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A review by egbella
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
3.0
I've put off writing this review because I honestly don't know how to express my feelings regarding it. Green writes very well - almost too well - and having lost loved ones to cancer and other illnesses, my heart went out to his characters. In particular, I found myself greatly saddened by Peter Van Houten and how his loss led to his deterioration. From the very beginning I was hooked, and read the entire story in one sitting, staying up way later than I'd intended just to finish it.
And it left me extremely conflicted. While Green's writing style and characters were well-done, and it was a very emotional story - as any good story should be in my opinion, I was left feeling very hopeless. I've often wondered how those without the assurance of Christ and eternity with Him deal with the death of their loved ones. This book offered me a glimpse into that sort of mindset, and left me feeling overwhelmingly sad for the characters, and for those who share those experiences in real life. It felt very shallow, and the absence of any real hope for the characters was more crushing than I've ever felt from a book.
I don't believe that's what Green was intending with this story, but it's the effect it had on me. So while I can't recommend the book due to content (language, sexual humor, and intimacy), I also can't deny that it is a powerful story. It sucked me in, and left me desperate to reach out to all those who have been deeply hurt by the loss of loved ones and don't have the same kind of hope I'm blessed to know.
And it left me extremely conflicted. While Green's writing style and characters were well-done, and it was a very emotional story - as any good story should be in my opinion, I was left feeling very hopeless. I've often wondered how those without the assurance of Christ and eternity with Him deal with the death of their loved ones. This book offered me a glimpse into that sort of mindset, and left me feeling overwhelmingly sad for the characters, and for those who share those experiences in real life. It felt very shallow, and the absence of any real hope for the characters was more crushing than I've ever felt from a book.
I don't believe that's what Green was intending with this story, but it's the effect it had on me. So while I can't recommend the book due to content (language, sexual humor, and intimacy), I also can't deny that it is a powerful story. It sucked me in, and left me desperate to reach out to all those who have been deeply hurt by the loss of loved ones and don't have the same kind of hope I'm blessed to know.