Most Overrated Book

Okay. All of you are going to hate me for this. I know it.

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. I read it. I watched the movie. It was okay. I don't see what all the hype is about. 

It's sad. It's about cancer. It's about teens. If you want, I can write you a list of books that have all of those elements in them. Here's what it's lacking:

Characterization - Hazel is quite possibly the most boring teenager on the planet. Sure she's smart. So is Augustus and Isaac and just about everyone else in this book. Because they all are practically the same person. I get it. Augustus is handsome and attractive and he says and does all the things that the ideal boyfriend would and more. He's also not real, very much so because he's perfect and has virtually no character flaws. Neither does Hazel. 

Humility - Don't get me wrong, I love John Green. Really, he's a cool guy. But seriously the entire book is just philosophical and existential ramblings that prove how smart John Green is. Quoting Shakespeare and Chaucer throughout the book? That's awesome! If it were a book about Philanthropy. But this is a young adult book from the perspective of teens, and apparently in this world all teens speak in fancy prose. The title is actually a reference to Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar. Neat idea. Extremely pretentious but I can see why it's fun. 

All this being said, it was a good book. It wasn't great, it's not something that will stick with me, but it had its moments. And the film, albeit the plot and characterization was still lacking, was spot on. The acting, set, and directing was fantastic, so kudos there.

Now, if you want to read a really amazing feel-good book about teens and cancer, I recommend A Walk To Remember.