I’d seen positive reviews about John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars in the blogosphere, so when I spotted it on display in the YA (young adult) section of our local library, I snatched it immediately. Our children’s librarian has done such a great job of stocking our small town library with current titles. TFIOS just came out this year!
Synopsis: Although a medical miracle has bought Hazel “a little more time,” she knows better than to expect exciting things for her future. Then charismatic Augustus Waters shows up at cancer support group, and all of her assumptions about life get turned upside down.
Cancer. Oh no, I thought, this book WILL make me cry. I’m a sap, and it’s getting worse with age. But, nevertheless, I peeked at the first few pages, and despite my better judgment, I fell in love anyway, just like the characters in The Fault in Our Stars. When I found out that the title is derived from one of Shakespeare’s poems, I really became a fan.
Hazel and Augustus pulled me in with their witty and incredibly insightful banter. Sometimes while reading I wondered if there really are teenagers who speak and think as these two precocious characters, but then again, I’ve never known an adolescent who has endured the trials of cancer treatment. I imagine it ages you, physically and mentally. In Hazel’s words (well, really John Green’s, but…)
I present to you Augustus Waters, whose existential curiosity dwarfed that of his well-fed, well-loved, healthy brethren.
Amid humor and clever dialogue, Green mixes in beautiful prose, for example:
While he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.
Yet Green also includes painful punches of reality, never letting you forget that these two kids live with grave illness. Hazel says to her parents:
“I’m a grenade and at some point I’m going to blow up and I would like to minimize the casualties, okay? … I can’t be a regular teenager, because I’m a grenade.”
Hazel and Augustus humbled me with their extensive vocabulary. I had to consult the dictionary more often while reading this book than I have while reading several adult novels. Two of my favorite new word nerd words:
· Now, it wasn’t as if I held my phone in my sweaty hand all day,… waiting for my gentleman caller to live up to his sobriquet.
Sobriquet-\ Sō-bri-kā\ , noun, French: a descriptive name or epithet; nickname
· …the inexorabletruth is this: They might be glad to have me around, but I was the alpha and the omega of my parents’ suffering.
Inexorable \in-‘neks-sə-rə-bəl\ adj, Latin: not to be persuaded, moved or stopped; relentless
With those tid bits in mind, I HIGHLY recommend The Fault in Our Stars to spark a cerebral and emotional response on many levels. Just be sure to keep a tissue (or box of tissues) nearby. If you can read this book without crying (I had to seek out my husband to comfort me), I want to hear about it!
WORD NERD WORKOUT: Use sobriquet or inexorable in a sentence
· When my husband comes home and greets me with the complimentary sobriquet “Beautiful”, I always respond with a kiss.
Now it’s your turn. Click on the comments below to practice some new vocabulary or to add any thoughts about The Fault in Our Stars or John Green’s other books. Thank you!
Julia
I read 5 chapters, then I started getting to analytical. I think the subject of cancer is to sensitive. If it was non fiction it would be amazing. There are to many real cases to make this subject up. Sorry
Sorry you didn’t like it. John Green knew a young girl a lot like Hazel; he met her because she was a fan of his books. He also spent a lot of time with other cancer patients. I think his work, although fiction, can give us better appreciation for how it feels to live with cancer and that in itself makes it a worthwhile read.
I hear ya ! Thank you
I am so excited to read this book! I snagged a signed copy long after they should have run out in stores, so I was extra excited.
As for the words, hmm . . .
Even as a thirty-something, I’m unable to shake my childhood sobriquet, Moose. It seems it will be inexorably linked with my person for life, thanks to my sisters and their relentless use of the nickname.
And bonus points to you also, Lori, for using both. I’ve gotta ask… “Moose?” 🙂
Wow…those are some words…too bad my brain is too tired to come up with a sentence tonight! Thanks for doing a review on this book–I will put this on my TBR list.
Great! That TBR list gets pretty long, doesn’t it?
I love the word “sobriquet” and it’s used all the time in crossword clues! Here’s my sentence:
“Hemmingway sobriquet” is a common crossword clue, and its four-letter answer is PAPA.”
My husband’s sobriquet for me is, “Erm,” which sounds weird but I find it inexorably endearing.
Is inexorably a word?
Great post. I must read the book now. I’ve heard good things about it too.
Thanks Amy. Yes, inexorably is a word- it’s an adverb (here modifying an adjective, endearing). Bonus points to you for using BOTH words in a sentence, fellow Word Nerd!