The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


When someone follows me on twitter it bounces back a message that asks what their favourite book, TV show and band is. 90% of people that replied, said TFIOS. So I read it and I found it charming, alarmingly honest and dare I say… life affirming.

Whilst reading it I've had a few people say... “I don’t read cancer books.” I kinda get that. I get it can be monumentally sad to read about anybody with a terminal illness. Thing is, and at the risk of sounding like a large baked camembert, this isn’t a “cancer book.” At least it isn't to my mind. It’s a book about triumphant and unfailing love. It is a book about “getting it”. I don’t mean getting sex, I’m talking about self-discovery, I’m talking about realising that leaving a mark behind pales into insignificance versus getting to really love another person and to be loved in return.

A story like this, treated in the wrong way, could have been sentimental syrup but the level of precision and care taken, delivers a profound and compelling punch that is hard to recover from after you've been hit . The dialogue is sharp, witty and fearless. I say fearless because there is a high level of commitment involved in telling a story like this. I.E. You can’t turn away from conveying the terrible sadness of it all. (I'm not contradicting myself. Terrible sadness is life affirming. Without darkness the stars cant shine etc etc)

In addition the author manages to convince me that 1. He is a teenage girl (no mean feat if you’re a 30 year old man). 2. He has cancer. 3. He is deeply in love with a boy. John Green is a method actor.

I remember hearing Radiohead’s “High and Dry” for the first time and thinking, I want to write something as good as that.

Right, that is all. I’m off to read ‘Looking for Alaska’.




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