The Fault in our Stars

Book - The fault in our Stars

Author - John Green

Publisher - Penguin Books

This book is about Hazel Grace Lancaster. She was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer at the age of thirteen which had affected her lungs. She was cured of cancer because of a drug. But her lungs were very weak and she had to use an oxygen cylinder to breathe. She is a smart, but a reserved person. She does not have a lot of friends. Her world is limited to her family, support group (which she hates going to) and some old school mates.

She meets Augustus Waters (Gus)  during a support group meeting. She finds him really attractive and good looking. He too falls for her the moment he saw her. They started talking due to their common friend Issac (who was also a cancer survivor but lost his eyes in the process). Hazel learns that Gus had osteosarcoma and one of his leg was amputated and he had a prosthetic leg.

They started meeting each other, sharing their favorite things and suggesting their favorite books to each other. Hazel's favorite book was "An Imperial Affliction" by Peter Van Houten. After reading this book Gus also fell in love with it. But he had a problem as the book ended without any conclusion. He was very much disturbed by it and talked to Hazel about it. She told him that she had written a lot of letters to the author, but he had never responded.

Gus was very restless and he wrote an email to the secretary of the author. He got a response and when he told this to Hazel she was very surprised. She too started writing emails to the authors secretary.

After a lot of emails the author invites them to Amsterdam to meet him. Both of them are really excited. Hazel asks her parents for their permission but her mother doesn't agree due to Hazel's health and the lack of financial resources. Gus decides to use his wish (a foundation fulfills a wish of kids with cancer) to go to Amsterdam with Hazel.

Hazel's health deteriorates and she is admitted in the hospital. The doctors have a meeting about her condition and weather she can go to Amsterdam or not. The doctors agree but her mother was also asked to go with her.

The three of them enjoy a lot in Amsterdam. They meet the author, Peter Van Houten, but they find out that he was a complete alcoholic, a weirdo and extremely rude. They do not get their answers regarding the novel.

They confess their feelings to each other. Hazel later finds out that Gus had developed cancer and he was in the last stage. She was shocked but still did not leave him as she loved him.

After coming back home, Gus starts with his treatment. But his health deteriorates. Later he passes away which leaves Hazel shattered. However she acceptes the truth and moves on with her life keeping Gus in her memory. Later she finds an email by Gus to Peter Van Houten telling him how rude he was and how much he (Gus) loved Hazel.

This is a very emotional and tragic book. It tells us about the life of cancer patients, how people look at them, how the patients think about themselves and how they feel. It tells us about the difficulties faced by their families. This book is also adapted in a movie starring Shailene Woodley as Hazel and Ansel Elgort as Gus.