Release Date: January 10th, 2012
Publisher: Dutton
Format: Hardcover
Age Group: Young Adult
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 tumors 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.
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 tumors 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.
When I first heard about this book I was so excited for it, it sounded like an excellent story and I couldn't wait to get my pre-order in the mail. Then I started reading reviews and seeing people rave over the book on twitter and I got anxious. See, a lot of times when a book has crazy hype and everyone loves it, I end up not really caring for the book. I don't like not liking everyone's favorite thing, but it's just usually how it works. John Green has such a passionate and devoted following and I didn't want to let anyone down by not liking the book. So when I got it in the mail, I promptly put it on my shelf and went about reading every other book first. Then one night I was feeling brave and decided I was finally going to give it a go. I should also tell you that I am actually a ghost while writing this, because I am dead. This book absolutely killed me, but the good kind of killed (there is a good kind, I swear).
I don't even know if I can really review this book, because every time I think about it all that comes to mind is WOW, what, what what?, *sob*, *swoon*, etc. I fully expected a book about a girl with cancer to make me feel things, because that is what stories about dying people do, but I never expected the level of emotion that this story evoked. And not just sad emotions, there was plenty of humor, happiness, and anger thrown into the mix. I'm pretty sure Augustus Waters is one of my favorite people (real or fictional) of all time. That boy is just so cool. Also, sweet and completely adorable. For a while I wished that the book was written from his point of view, but ultimately I really liked seeing him through Hazel's eyes. The best scenes were when the two of them were together, alone or with other people, bantering back and forth. I loved their personalities when they got together and they both had a wicked sense of humor.
After finishing the last couple of pages, I reread them, then just stared at the book for a little while. I was so completely blown away and so grateful that I finally took the chance on this amazing story. This is definitely one for the reread pile and now I have the extremely hard task of choosing which John Green book to follow this one up with. I have this sneaking suspicion that no other character is going to live up to Augustus, but I guess that's alright by me :0)
Great review! I was one of those people who read it right after it came out ^.^ and it was actually my first John Green book! Glad it lived up to the hype for you! :)
ReplyDeleteReading your review even got me a little misty, remembering everything I felt while reading this brillinat novel! Augustus Waters is one of my favorite characters EVER and this book will always be among my favorites. Great review! :)
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