the fault in our stars.

it has been awhile since i have read something that has rendered me speechless.

few writers have the ability to twist and shape words in a way that speaks volumes of truth to human emotions and the human condition, as well as lays out love in such an effortless way that it is felt in its truest form.

i may not know or understand "in love" yet,  but something about this story gifted me with a piece of what that just might feel like.  and i've read a lot of love stories, and honestly, as epic and romantic as they may be, i never feel like, i really felt that love myself.  which really, as a reader, that's kind of what i'm looking for.  a good writer, writes in such a way that the reader can participate in the story.

i definitely don't like to give books and authors any undue praise or ridicule.  if it is great, it's great. if not, well then.  i always tend to rant and rave, and in the end it is just words, and everyone is going to have their own opinion, and my thoughts on the matter are probably not going to do much to change anyone's mind, and really it doesn't matter anyways.  so writing any sort of review on anything just feels like a misuse of time.

all of those words, are i guess to say, my disclaimer.  a disclaimer to myself,  that what i am about to write, is not a review, but rather an expression of emotion and feeling in the form of words, so as not to negate the meaning behind my first sentence.

because reading the fault in our stars, really did leave me speechless. i got swept up in an array of emotions, washed over in the sadness and the joy of love and death, of last words, and firsts, of purpose and meaninglessness, of fate and the dismal reality that we have very little control over much of what happens to us.  life was and is unfair.

one of the main aspects of this story was cancer.  because of the prevalence of cancer for some, a story like this might hit too close to home.  i kept thinking back to my aunt, and her lengthy, at times horrific battle with cancer.  the thing i appreciated about this book was that it didn't gloss over cancer, and that it didn't delve into deeply to the gory details.  however, it does paint enough of a picture that i found myself reading with tears streaming for the last half of the book.

i like that this was a story about teenagers with cancer falling in love, and exploring the meaning of life, as they are dying, knowing full well that they don't have a lengthy road ahead to fulfill a purpose and leave a legacy.

but still, there was meaning to be had, a legacy left behind, and love to be shared.  it really speaks hope to something.  and that's what good writing does.  no matter how crappy, unfair, and fault filled the world is, hope still speaks.  it can be found...somewhere.