The Fault in Our Stars

In many book reviews of the emotional and beautiful book, The Fault in our Stars by John Green, the writer writes that he/she cried. This is very likely because the novel itself was a realistic, heart-wrenching story of 16-year-old Hazel, dying of cancer, narrating her story meeting a surviving cancer patient, Augustus. As a slightly sensitive person, I was wondering why I didn't cry, when lots of others did, awed of a beautiful story full of hope, death, realization, love, and surviving the death of a loved one. Instead of giving me an emotional story to devour, this book inspired me to survive darkness, love even when in sickness, and be powerful. The Fault in Our Stars was just beautiful, filled with questions arising in mind, the decisions whether to allow people to love you, because when you die, it will cause them great pain. Because of being such a mature young adult story, I was struggling on if I should read The Fault in Our Stars. However, now I have no regrets. With vivid details in his writing, from the staring of strangers to the description of Hazel's oxygen tubes and equipment, Green captured the attention and incredible awe in my mind. He says that he wrote this book after meeting a teen cancer patient, and his detail, powerfulness, and effectiveness to the novel clearly shows so. 

The Fault in Our Stars, an sensitive yet moving book by John Green, is about thyroid cancer-dying patient Hazel, who joins a youth support made for patients each going through a difficult disease. There, she meets Augustus Waters and they both have an instant connection immediately. However, she is determined not to love him; Hazel calls herself a grenade, and when she dies, she doesn't want to cause anyone loss and suffering. They become best friends; Augustus and Hazel both share a deep love for literature. Quotes from poets and Shakespeare were often included, causing me to love and enjoy both characters immensely. In fact, the book title, The Fault in Our Stars, comes from Julius Caesar: "The Fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but ourselves that we are underlings." Hazels always had a great urge to meet author Peter Van Houten, and Augustus makes her wish come true by using his one cancer wish to take her to Amsterdam. However, in Amsterdam, Augustus reveals a painful secret, one that leaves a scar and a remembrance in Hazel's heart forever.

As mentioned earlier, both the main characters, Hazel and Augustus captured my heart with their beautiful love for literature. They both had a connection with reading and writing, ever since they both reading An Imperial Affliction, a fictional book by their favorite author Peter Van Houten. Additionally, Hazel's mom and dad shared an unbreakable bond with their only daughter: "Even when you die, I will still be your mom, Hazel, how could I stop loving you?" This supported, soothed, and encouraged Hazel ever since she got diagnosed with cancer. The Fault In Our Stars has many metaphors, which I found beautiful and full of deep meaning. For instance, Augustus always put cigarettes in his mouth during the story, but he never smoked them. He quotes,"I put the dying thing in my mouth, but I never let it kill me." This means that no matter how much struggle or despair, you must stay strong, powerful, and fight bravely. Metaphors are a lovely way to understand life philosophically, and John Green mixed in the best for his outstanding novel.

The Fault in Our Stars is an astounding bestseller, filled with incredible life lessons that shape us as well-rounded people. I would obviously give it 5 stars, as it showered me with gifts of hope, loss, suffering, death, life, strength, courage, and most importantly, love.

Happy Reading! :)

Citation for Image:

"The Fault In Our Stars." Http://upload.wikimedia.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Aug. 2013. <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a9/The_Fault_in_Our_Stars.jpg/200px-The_Fault_in_Our_Stars.jpg>.