We love John Green! He is one of the few YA authors who isn't afraid to put his teen characters into some tough spots and have them act like teens. You won't find any vampires or zombies. No wizards to make all of your problems vanish. And none of those relentlessly polite reactions to terrible news. You know what we're talkin' about. When the character is told that they are going to die from a terminal illness, they shrug and say "Oh, well. I'll just live my life to the fullest." Eventually, his characters may get there, but they have those normal reactions of anger, frustration, hopelessness, etc. He also doesn't feel the need to tell us the ENTIRE story and in the world of YA Lit, a non-series author is a rarity. Instead, he offers us the very best of a small moment in a characters existence.
The Fault In Our Stars introduces us to Hazel and Augustus two cancer coping teens who meet at a support group. Knowing that their days are numbered, they have to decide just how much of their remaining time they want to devote to each other. How serious do they want to be? Would it be easier if they remained disconnected and therefore less likely to really hurt anyone when they die? Is it worth it to go through the remaining time never really having made a serious connection? Their story is heartbreaking, funny- and it's easy to forget that these two teens are characters in a book.
We know that some of you will skip this one because it sounds so somber, but believe us when we tell you that you will truly appreciate this one. Be brave- Hazel and Augustus were.
Next up: Ripper, June 8th
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