A couple of weeks ago I read John Green's latest novel, The Fault in Our Stars.
It was beautiful, emotional, witty, smart, funny, lovely, hopeful, and cute. All the praise to John Green for writing this awesome piece of contemporary fiction.
The style of the writer has many lyrical and poetic touches to it. The book contains many beautiful lyrical quotes, some of my favorites are:
"Grief does not change you, Hazel. It reveals you." -Peter Van Houten
"I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, then all at once." -Hazel Grace
"My thoughts are stars I can't fathom into constellations." -Augustus Waters
"What a slut time is. She screws everybody." -Hazel Grace
"Writing does not resurrect. It buries." -Peter Van Houten
I wouldn't say that this nook has much food for thought, but it definitely stirs some ideas in the crock pot that is the human brain. The characters in the book are ridiculously well developed. I can't even begin to describe how well written each character's personality is. When you read the first appearance of any of the character's appearance you immediately understand their role in the story, their morals, their background, their attitude, and yet the characters still develop throughout the book.
I loved the small, inside, and sarcastic jokes. They lightened up the atmosphere of gloom that surrounds a story about two cancer patients falling in love, yet it doesn't lessen the magnitude of seriousness of the story.
I do recommend this book for anyone with a heart. It truly is a book that gives more than it appears to be capable of. It's gripping, funny, intellectual, and cute. I can't emphasize how not sickeningly cute this book is.
Final Rating: 4/5
Almost a week before reading The Fault in Our Stars I read An Abundance of Kathrines.
Now, An Abundance of Kathrines is the one John Green book no one ever talks about. I mean never ever. I was always curious about the reason why no one talked about it. Ever. If you read it you'd know. It is NOTHING you'd expect a John Green book to be. Frankly, it was as if Sarah Dessen wrote it, except the lead character is a boy instead of a girl.
I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it, nor did it stick to my memory. I remember the main outline but none of the events. I don't know if it's because it's a road trip story or if it's just, well, disappointing. The book left me emotionless and unattached to any of the characters. It wasn't that the book itself wasn't well written; it's that I didn't find the concept nor the main idea itself interesting nor gripping.
I don't think this idea had much potential to be a success, and yet it could have been carried out a little more gracefully.
Final rating: 1/5
John, I'm only harsh about this one because I think you're a genius.
Now, the only reason I read those two is that a little over a year ago I read Looking for Alaska and thought it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever read. The story, like Alaska's blue nail varnish, is electric. It's a to-be-finished-in-one-sitting book. It's the book you reread when you're in a reader's rut. It lights up the thinking light bulb inside your heart, and gives the one inside your brain a start up as well.
It's not every day we see deep thoughts presented through young adult fiction, and that's what made this book even more special. The story is original and unique, the setting is suitably perfect, the characters are extremely well written, and the poetic flare in this book is ridiculously amazing.
The main character, Pudge, is very easy to relate to, just as the story itself. We all had that moody friend who seemed to know everything and was prettier than any superbly intelligent person you've ever met. You loved that person, you wanted to be close to them. Around them you'd act like a sponge, soaking up every thought or subject they elaborate when talking about. Thinking about what they've said later and finding that whatever side they were on, you were too. You were convinced.
What I liked most was the third part, or the days "after". It showed real struggle, hesitance, fear, love, and hope. It also showed great childishness in characters that grew up too much and too quickly.
the book is really great and touches many interesting subjects, but most of all it makes you think, why am I the way I am? Why do I think and act the way I think and act?
Final rating: 4/5
Note: All the books have really beautiful covers, and my kindle doesn't do the cover designs any justice. so here are some pictures from the internet which I don't own but think are very cool and will put them in my blog anyway
As far as the internet informed me, the rights to three John Green books to be turned into movies have been bought by film studios. Those three are Looking for Alaska, The Fault in Our Stars, and Paper Towns, the latter of which I haven't read yet but am looking forward to.
Currently reading: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Footnote: John Green has a very awesome educational youtube channel called
Crash Course in which he teaches history.
