I've just read this book and it left me in tears and my head full of questions and the loudest on was 'How can people write this good?'
So I've heard a little about this book somewhere around last summer. I've seen it in bookstores couple times and passed right through it every single time. The book cover never caught my eyes, since with translation they changed the cover too. So I never bought it. Just recently I've seen so many posts on Tumblr, Facebook, Youtube videos etc. raving about this book. I was on Christmas break and one evening I was so bored so I decided to give it a try. I downloaded PDF file on my iPad since I got this urge to read it in English. I can't thank myself enough for that. And so it began.
The first couple pages I read with no passion at all since I thought it was exaggerated and it's going to be about teenage love I've read million books about. So I read few pages and went something to do but couldn't forget about the book. I was constantly thinking about what's going to happen next. That's how I know it's a good book. Anyway, school started I got a lot of work and didn't have time to read. Since a week ago I remembered the book after I watched the trailer for this movie. So I continued reading and fell in love with every single word. I was so obssesed with a book that I read it in few days.
The story itself isn't the boring teenage love. The story is about two young kids who, well yes, fell in love. The thing they shared was the same disease they both were cancer kids. The book shows you how young kids suffering from disease find strength to love, to make and keep friends, to follow their dreams. At first Hazel tries to protect Augustus from falling in love with her, because she doesn't want to hurt him in case she passes away. Augustus loves her enough to stick around and show her that his love is way stronger than anything in their lives. He also makes Hazel's biggest dream come true. They both and Hazel's mom goes to Amsterdam to meet the author of her favorite book and get some answers. The trip, even though they didn't get answers, brought them closer. The author of that book was really shitty person, but their conversation and his personality, I found it hilarious and can't wait to see it in the movie.
Anyway, the story ends in the way that leaves readers in tears. Augustus is the one who passes away leaving Hazel with her love for him and a letter. A letter which he didn't technically wrote to her or sent to her. He sent this letter to the same shitty author of the book they both loved. He told him about Hazel, about their relationship and his love for her. As Augustus said, even though 'the marks people leave are too often scars' and 'You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world...but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices.'
The book is really strong and touching in a way not all books can touch a reader. By reading this book you kind of built a relationship with it, the characters feel close and real. I am also really glad that I didn't buy the copy with translation but rather downloaded it and read it in English which made the book, believe me, thousands and thousands times better. I would recommend this book for literally anyone. Teenagers, parents, grandparents. It's a book worth reading and the book which leaves you in thoughts which, in my opinion, is always good.
Now I can't wait for the movie. :)
And, oh, there were so many good lines, the ones you want to quote, but my favorite, the one that I remember the first is this one:
It's a beautiful love telling you about teenage love in not a cheesy way. Read it, you won't regret it! :)
And if you have read it what are your thoughts? Maybe you would like to share? I will gladly read them in the comments section. :)
