The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (no spoilers!)

“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.”

Fact: I am not a very emotional person. I rarely cry over fictional characters, books especially. So to be quite honest, even I was utterly surprised on how I responded when I finished reading John Green’s latest literary masterpiece. (Read: Buckets of tears) I mean, I was moved by his other works – Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns to be specific, but The Fault in Our Stars left me in a complete emotional wreck I was almost out of words after reading. Combining equal parts humor, nostalgia, sophistication and wisdom, the book has exceeded any of my expectations (and reservations) when reading fiction.  I guess, Markus Zusak has articulated it perfectly–without any shadow of a doubt–this is John Green at his best.

Ever since I became a fan of John, I always knew what his strongest suit is. He simply gets it. He completely utterly understands how to tap into your emotions and write prose in its absolute perfection. He doesn’t just string beautiful words together, he conjures thought-provoking philosophical reflections that illuminate uncharted territories teenagers are sometimes too afraid to explore. With ideas about the human consciousness, existentialism, oblivion and life after death, John effortlessly blends these oftentimes disparate ideas into one cohesive story. Simultaneously, John never forgets who his audience is, for he always writes in his signature mix of educated humor and unadulterated nerdiness. The Fault in Our Stars is no exception to that golden John Green quality.

Aside from a heartbreaking and beautifully told story, the real heart of the book lies in two of the main characters – another John Green trademark. He knows how to create this world filled with interesting people all with different personalities screaming in their own unique voices. Once again, I found myself immersed into Hazel and Augustus’s own little world, sharing their fascination of The Imperial Affliction and their relentless search for answers about life. In the absence of dystopian societies, vampires and wizards, it can be quite a challenge to draw young readers into realistic fiction. John however takes this opportunity to give focus more on the raw emotions rather than the plot itself. 

Never mistake that just because at the some point the book evoked this certain whim of loss and suffering that the book as a whole is ALL about loss and suffering. In fact, The Fault in Our Stars is quite the opposite. If you try to look closely, it is an uplifting book that celebrates the importance of life, being in love, friendship and living your life to the fullest. Perhaps what made the book even more close to my heart is the fact that I was part, with the rest of the Nerdfighters, of seeing the book grow: from being an unnamed new John Green book, to countless months of waiting for the official title, seeing John read chapters one and two on livestream, down to the release of the official cover. Heck, I even felt like I was also there when John signed all the preorders!

Inexplicably, I am both happy and sad that Hazel and Augustus’s story has to come to a conclusion. I’ve grown to love both of them that it’s quite hard to separate myself from their touching story. Brimming with funny sketches, intellectual reflections and positive anecdotes, The Fault in Our Stars reminded me of why I fell in love with John Green’s writing in the first place. I won’t be surprised if even the most cold and unsympathetic reader will be caught in so much emotion due to the story’s pervasive narrative. It is his boldest and most irreverent work yet – a genuine rollercoaster ride of emotions. True to its promise, the book as John once said, will make you “feel all of the things.” 5 out of 5 stars.