Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

"The Fault in our Stars" - what did you think? <spoilers>

48 replies

PacificDogwood · 15/08/2014 21:07

I really liked it - not every aspect of it, but the debunking of the 'cancer war' myth and the 'noble sufferer' myth.

And how John Greene managed to write a book about cancer and death that is funny and life-affirming, I am still not quite sure.

At least one MNer did not like it , so how about you lot?

OP posts:

grumpasaur · 15/08/2014 23:31

How funny, I was just about to start a thread on it. I started and finished it yesterday, and I loved it and found it heartbreaking all at once...

There were so many parts of the book I felt I connected to. I lost my brother two years ago (not to cancer) and really felt that the emotions portrayed around parents losing children were spot on.

I also really connected with the idea that we create a script about those who die, in terms of who they were as people, who they were to us / we were to them, and how they 'fought'. I struggled with this a lot when my brother died; I felt that he had been martyred and the stories I heard and emotions I saw did not chime with the man (boy, really) I knew.

Perhaps it struck a nerve with me simply because it honestly talked about death and the young dying. All I know is that for the last three chapters, I bawled like a baby. Then I woke my husband up and bawled some more!!!

It was good, and sad, and funny, and honest- if I can handle it, I will read it again!!!

BertieBotts · 15/08/2014 23:33

I loved it. I think he writes teenagers so incredibly well.

It also took me a couple of days to get over which is extremely unusual for a book for me these days.

The only thing I wasn't keen on was the cigarette "metaphor" thing, I just couldn't see it. But that didn't really detract from the rest of the story.

Brabra · 16/08/2014 03:53

I only read it because my daughter wanted to see the movie, so I decided to read it first. I did not like the book and disliked the film even more!

steff13 · 16/08/2014 03:59

I thought it was ok. I haven't seen the movie, and after reading the book I probably won't see it. It just didn't really grab me, and I could see from almost the beginning that Gus was going to be the one to die. It seemed a little contrived.

Original poster

PacificDogwood · 16/08/2014 11:14

I only found out there was a film when I googled the book yesterday to link it to my OP - I am obviously not very well informed.
No, I feel no desire to see the movie.

Many decades years ago I had a boyfriend with a below knee amputation due to sarcoma (he was fine and AFAIK is living a happy and healthy life) and some of what the book alluded to (youngsters who have to undergo horrendous treatment/pain/suffering/deal with their mortality far younger than most kids do are NOT 'different' from any other kid) chimed with my experience.

A MNer said she did not find the female voice (Hazel's) convincing and I have to say, I did. I was totally sucked in...

OP posts:

threepiecesuite · 16/08/2014 11:24

I don't know much about teen fiction but I think the author writes well for this audience. I know some of my Year 9s were hooked on it when they hadn't enjoyed reading much before. Maybe because the subject matter makes it seem quite grown-up.
I liked Hazel's narrative but couldn't really conjure up Gus.
I did identify with some of the themes and ideas.
I don't think the film would be very good- has anyone seen it?

hagarthorne · 16/08/2014 11:59

Hated it. There are quite a few teen sick-lit books around. Cynical using of teen angst. My friend's teen daughter had cancer. It's not glam.
Agree the book is well written.

Original poster

PacificDogwood · 16/08/2014 12:03

No, it is not glam. At all.
But I think the book did make that point.
It's horrible, yet while there's life there is Life.
I liked that.

I have professional dealing with people with cancer on a regular basis (thank goodness children only very, very rarely) and I hate all the 'war' analogies: he lost his battle with cancer. The implication being if he'd've fought harder, he might've 'won' .

OP posts:

hackmum · 16/08/2014 14:18

I liked it. It was obviously a YA book, but very well done, I thought. Perhaps the dialogue was a little too clever to be plausible for the average teenager, but I liked it nonetheless.

Nerf · 16/08/2014 14:20

Dd asked me to read the first chapter so she could share how much she hated it ...

RiojaHaze · 16/08/2014 14:23

I found it readable but no where near as great as people say it is. Maybe because of all the hype I expected too much of it!

weegiemum · 16/08/2014 14:27

My dd1 is 14 and loved it. I thought it was fine, interesting but not special the way it's made out. Though it made her 13 year old boyfriend cry,that's quite something!

Yet to see the film (dd1 has seen it 3 times, firstly at a special advance "fan screening") but will watch on DVD.

grumpasaur · 16/08/2014 14:54

I actually didn't realise it was a film also. If I was going to sit back and critique it more objectively (eg- not in relation to the triggers it made around my own grief), I think I may be slightly less enthusiastic.

My biggest criticism was that I didn't feel that the author stuck firmly to a young persons discourse- the thoughts, flirting, cynicism etc were largely that of an intellectually sophisticated adult, which of itself, is fine. But that 'level' was clumsily interspersed with what I consider to be stereotypical 'young-person' speak, eg, the use of "it kinda sucked", "like", etc.

I felt that it didn't explore WHY Gus liked Hazel so much and why he fell in love with her- even in his letter at the end- although it was clear that he did, and his love was sweet.

It did make me pine a bit for that teenage feeling you get when you meet and fall in love with someone, though :-).

But, for me, it tweaked a heart string or too, as my brother died young, and I think the emotions it brought up in me have clouded my opinion somewhat!

Original poster

PacificDogwood · 16/08/2014 16:17

Dd asked me to read the first chapter so she could share how much she hated it ..
Nerf, yes, I've heard of more than one young person who hated it, so maybe it was not all that well targeted at the intended audience

I've just watched some movie clips on YouTube and I won't be rushing out to see it: as usual, I don't get the impression that the movie ads anything to the book or its message.

I can see how the whole thing would seem rather cheesy for a young audience, and I actually think it has rather a lot to say to not so young adults. And I like what John Greene is quoted as saying here under the heading 'Writing'. Amongst other things: "And I think generally we have a habit of imagining the very sick or the dying as being kind of fundamentally other."

I am sure I was reading it half with my terrified mother-hat on and half with my professional HCP one.

OP posts:

Nerf · 16/08/2014 18:06

Yes dd does some kind of review scheme thing for one of the publishers and tends to stick with a book, even 10 billion which she was dreading.
This one has been notable by the absolute derision she heaps upon it.
I will just check though - all her friends loved it. 'I am the only person that doesn't love it. I thought it was badly written and the characters were just thrown in; they didn't speak like teenagers. I couldn't finish it at all.'

Original poster

PacificDogwood · 16/08/2014 18:08

They did very much speak like American teenagers IMO - I like the tone in the book more than the few movie clips I saw btw.

OP posts:

Nerf · 16/08/2014 18:15

Yes I hated the trailer , just looked really schmaltzy.

17leftfeet · 16/08/2014 18:30

I hated the film

The cinema was full of groups of teenage girls or mums with their daughters and people were sobbing and sniffing all the way through

Dd and I couldn't understand why -it was very badly done, the characters not how we had imagined, a limp that appeared and disappeared and not enough was done with Gus's illness -he went from telling us the cancer was back to dead in 2 scenes

We both enjoyed if that's the right word the book but the film was a let down

I think a lot of the language used by the teens in the book and their very adult relationships, represent how teens see themselves oh so philosophical which is why they identify with it whereas as adults we know it doesn't sit quite right for the age of the characters in the book

bruffin · 16/08/2014 18:30

yes, I've heard of more than one young person who hated it, so maybe it was not all that well targeted at the intended audience

I think its spot on for its intended audience. My dd 16 adores it and so do all her friends, and my niece who is in early 20s. Everybody has different tastes not sure why it is expected that because the intended audience is YA, that all YA will love it. Although teenagers, being what they are, tend to want to go against the grain and may hate something just because everyone else loves it.
this is the girl that inspired TFIOS if anyone is interested.

It's on my kindle to read, but i haven't got around to it. I have seen the film with a similar aged friend (50+) and we both thought it beautiful and thought provoking.
My DD said that if you dont fall in love with Augustus in the film they have got it wrong. She felt the film was spot on.

sweetnessandlite · 16/08/2014 18:37

Before I Die by Jenny Downham, is very similar, but it's about a British teenager with cancer.
It's a real tearjerker and even more 'real' warts n all than The Fault in our Stars (if that's possible).

I read Before I Die before Fault in Our Stars, so even though the second was also good, I didn't find it as good as Jenny Downham's book.

The ending of Before I Die stayed with me for weeks.

NoSnowJustSand · 16/08/2014 19:22

I didn't really enjoy it but rather read it because everyone was going on about how amazing it is. Not for me unfortunately.

Nerf · 16/08/2014 19:30

Tbh I don't really choose books if I know they are about this subject. Mainly because I'm really cynical and I think that tear jerking books and films are easy to get people to identify with/get upset over. So they have to be even better than a non sad book for me to get past it. If you see what I mean.
I might read it now, just to see.
Bruffin - dd hated the book. She'd have hated it even if everyone else hated it too.

AuntieBrenda · 16/08/2014 19:36

I've avoided this I suppose as my brother had bone cancer as a teen - he's better now though.
I may have to read it at some point though, I'm an English teacher so I try to keep up with YA books.

Nerf · 16/08/2014 19:52

Auntie Brenda - read We Were Liars. I love it so much it's one of my new favourite books along with I capture the castle and the greengage summer.

DuchessofMalfi · 16/08/2014 19:55

We were Liars is excellent. I don't often read YA but this one is definitely well worth reading. What a twist. Can't say any more, but I didn't see it coming and it shocked me.

Flip

1 2