From the Bookshelf of Around the World in 80 Books…

The Fault in Our Stars

John Green

Start date: March 1, 2013

Finish date: March 31, 2013

Discussion: Group Reads Discussions

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last updated Jan 18, 2013 07:12PM

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What Members Thought

Jul 22, 2013 Rachel rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, young-adult

Oh man. I cried on the subway. And then for an hour as I finished it once I got home. When I was a kid I would read books that made me cry. I would reread them mercilessly. Specifically, I remember Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume. When I was much younger I couldn't even make it through The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter;* I was crying so hard my mom got worried. That stopped happening as I got older. I assumed it was because I got older and was better able to handle the emotions evoked by a Oh man. I cried on the subway. And then for an hour as I finished it once I got home. When I was a kid I would read books that made me cry. I would reread them mercilessly. Specifically, I remember Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume. When I was much younger I couldn't even make it through The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter;* I was crying so hard my mom got worried. That stopped happening as I got older. I assumed it was because I got older and was better able to handle the emotions evoked by a novel. Nope, this book made me cry. Is it something connected to the love of young people? I guess it's not something I read about that often.

I have avoided young adult literature like the plague after I kept getting sucked into the hype and never really enjoying it. Hunger Games? Meh. Sparkly vampires and boy wizards (I read the first three of the Harry Potter series, meh!)? No thanks! So when I first heard of this one, I thought whaaatever. But it kept getting raves and raves and I thought, well if I ever get the chance maybe I will give it a try. Then I realized it had been out for 3 years and was still getting raved about, so at least it must be memorable right? And however long it has been out for it still hasn't come out in paperback!! The library doesn't even have the ebook of it! So I thought if it comes my way I might read it (thinking it's not going to come my way ever so that's a pretty safe commitment there). And then I found the ebook on B&N for $3. So I got it, downloaded it on my phone and hoped for it to at least pass quickly as an acceptable way of passing the time at work in the coat check.

It was good, it was good. It was smart. Too smart for actual teenagers, or anyone really, but seriously? Who wants to listen to real teenagers? Haha I kid. Mostly. Just showed everything perfect in the world as well as everything completely fucked in the world.

I am still not going to read young adult books. There's no way any of it can touch this one!

*Holy hell, Forrest Carter is a pen name for Asa Earl Carter, who was very controversial for his racist past. Wow I did not know that. ...more

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May 24, 2014 mstan rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: for-young-adults-or-children, american, src-summer-2014

When I first started reading this, I thought I might like it in spite of myself, despite my rapid disillusionment with Green's writing style two years ago. And for the most part, this is a readable tale of teenagers battling cancer - but of course in response to the phrase 'battling cancer', Green has to insert this somewhere in the story: "We live in a universe devoted to the creation, and eradication, of awareness.... [xx] died after a lengthy battle with human consciousness, a victim--as you ...more

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Jun 18, 2012 Ruth rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya-read, top-10-of-2012-read

Sometimes, you stumble upon a book that leaves a mark on you and changes you. John Green has managed to do just that with the story of Hazel and Augustus and their love. Painful, but well worth it!

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Feb 18, 2014 Lori rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult

My students have been on me since January to read this book. I sat down about 8.00 on Friday evening and finished at 1.38 on Saturday morning. I will be interested to hear what they have to say about as I am sure will have different thoughts about the book being a parent and all. It's about teenagers who meet in a cancer support group, all in various stages of the disease from remission to Stage IV. It's interesting to see the kid perspective but there was one line in the book that will stick wi ...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Katie rated it it was ok

Shelves: male-author, young-adult

I feel somewhat heartless giving this book only two stars, especially after reading other reviews of the book. It is about two teenagers dying of cancer and the relationship they form with each other as they face their disease. There is a lot of philosophizing about life, death, love, how to live life to the fullest, etc. Honestly, I just didn't like the characters that much, especially Augustus Waters, the male lead. He was a bit too much for me. I felt very little empathy for any of the charac ...more

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Jan 28, 2012 Erin (NY) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-i-own, ya, read-in-2012

Such a sad book, but so very very sad! It is written from a perspective of a girl who is living with cancer. She meets a boy who is in remission and their relationship. It is very moving.

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