[The Fault in Our Stars] August 1 - 8: About the Author, Chapter 1 - Chapter 5

[Stephanie, Super Mod]

I'm on tumblr (you can snoop here: http://lastnightswritings.tumblr.com)

And because of that, I see a lot of posts about John Green, read some excepts, and noticed that he is generally a god-like figure to more than a few hipsters due to his writing. I was a bit skeptic about his work at first because of this. I thought, oh it's just another fad, the book will be boring, blah blah blah, it's just going to be another book with a political agenda that resonates with today's youth that I obviously can't relate to.

But it was because of its popularity that I chose it as one of the options for the read this month. I wanted to see what all the hype was about, and whether I was just being a crusty old lady.

I wasn't. I tried as much to avoid synopsis of the book so what I read was new to me. No plot points, nothing. I like the book. It's not the greatest (yet) but I like it a hell of a lot better than the last Nicolas Sparks book I pick up (that was a mistake) so now that I'm reading it. I have to ask myself: where is the political agenda? Where is the appeal to the younger generations and why?

I like it because of the characters. I can relate to a character I never would relate to in real life or even come across. I love the book for opening my mind and not making me cynical by judging the hipsters or whatever moment is following it.

So. How does everyone else like it?

[Ashley]

Hey guys, just a few days left for this section! How are you guys feeling about the book so far? First impressions? Are you noticing any themes?

[David]

Wow, this week passed by quickly. I just picked up the book last night but will read vigorously to catch up.

[Alex]

I've read a few of Green's books in the last little while, including The Fault in Our Stars. And you are spot on. These are generally topics/situations/books I would never read (about), but I actually really enjoy reading his characters. I don't think I can even really put my finger on why I enjoy his writing style. Only that I do.

[David]

Note: I generally do everything I can to avoid literature and film that has to do with cancer, terminal illness, or even intense physical adversity (unless it involves climbing a mountain and fighting a dragon). I am an extreme empath, so reading about disease and decay can be a miserable experience for me. I decided to join the group read this month because it is very popular, and more importantly, because in my reading on mindfulness, I've decided to confront 'negative' emotions more thoughtfully, instead of repressing or hiding from them.

I read the first five chapters on a flight late last night. I was sitting next to a man, and as we got to talking, he divulged that he was on his way home to see his daughter, who was recently diagnosed with brain cancer stemming from some tumor growth near the brain stem. Despite the severity of the diagnosis, the doctors believe that she "has a good chance at recovery," but there is a lot of unknown, and in the mean time she has no appetite and has dropped an unhealthy amount of weight. I felt for this man, and I felt for his daughter who deserves to be healthy.

Basically, I was in a situation where reading The Fault in Our Stars was particularly affecting.

To echo Annie's sentiments, I went into the book quite blind. I was vaguely aware of its popularity, but I owed most of that to its teenage girl protagonist (teen girls drive many markets, books included) and inherently dramatic subject matter. I don't read much modern fiction, so I am ill-equipped to comment on the strength of this book, but there are a couple things that I have really enjoyed.

For one, I appreciate that the author has written his characters to be hyper-clever. The golden age of Hollywood was full of scripts brimming with wit, as though already-smart characters had five minutes to think before adding their choicest line to the dialogue. At some point popular fiction got away from this, the excuse being: "it's not realistic," but I will always favor it over "normal dialogue." Here, for example, is an early exchanged between Hazel and Grace:

It's a metaphor," he said.

"You choose your behaviors based on their metaphorical resonances . . ." I said.

"Oh, yes." He smiled. The big, goofy, real smile. "I'm a big believer in metaphor, Hazel Grace."

Flirtatious, buoyant, and probably even a foreshadow. It's the kind of dialogue that makes characters memorable. Within the context of the book, having cancer does not make these characters exceptional -- that's the norm. What stands out is that they are smart, well-read, and open to flexing their lexicons (flexicons?). Even Hazel's comparatively "normal" friend Kaitlyn, who warbles in the typical subjects of teenage girls, has her moments of fun dialogue.

And finally, my favorite excerpt:

"All salvation is temporary," Augustus shot back. "I bought them a minute. Maybe that's the minute that buys them an hour, which is the hour that buys them a year. No one's gonna buy them forever, Hazel Grace, but my life bought them a minute. And that's not nothing."

Despite the difficulty I've had reading the book (a heavy weight in my heart, the whole time), the first five chapters of the book, to me, are an astounding success. John Green has peppered his pages with good people who do good things and treat each other well. It would be easy, I think, to throw in some antagonists to up the human drama, but that would be a mistake. Ultimately, I don't see this as a book about dealing with cancer, but rather a book about identity and hope. The game is rigged in such a way that Hazel and Gus have to tackle these questions much more seriously and at a young age. It marries the complexity of young love and mature love, love for the first time and possibly love for the last time.

It's a set-up that is not always comfortable, but one from which I can't stop turning the pages.

[Megan, Mod]

I hesitated a long time in reading this book (I read Divergent, All my Life and Empress Orchid instead) because of the subject matter. Being a cancer survivor (many years) myself, this was not a subject matter that I was comfortable reading about, especially in what was supposed to be a teenager and humorous? or maybe flippant is a better word? But only four chapters into it I am finding that I like it...surprising enough.

The characterization is thorough but not tedious, it is as if the author is Hazel Grace herself. Hazel is a typical teenage girl with an atypical illness, she tries hard to life her live 'normally'. She has an overprotective mother, like a lot of children with illnesses. She reads, goes to school, goes to the mall, and is a loner, like only children usually are.

It has its humorous moments, one liner quips but not out of character. I look forward despite its subject to reading the rest of the book.