Introduction
In all honesty, I am not sure how to exactly "introduce" this book. I know it might sound "lame" but i actually only heard of this book from seeing the countless ads for the movie (which I have not seen). On a whim, I decided to give the book a "go".
I of course could kind of guess what was going to happen in this story as most stories about "children" or even "adults" with cancer they do not have usually have a "happy ending". I decided to give this book a try regardless of the fact that I kind of had an idea of what was going to happen.
Summary
As expected, (if any of you have seen the previews for the movie) the story revolves around Hazel Grace: a a sad girl who has cancer and really lives a sheltered life "waiting around to die", she has been told that she has terminal cancer and choose not to really do things "normal teenagers" do.
Hazel meets August or Gus (her love interest) at a support group for "teenagers" or "kids" with cancer. She also, befriends a boy named Issac who is very much in love with a girl ( I forget her name)
*Spoiler alert* .
Isaac has to get his "eyes" or should I say one "eye" removed because of his cancer. His girlfriend selfishly breaks up with him and become very pessimistic after the fact. Most scene with him in the book are a bit hard to read. Also, Isaac and his "ex" have a thing where they say "Forever" so Hazel and Gus later have a "thing" where they say "okay"; in case any of you where wondering what "okay" means in the context of the book.
*End Spoiler*
Most of Hazel and Gus's interactions are just so very cute! (At least at first) As the story goes on the book becomes more depressing. (Yes, it is true)
*Spoiler*
At one point they use Gus's "wish" and they visit Amsterdam so they can meet Hazel's "favorite author" and find out he "ends the story" because the book he writes ends abruptly without a defiant end.
This book also ends the same way and the Author is a washed up has been who is an alcoholic and a complete a**.
*Giant Spoiler Alert Here!!*
They have a very romantic date while in Amsterdam and they both loose their virginities to each other.
After a their "Amsterdam Romance" together , Gus confesses that he in fact too is terminally ill and he has been hiding it from Hazel and he is actually in worse health than Hazel. Pretty much after that the book just describes how Gus deteriorates and how Hazel sticks around and stays by his side.
Gus eventually dies, after Issac and Hazel have a "mock funeral" for him which is all dreadfully tearful. At Gus's funereal the "Jerk Author" shows up and "apologizes" for being well obviously not nice. Hazle doesn't really forgive him of course and it turns out his book which focuses on a girl with cancer is about his daughter who passed away and he tells her she reminds him of her.(This is flattering I suppose)
Later, Issac clues her in about a "piece" written by Gus which is supposedly the "ending" to the book they both loved by the "Jerk Author". The "Jerk Author's" ex assistant sends Hazel a copy of what Gus wrote and basically in a nutshell it is a "eulogy" like what Hazel wrote for Gus he wants the Author to say at her Funeral. After that, the book abruptly ends.
*End Spoilers*
Review
Let me start out by saying before I write my "official' review this book is dreadful sad!
I liked this book, I found myself dreading the ending through the entire book. This book was rather depressing well as expected; often I found myself wondering why I was reading such a sad book in the first place.
I really liked both Hazel Grace and August. I think that was probably the "crappiest" part. That being the reason, I probably read the book in the first place was because i liked the characters.
*Spoiler Alert*
I freaking of course thought, the author of Hazel's "favorite book" was of course an a**hole but that's to be expected because his character is one! I was disappointed for Hazel when he didn't tell her the ending of her favorite book. I mean who wouldn't be, they travel all the way across the globe and find out their "hero" is a crock; I think any one would be disappointed.
It was tear jerking when August died to say the least and of course of the how the book ended to "expect" to know that Hazel died as well. It was like i said down right depressing. Also, the way in the book that August is described deteriorating is awful as well. The part when he pee's the bed is probably the worse and when they read each other's eulogy.
*Ah who am I kidding? SPOILERS EVERYWHERE!!!*
Of course I though it was cute when the couple was in Amsterdam having their little "romantic date". I think you'd have to be soulless not to think it wasn't cute. How Hazel was nervous and asked her Mom if her outfit looked okay. How August wore a suit and tie they had a cute romantic dinner and then a passionate encounter later.
Before they went to Amsterdam as well. When they first meet and he compared her to Natalie Portman and was making googly eyes at her across the room. When he made her "dutch sandwiches" and announced they would be going to Amsterdam. How cute it was when Hazel was all cutely excited!
*End Spoiler*
I didn't really enjoy the "endless rambling" or at least that's what I call it in the book I feel like there was a lot of it. Usually, I like a lot of dialog but at some points, it was annoying. I mean I get, the character are "free thinkers" or "philosophical" but still I know in real life it bugs they heck out me when people constantly talk like that and I feel the same way about books.
I think this book defiantly "goes up there" on the list of "best romance stories" that are just both "timeless" and "unforgettable". I think you could defiantly compare this book to "The Notebook" or "Titanic" in the sense that like I said it is an "unforgettable love story".
If you are even slightly a romantic at heart, I suggest you check this book out but be prepared to have your heart strings tugged!!
I would say that I would give this book 3 1/2 stars out of 5. Even though it is a "epic love story" it wasn't really my "favorite book of all time" and there were certain things (mostly the endless dialog and the fact that at some points this book is down right depressing) that I did not like. I'm sure many people could argue that they both like the "rambling" and "depressing" or more "emotional" parts; you could say that really adds to the "hype" of the book but I did not enjoy those parts but that is of course just a matter of opinion.
Thanks for guys for checking out my blog,
Kylia aka Alaska Book Girl!
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3451295-kylia
