The Fault in Our Stars is a love story, a comedy and a tragedy all in one. With its star-crossed lovers, thought-provoking chapters, wit, and solemnity, this book appeals to sophisticated literature lovers and poolside readers alike.
The novel chronicles the life of 16-year-old lung cancer patient Hazel Grace Lancaster.When she meets Augustus Waters at a support group meeting, her breath is, quite literally, taken away. Augustus has a prosthetic leg and is in cancer remission, yet he is able to maintain a positive attitude throughout the difficult challenges of his life.
“His [Augustus’] value of optimism was inspiring throughout the book. Augustus kept a smile on his face and tried to make everyone around him happy,” Convent of the Sacred Heart sophomore Tess Driscoll said. “He did not want anyone to be sad because of his condition and he certainly did not want people to worry about him. Everything he did was in effort to make those around him happy.”
Augustus shows Hazel a new outlook on life and takes her on adventures that her sickness had kept her from experiencing. In turn, Hazel finds herself falling hopelessly and immensely in love him.
Although the novel focuses on the hardships of cancer patients, it also carries readers along the bumpy and somewhat comical road of being a teenager.
“He [Green] made it easy to understand what she was going through and did not feel the need to sugar-coat her condition. Hazel was funny, which is especially important in novels surrounding dark topics,” Tess said.
Hazel and Augustus bring readers on the up-and-down journey of their relationship. With each adventure, the reader is able to develop an even closer relationship with Hazel and can further understand her happiness and her difficulties.
“The most important message that I got from the book was to be happy,” freshman Sheila James said about the positive messages in the book. “It reminded me that even when life gets tough, remember to not let your challenges define you, look for happiness in life and concentrate on living your life instead of wasting it thinking about your death.”
This novel should be next on the reading list for Harry Potter fans. Green’s writing style, similar to J.K. Rowling’s, creates an addictive read that provokes a desire to finish the entire book in a single sitting.
Green was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and attended Kenyon College. As an accomplished writer and critic, he has won multiple awards for his works. In 2006, he won a Michael L. Printz Award for Looking for Alaska, while his most recent book, The Fault in Our Stars, spent a consecutive 75 weeks on USA TODAY’s 2012 Best-Selling Books list. The Fault in Our Stars was also awarded TIME Magazine’s #1 Fiction Book of 2012, and was recognized as a #1 New York Times Bestseller, a #1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller, and a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice.
Fans of the book eagerly await the release of The Fault in Our Stars movie, which will premier June 6, 2014.
Green is actively involved in the production of the movie. He posts frequent tweets and Instagram photos, as well as weekly video blogs on his YouTube channel, about the process of filming. His videos feature short interviews with cast members, sneak-peaks of the set, and segments in which he reads and analyzes his own books.
“I think that it is a really good idea that the author is involved in the producing of the movie. It’s great because then it will be as close to possible to the book and how the author wants it to be,” Sheila said.
– Alexandra Dimitri, Staff Writer