The Fault In Our Stars by John Green Book Review
“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.” — John Green (The Fault In Our Stars)
I had only just finished reading my first owned novel, Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green, and was overwhelmed with emotions. I remembered walking into the bookstore and randomly picking a book, while silently praying it was good. Amazingly, it was better than I’d hoped and after completion of the book, I desperately wanted to read other books by the same author. Shortly after, I downloaded The Fault In Our Stars ebook and finished reading it in 24 hours. This is easily the first ebook I’ve completed in such a short timeframe.
In 2014, when The Fault In Our Stars movie came out, I was home on a break and I listened to my sister talk about how the movie had made her cry while watching. I was surprised that my sister, who rarely sheds a tear, did so because of a movie and I was eager to see why. Every scene had me trying to hold back tears. No movie had gotten me so emotional since I saw Titanic which was a long time ago.
Six years after the movie release, I decided to read the book seeing the movie came out great. I’m thrilled I did because, although it’s fictional, I gained much knowledge from the book. Asides their love story, I enjoyed the poetry a lot because it compelled me to see life differently.
Title: The Fault In Our Stars
Author: John Green
Publisher: Dutton Books, a member of Penguin Groups
Year: 2012
Genre: Romance, Young adult fiction
About the Book:
The Fault In Our Stars primarily focuses on the life of a young girl, Hazel Grace Lancaster, in her adolescent years who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. When her mum realizes she is depressed, she forces her to attend a weekly support group, which consists of other kids suffering from various forms of cancer. Hazel finds the gathering depressing because she couldn’t understand why people would meet in a church to talk about an illness that might kill them.
After failing to convince her mum not to attend the support group, she grudgingly went. That day, she crossed paths with a charming and attractive young boy, Augustus Waters. Augustus is a seventeen-year-old boy recovering from osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer that cost him his leg. He is friends with Isaac from the support group, who is a familiar face to Hazel. Isaac is equally in recovery, after surgically removing his eye as a kid due to eye cancer.
Hazel and Augustus meet after the support group and get to know each other. They soon begin a friendship and exchange their favorite books. After he finishes reading her favorite book; An Imperial Affliction, Augustus becomes obsessed with meeting the author, Peter Van Houten. Months pass, and they finally decide to travel across the world to meet him. On their journey, they experience a rollercoaster of emotions as they try to enjoy every second they have left together. Ultimately, Hazel experienced true love with Augustus, and their love story transformed her life forever.
“Without Pain, How Could We Know Joy?”
Themes:
The Fault In Our Stars is a tale of laughter, sadness, love, friendship, journeys, hardship, trials, not-so-happy-ever after, infinities, and okays. This is a story that could change your life, the way you look at the world and everything in it. There is not a single character that is not crafted into perfection.
This is a story not only for teens but for everyone. It teaches us about love and sacrifice, and above all, it teaches us that life is short. We should spend every moment trying to make a difference — even if that difference is just making our best friend or a family member smile.
Lessons Learned:
- Life is short: Hazel and Augustus teach us to live every moment to the fullest because we can’t do that when we’re gone. No type of illness should prevent us from living the best life that we can. We should be kind to one another, show our loved ones how much they’re cared for, and spend time with them.
- Good parents need to be cherished: Hazel’s mum did her best to care for her sick daughter and at the same time, study for a degree. Even though it was hard, she was able to care for Hazel whenever she needed her. The amount of commitment, dedication, and patience that parents have is immeasurable.
- Don’t pretend you’re okay: Pain demands to be felt. There are two main ways that we approach upsetting situations. Some of us release our anger and frustration right at the moment. Some of us, however, bottle up our emotions and attempt to deal with problems on our own. Hazel falls in the latter, but as she gradually gets to know Augustus, she realizes it’s okay to not be okay.
- Love is beautiful: Apart from being a sucker for fantasy, I undoubtedly believe in having a soul mate. Augustus was Hazel’s person; he understood her, sacrificed for her, loved her, and stood by her through her tough time and she fell deeply in love with him. She was with him until the end. Sure love comes with all kinds of risks, whether or not you have cancer, but it’s love and it’s beautiful.
- Educate yourself: Hazel stopped attending school when she was first diagnosed with cancer. Because of her illness, she didn’t have many friends, so she read to keep herself busy on most days. I can say she was more knowledgeable than any of her peers because she always read and kept herself updated. That is a good quality to emulate.
What I Loved:
The Fault In Our Stars is one book that has won my heart deeply. It filled me with so many emotions; I cried, laughed, and learned from each chapter. I could recognize the pain Hazel’s mum felt while trying to be strong for her daughter. Being strong for a sick loved one is hard, but with everything going on, she was capable of finding the strength to push forward.
John Green did a beautiful job with this book, and he has won my heart with his written words. I can’t wait to read his other books. I’ll be sure to post it on my social media pages. If you enjoy young adult books, full of love, humor, and heartbreaking events, this book is perfect for you. Expect to laugh, cry, and smile throughout this masterpiece by the amazing John Green. I guarantee you’ll love it.
