The fault in our stars by John Green - Book Review

‘The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, for we are underlings.’- Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare.

A moving tale of the beauty, tragedy and surprise of first love, and the way it shapes and defines our lives.

At the age of thirteen, Hazel Grace Lancaster was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and on death’s door until a medical miracle saved her life and gave her a few more years to live.

Now, a few years later, she is only sure of one thing, that her time on Earth is limited, so her days are filled with nothing but doctor’s appointments, support groups and waiting to die.

Until she meets Augustus Waters at her support group, a persistent and oddly charming young man determined to make Hazel life her life instead of simply going through the motions. 

John Green has his work cut out for him with a genre that is filled with cookie-cutter love stories, and the guaranteed happy ending that’s forgotten as soon as the last page is turned.

Not only does he manage to update a familiar tale, but he also gives it some much-needed realism, making sure his story has both feet planted on the ground.

Hazel and Augustus are both raw, vulnerable and real, and Green doesn’t attempt to romanticize or sugar coat their illness. Instead, he approaches it with a lot of heart, compassion, and most importantly sensitivity.

His characters are wise, and experienced, far more than they should be for their age, but it’s only in their love for each other that they can be young and free. Green’s writing is filled with heart, gumption, and poignancy, propelling this beautiful story forward and into the hearts and minds of readers.