John Green's The Fault in Our Stars (a short review)

It is indeed a feat when an author writes a narrative whose complication is cancer, but manages to not write a typical "cancer book". The Fault in Our Stars weaves reality with fiction, and therefore, both is and isn't about cancer. Nor is it specifically a love-story, despite frequent references to Shakespeare and somewhat hackneyed crossed stars. There is something so inexorably human in Green's narrative, itself an exploration of transcience and significance of nihilistic human existence. Green's prose manages to be eloquent and beautiful, but not overbearingly so; his use of metaphor is not forced, but subtle and poignant, and is inarguably crucial to the text, forming the spine on which the muscles of the narrative are built. His characters read as authentic and honest (for the most part, though the character of Kaitlyn was hard to grasp; but she is not an overly important character so it's passable), and it is illuminating to read about teenagers who possess intellect. Green's own wit is evident in the quips of his characters, and the book overall is a moving and enlightening read.