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.

Sarah’s Review of The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars is an emotional book that follows the life of Hazel and her friend Augustus, who are two teenagers who have/are battling with Cancer. While death might feel like something that’s inevitable, neither of them expect to find a love for each other that creates a bond between them that will last through thick and thin.

I went into this book knowing what it was about and expecting it to be emotional. But for me personally it wasn’t so much a balling-out-loud hysterically sad kind of emotional but a dull depressing, almost hopeless emotional. I felt so bad for both of them because Cancer has taken from each of them one or more things that they can never get back and it continues to steal from their lives throughout the book.

So I’m actually struggling with this review because the book didn’t necessarily make me feel good and in fact made me feel a little like crap. But at the same time if the goal was to put me into Hazel’s (and to a lesser degree Augustus’) shoes, then it certainly accomplished that. Even in the midst of good things happening, there is always an underlying sadness surrounding their lives.

But there are moments of goodness and happiness. I really enjoyed watching the friendship between Hazel, Augustus, and Isaac because all three of them have been touched by Cancer and understand each other. Most people on the outside of Cancer tend to get very serious around those who are currently or have gone through it. But these three just plain get each other and even though their battles are different, they are there for each other in a way that someone who has never had Cancer could be — making each other laugh and getting through the hard times while still managing to find sparks of hope within the darkness. I think this was my favorite part about the book, that these three had each other rather than going through it all alone.

Overall this is a good, but certainly a sad book and I’d recommend reading it only when you’re in the mood for that kind of book. I’ll also be trying some more John Green books as I enjoyed his writing style.