This novel arrived at the beginning of the year in
hardcover, and for some reason I just didn’t get around to reading it. Even
though it received tons of great reviews and I was drawn to it, it stayed on my
nightstand pile for a few months. It was
only when a customer picked it up and said with her hand on her heart “oh, I read
this one” and then just tapped her heart
twice “ugh, so beautiful”, that I decided to put it on the top of my pile…
Sixteen- year-old Hazel spends most of her time reading the
same book over and over, doesn’t like to leave her house, isn’t interested in
eating and thinks about death a lot.
Her mother says she’s depressed.
Yes, well, no kidding. In many
ways, Hazel is just like any other teenager, except she has cancer and isn’t
expected to live much longer.
Doctor Jim, and Hazel’s mom both agree she should attend a
weekly Support Group. Hazel finds this
support group “depressing as hell”. She
tells her mother “If you want me to be a teenager, don’t send me to Support
Group. Buy me a fake ID so I can go to
clubs, drink vodka, and take pot.” Her
mom’s reply: ” You’re going to Support Group”.
Even though Support Group is depressing ( will some of them die? ), there are some very good
things that happen too. One of them is
the gorgeous Augustus Waters, who ends up changing Hazel’s life in a very
profound way. He’s not gorgeous just because
he’s hot. He’s gorgeous because he’s
funny, smart, sweet and basically the perfect boyfriend. Except, he too is dying.
Let me first say that John Green is a genius. This is the kind of story that made me laugh
and ugly cry at the same time, and I will definitely re-read it, just because
he really is a great writer and I want to hear some of his phrases again. I loved
Hazel and Augustus. They “got” each
other in a way that wasn’t sappy. Not
like obnoxious couples who are joined at the hip and digest each others food (sorry
Bella). I really believed the characters and cared
about how they felt and what they thought.
I liked the frankness in their dialogue. It was
refreshing to read a YA title that wasn’t dystopian, paranormal or about totally
depressing issues. Of course, the inevitability of death is depressing, but somehow John Green
makes it okay.
Why didn’t I read
this sooner? And now I will definitely read
all three of his other titles – Looking for
Alaska, Paper Towns, and An Abundance
of Katherines.
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