And then there are books...which you can't tell people about, books so special and rare and yours that advertising your affection feels like a betrayal.
Hazel is a sixteen-year-old side effect of cancer which is a side effect of dying which was a side effect of being alive. She hadn't been to school in the three years and absolutely loathed being forced into going to a cancer support group. She would rather be at home reading or watching another marathon of America's Next Top Model instead of being surrounded by people offering false enthusiasm about living your best life today. That is, until the night she meets Augustus Waters. He can't stop staring at her. Augustus says he's been in remission for some time, that he was merely there for his friend, Isaac. When the meeting ends, he tells Hazel she reminds him of Natalie Portman in her V For Vendetta era. She has no idea what he's talking about and he asks her to come over and watch it. Right that minute. Intrigued, she goes.
What follows is one of the most moving stories of, not particularly young love (unless you focus solely on their age), but real love. The two learn what it is to feel again, what it means to look beyond the signed, sealed and waiting to be delivered fate they'd been handed, what it means to be alive again. An adventure in Amsterdam and a very scary, very real side effect makes them believe this all the more.
This really was a stunning book. I found myself laughing hard for the first 75% of the book and reading through my tears the last 25% of it. It was realistic and the characters were relatable despite the cancer aspect of their lives. Every character was so well written and it was, as previously stated, a truly moving piece of work. John Green did a phenomenal job and I am willing to wholeheartedly admit that this is easily my favorite book by him. It was powerful, emotional. It was an outstanding look at all of the different hats that grief wears.
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