The Wide Web of Friends in YA Books discussion

This buddy read starts this Thursday,10th April and we're going to read 3 chapters a day, 4 on the last day.

I'm so excited to read this book I just hope it is better than looking for Alaska

I've never read any John Green book but I have quite a lot of expectations on this one, everyone says it's really good but really sad.

That's what I've heard too. He writes beautifully.

I finished chapter 3 ^^ I'm going to put what I thought in spoiler, ok?

(view spoiler)[ I am enjoying it, I think Hazel is nice and Augustus is nice too. Their conversations irk me a bit though, sixteen and seventeen year olds don't talk like that, even if they read a lot and have an extensive vocabulary, at least I think so. What did you think?

What she was saying on the end of chapter 3, how most people can't deal well with others' illness and turns conversations and even their behaviour awkward, made me think about how I would react if one of my friends had a terminal illness and, honestly, I think I would very much react like Kaitlyn - she tries but doesn't really understand and skirts around the 'death' topic even on jokes, like with the shoes. What about you? What do you think? (hide spoiler)]

I won't look til I finish it lol

Just finished it. actually over read a few pages lol.

Although I enjoyed their conversations I completely agree with you. I work with a lot of teenagers and not a single one of them would even understand the deep language of the book let alone talk like that.
I also spent time thinking about Kaitlyn and their interaction at the mall. At first I didn't like how superficial Kaitlyn was. Then I realized that facing the death of a friend that young would be difficult. Most teenagers haven't experienced the death of a friend at 16 or 17 and its definitely an age where you have a " we will live forever mentality ". Facing the loss of a friend would be hard to face and I think it would make you shy away from the topic of death much the way Kaitlyn does. Almost like if you didn't acknowledge it it wouldn't exist.

Yes, I agree. She's a 17-year old faced with the probable death of her friend, so she has even more of that 'if you don't acknowledge it, it doesn't exist' mentality. And she actually seems really hopeful Hazel will be fine by the beginning of their conversation, it seems she's hanging on to her recuperation and doesn't want to think about any setbacks or anything that could go wrong.

And now I can't wait for the next three chapters tomorrow! *-*

Me either lol. It does feel a little "walk to remember" so I'm hoping it separates itself more.

just finished! I don't know how to hide spoilers so I will wait until I know you've finished to comment! :-)

<*spoiler> *spoiler> just take off the asterisks and write what you want to be hidden between the two spoiler thingys ^^ I'm going to start reading now! =D

Ok, I finished it ^^

I feel sad for Isaac, because of his girlfriend breaking up with him before he has to go on surgery to, basically, get blind to treat his eye-cancer. Those are things that happen, we always think "always" is forever and it never is and he's only going through his first break-up, but it's sad.

About Augustus and Hazel - I thought that famous quote "Okay will be our always" would happen later in the book and not on those early stages of their relationship so it was surprising. Cute but surprising. They are also very cute together but i understand why Hazel is afraid to have a relationship with him. She's afraid of hurting him when she dies like he was hurt by his ex-girlfriend and wants do diminish the damage, like she says.

I'm also really afraid of what's going to happen with Hazel, since she wakes up with that enormous headache. Any thoughts about that?

I felt terrible for Isaac losing your first love is tough enough on a person without becoming blind too. I like how emotional Isaac was. If it were me I would want to cry and break things too.
I do like Hazel and Gus. They're very cute and I like that she has a close friend who understands her. I am having trouble with her not wanting to get close to him mostly because I understand where they are both coming from.
I feel terrible for her parents. As a parent the scenes with them are the most difficult to read. Its my worst nightmare as a parent so I cannot imagine the fear involved. I'm not looking forward to her dying. I'm just assuming she does but I keep hoping there will be a miracle.
I'm worried about what could possibly be wrong with her head. I hope it hasn't spread so she can still go to Amsterdam. I'm guessing she either has a tumor or she is having a severe lack of oxygen. I wish it would just get to her next PET Scan so we can find out!!

Yeah, I would probably do the same if I was Isaac too.
I can't really imagine the pain their parents are feeling, it must be really hard for them to know their children has cancer and could probably die. I don't know if she dies either but I also want some sort of miracle recuperation.
Same, I'm really worried about what's happening in her head and I really hope the cancer hasn't spread to her brain. We'll probably find out what it is tomorrow.

I finished today's chapters:

(view spoiler)[ Hazel overheard her mom saying she won't be a mom anymore before her recuperation and it made me really sad when she was telling that =( We discussed it yesterday how it must be terrible for her parents and what they must be feeling with the prospect of their daughter dying but this chapter talked about it all over again and I had to mention it.
The whole book is turning out really sad, which is understandable but now I know I'm going to cry with it sooner or later.
But Augustus and Hazel's conversations make the book more lighter and less sad and I'm glad for that.
Buut I didn't understand Isaac and Hazel's last conversation. How was it not nice that Isaac went blind? It was not his fault, he couldn't do anything! What do you think? (hide spoiler)]

I'm praying she starts to get better before I start crying my eyes out. Her parents are already making me sad , for them and for Hazel.
I felt like the swing set was a metaphor for everything she has lost in her fight both her childhood and her inability to do certain activities.
I liked the part with Isaac because I think it explained her feelings toward Gus. Although his blindness isn't his fault it effected more than just himself. I think she feels like it was unfair to make someone else go through that or maybe to expect them to. I think that's why she doesn't want Gus getting to close. Her cancer has taken a lot from her and her parents and she doesn't want anyone else to suffer because of it.
Do you think she's actually falling in love with Gus in spite of herself?

I just want to say that I really like doing this buddy read but it is a test of my will power to not stay up all night and read the whole thing lol

I didn't think about the swing set but it makes sense and it's a really beautiful andalso sad metaphor.
I also didn't think about what she said to Isaac on her perspective about her feelings about Gus but it also makes sense. She had already kind of told Gus she didn't want to be his girlfriend because she didn't want to hurt him and she can't help but put herself on Monica's shoes.
I think she is actually, even if she tries to avoid him and to stay away it seems she can't, she's always talking with him and, it seems, thinking about him. And that line "I fell in love in the way you fall asleep: slowly, then all at once." kind of makes it seem that ske knows she's in love with him but doesn't want to tell him or to pursue those feelings because of her cancer. What about you, what do you think?

Same xD But it's really nice to read it with another person and discuss it after, it makes me step back and think about what I read and also makes me notice things I didn't notice before (like with the swing set) so it's really nice ^^

I think she just doesn't want to hurt him and I suspect there is no way for her not to at this point. I'm hoping something will happen on the trip to make her just go for it. I really wish she would just go with it for her own sake. It's going to be hard on Gus at this point either way. This might be her only chance to fall in love I think she should just let go.

almost finished with today's reading. I cannot believe this book!!

Yeah, I don't think she realizes she's going to hurt him whether they're friends or boyfriend and girlfriend.

I'm reading it now, I'll tell you what I thought in a bit ^^

My thoughts:

(view spoiler)[That thing about eggs being only a breakfast food made me laugh because here in Portugal we eat eggs for lunch or for dinner but almost never for breakfast so it's not really an only-breakfast food.
Aww, that declaration was really cute but I kind of wanted her to say something instead of just "Augustus", though I understand why she didn't.

"Oh, I wouldn’t mind, Hazel Grace. It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you." Tis is a beautiful quote that almost got me in tears - mostly because of the emotional scene, but still it did -, and I think it shows the type of person Gus is: he doesn't care she's dying or about to die and that it's going to hurt when she does and it's going to break his heart, he just wants to love her while he can. Do you agree?
I was shocked during the whole scene with Peter van Houten, honestly and then also shocked but very happy when they kissed in the Anne Frank Museum. (hide spoiler)]

That quote made me want to sob. I am so happy she has finally admitted she's in love with him so they can just be together without her worrying all the time.
I loved the part about the eggs. I'm 100% positive it was another cleverly hidden metaphor but it was so funny I didn't really analyze it.
That author made me want to choke him. He was such an ass. However I have a feeling that whatever Gus writes for her will be fantastic plus if everything had went well they probably wouldn't have ended up kissing.
I cannot wait to see what happens with them. I liked how he didn't sugar coat Caroline. Oh, who am I kidding I'm going to need to go ahead and stock up on the tissues lol

I'm also a little worried about Gus since he was obviously in pain on the elevator.

It was probably another metaphor but I've been thinking and I can't really see about what.
Yeah, that thing with the author was awful but it led to great things, at least. But I probably would've smashed the cup of scotch on his head before I left if I was Hazel - and she probably would have too if he hadn't made her feel so awful.
Yeah, that made me kind of worry he's going to have a setback on his cancer even if he was supposed to be already healed =/ Maybe we'll find out tomorrow.

I worried about him in the beginning since I went to high school with a boy that had that kind of cancer. He also lost his leg but it returned a few years later. It was absolutely devastating to Aaron's family and friends. I'm hoping its a false alarm like with Hazel's headaches. I'm sure we'll find out tomorrow or the next day.
I also kinda missed Isaac in these chapters. He's their funny side kick.

The next three chapter's are really short! I cannot wait til my son goes to bed so I can read them!!

Finished omg!!

Poor guy =/ And yes, I kind of missed Isaac too.

I'm going to read them now, you can say what you thought if you want, I'll only go on Goodreads when I finish now ^^

I'm just in shock! What a plot twist!! I was sure they were arguing about him getting attached to Hazel. I hope his treatment works. I just really want some kind of happy ending for them. I do like the way there is always some form of comic relief.

Saame, I was actually waiting until you answered before I talked because I was trying to collect my thoughts. I kind of felt it was going to happen when he felt in pain in the elevator but I thought I was wrong. I wasn't and this is realy sad, I really really want his treatment to work, I'll be very sad if he dies =(

I'm pretty sure he is going to die because of what she says after the egg incident. I heard this book was sad but I'm not prepared to lose them.

Well today's reading was short lol. I'm trying to mentally prepare myself to accept the inevitable. Its just so sad

It was and it was very sad, I feel so bad for Gus and for Hazel.

I'm going to read today's chapters now ^^

I'm all done with today's reading

Yesterday's reading was really sad, I still can't believe Gus really died =/ I loved Isaac and Hazel's speeches, they were really beautiful and emotional.

Today are the last four chapters! I'm only going to be able to read it later though but if you want to already say what you thought, you can ^^

I haven't started the last four yet I'm so upset about Gus! I loved the prefuneral.

Did you finish it? I thought it was very good nd I really like how it ended, it felt right. Overall the book was good, sad at parts but Augustus and Hazel and even John Green's writing made it a fun and sometimes light reading even with the heavy subject.

I did finish it!! I enjoyed it as a whole but I wasn't very crazy about the ending. And something about it bothers me. I think the language in the book still bothers me a bit. It's not how a teenager talks or behaves. At least not in America.
I really wanted some kind of epilogue to see what happened with Hazel. I also wanted to see more anger from the characters. There was plenty of depression, as there should be, but not enough anger.
Overall I think I'm partly disappointed because of the hype for this book. Although beautifully written something in the character development didn't ring true for me.

The language of the book bothered me more at first than it did at the end, to be honest. I'm curious about what happened with Hazel too but I think the end was on purpose, to give us a breach to imagine what happened to her, if she lived or died. I wish there was more Isaac on the last few chapters, though, I loved Isaac!

And I also loved this buddy read, thank you for reading it with me =)

I loved Isaac too!! And this buddy read!! It was great reading it with you.