John Green’s The Fault In Our Stars is not your average love story.
It’s not one where you’ll find two unstoppable lovers standing in the face of danger, nor one that takes place in a happy-go-lucky world. If you were looking for a book like that, I’d recommend Twilight or Dear John. The Fault In Our Stars follows the life of teenager Hazel Grace Lancaster, who is diagnosed with terminal cancer at the young age of thirteen. With the diagnosis, her life becomes dependent on the drug Phalanxifor. Hazel’s life as a cancer patient is filled with mundane activities: visiting the doctor’s office, replacing oxygen tanks, watching America’s Next Top Model with her mom, and attending a cancer support group. However, things change when Hazel meets the charming Augustus Waters—a cancer patient in remission—at support group. The two become fast friends spending most of their time together playing video games, reading their favorite books, and for once, acting as normal teens. The book takes the reader through the extraordinary friendship of Hazel and Gus, without leaving out the reality of living with cancer.
Before I read the book, I had heard that there was something quite captivating about it. Last month, my peers were jumping on the TFIOS bandwagon, and I could see that they were not disappointed by what they read. I did the same and from the first couple pages, I was hooked and could not put the book down. Not only was I enthralled with Hazel and Gus’ quintessential relationship, I also enjoyed the other characters in the book like Isaac, their blind, melodramatic friend, and Hazel’s favorite author, Peter Van Houten.
Green’s imaginative and intimate writing style makes the reader understand every situation, know every character, and feel every emotion. I was not only captivated by the paramount events, but also by the tiny moments that would normally pass my mind. As I neared the end of the book, I realized that I didn’t want the story to end. As silly as it sounds, I was so afraid of what the last chapters held, afraid that when I closed the book I would be saying goodbye to these fictional characters I had grown to love. Needless to say, I reluctantly finished with tear-stained cheeks.
The Fault In Our Stars taught me the undeniable truth of having cancer. The book gave me a look into what real cancer patients have to go through every day, both physically and emotionally. For Hazel, her greatest fear is who she’ll affect when she dies. As she puts it, “I’m a grenade and at some point I’m going to blow up, and I would like to minimize the casualties.”
[one_third]No amount of words will ever be able to describe how I feel about this book. [/one_third]
As a reader, I found myself laughing, and at other times crying, but mostly loving the incredible work of John Green. Hazel and Augustus are two characters that will live infinitely in the hearts of readers. Their story showed me the joys of life, the apparent faults in our stars, and that we can choose to love each day. I can only hope more people, young and old, will be able to experience a book such as this. Thank you, John Green, for creating a book in which I could experience a taste of infinity. It’s been extraordinary.
