The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I've always thought it was a cliche.  You know, when someone says she loved a book so much she started it over as soon as she finished.  I didn't believe people actually did that.  I hardly ever reread books at all (aagh...the burden of all the unread books in the world), so it follows that I wouldn't spend my scant reading minutes rereading something I just read.  Why would I do that?  Now, I have been so moved by a book that I feel paralyzed after finishing it.  I just want to sit with the book for awhile, to recall its beauty and revel in its pain, to not speak of it or anything else until I have adequately allowed that moment to just happen.  

But flip it back to front and start again?  Never.

Last Saturday, I worked LATE - serious sleep-deprivation late - and when I finally pulled myself away from the computer, I hesitated with my hand over the cover of the book I'd gotten from the library the week before. I knew I would want to start it, but I also knew I needed to just go to sleep. I also knew (as many of you do) that I need that pre-sleep reading time to focus my too-active brain on something, so I grabbed it up and headed for the dark room. And 100 pages into The Fault in Our Stars, I was still up. The next night, there I was, up until 2 again, reading while comforting the dog during a thunderstorm (I mean, while I'm up, right?). And the next afternoon in the hammock. And again that night when I went to bed at 8:30 and read until I was finished. Once I had closed the book, I did have that paralysis. I did just need to sit and not speak for a time to let the last notes of this song fade appropriately and respectfully.   

And then, I did this:

Sara ‏@wordyevidence

Just finished The Fault in our Stars. thanks@realjohngreen#startingovernow

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9:48 PM - 15 Oct 12 · Details

And I did.  I flipped it back to front and started again.  Not because it was perfect (it's not) or because I was so moved (I was), but because I had read it with such hunger that I didn't take the time to mark all the good stuff (there is plenty).  So, this is not a review.  I have to finish rereading it to put proper thoughts together and to share all the good (no, great) stuff.  And to properly critique the uneven parts.  And to urge you, as if you haven't already been urged, to read. this. book.  Oh wait.  That part I can do.