Dissent newsletter volume 3 | Page 6

ways different, different in the sense that he is raw and vulnerable. His flaws are not hidden, he does not try to be the ‘perfect specimen’ (because as a one legged boy who was once terminally ill, that he is not) instead he voices his flaws in witty fashion, offers them up knowing they will not bring him down, something will eventually instate him as the hallmark of the whole storyline. Ultimately though, the book revolves itself around the romance that sprouted between Hazel and Augustus Waters. You would not be faulted (pun not intended) for thinking “So how is this any different from Twilight or the Hunger Games, I mean all of them are about love?” Of course, I would point out that in Twilight, it is between an angsty teen and a sparkling 100 year old vampire and The Hunger Games, a love triangle that is overshadowed by political propaganda and war. Anyway back on point, if I were to answer the question, my answer would be that I do not have one. It is an indescribable feeling, it is just different without any coherent reason. The closest form of explanation I can offer is that the story of love is already a premise that is settled upon and cannot be altered, however, the execution, the process in which John Green uses to write out Hazel and Augustus’s journey of love brings about a unique charm to it and the tear inducing factors that have made readers weep around the world. “Ultimately though, the book revolves itself around the romance that sprouted between Hazel and Augustus Waters. You would not be faulted (pun not intended) for thinking “So how is this any different from Twilight or the Hunger Games, I mean all of them are about love?” Modern muse; “… this is not a book about cancer or the life story of cancer survivor. It is about a girl who watches America’s Next Top Model, who appreciates authorship and literature, who is trying her darn best to navigate the realities of her life in ways that are both disheartening and extraordinary.” Overall, what Green has given us here is a book that is effective in inducing deep emotions without much effort. The catalyst does not lie in the words and passages of the book but in the minds of the readers and the ideas they conjure. Despite the orchestra ending in a note of tragedy, the last words left behind by Augustus Waters will put a grin on anyone and will vaguely compensate for the emotional turmoil- you have been warned. The Fault In Our Stars, of course, cannot hold a candle against Pulitzer award winning books and it was never meant to, however, as a casual read, one might find themselves harboring more emotional baggage than they ever expected. So, gear up your tear ducts and stock up on boxed tissues, you will need it.