EmilyAnn Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I started reading the day before yesterday. I have read one John Green book before (Looking For Alaska) and I loved it. My sister is also a massive John Green fan and has every one of his books but I absolutely Was Not going to read The Fault In Our Stars. So when it got picked for this I was Less Than Impressed. But, reason prevailed. I'm loving it. I haven't been this absorbed by a book in a long time. I want to keep reading but at the same time I feel compelled to savour it. Damn you, Phatmass. :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I got it last week and read it slowly -- which took a grand total of two days. Absolutely amazing book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cartermia Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Finished it last Friday or Thursday, cannot remember... :think: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneLine Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Still reading it slower than I would have liked because of ** D R A M A ** in my world. It is a great book! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisa Marie Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 FRIENDS TODAY IS THE DAY HOORAY! :bounce: :w00t: :yahoo: :dance: :dance5: :clap: :dance6: :dance2: :dance3: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 FRIENDS TODAY IS THE DAY HOORAY! :bounce: :w00t: :yahoo: :dance: :dance5: :clap: :dance6: :dance2: :dance3: Let's get this bandwagon started, then. First off, we should speak about the ending. Sweet Jesus, talk about the most annoying ending I've ever witnessed. It just ends right there without further explanation of what happens to anyone. It might as well have ended in mid-sentence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisa Marie Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) Let's get this bandwagon started, then. First off, we should speak about the ending. Sweet Jesus, talk about the most annoying ending I've ever witnessed. It just ends right there without further explanation of what happens to anyone. It might as well have ended in mid-sentence. I think the reason for that was that it didn't matter what happened after that. The story was about the "little infinity" of Augustus and Hazel, and [spoiler] after he dies their little infinity is over. Hazel's going to live out the rest of her days, however long that is, better for knowing and being with Augustus. [/spoiler] Edit: So should we use spoiler tags? How much? for what plot points? This is how to use them [spoiler*]THING THAT IS A SPOILER[*/spoiler] without the * Edited February 20, 2014 by Basilisa Marie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneLine Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) I am at the bottom of this thread and NOT reading above... because I am still trying to FIND the time to read! SO FRUSTRATING!!!!!! But you guys get started, because i don't think I can get there until at least tomorrow.... have a bunch of meetings tomorrow and Saturday, and just no time. :cry: I AM LOVING THE BOOK!!!! Edited February 20, 2014 by AnneLine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 I think the reason for that was that it didn't matter what happened after that. The story was about the "little infinity" of Augustus and Hazel, and [spoiler] after he dies their little infinity is over. Hazel's going to live out the rest of her days, however long that is, better for knowing and being with Augustus. [/spoiler] Edit: So should we use spoiler tags? How much? for what plot points? This is how to use them [spoiler*]THING THAT IS A SPOILER[*/spoiler] without the * This is all fine and good, but I still want to know what happens to the characters, Kaitlyn in particular. :P Seriously, Kaitlyn is supposedly one of her best friends, but you only see her once, and she's only mentioned a few times. It's weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisa Marie Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) So because I'm a theology nerd, what did you guys think of the way he portrays religion in the book? John Green studied to be an Episcopal priest and was a chaplain for a while before he quit and became an author. I personally feel that the way he writes the "literal heart of Jesus" scenes makes it seem like he's saying that there are all kinds of ways people try and cope with impending death and loss and suffering, and the only thing that really works is companionship. There's this idea of people accompanying others while they experience great suffering that's really prevalent in a lot of liberation theology (the good kind, not the crazypants kind), similar to Simon helping Jesus carry the cross. I would have really liked there to have been at least one character who took a more religious way of dealing with their suffering, in a way that was respectful. I got the impression that he's saying (whether intentionally or unintentionally) that religion is only effective at helping people with suffering if it provides the setting for companionship to happen -- much like how the 'literal heart of Jesus" was nothing more than the setting for the support group. Patrick is kind of religious, but he comes off as very shallow and disingenuous to me - like the guy who runs around thinking trite sayings like "oh just offer it up!" are going to help you flip a switch and suddenly deal with your suffering better. I also think Patrick represents the author, how he saw himself as a minister. But then I always want more authentic religious characters in my literature, because I have a personal axe to grind against our culture disrespecting anyone who is any kind of person of serious faith, no matter the religion. :) Edited February 20, 2014 by Basilisa Marie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisa Marie Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 This is all fine and good, but I still want to know what happens to the characters, Kaitlyn in particular. :P Seriously, Kaitlyn is supposedly one of her best friends, but you only see her once, and she's only mentioned a few times. It's weird. I think Kaitlyn is who Hazel would have been without cancer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) So because I'm a theology nerd, what did you guys think of the way he portrays religion in the book? John Green studied to be an Episcopal priest and was a chaplain for a while before he quit and became an author. I personally feel that the way he writes the "literal heart of Jesus" scenes makes it seem like he's saying that there are all kinds of ways people try and cope with impending death and loss and suffering, and the only thing that really works is companionship. There's this idea of people accompanying others while they experience great suffering that's really prevalent in a lot of liberation theology (the good kind, not the crazypants kind), similar to Simon helping Jesus carry the cross. I would have really liked there to have been at least one character who took a more religious way of dealing with their suffering, in a way that was respectful. I got the impression that he's saying (whether intentionally or unintentionally) that religion is only effective at helping people with suffering if it provides the setting for companionship to happen -- much like how the 'literal heart of Jesus" was nothing more than the setting for the support group. But then I always want more authentic religious characters in my literature, because I have a personal axe to grind against our culture disrespecting anyone who is any kind of person of serious faith, no matter the religion. :) I think Augustus's parents were good models for Christians dealing with a bad situation, but it could also be argued that they were using it as an emotional crutch to deal with everything that was going on. That being said, it was nice there were some faith elements. As I read near the ending of the book and [spoiler]Gus dies, I couldn't help but laugh hysterically that his last words were "No cursing in the Literal Heart of Jesus. :P[/spoiler] I think Kaitlyn is who Hazel would have been without cancer. For some reason, I just can't see Hazel being that loose with men. :P Edited February 20, 2014 by FuturePriest387 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisa Marie Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 I think Augustus's parents were good models for Christians dealing with a bad situation, but it could also be argued that they were using it as an emotional crutch to deal with everything that was going on. That being said, it was nice there were some faith elements. As I read near the ending of the book and [spoiler]Gus dies, I couldn't help but laugh hysterically that his last words were "No cursing in the Literal Heart of Jesus. :P[/spoiler] For some reason, I just can't see Hazel being that loose with men. :P Gus' parents - hmm, that's certainly possible, but with their obsession with nice sayings, I think they're in the same boat as Patrick. Though certainly better at it. And maybe you're right - all the sayings have become a sort of in-joke with the family, while Patrick seems to take them seriously. They totally reminded me of the parents of the non-denom friends I had in high school, like, spittin' image. :) Oh, I think Hazel totally would have been "loose" with men if she hadn't had cancer. I mean, she [spoiler] has zero hesitation having sex with Gus, right? (I could be remembering this wrong) [/spoiler] I think soooo much of who Hazel is is defined by her cancer, in so many ways. It's the biggest "thing" in her life that makes her who she is. I don't know if she'd be as bookish as she is without her experiences with her illness. But that, I think, is the beauty of what happens when Gus comes along and refuses to allow her to define herself by her illness. For the first time, Hazel is really given the opportunity to define herself outside of her illness, and in that, I think she starts becoming a more authentic version of herself. I think that's the real gift Gus gave her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Gus' parents - hmm, that's certainly possible, but with their obsession with nice sayings, I think they're in the same boat as Patrick. Though certainly better at it. And maybe you're right - all the sayings have become a sort of in-joke with the family, while Patrick seems to take them seriously. They totally reminded me of the parents of the non-denom friends I had in high school, like, spittin' image. :) Oh, I think Hazel totally would have been "loose" with men if she hadn't had cancer. I mean, she [spoiler] has zero hesitation having sex with Gus, right? (I could be remembering this wrong) [/spoiler] I think soooo much of who Hazel is is defined by her cancer, in so many ways. It's the biggest "thing" in her life that makes her who she is. I don't know if she'd be as bookish as she is without her experiences with her illness. But that, I think, is the beauty of what happens when Gus comes along and refuses to allow her to define herself by her illness. For the first time, Hazel is really given the opportunity to define herself outside of her illness, and in that, I think she starts becoming a more authentic version of herself. I think that's the real gift Gus gave her. That is true. But I think the reason she [spoiler] had sex with Gus is because she really loved him. She might have no issue having sex with guys, but I think she personally would have to love them and have an emotional connection with them. [/spoiler] And I was actually thinking the same thing. Big things like that really change people and how they act. I think the thing I liked the best about the book was it gave a message to not let illnesses (Or whatever thing you personally struggle with) define you, which is really easy to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Gus' parents - hmm, that's certainly possible, but with their obsession with nice sayings, I think they're in the same boat as Patrick. Though certainly better at it. And maybe you're right - all the sayings have become a sort of in-joke with the family, while Patrick seems to take them seriously. They totally reminded me of the parents of the non-denom friends I had in high school, like, spittin' image. :) Oh, I think Hazel totally would have been "loose" with men if she hadn't had cancer. I mean, she [spoiler] has zero hesitation having sex with Gus, right? (I could be remembering this wrong) [/spoiler] I think soooo much of who Hazel is is defined by her cancer, in so many ways. It's the biggest "thing" in her life that makes her who she is. I don't know if she'd be as bookish as she is without her experiences with her illness. But that, I think, is the beauty of what happens when Gus comes along and refuses to allow her to define herself by her illness. For the first time, Hazel is really given the opportunity to define herself outside of her illness, and in that, I think she starts becoming a more authentic version of herself. I think that's the real gift Gus gave her. Are we the only ones who have read the entire book, or are we in fact the only ones who care? :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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