Review for The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.  Dutton, 2012.

Hazel Grace Lancaster has stage IV thyroid cancer with a satellite colony in her lungs; she has already survived one encounter with death.  She’s managing to stay alive with the help of phalanxifor, an experimental drug, and oxygen tanks.  Seventeen-year-old Augustus Waters, a former high school basketball standout, has been diagnosed with osteosarcoma; he has had one of his legs amputated above the knee but is now in remission.  The pair meets at Support Group, which occurs every Wednesday in the basement of an Episcopal Church in Indianapolis.  Gus is immediately drawn to Hazel, much to her surprise.  She decides to hang out with him, and the two become great friends.  He wants much more, but Hazel doesn’t want to get involved in that way.  The relationship grows, endures the loss of mutual friends, and involves a trip to Amsterdam.  Unfortunately, the pair has very little time to savor their blossoming relationship before they have to confront death.

I cannot say enough good things about The Fault in Our Stars.  It ranks up there with one of the best young adult books I have ever read!  The fact that it deals with a difficult subject made it extremely hard to read.  I was on an emotional roller coaster from the beginning to the end of the story!

I fell in love with the characters in this book.  Hazel has been through so much and still has to endure lugging around an oxygen tank and pain in her lungs that won’t go away.  She says “the pain was always there, pulling me inside myself, demanding to be felt”.  Yet, Hazel keeps persevering and fighting for her right to be a “normal teenager”.  Augustus is just a great guy; he seems perfect to me in every way.  He is sensitive, caring, smart, funny, and, on top of all that, hot!  Both Hazel and Gus are extremely cynical and stoic—they stare defiantly at death and laugh as it taunts them.  Even when he should be worrying about himself, Gus is thinking about Hazel.  When Hazel finally lets herself fall for Gus, their romance is bittersweet because they aren’t allowed enough time to enjoy it.  Hazel and Gus’s parents are wonderful couples—understanding and compassionate; I could feel the deep love they had for their sick children.

John Green certainly did his research for this book!  I learned a lot about cancer and Amsterdam, two subjects which couldn’t be further from each other!  The descriptions of Amsterdam were both striking and beautiful; I almost felt I was there.  The cancer information was written into the plot in a subtle way; it didn’t come across as encyclopedic or preachy.

The plot of another book is woven through the story.  I even tried to locate the book and the author; I am sure I am not the only person who has been curious enough to do this!  I also have to confess that I did not cry at the end of the book.  I had prepared myself for something bad to happen, but I was surprised by the chain of events.  However, if you plan to read this book, have some Kleenex handy!   You have been warned!!

The Fault in Our Stars is a star in John Green’s crown!  I highly recommend it for high school and public libraries!

Review of The Fourth Stall by Chris Rylander

The Fourth Stall by Chris Rylander.  Walden Pond Press, 2011.

Best friends and sixth-graders Vince and Christian (aka Mac..from MacGuyver) have their own business giving advice and procuring items for fellow students. Their office is located in the fourth stall of an abandoned bathroom in the east wing at their grade school. Mac solves kids’ problems and Vince handles the money side of the business. They are both Chicago Cubs fans and are saving their money so that they can see the Cubs play if they make it to the World Series. The business is going great until they take on a third-grade client who needs protection from a legendary crime boss named Staples. Staples is running a gambling racket at the school, paying players to throw games, and charging enormous amounts of interest to his clients. Students who don’t pay up have their lives made miserable by Staples’s henchmen. In trying to put Staples out of business, Mac, Vince, and even the school bullies find out that they have taken on more than they bargained for!

The Fourth Stall has to be one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. In his debut novel for young adults, Chris Rylander has successfully given voice to some very likable and memorable characters. The story is written from the point of view of Mac, who is extremely resourceful when it comes to solving problems. His best friend, Vince, is wise in the ways of number crunching and comes up with some hilarious lines he steals from his eccentric grandmother. The author really seems to understand guys’ minds and their friendships. Mac even persuades the school bullies to help him take down Staples, who has previously just been a rumor around school. The description of the grade school bullies, which include biters and computer hackers, is extremely comical! Staples is portrayed as a really bad guy, and as quite controlling. He has high school and middle school students doing his dirty work, and they are tormenting the younger students. The plot is extremely believable, and it genuinely works!

Even though there are young characters in the book, this book can be enjoyed by older students. I highly recommend it for middle school, high school, and public libraries!