Book Talk: The Fault In Our Stars
The Fault In Our Stars by John Green - I put this book on the back burner of my TBR list for a while. Mostly because of all of the hype. I'll admit, I can be a bit of a main stream snob. If I keep hearing (overly) raving reviews about something, I tend to put it to the side until some of the frenzy dies down. It's not because I don't get into those books or because I have something against the popular. It's because I'd rather enjoy them on my own time and not be sick of them through months of indirect hear-say and spoilers. People can spoil a popular book for me all they want; by the time I actually get around to reading it I've forgotten most of the talk ;-) But because I really wanted to see the movie I decided to read the book first.
I finally got around to reading it a few weeks ago and I'm still not quite sure what I think about it. It was a good book. Actually, it was great! From the first page I was hooked. The cynical, realistic, witty, charming, smart-mouthed, honest dialog was refreshing! I've read a lot of emotionally charged books and it can be really hit or miss with this type of character play; let alone a teenage character(s).
What made the book so emotionally charged for others, however, was lost on me. This is because I figured the major twist out from the get-go. And not because I overheard anything about it before hand, but because I had a feeling (there was some foreshadowing behaviors and intuition that tipped me off). And to be honest, that was a personal let down. It's not that the book was bad because of the plot or writing or characters. It's because I spoiled it for myself. Sometimes that's not such a bad thing. But I was so excited about how much I loved the book once I got into it that it burst my bubble a bit when a certain idea started forming in my head. After that it got harder to finish.
I'm writing this not as a review, but as a reflection because it seems like others have had similar thoughts about The Fault In Our Stars, and I find it interesting that we thought "less highly" of the book not because of any flaws itself but for some other reason that I can't quite put my finger on. Because let's be honest, any time you're reading a book about cancer, someone somewhere is not going to live their life to the last page. It could be the MC or the SC, and it still affects the reader emotionally even though the reader usually knows what is coming by about mid-way of the book. And for some reason, The Fault In Our Stars just didn't do it for some of us readers...and it completely boggles me!
So what is it? Why didn't I find myself in shock and awe until the very last page??
One, I think that I personally was ready for its plot twist since I had not read a book like that in a while and it seemed like an excellent book to write something that "shocking" in. Second, I think it tried to hard to keep the big reveal under wraps. There is such thing as trying too hard and becoming conspicuous. And once I figure out a major secret detail of a book fairly early on I become very impatient about the big reveal. Impatient to the point of losing enjoyment.
So there it is. My love-hate relationship with the wonderful The Fault In Our Stars.
I finally got around to reading it a few weeks ago and I'm still not quite sure what I think about it. It was a good book. Actually, it was great! From the first page I was hooked. The cynical, realistic, witty, charming, smart-mouthed, honest dialog was refreshing! I've read a lot of emotionally charged books and it can be really hit or miss with this type of character play; let alone a teenage character(s).
What made the book so emotionally charged for others, however, was lost on me. This is because I figured the major twist out from the get-go. And not because I overheard anything about it before hand, but because I had a feeling (there was some foreshadowing behaviors and intuition that tipped me off). And to be honest, that was a personal let down. It's not that the book was bad because of the plot or writing or characters. It's because I spoiled it for myself. Sometimes that's not such a bad thing. But I was so excited about how much I loved the book once I got into it that it burst my bubble a bit when a certain idea started forming in my head. After that it got harder to finish.
I'm writing this not as a review, but as a reflection because it seems like others have had similar thoughts about The Fault In Our Stars, and I find it interesting that we thought "less highly" of the book not because of any flaws itself but for some other reason that I can't quite put my finger on. Because let's be honest, any time you're reading a book about cancer, someone somewhere is not going to live their life to the last page. It could be the MC or the SC, and it still affects the reader emotionally even though the reader usually knows what is coming by about mid-way of the book. And for some reason, The Fault In Our Stars just didn't do it for some of us readers...and it completely boggles me!
So what is it? Why didn't I find myself in shock and awe until the very last page??
One, I think that I personally was ready for its plot twist since I had not read a book like that in a while and it seemed like an excellent book to write something that "shocking" in. Second, I think it tried to hard to keep the big reveal under wraps. There is such thing as trying too hard and becoming conspicuous. And once I figure out a major secret detail of a book fairly early on I become very impatient about the big reveal. Impatient to the point of losing enjoyment.
So there it is. My love-hate relationship with the wonderful The Fault In Our Stars.
There is a young woman on Goodreads who gave The Fault in Our Stars one star and has been cyber bulled and harassed ever since. Apparently, people take this book pretty seriously. For a movie that I felt captured a cancer story well, watch 50/50 with Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The preview looked a bit silly, but the film was rather serious. I've noticed that happening a lot lately. What gives, movie people? We don't need silly to fill seats.
ReplyDeleteThat is one thing I hate about "fandoms". People get WAY too emotionally involved to where they are willing to tear another life completely apart over nothing. It's sad, and it's one of the most unfortunate things to come from social sites.
DeleteI LOVED 50/50! I think that movie best captured what it's like for those dealing with cancer directly and more indirectly.