The Fault in Our Stars (John Green)

*****

         When asked to describe herself, Hazel Grace Lancaster would say she is a "professional sick person".  The past few years of Hazel's life have been dominated by a diagnosis of stage IV thyroid cancer.  Now a drug has stopped the tumor in her lungs from growing (at least temporarily), buying Hazel an undetermined amount of extra time.  Still, it's not a question of if Hazel will die from this cancer - it's a question of when.
         Unsurprisingly, seventeen year-old Hazel finds this more than a little depressing.  Her mother forces her to attend a Cancer Support Group in hopes that it will add an element of normalcy to Hazel's life.  Instead of finding it helpful, Hazel sees Support Group as another depressing aspect of her mostly hopeless life.  That is, until she meets the handsome and hilarious Augustus Waters.  A cancer patient in remission, Augustus understands Hazel like no one else can.  Together, the two search for meaning in a world where death looms closer than it has a right to.  

         The Fault in Our Stars was an amazing read.  The characters were fantastic: unique, spunky, strong, and real.  Hazel, Augustus, and their friend Isaac managed to turn things that should be heartbreaking into something humorous.  Their dry wit in the face of serious situations gave me a few laughs and helped to balance out the depressing nature of a "cancer book".  However, John Green didn't avoid the tough topics - Hazel faced some harsh realities and dealt with them in a believable way.  By the end of the story, you love the three friends for their strong personalities and their honesty.  This is the kind of book that opens you up to think about life, love, and death from a new perspective.  More important than that, though, The Fault in Our Stars successfully captures a piece of the human experience in a way that's both powerful and touching.  

Rating: 5/5

Completed: April 22, 2012