The Fault in Our Stars (John Green) Chapters 1-5

FM:  Three pages into this book, I was already hooked on John Green’s style.  I knew, of course, from the outset that I was reading what was supposed to be a prime example of what the so-called “Young Adult Fiction” genre has to offer.  So I was a bit surprised at the reference to a young man’s “nuts” and “I gotta outlast four of these bastards.”  Yes, I have read plenty of books with much stronger language; I’m not the least bit squeamish about that.  But in a YA book?  I also recalled the highly intelligent and mild-mannered young lady who first recommended this author to me (she must have been 13 or 14 years old at the time) and the fact that I knew that if she liked his writing, I most likely would, too.

CJ:  Interesting, I too work with teenagers and have 2 teenagers in the home and actually I found the language in the "normal" range. The first person narrative lends itself to a teenager just talking, not necessarily to adults, but maybe to peers. Also, when you consider the lot these kids have been dealt I think the language may have been a little of the light side. The setting of Amsterdam seemed totally appropriate, the characters had just a little time to experience a lifetime of living.

FM:  The acerbic teenage wit here hits the bull’s eye with me as well.  The fact that I would read a YA book is not strange to those who know me; I thoroughly enjoyed the Twilight series (if you look down your nose at that, I’m sorry you don’t get it…) and absolutely loved the Hunger Games books.  At first blush, this book looks as if it will be as rewarding as those.  The relationship that springs up between Hazel and Gus is described with an acute knowledge of how teenagers relate.  I suspect that the author was once a teenager himself - but more importantly, one that hasn’t forgotten the “teenager feeling” once he grew up.  It’s mostly described through conversation, which is the best way to describe a teenager’s world, but in this case it’s described through the lens of teenagers with life-threatening health issues resulting from cancer, and the extra dose of wisdom that brings.  This includes an impressive handling of the details of what it’s like to live with cancer, explained in that almost detached way that real cancer victims often do.

CJ:  Honestly after reading the synopsis I did not want to read this book. I lost a dear friend to leukemia as a teenager and I have done a good job ignoring that wound for 30 plus years. However, I decided to give it a chance and ended up not being able to put it down. I finished the book in just 3 evenings.

FM:  Some writers handle the He-said-She-said problem better than others.  That’s the extra verbiage in written conversation that indicates which character says what.  It can be distracting if the author uses the simple, “said Harry” tag too often, and even more so if the author tries to add too much “Amy said smirkily/jauntily/whimsically” et cetera.  Really creative authors contrive different ways to handle this which add to the scene without distracting.  (“’You don’t want to go to a movie with Kaitlyn or Matt or someone?” who were my friends.  That was an idea.  “Sure,” I said.’  Or: ‘”It’s Thursday, March twenty-ninth!” she basically screamed, a demented smile plastered to her face.”)   Weaving the story into the He-said-She-said problem can add a lot to the narrative, and Green uses it as a device to develop the characters; especially the wonderful first-person narrator, Hazel.

CJ:  I like Hazel's persona in that she doesn't like playing the part of a professional sick person and is trying to take as few casualties with her as possible. This kind of heroine is needed in today's world of narcissistic teenagers. Like her counterpart in the Hunger Games she sacrifices self for the good of the community. She's a refreshing character in a world full of spoiled brat Toddler's in Tiaras, etc.

FM:  I think this is the first time I have ever seen “I know, right?” in print, though I have heard it thousands of times.  (Yes, in my vocation, I deal with teenagers regularly – part of my excuse for reading YA books, if I need one!)  As I have mentioned before, writing in first person gives the author a convenient out for all kinds of inaccuracies.  Awkward grammar?  Plot inconsistency?  Hey, it’s the character talking, not me!  The author can simply claim that he meant to show the character’s weakness or lack of memory.  But here, John Green is using the first person technique to display a deep understanding of how today’s teenagers talk; and in turn, an insight into how they think.  (It has been theorized that, without having developed speech, man would not have developed organized thought and would be “just another” primate, on a level with the gorilla and the chimp.)  Presumably, we should be able to discern a lot about how someone thinks by listening to how they speak.   The character of Gus, for instance, is developed largely through his dialog.

CJ:  When we first met Gus I worried that he would be an arrogant character that used Isaac as a sort of "puppy" to meet vulnerable females. I was relieved to see him turn out as a real person who understood and sympathized with his friends.

FM:  Green eases into the first major plot development cleverly.  (‘”Do you have a Wish?” he asked, referring to this organization, The Genie Foundation, which is in the business of granting sick kids one wish.  “No,” I said.  “I used my Wish pre-Miracle.”  “What’d you do?”  I sighed loudly.  “I was thirteen,” I said.  “Not Disney,” he said.  I said nothing.  “You did not go to Disney World.”  I said nothing.  “Hazel GRACE!” he shouted.  “You did not use your one dying Wish to go to Disney World with your parents.”  “Also Epcot Center,” I mumbled.  “Oh, my God,” Augustus said.  “I can’t believe I have a crush on a girl with such cliché wishes.”  “I was thirteen,” I said again…’) Just superb dialog.  And of course, this ultimately leads to his use of his Wish to take both of them to Amsterdam to see her favorite author.

CJ: The Genie's and the Wish scenario was great! How many children have been in this situation and used their wishes for Disney? Green helps us to realize that in the big scheme, though I personally think everyone should go there once, Disney is not the be-all-to-end-all. I hope that this dialogue is read by and helps kids and parents who have to make this horrible choice of a last wish stop and think really hard about their decision.

Next week:  Chapters 6-10