The Fault in our Stars

Green, John. The Fault in Our Stars. Dutton Books, 2012. 318 pages, $17.99 ISBN: 9780525478812 (trade)

Plot Summary:

The Fault in our Stars is not just another cancer story, it is a poignant love story between to teenagers farced to face mortality much too soon.  Hazel has been sick for years and even though the drugs have shrunk the tumors and oxygen helps her breath, her death is looming in the near future.  Hazel meets August in a support group for kids with cancer.  August is in remission from the osteosarcoma that took one of his legs.  Hazel is desperate to know that life will continue for her loved one’s after she is gone.  She becomes fixated on discovering the ending of her favorite novel, which leaves the reader hanging the narrator, dies.  The novel has great meaning for Augustus as well and together with Hazel’s mom they travel to Amsterdam to meet the author and learn the end of the story.  Instead they discover what it is to live and love.

Critical Review:

What can I say about John Green’s lastest book, The Fault in Our Stars?  It is funny, romantic, tragic, and poignant.  Hazel and Augustus’ romance may be tragic, but it was also beautiful, what they gave to each other and added to the other’s life.  You cannot help but think about mortality when reading The Fault in Our Stars and all the things you might miss out on if you were to die at 16. 

Genre:

Realistic Fiction

Romance

Interest Level:

Grade 10 and up

Similar Books:

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

Subjects/Themes:

Death/dying

Cancer

Teenagers

Relationships

Friendships

Family

Author’s Website:

http://johngreenbooks.com/

Annotation:

Hazel and Augustus fall in love after meeting in a support group for kids with cancer in this funny and tragic novel from author John Green.

Book Talking Ideas:

Hazel and Augustus meet at a support group for kids with cancer.  Despite the fact that both teens obviously have feelings for one another, Hazel holds back from Augustus, knowing that her condition is terminal.  Hazel does not want to leave Augustus behind with a broken heart, until she learns that she cannot protect Augustus from his feelings for her anymore than he can protect her from her feelings for him. 

Why I chose to include this book:

I chose to include this book because it received starred reviews from Booklist, SLJ, Publisher’s Weekly, and Kirkus.  The book was also recommended to me by a coworker.