“Augustus Waters drove horrifically. Whether stopping or starting, everything happened with a tremendous JOLT. I flew against the seat belt of his Toyota SUV each time he braked, and my neck snapped backward each time he hit the gas.”
When I commenced reading this novel I knew only that it was an extremely popular work of YA fiction. Had I known the subject matter it is unlikely I would have read it. I find books about the big C very difficult to take, having watched too many people go through its torments over the years. That aside, this is a beautiful, heartbreaking work and the characters are a delight.
While they perhaps speak in a far more verbose and mature fashion than most young teens, this appears consistent with the maturity they have had to draw upon given their circumstances. In fashioning a tale that is so full of beauty, humour and love, the author has developed young characters that possess a richness of life that is fascinating. If I was 14 I would be completely and utterly in love with Augustus, despite his poor driving skills.
If you feel like a good cry and have some kleenex on hand, check this out. If you want to be cheered up - look elsewhere. 5 out of 5.
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