Book Review: The Fault In Our Stars

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

Occasionally I'll read one of those books that leaves my thoughts totally muddled when it comes to trying to write a review. This is one of those books, so instead I've just made a small list of the key points.

1. This is by far my favorite John Green novel. I also think it's his best writing thus far. When I found out the story was told from the point of view of a 16-year-old girl, I was somewhat nervous, I'll admit, but I had no need to worry.

2. I laughed often. If you do not laugh while reading this book, you simply have no sense of humor. Example of said humor:

Me: “I refuse to attend Support Group.”
Mom: “One of the symptoms of depression is disinterest in activities.”
Me: “Please just let me watch America’s Next Top Model. It’s an activity.”
Mom: “Television is a passivity.”
Me: “Ugh, Mom, please.”
Mom: “Hazel, you’re a teenager. You’re not a little kid anymore. You need to make friends, get out of the house, and live your life.”
Me: “If you want me to be a teenager, don’t send me to Support Group. Buy me a fake ID so I can go to clubs, drink vodka, and take pot.”
Mom: “You don’t take pot, for starters.”
Me: “See, that’s the kind of thing I’d know if you got me a fake ID.”
Mom: “You’re going to Support Group.”
Me: “UGGGGGGGGGGGGG.”
Mom: “Hazel, you deserve a life.”
- page 7

3. I cried. And you will likely cry. So have tissues handy. This books deals with death and dying. That being said, I never actually felt as if I was reading a novel filled with doom and gloom. For all the humor, I think the heavy can be found in equal measure.

4. Hazel Grace Lancaster. She is made of awesome. Often, when reading an novel from the point of view of a female character, I find myself frustrated at some point, but I never felt that frustration with Hazel. She was just so honest.

5. Augustus Waters. He's hot and he knows it, but he's also such an amazingly sweet guy. It was very hard not to fall in love with him right along with Hazel.

I know this list doesn't really say much for the plot of the story, but I think it's just one of those books that has to be read so you can see for yourself, but I cannot adequately articulate just how much I adore this novel.