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The Fault in Our Stars

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"The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green follows the story of Hazel, a teenager battling terminal cancer who meets Augustus at a support group, leading to a deep and poignant romance. The book delves into themes of life, love, friendship, and death, offering a unique perspective on facing mortality with humor and grace. Green's writing style is described as witty, emotionally captivating, and realistic, portraying teenage characters dealing with philosophical issues and existential questions in a relatable manner.

Characters:

The characters are well-developed, each showcasing their own struggles, making them relatable and engaging to the reader.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by sharp, witty dialogue and poetic prose, capturing complex emotions and making the characters feel real.

Plot/Storyline:

The novel centers on Hazel and Augustus, two teens with cancer who find love and companionship while navigating the complexities of life and impending death.

Setting:

The novel mainly takes place in Indianapolis, with key scenes in Amsterdam, enhancing the themes of exploration and connection.

Pacing:

The pacing is fast and engaging, allowing readers to immerse themselves fully without feeling overwhelmed.
Late in the winter of my seventeenth year, my mother decided I was depressed, presumably because I rarely left the house, spent quite a lot of time in bed, read the same book over and over, ate infreq...

Notes:

The book follows two teenagers, Hazel and Augustus, who meet at a cancer support group.
Hazel has terminal thyroid cancer and has been living with it for years, while Augustus is a survivor of osteosarcoma, who lost a leg.
The story explores themes of love, mortality, and the impact of cancer on young people.
Hazel is introspective and deeply philosophical, often questioning the meaning of life and her own existence.
Humor is a significant element in the book, creating a balance between sadness and joy.
Augustus brings a sense of hope and adventure to Hazel's life, encouraging her to embrace her circumstances.
The title refers to a line from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, implying destiny and the nature of human existence.
An Imperial Affliction is a fictional book within the novel that sparks Hazel and Augustus's obsession and serves as a metaphor for their struggles.
The characters reflect real teenage struggles, despite facing the extraordinary challenge of cancer, making them relatable.
The book received critical acclaim and became a bestseller, resonating with a wide audience, especially young adults.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of terminal illness, cancer, death, and emotional distress.

Has Romance?

The romance between Hazel and Augustus is a central aspect of the story and is portrayed as deep and significant.

From The Publisher:

Hazel Lancaster's mom thinks she's depressed. And Hazel agrees. But as far as the 16-year-old sees it, her depression is a mere side effect of dying from the stage IV cancer she's been battling for years.

Still, Hazel's worried parents believe that if their daughter joins a support group, her depression will lift. She'll socialize, make new friends, and share her experiences with kids who know exactly what she's feeling. Turns out, Hazel's parents are right. Hazel's mood elevates the minute she meets Augustus Waters, a hot 17-year-old with "a touch of osteosarcoma" (bone cancer).

Their connection is immediate. They get each other. Augustus even understands Hazel's need to meet the author of her favorite book, a beautiful story about life and death with a maddeningly ambiguous ending. Can Augustus help Hazel find answers and meaning before it's too late?

Despite its serious subject matter, this well-narrated work offers a hopeful message about love, faith, and renewal.

Ratings (583)

Incredible (87)
Loved It (225)
Liked It (151)
It Was OK (80)
Did Not Like (29)
Hated It (11)

Reader Stats (909):

Read It (634)
Currently Reading (1)
Want To Read (95)
Did Not Finish (12)
Not Interested (167)

19 comment(s)

Hated It
1 month

to cringy

 
Loved It
2 months

Captivating and beautifully written. All the reviews about it being painfully sad are true, but it is worth it, well worth it.

 
Loved It
3 months

I cried... that's all I have to say.

 
Loved It
4 months

Loved this - beautiful story even through the pain, for me it lived up to the hype!

 
Incredible
5 months

Oh my. I laughed and I cried, and I'm pretty sure I've never encountered a more honest and heartbreaking tale. These teens have not died; fiction has brought them to life, and they are real. An incredibly powerful story of hope and love and loss, and gain. Because it's all about what they gained, in the end - each other.

 
6 months

Oh what to say about this book...... I can not tell you how much I enjoyed this. I loved the narration, getting inside Hazel's head. Too many books that have dealt with this subject are told from outside the situations, from a family member or observer. John Green takes you into not the suffering but the emotional thoughts and fears.

I couldn't help but root for these characters and John Green's storytelling helps you to understand how a split moment can change everything. This book is about living in the best way you know how and it shows you the reality and ugliness of how some people are treated differently because we don't understand the issues at hand.

 
Loved It
6 months

I feel as though my heart has just been ripped from my chest. I struggled to read the last several chapters as my tears were blurring my vision. This is truly beautiful literature which I feel I will never forget. It has nestled itself into my soul and there it shall remain. It is a heartbreakingly beautiful novel.

 
Incredible
6 months

The fault in our stars is a good book

but I hated it when Gus dies. It made me cry really badly.

 
Incredible
6 months

The humor and yet reality of the experiences that Hazel has really bring the book together. Thank you John Green for opening a new perspective for all of your readers! It was beautiful.

 
Incredible
7 months

I knew I would give this book five stars when I read the author's note: "Neither novels nor their readers benefit from attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. Such efforts attack the very idea that made-up stories can matter, which is sort of the foundational assumption of our species."

THIS. THIS RIGHT HERE.

Having won me over before the story even began, Green continued on to create a series of brilliant, heartbreaking, funny, real characters who struggle with the biggest ideas: love, death, the universe, everything. Hazel, Gus, and Isaac are cancer kids who would happily burn every Nicholas Sparks book ever written. They navigate their illnesses with an almost alarming practicality. This is a book about kids with cancer, but not one note of it is treacly or overwrought. Beautiful, funny, heartbreaking, and never self-important. One of the best love stories I've read all year.

Just don't read it anywhere you don't want to be witnessed ugly-crying.

 
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About the Author:

John Green is the award-winning, #1 bestselling author of books including Looking for Alaska, The Fault in Our Stars, and Turtles All the Way Down. His books have received many accolades, including a Printz Medal, a Printz Honor, and an Edgar Award. John has twice…

 
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