John Green’s most recent novel, The Fault in Our Stars,
follows Hazel Lancaster through a year in her life – a life that’s bound to be
too short. Hazel has cancer.
Green uses a fictitious novel (how's that?!) to add a dimension to the story. She and her boyfriend - who is in remission; they met through a support group - ultimately travel to Amsterdam to meet Peter Van Houton, the author of An
Imperial Affliction.
And he's a jerk.
It's just one of many ways Green illustrates the fact that life ain't fair.
And he's a jerk.
It's just one of many ways Green illustrates the fact that life ain't fair.
Hazel and Gus cope almost too well with that, and it's a good thing - because the author's unpleasantness isn't the worst thing that happens on the trip.
Hazel also learns that Augustus has had a relapse.
Interestingly, when she delivers her eulogy for Augustus (whoops - spoiler alert: Gus doesn't make it) Hazel quotes the
author who so disappointed her, explaining that she learned from him that “some
infinities are bigger than other infinities.”Hazel also learns that Augustus has had a relapse.
Fortunately, Green's book is quite a bit bigger than I've probably made it sound; and it's right on target for YA readers - particularly girls.
Like a lot of first works, the first half is more artful than the second. Then again, a slower pace in the beginning, when Diffenbaugh shares the story in dollops - a fistful of flowers here, a sniff of the past there - serves the reader fairly well. In the beginning, she draws her characters carefully, petal by petal. So as the plot builds and life is uprooted (once again) for Victoria Jones, recently emancipated ward of the state, readers have been prepped to accept her choices and actions.