The Fault in Our Stars

 

Summary (from the publisher): Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

 

Review: This best selling young adult novel is told from the perspective of Hazel, who is terminally ill with cancer that originated in her thyroid but spread to her lungs. An experimental drug has managed to buy her a little time, which is how she happens to meet August Waters at her support group for other teenagers with cancer. August (or Gus) had osteosarcoma and had one of his legs removed. This is their love story, but also the story of the ends of their lives.

 

I liked that Gus finds Hazel beautiful even though she sees herself as puffy from cancer treatment and lugging her oxygen tank around. I like that they bond by sharing their favorite books with each other.

 

Hazel is very mindful of her parents' suffering. In fact, concern for her parents is a driving force to Hazel's motivation to keep going, because as Hazel says, "There is only one thing in this world shittier than biting it from cancer when you're sixteen, and that's having a kid who bites it from cancer" (7). One of the most heartbreaking moments (and there are many in this novel) is when Hazel recounts overhearing her mother sobbing to her father, telling him that she will no longer be a mom when her daughter dies.

 

I also thought Green did a great job not only writing from a teenage girl's perspective, but capturing her isolation due to her illness. Hazel feels disconnected from her old high school friends and stifled by her main social support, her parents. So it makes sense that Augustus and Hazel to bond, and then eventually fall in love.

 

At times I was frustrated by Hazel's narrative, which is told in first person, and is at times very teenage girl sounding. But I do need to keep in mind that this is a young adult novel, so I think overall Hazel's voice is true to her character. If anything, Hazel strikes me as exceedingly well read and wise for someone her age.

 

This story is a heartbreaker. This is the only story these two young people will have. They're out of time, as their health deteriorates and they fight their cancer; "It is a civil war, Hazel Grace, with a predetermined winner."

 

Hazel and Augustus bond over their mutual love for a fictional book in the novel entitled An Imperial Affliction about a girl with cancer. The book ends in the middle of a sentence (implying that the girl has probably died) so the reader never gets to find out about the fate of the rest of the characters. This bothers Hazel and Augustus, although they both agree this is realistic - death is final and there are no postscripts to finish the story. In a way, The Fault in Our Stars is Hazel's answer to Gus spending his last good weeks trying fruitlessly to find out the answer to the book's ending - Hazel has narrated Gus' ending for him so at least his story has an ending. That's true love.

 

Stars:4