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[mare]

Because it was an incredible read!

It was a young adult novel but written in a way that didn't make you feel like that's what it was.

His two main characters are teenagers with so much insight and smarts even you find yourself saying "huh?" at their reflections.

You could use the words "it's about two kids with terminal cancer & it's absolutely hilarious!" to describe the book lol

Really a great story, don't get me wrong it's no 50 Shades, but a great read nonetheless lol

[RokofAges75]

I also just read this book at Mare's recommendation and will echo her thoughts!  It was a great read!  I wasn't sure if it was considered YA or not because, although the main characters are teenagers, it wasn't written in a cheesy, cliched YA cancer kid story way.  In fact, it even mocks that genre in the book LOL.

I loved how honest and realistic and CURRENT it felt.  You can tell it's a new book because it contains a lot of current pop culture references and modern slang (my favorites were the America's Next Top Model marathons and use of the word "douche" LOL).  I was surprised to get to the About the Author page at the end and be reminded that the author was a guy because he wrote the narrator, a 16-year-old girl, SO WELL.

What I didn't love so much was the way Hazel and Augustus actually talked to each other because that didn't feel so realistic - they had a case of the Dawson's Creek/OC syndrome, in which teenagers are far wittier and more pretentious than kids in real life.  But their dialogue was clever and often very funny, so I can forgive them that one flaw.

It WAS very funny.  I may have shed a few tears, but I laughed a lot more than I cried.  My favorite books are the ones that get me to do both, so two thumbs up to this one!

[mare]

Yeah I agree about the dialogue. If one of them were that witty it would have been different but both if them plus Issac as well was a bit hard to believe at times but I'd still take that over the "yo dude, sup'!" kind if dialogue any day! lol

[RokofAges75]

Yeah, at least it gave me more faith in the future... too bad they were only fictional teens, and too bad even if they weren't fictional teens, they wouldn't live long enough to save the future anyway. *sigh*

[Pengi]

I agree also!! This is one of my favorite books I've read in a very long time, and I've read it several times over quite enthusiastical ly since it came out earlier this year.... It was heartbreaking and hilarious all at the same time.

As I said on Twitter, if you like FIOS, I also strongly recommend the author's other title, Looking For Alaska, which has a modern "Catcher in the Rye" with a twist feeling. Another incredible read. 

[mare]

What did you think about the ending? I admit I was a little afraid it was going to end mid sentence like An Imperial Affliction lol but it did leave things hanging. The same kinds of questions AIA left which I loved as well.

[RokofAges75]

I was fine with the ending.  I'm glad it didn't end mid-sentence, and I'm glad we found out what Augustus wrote on those pieces of paper that were missing.  I wasn't left unsatisfied.

[Carter-Orange]

Thanks for the recommendation, it looks like the kind of book I'd like, so I'll add it to my list

[mare]

You'd enjoy this one, Steph

[Pengi]

Honestly I was disappointed it DIDN'T end midsentence. I'm glad it wrapped up the way it did and we know what Augustus wrote, but I really wish he'd ended it EXACTLY like AIA ended. But I'm weird like that, lol.

[mare]

I was full on expecting him to end it mid sentence & normally I love that too. I wanted a resolution this time though. I am glad that he left Hazel's fate up to our imaginations.

[RokofAges75]

*SPOILER*  (Really, though, if you haven't read the book, stay out of the thread until you do!)

I just loved the whole twist of Augustus being the one who died instead of Hazel.  It was sadder than if it had been the other way around, but that's the way it goes sometimes.

*SPOILER*

[mare]

I agree but I really had a feeling she wasn't going to die only because of the first person narrative. If they switched off between the two of them, it would have been different for me. That's why I thought it might end in mid sentence lol a part of me thought he was going to die but I was truly sad when he actually did. Talk about doing a great job with description, that scene with him in the car & the feeding tube was just heartbreaking!

Random, but I loved the egging the car part too! lol & the literal heart of JESUS

[RokofAges75]

I dunno, I've read another book in this genre that was written in first person present tense, and the narrator did die.  It can be done!  But yeah, I know what you mean.  It wasn't that unpredictable, but I liked it anyway.  It was really sad, though.

The whole support group thing cracked me up!  Literal heart of Jesus and Patrick's ball-less-ness LOL.

[mare]

I've read those too but this guy didn't strike me as the kind of author who would do that. I think he probably modeled Van Houten after himself lol

Patrick and his ballslessness lol and how her mom would make a better Patrick than Patrick.

All of those moments kept things really light otherwise this would have been a really depressing novel lol