I recently watched the highly popularised movie-ified version of the John Green Book, The Fault In Our Stars.
First: The Book
Quite simply, I liked the book. I haven't read many cancer-related works, so it provided a lot of interesting perspective to a matter I had never given much thought to. Throughout my rather-short-life-so-far, nothing has quite terrified me as much as the prospect of being diagnosed with cancer. And this book helped me confront that a little bit.
Also, being a sucker for romance and books, I liked the nerdy love radiating through the pages.
Full confession time: I have never read any other John Green work, so I can't speak about the monotone some readers have observed.
I found I resonated with Augustus in a very real way. While some have expressed called him a pretentious old wallywag* who used metaphors for no reason at all, I very much relate to his need to appear smart at all times. You will find there is use of flamboyantly, often redundantly ostentatious syntax of ginormous lengths and unnecessary use of the passive voice in my writing to make the reader think I rake in the IQ points.(Really, I'm the rough equivalent of a third grader). Seriously, though, being a 'nerd' has become a huge part of my identity and, as with all labels, I'm forever scared of that being questioned. Forever dreading the day someone will think I'm faux. John Green appeals excellently to this and more teenage insecurities. (My grammar declined there. I apologize.)
Cancer felt like such a huge part of Hazel's identity, as opposed to Augustus' that it made me wonder how she would have been as a healthy kid. Just your average geeky girl, perhaps. With a sharp wit and a certain attraction towards dudes with numbers for names.
The book was a great read. I read it two years ago, so my recall of its exact proceedings is a tad rusty. As happens with with all great books that get turned into movies, there was a slight feeling of violation of something sacred to you. (Just me? Ok then.) It then underwent an unbelievable increase in popularity, and everyone and their great-grandmother-with-chronic-rheumatism-and-a-brother-called-Rick knew about it.
Next: The Movie:
Uhh....Meh?
Ansel Elgort and Shailene Woodley work great together. Both display reasonable acting chops. Josh Boone is a great director who I feel will be a hit in the YA-book-adaptation category (see: Stuck in Love). Also, Nat Wolff. That's all I'll say about him. The major plot points were well covered, and yet I cannot exactly pinpoint my beef with the film.
But it has a lot to do with the fact that it was too chick-flick-ish. The geeky vibe was slightly crushed, and that disappointed me. The dramatic love confessions were so overplayed that I never welled up. Perhaps it's just one of those things that seems excellent in theory.
Seeing the actors play out the scenes made me realize how, ironically enough, the plot is dripping with notions of idealized love. Up till then, I had only looked at TFIOS as being a book with interesting characters, witty banter, and thought-provoking ideas. Seeing it as a pure love story, which, weirdly enough, it was always meant to be, slightly ruined it for me.
Completely subjective opinion of course, but I'd love to hear yours. Also, new blogpost coming at your faces soon!
*-necessarily censored
Also, being a sucker for romance and books, I liked the nerdy love radiating through the pages.
Full confession time: I have never read any other John Green work, so I can't speak about the monotone some readers have observed.
I found I resonated with Augustus in a very real way. While some have expressed called him a pretentious old wallywag* who used metaphors for no reason at all, I very much relate to his need to appear smart at all times. You will find there is use of flamboyantly, often redundantly ostentatious syntax of ginormous lengths and unnecessary use of the passive voice in my writing to make the reader think I rake in the IQ points.(Really, I'm the rough equivalent of a third grader). Seriously, though, being a 'nerd' has become a huge part of my identity and, as with all labels, I'm forever scared of that being questioned. Forever dreading the day someone will think I'm faux. John Green appeals excellently to this and more teenage insecurities. (My grammar declined there. I apologize.)
Cancer felt like such a huge part of Hazel's identity, as opposed to Augustus' that it made me wonder how she would have been as a healthy kid. Just your average geeky girl, perhaps. With a sharp wit and a certain attraction towards dudes with numbers for names.
The book was a great read. I read it two years ago, so my recall of its exact proceedings is a tad rusty. As happens with with all great books that get turned into movies, there was a slight feeling of violation of something sacred to you. (Just me? Ok then.) It then underwent an unbelievable increase in popularity, and everyone and their great-grandmother-with-chronic-rheumatism-and-a-brother-called-Rick knew about it.
Next: The Movie:
Uhh....Meh?
Ansel Elgort and Shailene Woodley work great together. Both display reasonable acting chops. Josh Boone is a great director who I feel will be a hit in the YA-book-adaptation category (see: Stuck in Love). Also, Nat Wolff. That's all I'll say about him. The major plot points were well covered, and yet I cannot exactly pinpoint my beef with the film.
But it has a lot to do with the fact that it was too chick-flick-ish. The geeky vibe was slightly crushed, and that disappointed me. The dramatic love confessions were so overplayed that I never welled up. Perhaps it's just one of those things that seems excellent in theory.
Seeing the actors play out the scenes made me realize how, ironically enough, the plot is dripping with notions of idealized love. Up till then, I had only looked at TFIOS as being a book with interesting characters, witty banter, and thought-provoking ideas. Seeing it as a pure love story, which, weirdly enough, it was always meant to be, slightly ruined it for me.
Completely subjective opinion of course, but I'd love to hear yours. Also, new blogpost coming at your faces soon!
*-necessarily censored
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