By Erin Posjena |Staff Writer|
The New York Times bestselling novel, “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green, has critics and readers alike describing it as “luminous, beautiful and an instant classic.”
The novel follows a young, terminal cancer patient named Hazel Grace Lancaster, who has plunged into a depression so deep she thinks nothing can pull her out.
The inspiration for this novel came to Green after working at a children’s hospital where he met a young cancer patient there that directly influenced him.
The novel begins with Hazel attending a cancer support group where she meets Augustus Waters, another cancer patient with an outlook on life that shows her there is more to life than just her disease.
A both tragic and romantic whirlwind begins between the two teenagers since a dark cloud looms above them.
Hazel finds herself falling in love with Augustus, which terrifies her. She tries to pull away from him by letting him know, “I’m a grenade and at some point I’m going to blow up and I would like to try to minimize the casualties.”
Augustus assures her that it is worth it for them to have this moment and that he is not going anywhere saying, “Oh, I wouldn’t mind, Hazel Grace. It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you.”
The two endure hospital visits and the fear of losing each other all while coming to the realization that their love can grow into something that is as real as ever, proving that age and time do not determine true love.
Hazel learns that sometimes love can happen in the most tragic of circumstances and she finally comes to terms with the fact that it’s okay to fully enjoy the time that she has on this earth with Augustus. She tells him, “You gave me a forever within the numbered days.”
I think that the novel is brilliantly written and I really enjoy that it is told in Hazel’s point of view. I think it allows the reader to truly feel what they are experiencing in every moment.
I highly recommend this book to any reader who is looking to be pulled into a love story that depicts struggle, illness, loss and, above all, love. Readers should definitely expect to shed a few tears!
I talked to a young reader who describes the novel as “A real page turner. I honestly think it’s breathtaking. I can reread it a million times.”
The novel is reminiscent of the Nicholas Sparks’ story, “A Walk to Remember,” which also depicts a young cancer patient falling in love in the wake of the illness but it differs in the sense that both characters are ill so it gives you a sense of uncertainty as to whether they will live or if one or both will inevitably pass away.
“The Fault in Our Stars” has been made into a feature film starring Shailene Woodley as Hazel and Ansel Elgort as Augustus and is set to be released on June 6 directed by Josh Boone.
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