My Take On: The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

It's rare that a book makes you hate an author for writing it. Even more rare when that same book convinces you to go buy more of his work in some masochistic attempt to fill your head and heart with more tragedy.

Because that's what this book is, from the very first page, you know it's going to be tragic. But, many books are sad, some far more than what John Green has ever written, so what makes this particular book stand out? To me, it's the way it progresses. 

Though you see struggle and know a sad ending is coming, from the beginning, the book itself starts out boring and uneventful. Which lulls you into a false sense of preparedness, makes you believe you're ready to face the inevitable. But when it does come and when it's so not what you expected, it hits you like a wall. And it comes in waves. So many stories have a sad climax, but this is different, this is worse because it's not one climax, it's wave after wave of feeling. You break down for one part and find yourself laughing, entirely inappropriately, at another, and then BAM, another wall. 

This is a genuine story about cancer and life and how none of us are really prepared for what's ahead, because we can't predict it. That's life and John Green nailed it. 

"That's the thing about pain, it demands to be felt." 

Purchase "The Fault in Our Stars" here.