The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

★★★★★

The Fault in Our Stars is a beautifully told story of the love that develops between two teenagers who meet during a cancer support group. The story, which is both funny and sad, is told from the point of view of Hazel Grace Lancaster. 

Sixteen-year-old Hazel has had thyroid cancer, which has spread to her lungs, for as long as she can remember. Her life revolves around treatments, doctor visits, hospitalizations, and placating her protective mom until she meets handsome survivor Augustus “Gus” Waters. Gus is in remission from his osteosarcoma, which resulted in his leg being amputated.

“Maybe ‘okay’ will be our ‘always’.”

John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

The pair bond over dealing with cancer at young ages, how they attempt to shield their families from their pain, and a shared love of reading. In a quest to meet the author of Hazel’s favorite book, Hazel and Gus travel to Amsterdam, where the two make several discoveries.

I found Hazel Grace to be an unforgettable character – I was drawn in by her wit and wisdom. My book club reads books featuring strong women characters and Hazel is a stand-out among the many we have encountered since the club started in 2014.

Classified as Young Adult (YA), this book tackles some very grown-up subjects with humor and compassion and leaves a lasting imprint on teens and adults of all ages. 

Green does an excellent job writing the book in a way that made me feel all of the emotions – I laughed, I screamed, and I cried (okay, bawled) during the course of this impactful story.

An avid reader, I rarely get attached to physical copies of the books I read. There just simply isn’t enough room for me to keep all of the hard-copy books I like or even love. However, primarily because of the courageous Hazel Grace, The Fault in Our Stars has earned a permanent place on my bookshelves.