the perfect 18-year old who could have any girl he likes but still chooses Hazel. And they fall in love. It's the premise of a thousand romance books that didn't get as much limelight as The Fault in Our Stars. Even Augustus' name is romance novel-y!And while the novel began with Hazel as the sick one, I actually anticipated that she's not the one who's going to die. I had the feeling that Augustus' cancer will come back and take him. And it did happen in the middle of the book. I didn't have the heavy heart; I was just disappointed that I was able to predict it correctly.
Unrealistic
First, I find a lot of things in the story hard to believe. It was almost unreal. For example, I would've appreciated if Augustus is just an ordinary-looking boy with cancer. But no, he is perfect: not only is he extraordinarily handsome, but he is also super-smart and kind-hearted, too. It would have given him more character if he had a flaw. And I mean an intrinsic flaw, not the missing leg. I would love to see someone like Isaac - their blind friend - be the star of the story, not because he's blind but because he showed actual human characteristics.Also, I was frustrated with the fact that both set of parents are kept in the background. They didn't seem to have a lot of say in the story, which I find unbelievable because both of them are still teenagers. I don't understand why they are being so lax when their kids have cancer, for crying out loud. Would someone whose child has cancer allow that child to be driving in the night? I don't think so.
Next, I noticed that when Augustus' cancer came back, Hazel's own cancer seemed to have dulled - when earlier in the story, she went into a coma. She is really, really sick - until Augustus became sick. Then, she suddenly seemed healthy, and she was able to visit Augustus everyday and take care of him. Green seemed to have forgotten that Hazel was very sick, too.
In other words, it seemed as if all the realistic elements of a story were compromised just to give the readers an amazing love story.
Too Much Fluff
Lastly, I love my books simple and practical. But Green gave me a lot of quotes. It gave me the impression that nothing is really happening and that the author only made up for flowery words. I can deal with "quotable quotes," but please don't fill your book with those. In my opinion, these are mere literary fluff. Because of this, The Fault in Our Stars just seems like a longer version of a Thought Catalog article.But...
I understand why a lot of people (girls, especially) have taken a liking to the book. It's not a bad book and it fares better than a lot of other books. It is really an emotional story that won't stop picking at you until you cry. And I even got teary-eyed one time - during Hazel and her parents' confrontation.Please see where I am coming from. As a mom, though young, I read the novel wishing that Green would, at least, highlight the parents' feelings. But they were all kept in the background, as the writer wanted to focus on the love story between the teenagers. It gives the young readers false hope that their parents would not interfere with their own love stories. But I guess that's why it's popular. Unfortunately, I am not its target audience.
Rating:
It's not a bad book, but it's not that great. I give it three stars.PS: Camille and Kristine, if you're reading this, I appreciate the recommendation and the free e-book. Please don't think I'm being a stuck-up "reviewer," trying to force her "high-standards" on anyone. :-)
