The Fault in Our Stars
The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green, has garnered gobs of critical acclaim already; here’s some more.
The story Green tells is that of Hazel Grace Lancaster, a teenager living with terminal cancer in Indianapolis, Indiana. While that’s not generally the first ingredient for an uplifting novel, the way he tells her story is nothing short of magical. She speaks like a tamer version of Holden Caulfield, but not in a way that would alienate anyone. Insightful, witty, and able to relate the day-to-day thinking of a teenage girl within the context of someone with much bigger issues on her mind, both mental and physical (e.g., her oxygen tank), I became a huge fan of Green and of his characters from the get-go.
The story begins with Hazel attending her “cancer kids group” at a local church (referred to as The Literal Heart of Jesus Church). At this meeting, she becomes captivated by a “guest speaker” named Augustus Waters, a teenage boy who has beaten cancer, albeit with the loss of one leg as a result. They meet and feel a mutual attraction toward one another (although Hazel is a bit confused and bewildered as to why this handsome, engaging young man might be interested in her). The two of them share some of their “likes”, and begin to bond over a book called “An Imperial Affliction”, by Peter Van Houten — a book that Hazel has read countless times and is obsessed with. Their mutual curiousity surrounding what happens to the characters in Van Houten’s book after the book ends leads them on an adventure to discover themselves and what life really means.
There are some sad and heartbreaking topics touched on in this book; but the way Green handled them left me smiling. I think this is a book that will be talked about for quite some time.
February 28, 2012 9:57 am 
Subscribe
