The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

 Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

This insomniac's opinion:

Shhhhh.......Do you hear that?

Do you?

That sound is this novel busting its way into my top five favorite books EVER. And, even though I average over one hundred books read per year, this is a rarity folks. The books on my top ten/top five have been there for a long time. Last year The Book Thief by Markus Zusak(Thank you for the recommend Miss Lindsey) crashed into the top ten, but otherwise it has been undisturbed for quite some time.

Back to The Fault in Our Stars. This was the most exquisitely written novel. You can read the blurb and know that it is going to be sad. And, it is. Even more sad than you think it may be. Yet, it is so beautifully hopeful and shows the reader just how wonderful life can be. It was a  reminder that there is a great difference between living(i.e your heart is still beating) and being alive(living in such a way that you enjoy your life, make a difference to others, etc.).

Do not let the fact that this is a YA(young adult) novel scare you off. It is not written down, stripped of its intelligence as some YA novels are. It is highly intelligent, full of both humor and sincerity. John Green has written a literary masterpiece.

And, the characters. Oh, the characters.Augustus is one of my absolute favorite characters in (my) literary history. Everyone needs a friend like a Augustus. Hell, I could use an Augustus(no offense to my friends). Fiercely loyal, with a wickedly intelligent sense of humor and  a heart of gold. I loved him from the page that we first meet him on, and my love grew with every chapter.

I could go on and on and on, my friends. But, I hope you will read this book yourself. Then, lets have a chat. I have a feeling that I will always have the time to discuss this novel. An absolutely unforgettable journey with characters that will work their way into your heart and stay there-forever.

Worth staying up all night to read?

Yes! In fact, I plan to reread this one after I have passed it on to all of my friends. I can sleep when I'm dead, right?

Rating: 

10 stars. What? There are only 5 stars? Well, then- 5 stars. Brilliantly glittering stars.