“Without pain, how could we know joy?’ This is an old argument in the field of thinking about suffering, and its stupidity and lack of sophistication could be plumbed for centuries, but suffice it to say that the existence of broccoli does not, in any way, affect the taste of chocolate.”
I read Fault in Our Stars this summer at a time when, having read more literary texts in a year than ever before, it was all starting to feel the same to me. I hope you never get to a point where books tire or bore you; because let’s face it – they’re pretty awesome. But I had gotten to that point and I am so glad I read this book because it did everything a good book is supposed to: it made me laugh, cry, think deeply and without judgment, but most importantly feel another person’s pain – their joy too.
Although it a young adult novel, it is also much more than that. I know, that’s what people always say. And that was exactly what the friend who recommended it to me said. The great thing about book recommendations is that when you finally read the book, you have something else that connects you to a person; a new thread to be woven into your relationship. If a friend tells you to explore a book, you probably should. Interestingly enough, the relationship between the two protagonists (Yup! There’s some delicious romance in there) started based on a book recommendation. It turned out that my friend was right. I never, at any point, felt like I was dumbing myself down. Conversely, I was learning new things about human nature, death, science, and the like. I didn’t know that a book could all at once address existentialism, teenage love, pain as opposed to joy, and cancer. It is novels such as these that make me believe in the power of literature to soften people’s hearts and force them to empathize more with the struggles of those around them. If you would like to get a fresh perspective of the world; one that is informed but not cynical, one that is neither boring nor tedious, I suggest that you read this book. John Green is phenomenal.
Summary from Amazon.com:
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.
Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning-author John Green’s most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.
Post submitted by Kanyin
The Waterhole 
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