The fault in our stars

Hazel Grace Lancaster - "I feel in love the way you fall asleep: slow, and then all at once."

So. Last year, around my best friend's birthday, I asked her what she would like me to get her for a present. She said I could buy her a book she was dying to read, called "The fault in our stars", by John Green. For me, it was something new, buying her a book. Of all the times I have been to a book shop, it was the first time that I actually bought her something from that place. She was the one who always bought presents for me. Anyway, I went to the book shop, bought it, and gave it to her.

Some weeks later, I asked her if the book was really good. She said she hadn't finished it yet because of test weeks. I, as a good determined and loyal reader, wanted to discover myself if the book was good. I purchased it, and practically lived in the story for the next two days. Yes, I can read much faster than my friend.

My body and soul felt everything through those 48 hours of pure John Green: I laughed, I cried, I jumped up with happiness, I was anxious, scared, I had goose bumps, I cried my heart out and fell completely, truly, deeply in love with the story and the characters. In partcular, I fell in love with Hazel Grace Lancaster and got mad with Augustus Waters. Maybe that's why I now compare every guy (or male character) I know to him. It's not my fault, blame John Green.

Then, after we both finished the book, my friend and I discovered there was going to be a movie of it. We went crazy. Seriously.

We searched for every  bit of information about the film, like cast, production, costumes... But I personally wasn't sure if it was going to be good. I mean, most adaptations of young adult books are badly made and are never true to the original novel. I was sure that this one would be just like the others.

Despite my reluctance about the script, I looked forward to the opening night. We bought our tickets the day the movie was released and waited for the big day (which was last Saturday, June 7th).

At the sound of Shailene Woodley's first line, my heart started to beat faster and faster. Yes, it turned out I was wrong about the adaptation. As soon as the room was dark, I realized something good was going to happen.

The three musketeers

Isaac – “But I will say this: When the scientists of the future show up at my house with robot eyes and they tell me to try them on, I will tell the scientists to screw off, because I do not want to see a world without Augustus Waters.”

Hazel, Isaac and Gus. Shailene, Nat and Ansel. The relation between them? The three last ones are the actors who play the three main characters of the story. What's the difference between them? For me, none.

When I read the book, I thought nobody could ever be capable of performing these characters perfectly. But I didn't know these three amazing young actors (who I now idolize), Shailene Woodley, Nat Wolff and Ansel Elgort, existed. And now that I do, I can't imagine anyone better to play such nice characters.

That's probably why I love the scenes where the three are together, or the one scene in which Isaac is alone with Hazel. The chemistry of the three is unbelievable, and being friends behind the cameras helped a lot, I guess, especially for Ansel and Nat, who are besties.

Dramatic, romantic and funny.

Hazel Grace Lancaster – “You're always such a disappointment, Augustus. Couldn't you have at least gotten orange tomatoes?”

Everything I felt while reading the book I felt watching while the movie. And I mean EVERYTHING. The romantic scenes are the cutest, the dramatic are the saddest. But there was something I didn't think the movie would be able to make us do. Laugh. I laughed a lot while reading  the book, and thought that would be lacking on the big screen. It turned out I liked the funny parts in the film better than the written ones. And the way every line is said just makes the actors' performances greater and better.

Real story

All facts in the book make the story believable, true. It didn't really happen, but the way John Green wrote the setting, characters, situation, makes us feel like it could've been real. I mean, the characters aren't perfect, and neither is the story/ ending (actually, the end is far from perfect). It's not about cliché characters, cliché facts. Flaws related to Hazel, Gus and Isaac make them seem real. And I don't mean only their visible flaws, like Gus's mechanical leg and a blind Isaac. Inside too. That's what makes the story so perfect.

Broken Heart

Augustus 'Gus' Waters - "That's the thing about pain. It demands to be felt."

Okay, it’s all John Green’s fault. Really, during the whole book (and movie) it seems like he rips your chest, takes your heart out, stabs it, twists it, smashes it, grinds it and throws the remaining pieces out of the window. It’s scientifically impossible for you to leave the cinema without shedding a single tear. Even if you’re cold hearted, you’ll at least feel your heart squeezing inside of you. It sounds terrible, but it actually feels good, to let your emotions out. Especially when you fall in love.

With a character, a book, or a whole movie.

Or with all of the above.