The Flawless of John Green

“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.” 

- John Green The Fault in our Stars 

While away at the aforementioned trip-of-a-lifetime, I managed to finish a book that I have been searching for for absolutely yonks and then devoured in 2 - 3 days. 

I am talking of, of course, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. 

And this probably isn't going to be much of a 'review' as such, but more a fangirly, flaily mess. 

Now, this book is absolutely inescapable if you are an avid Tumblr'r. It really doesn't matter what type of blog you are - this will turn up at some point. It's because of this that I wanted to read it. Not because I do whatever Tumblr tells me to do, but because quotes and little snippets were just popping up daily and intriguing me and in the end I googled what all the fuss was about and instantly knew I had to gets me some of this action! 

But I'm a poor poor person and I never really got round to ordering it off of Amazon. But then, ho! It appeared in Tesco! Well done, Tesco. And finally... it was mine. 

I've been meaning to do a book review for a long time now and I think that this is the perfect one to start with. 

The blurb reads as follows; 

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

This book has absolutely rocketed into my top ten books of all time. It's absolutely beautiful and I completely understand why Tumblr have taken it and kind of claimed it as 'their' book. When I gave a friend a run down of what it's about - "A girl that has cancer that meets a boy that has one leg" - she said it sounded depressing. And it is. There is no avoiding the fact that this is a book that faces death and cancer and issues that can't be wrapped in a bow. John Green has managed to tackle said issues so incredibly face on that it's almost... easier? You're told before even opening the first page that the protagonist is terminal. There are clearly no happy endings in her story. But he tells the world that just because there are no happy endings, it doesn't mean that there can't be happy stories. 

Augustus, as said, is a beautiful plot twist that is a character you cannot help but fall in love with. He's so much everything that a girl would want that he's almost unforgivable. But he's also flawed and he's vulnerable in a way that he's so human.

I think that's the big thing about this book - it's so human. Hazel know's that she's going to die. She knows that there is no cure for her and she doesn't dwell on that in the way that characters from other books I've read do. She lives her life day by day and yes, of course she addresses her cancer. But not in a self-pitying way that makes you feel sorry for her. She's written in such a way that you grow to love Hazel because of her story  - and not her cancer story - which I think is really important. The 'cancer' storyline of this book is massive - of course it is - but I feel it's second to the story of Hazel and Augustus. Her death is second to her life. And John Green writes so convincingly as a female teenage cancer patient, it's kind of hard to believe he's not. 

I never saw the plot twist in this book coming and it was absolutely beautifully written from start to finish. 

It is, to summarise, absolutely beautiful in every way. 

5/5* and I recommend it to each and every one of you, members of the interweb. 

M x

“I was blind and heart broken and didn't want to do anything and Gus burst into my room and shouted, "I have wonderful news!" And I was like, "I don't really want to hear wonderful news right now," and Gus said, "This is wonderful news you want to hear," and I asked him, "Fine, what is it?" and he said, "You are going to live a good and long life filled with great and terrible moments that you cannot even imagine yet!” 

- John Green The Fault in our Stars

A Book is a Megans' Best Friend

"Books can be dangerous.  The best ones should be labeled "This could change your life.""  ~Helen Exley

The other night I went to a friends house and came back with a pile of books that I am absolutely dying to read. I honestly feel rich right now because I've not had a collection of books to read for a while and now I do and it's the best feeling in the world because there are a whole load of stories that I can be part of soon; worlds that I've yet to explore and people I've yet to meet. In short, I am one of those people that love books. 

Sweeney Todd The String of Pearls - James Malcolm Rymer

Nineteen Eighty-Four - George Orwell

Selected Poems - Sylvia Plath

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

A Room with a View - E. M. Foster

Dracula - Bram Stoker

To me, there really is nothing like a good book. I was brought up surrounded by shelves and shelves and shelves of them and have an extensive collection myself. When you find someone that has similar tastes to you, it's an amazing thing because it not only means that you have something in common, but you can really find out something about them; your taste in books really does say a lot about you. What someone recommends can tell you not only about them, but can be a hint as to what kind of person they perceive you as and that's something I find really interesting.

Which leads me on to those people that don't read. Now, I don't have a problem with those people that genuinely don't like reading because they don't have time, don't like books, weren't brought up that way. Whatever. Whatever the reason said person doesn't like reading is down to them and their choice. I'm not going to bash them for that. Personally, I don't understand how they don't like books, but I'm sure that they don't understand how I do. I don't go on about it and neither do they. What really irks me, however, is when people make a point of not liking books and then go on to either boast to me that they "haven't read a book since I was 5" or "think they're all crap". No. You know what, if you're going to talk to me and expect me to be impressed that you have not read something since you were *blank* years old, then I really don't have much time for you. And I'm supposed to, what, admire you for that? Act as if you're the only person I've met that is ridiculously pleased with themselves for not reading? I don't sit here and think that I'm superior to you because I've never seen you pick up a book and I certainly don't think that reading is something to be super proud of. It's something I like doing and is pretty damn normal, as is not reading. You're not alone in not reading, you're not the first and you won't be the last. It's something that I just cannot get my head around. Okay, sure. You don't like reading? Fine. Cool. I don't like tomatoes. You think it's something that is unique and admirable to have not read a book in 10/20 years? Wowzer. Gold star to you and here's a medal to top it off.  You people aggravate me. 

Then there are those that slam other people for reading books. Being branded a "geek" or "loser" or "weirdo" for liking books is just... I don't even have words for it. Because really, what is your problem? I don't impose my "weird" ways on you. I don't force you to hear about the latest book that I'm reading or make you read it or even mention it. So when you see a book in my bag or see me reading, then why try and put me down because of it? What's your logic behind that? 

I know that it may seem I am slamming people that don't read and am therefore being quite hypocritical because I have then gone on to get annoyed at those who don't like the fact that I do read, but I'd like to point out that I really don't have a problem with people that don't read. It's their choice. My problem lies with those that a) think it's something to boast about to me and b) keep on and on at me that I'm a "geek" because I do read. Do excuse me for being who I am. 

Also, I'd like to make the brief point that if you're doing an English Literature course, it may help you to have actually read a book recently and to have a basic knowledge of authors and poets that are, you know, pretty famous. Oscar Wilde, for example. But don't get me wrong, I love my English class. I really do. 

So yes. I like book. Books are our friends. 

"The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man that can't read them" - Mark Twain

And in other news, I recently got a little bored, spied a pair of scissors and cut my own fringe. It's really annoying having to trim it every couple of days, but I quite like it. 

Before...

....After 

And then I discovered that I'm pretty bloody good at shadow puppets. This was a Llama. Ohhh yeah. 

M x