The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars is definitely one of those books which are impossible to put down and one wouldn’t mind reading it again and again because of its exceptionally written quotes and dialogues. John Green in this small book has undoubtedly depicted the inevitability of life in an absolutely phenomenal manner.

This heart breaking story is narrated by a depressed 16 year old girl, Hazel Grace Lanchester, who is dying from cancer in her failing lungs. On enforcement of her mother, she joins a support group where she meets Augustus Waters, a brilliant twist in the story, another 16 year old cancer patient, who loses his leg from this life-threatening disease.

Augustus’s persona makes it explicable that his and Hazel’s intellectual level is quite similar, which is why they become best friends with each other very quickly. Hazel shares about her interests and her deep love for her most favorite book, An Imperial Affliction, which later on becomes Augustus’s favorite as well. Both, via ample of text messages and phone calls, discuss their perspectives regarding the book and spend more time together. Later on, expectedly, they fall for one another. What makes this story distinctive from any mainstream love story is that both the fictional characters are cancer patients. In this book, death has been described in an ultimate genuine manner. It portrays how in this short finite life pain can keep two people connected and how without pain it is absolutely impossible for one to feel and cherish joy.

I would like to highlight two very influential quotes from the book here:

“You don’t get to choose if you get hurt in this world, but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices.”

”The world is not a wish-granting factory.”

The most impressive part of this book is the valor with which Augustus and Hazel deal with their illness and chose to enjoy the little time they had left in this world together, instead of ranting about how life was unfair to them. They embraced whatever universe blessed them with and appreciated the love they got from the people in their lives.

A lot of people around me find this book a bit amateurish, maybe because it is about two teenagers. From where I see it, besides giving a great insight about the severe pain that children with chronic illnesses like cancer go through, it also gives a lesson about how intense and unconditional is the love of parents towards their children and their care has no confines. For me it’s a life altering book that taught me to value life and whatever it has to offer, wholeheartedly. Moreover, this book has taught me to foresee death from a whole new perspective.

Now I am anxiously waiting for June to arrive to watch the movie of this bestselling book, which is also anticipated to be the best movie of this year. I hope Shailine Woodley and Ansel Elgort do complete justice with their characters Hazel and Augustus Waters, respectively.