The Fault in Our Stars

What can I say about TFIOS that has not been said already? I’m not sure I can answer that, but I can say that I know what I’d like to share about it. Here it goes. I apologize in advance for any spoilers. Not that there will be any but just in case. And perhaps I am late writing about TFIOS but haven’t you ever read a book, or seen a movie that is so … well no words can describe it so you need time to absorb it.

 

A while ago I blogged about why can’t great fiction just be fiction. Why do we need to label it as YA or adult? In that same blog I mentioned The Fault In Our Stars. It was the first book in a long time that made me want to throw it across the room when I was done…in a good way. I know, “fictional characters.” (Sorry inside joke/side rant @DimesnsAndGalxs knows what I mean.)

One of the many things I love about this book outside of the story is that you do not have to be of a certain age to read this. This story and its writer do no mess around here. John Green does not hold back, and does not talk down to the readers.

I still can’t wrap my head around why things are called, cult classics. To me that just means only a certain people like this movie or that book. Why can’t we like something because we just do? And because it speaks to us. Sorry tangent.

I saw this movie this past weekend. One of the things I liked about the movie is that it appeals to everyone. Another words you do not have the read TFIOS before you watch the movie. It also does a good job capturing the essence of the story. To answer your question yes I cried. Okay, fine I admit it, I cried twice.

One of things I feel the book and movie do is make you reflect. If you truly love someone, its real love, not the fantasy of what love should be. (Ironic, I guess since I am talking about a book and a movie. Anywho.) Love is something that cannot be explained but it makes the world anew. I guess that is also kind of ironic how love is this wonderfully, amazing thing but if we are lucky we find it. One thing the book and the movie both do is teach is with true love you need to have a friendship because that is where the trust and respect come from.

Perhaps I am reading way too deep into TFIOS movie and TFIOS book but isn’t that what good books do? Open our eyes to a different world. And even though it is fiction it teaches us a little bit about ourselves. Stories that help us remember “hey have I told the person that I most love in the world,” okay?

What? Don’t judge me. Yes, that was a bit cheesy or what have you to use the famous “okay” to make my point, but I am not afraid to like cheese, or say how a story makes me feel. Shouldn’t the point be for us to connect to that story? Because when a reader is lucky enough to make that connection to a story, it makes our hearts bigger and our minds more open. At least that it what I think.

Random and reoccurring thoughts.

I just finished reading The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I know that I might be a little late in reading this book due to all the wonderful comments I have read online. Although I did avoid summary comments because I wanted to be surprised when I finally read this book. It is one of the most wonderful books I have read this year next to Eleanor & Park, and Fangirl. I was looking for something to read after Fangirl because in all honesty I felt the next book I read after Rainbow Rowell had some big shoes to fill. I found it in The Fault in Our Stars. It made me laugh out loud, cried for true love passing away, and happy that two people found love.

This does have a point, I promise. With my statement earlier about how it was a beautiful and heartbreaking story why label it as it as YA fiction? I realize that labeling a books as Young Adult (YA) is based on the reading level of the book. I do understand that, however why can’t fiction just be fiction? I really don’t understand when it became important to label something as YA or juvenile fiction.

I think I might have asked this in a blog before, why can’t a great story be that a great story. For example, The Little Prince by Antonie de Sanit-Exupery is normally not introduced as children’s book The Little Prince, it’s simply called The Little Prince. I feel that the reason for this is because the meaning it holds for each reader. While it is true this book and The Fault in Our Stars have different stories and perhaps different meanings, the point is they have different meanings.

And books provide us with great memories. When I was little my brother and I were obsessed with Happy Birthday Moon by Frank Asch. Although my mother had gotten for both of us, we spent part of the time arguing whose book it really was, now the most important thing I remember is the time he and I spent together reading Happy Birthday Moon.

Stories are what make us human. It provides a connection to one another. And there are times when we fall in love with a story that we keep it to ourselves because it has special meaning. There are other times when we fall in love with a book so much that we just can’t help but share it.

In my world, I do not wish to label a book as YA, children’s literature, etc because what matters is how the story makes me feel. And a wonderful story is just that, a wonderful story.