By Maryam Abdul Mohsen
John Green’s New York best-selling novel, The Fault in Our Stars, kicks off with a scenario of the female fiction character Hazel Grace, a stage IV thyroid cancer survivor, dreading to go to a Cancer Support Group. The Group meets weekly with head group, Patrick leading the way. Hazel Grace despises the hourly group circle but was enchanted by the presence of sizzling hot Augustus Waters who stared at her awkwardly during their first meeting.
The fiction then spins off as Augustus and Hazel continue to indulge in each other’s company. Isaac, Augustus’ friend is also the main mediator between Gus and Hazel in a scene where Isaac, after his operation that forced him to become blind, had a fit of anger and disappointment when his long time sweetheart, Monica dumped him before the operation.
The relationship between the love birds is actually united by a near intriguing fiction An Imperial Affliction, written by Peter Van Houten. Hazel introduced Gus to the book, which finished off in mid-sentence which Hazel assumes that Anna, also a cancer survivor died or was not well enough to narrate the story. John Green tied the relationship through An Imperial Affliction instead of the fact that both were cancer survivors, which I must say is a different approach.
The climax of the book was when Gus who had one wish given by the Genie Foundation, decided to use it for a special meeting with the admired Peter Van Houten in Amsterdam so as both Hazel and Gus could find some peace after finding out what happens in the fiction characters in An Imperial Affliction.
Both were disappointed when they find out Van Houten in his home, described by the author as drunk and a lonely man. Van Houten did not give the kids any answer except what happened to Anna’s hamster. Hazel became enraged by the fact that she used Augustus’ wish for something she did not expect in return. Nonetheless, their trip to Amsterdam did sparkle some magic in their relationship into a stronger bond.
On their return to Phoenix, Augustus had a recurrence of cancer. This led to a series of events whereby Augustus stayed at home, actually waiting for death. While Hazel, who declared her love to Augustus, seemed to distance herself from Gus, her lover.
Finally, the moment of anticipation arrived. Augustus died. And on his funeral, Peter Van Houten came, drunk as usual. He apologized to Hazel, but she did not want to hear it. The next scenario followed when Hazel tried to find if Augustus wrote a letter to her before his death. Van Houten appeared again in Hazel’s car when she wanted to dash to Augustus’ house. Van Houten revealed that Anna was her daughter who too died of cancer. Van Houten was ready to answer Hazel’s questions but Hazel with her big head declined for answers and simply walked away.
The novel ended in a single momentum whereby Hazel found out that Augustus did not write a letter to her but to Van Houten, about Hazel herself.
In my opinion, the book was a good reading, even though I did not find any element that the book was a real sensation and best-selling. Out of five stars, I would give it a 1.5. Simply because the book lacked intensity and character development throughout the whole story.
Hazel from the start, did not change. Augustus from the beginning did not change, except that he died and his relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Caroline left loopholes. Isaac also did not develop after surgery or after the heart-breaking break-up with the love of his life, Monica. The relationships between Hazel and other characters were also a bit of a bore as the author did not have a specific direction for the main characters involved. I am utterly disappointed.
As unsatisfied as I am as a reader, the book did remind me of a similar plot in Nicholas Sparks’ enchanting novel, A Walk to Remember. The latter was also a top bestseller all around the world and compared to A Fault in Our Stars, I would recommend A Walk to Remember. John Green’s bestseller did spark a resemblance in A Walk to Remember as both books revolve around teenage love between couples bounded by some terminal disease followed by the death of their special ones.
However, A Walk to Remember is more intense and tear jerking because the characters were developed in a well-shaped manner. John Green’s, however, left readers the same way they felt in the beginning of the novel as there were no tears to shed and no laughs to crack. This means that the book did not leave a significant impact in the hearts of readers.
John Green should have done a lot more research and give information to the readers on what they did not know so as to educate them with beneficial knowledge. Readers, nowadays, want something different and unique as well as beneficial.
At the end of the day, I am interested in the adaption of the movie, but my advice, do not put high hopes to be dazzled by the movie itself even though the Hollywood industry does have a history of successful adaptations.
The Fault in Our Stars is currently showing in cinemas nationwide.
Photo taken from Lina Khairunisa's blog.