Despite the tumour shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten."
Please, Please don't kill me for not loving this book. I heard so much about this book. How it was deep, profound and would have you walking away feeling like a different person, at least for a while. Well I didn't get any of that.
Hazel and Augustus are the flattest cardboard cut-outs I have ever seen in any book. Both of them were like 60 year olds, stuck in teenager's bodies. Augustus and Hazel have the same boring, pretentious, know-it-all and indistinguishable personality. Hazel was such an annoying, stupid and pretentious Mary Sue.
"Some infinities are bigger than other infinities." Its gems like this that make the book so unbelievable. Teenagers living in the 21st century don't speak like that. No teen can spontaneously come up with long monologues within seconds. Also, genuinely sick teenagers don’t become magically wise. They become terrified, confused, depressed and angry.
I am not saying teens are incapable of deep thinking and writing. I am a teen. Myself and many other teens of my age have large vocabs because we love reading and have very good writing skills. I know a lot of teens that write amazing poems and honestly, it takes them a lot of time to ponder and make their metaphors or poems perfect. They obviously cannot open their mouth and spontaneously say
"My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations".
The romance seemed forced to me. I don’t understand what’s so “beautiful” about the relationship between them. I have read many far better written romances. They both fall in love within seconds of laying eyes on each other. The romance is undeveloped and it comes from nowhere. I was baffled when Hazel accepted to go to Augustus's house just minutes after meeting him. LIKE WHAT? How stupid can you be? You fall for a guy's words whom you met just a few minutes ago and agree to go to his house! What if he were a phsyco!!
Not to mention that the kissing scene in Anne Frank's house was so inappropriate. Anne Frank's house is considered to be a place of remembrance, a place where 2 families hid during the dark days of the Holocaust. If anyone makes out at such a revered site, they would be kicked out regardless of who or what they are. People present would be disgusted, they wouldn't stand and watch much less clap for the "lovely" couple.
Because of this I just couldn't relate to either of them. That was very disappointing because there isn't anything about dying gracefully, because cancer is ugly and unpleasant, and Green makes you feel Hazel's lungs struggling to breathe and the pain, and see the vomit and urine. But I just couldn't feel sorry for them.
I have also never really enjoyed books that have other 'imaginary books' that are crucial to the plot line. I don't know why, I just never have.
Age rating I think should be about 12/13+. It deals with death however there is only one graphic scene. There is an alcoholic and Hazel and her friends egg a car.
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