The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
Release Date – January 10, 2012
Publisher Website –  Penguin
Publisher Social Media -  Twitter
Pages -318 pages
My Rating- 5/5
**obtained from Book Expo America/publisher for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.  

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. 

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

This novel should come with a warning label. It should first warn you that you will fall hopelessly in love with Augustus Waters. Secondly, it should warn you to have tissues at the ready.

I had not read a John Green novel previous to this, and I am not at all sure why. His writing is effortlessly charming and engaging. I found myself loving so many passages and quotes as I was reading. His skill with humour, sarcasm, and realism blend to create something truly amazing.

Hazel knows she is dying. She's known for awhile. The treatment she is currently undergoing isn't doing much other than buying her time. Time she is perfectly happy spending with her parents, watching Next Top Model episodes and reading her favourite book. This character could have been so many different things. Dealing with cancer could have made her angry, bitter, and cancer could have been her defining trait. Instead John Green made her still be Hazel. He's written her as someone with cancer rather than having the illness define who she is. She's aware of how much it sucks, and deals with it using her sense of humour and grace. I loved her and agonized, cheered and sighed along the entire journey with her.

Augustus Waters, the good looking guy she meets in support group provides Hazel with a reason to venture outside her comfort zone, and let down some of the walls she has built. I adored Augustus from first time he put his unlit cigarette to his lips. His quirky sense of humour, mixed with his adorable charm made me fall for him right along with Hazel.

The romance is really captivating. The chemistry between Hazel and Augustus is undeniable and joyous to see develop. They lift each other up, experience new things together and see each other through their best and worst.

The cancer plot was written with respect, and is unflinchingly real. The humour in which the characters deal with their illness is contrasted with the stark realities of this devastating illness.

The last ¼ of this book destroyed me. The ending few lines lingered long after the last sob escaped my mouth. The simple words “I do” left me gasping with tears as I closed the novel. I felt fortune to have experienced Hazel and Augustus journey and these are two characters I will never forget. John Green’s achingly beautiful novel will leave you in tears, make you laugh and remind you that while we can't protect ourselves from pain, we can chose who impacts our lives.