The Fault in Our Stars

Author: John Green
Pages: 336
Lexile: 850
Genre: Romantic Drama
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The book takes place in Indianapolis.  This book takes place in current times. Hazel Grace is the main character and is a seventeen year old girl with cancer.  She has had cancer since she was a young girl. Another character is Augustus Waters.  He is a boy Hazel meets at the cancer support group in a church shaped like a cross. The support group meets in the middle of the cross because they feel like they are in the middle of Jesus’s heart.  Hazel’s mom makes her attend the meetings.  Hazel feels like she does not need the support group.  Then one day she met Augustus (Gus) Waters and there is an immediate connection between the two.  They kept staring at each other during the meeting.  Throughout the book Hazel and Gus become really good friends and fall in love. The main conflict of the story is that both of them have cancer and the story is about living.

The book starts with the beginning of Hazel and Gus’s relationship.  They start as friends and then fall in love.  They go on a trip to Amsterdam together and Hazel finds out some unfortunate news.  The rest of the book deals with the aftermath of the unfortunate news.

Gus teaches Hazel that it does not matter that you have cancer, you can still live your life to the fullest.  Before Hazel met Gus, she spent her time re-reading the same fictional novel by her favorite author and watching television with her mom.  No friends ever come over to the house to visit with Hazel.  Once Hazel meets Gus everything changes.  He teaches her how to live life and enjoy life.  Hazel realizes she has to live her life to the fullest.

I liked Gus the most.  He was able to change Hazel, he was romantic, and he was a good friend not just to Hazel but to his friend who goes blind.  One thing I did not like about the book was that overall it was a sad book. People who like romance, drama, and are not afraid to cry will like this book.  I think this book deserves five stars for it’s amazing characters and fun story.

Contributed by: Melissa Batchman