Review: The Fault in our Stars

I loved Looking for Alaska (you can find that review here), it set the bar pretty high for me, so it was no surprise that I found myself feeling a little nervous when picking up his latest novel.
Honestly though, I needn't have been worried; John Green writes coming of age, young adult fiction like none other author I've read before. Just when I thought my heart couldn't take any more love for this man, this book is dropped into my lap.

The Fault in our Stars focuses on a sixteen year old cancer patient Hazel Grace. Diagnosed with clinical depression, (a common side effect of cancer), she is forced to attend weekly support group meetings with other people her age.
It is here she finds friendship, love and support from seventeen year old Augustus Waters, amputee and former basketball extraordinaire.

Now, I know reading a book about a group of teenage cancer patients doesn't seem like the most uplifting thing to read about, but you'd be surprised at the level of warmth and beauty that resonates from this book. Of course, it's tragic; these characters are pretty much going through life with one foot in the proverbial grave but they try to live their lives with a sense of purpose. Green writes the emotions these characters feel beautifully, he doesn't sugar coat the pain these characters feel and he leaves all the jagged edges of a disease like cancer very much alone. There's pain involved, and we are to expect it. I've never doubted his ability to put together a good story, I felt like crying and at times I didn't want to read it because I felt like my heart was going to explode. In a good way, you know- if there's such a thing.
It's definitely something I have and will recommend people to read, as a nerdfighter, as a fan of the author and the lover of beautiful words, I will recommend this to everyone. We all need a little John Green in our lives.

I didn't want this, but there is a however.

Although it's beautifully written, the characters seem very similar to me. They are dangerously close to the ones in Looking for Alaska, they have the same personality traits and speak with the same voice. I won't deny that all of Green's characters I've come across so far have an almost irritating pretentious thing going on, which I can forgive as the writing is fantastic. I like the fact that he writes up nerdy, witty, intelligent and well read teenagers, but I can't help but wonder the more John Green I read, the more these same stock characters will keep cropping up. I'm hoping it isn't the case but only time will tell. I have faith in the man to prove me wrong.

Rating: ★★★★☆