The Fault in Our Stars
by John Green

A friend of mine on Goodreads posted the following review of this book:

“Wow.”

I have to agree.  Wow.

The Fault In Our Stars is a novel about cancer, and dying, and being young, and being in love.  It’s a novel about being young and in love while also dying of cancer.  Somehow, though, it manages to not be smarmy or sappy or overly sentimental, while still yanking on your heartstrings.

Narrated by sixteen-year old Hazel who has been hanging on for three years with terminal cancer, she tells of meeting seventeen-year old Augustus, amputee and in remission from his own cancer, at a youth cancer support group.  The two hit it off immediately and quickly become nearly inseparable.  At the heart of the story is their shared love of a (fictional) book entitled An Imperial Affliction – a novel about a teenage girl with terminal cancer.   As the book ends abruptly, leaving both Hazel and Augustus frustrated, they use a Genie wish (wishes granted to terminally ill kids, much like the real-life Make A Wish Foundation) to travel to Amsterdam to meet the author of AIA in the hopes of getting some answers.  While their meeting with the author turns out to be a huge disappointment, their trip to Amsterdam cements their romantic relationship.  But, of course, tragedy is right around the corner.

I loved, loved, loved this book.  Knowing that cancer plays a major role, I wasn’t sure I would like it despite the glowing reviews, if only because my husband is in remission from cancer (four and a half years now!), and reading or hearing about cancer still touches a raw spot for me.  The author does a fabulous job telling the story from a teenage girl’s point of view – I’m always impressed when writers are able to so believably write as the opposite sex.  Profound, witty, and yes, tragic, this book asks big questions, and ultimately is as much about being alive as it is about dying.

And it’s going to be a movie!