The Fault In Our Stars by John Green (book review by Daniel Lee)

   

           Cancer is a word that strikes fear in people just by thinking about it. Cancer is truly tragic whether it's terminal or curable. Even though many cancer patients don't die, the process of recovering from cancer is truly painful.

            Hazel Grace, the 16-year-old protagonist of the story, has had cancer since she was 13. Hazel at the time of the story Hazel has stage 4 cancer thyroid cancer that has just spread to her lungs. One day, Hazel would experience extreme pain in her lungs. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't think, and everything was going black. She soon found herself lying on a hospital bed. Her lungs were filled with liquid, and she felt like she was dying. The liquids in her lungs were cleared, and in an effort to possibly suppress the pain, a doctor gave Hazel phalanxifor, an experimental drug that could suppress the pain from Hazel's thyroid cancer. In the next few weeks, Hazel's condition becomes much better and she's able to leave the hospital. But because of her cancer, she has to carry an oxygen tank and nasal cannulas wherever she goes.

            Hazel doesn't find much entertainment in life. She has cancer and not many friends, and it's not like she's going to live that far into adulthood. Her only source of joy is through reading and spending time with loved ones. In the story, Hazel says that "depression is a side effect of cancer." Hazel's parents are worried for her because she is always so sad about her life and her cancer, so they send her to a cancer support group every week. Hazel hates this support group; she doesn't like anybody in the group, and the fact that she's in a support group feels depressing to her.

             One day, everything would change. A handsome-looking dude would come to the support group. His name was Augustus Waters. Hazel was immediately interested in him. She would stare at him, and he would look back flirtingly. Augustus knew that Hazel had a crush on him, and he had a crush on her too. After the support group, Hazel and Augustus talk together a little, and Augustus invites her to his house. Hazel agrees to come. At Augustus' house, they find the spark between each other, reading. Hazel and Augustus both love reading incredibly. Hazel would recommend a book called An Imperial Affliction (this book isn't real). Both of them were intrigued by the book. Every day, they would talk about a specific scene from the book, and they would always try to figure out the author's intentions in his writings.

            After a few days of texting and talking, Hazel and Augustus both fall in love with each other, but they're afraid to commit to loving each other. Both of them have cancer, and the day one of them dies, the pain is going to be heart-wrenching. The relationship between Hazel and Augustus fluctuates between a friendship and a romantic relationship. As their love for each other becomes greater, the more their medical conditions push each other apart. But I'll leave it here because I don't want to spoil the whole book. 

            

            I thought that this book was written very well overall. At times the pace of the book can be slow, but at the same time, this slowed-down pace of storytelling shows the minor, yet important aspects of Hazel's life. The pace of the book is balanced well so that it has a good blend of slow-paced and fast-paced parts. I think that this book is worth the read. If I had to rate this book, I would give it a solid 9/10.