The Fault in Our Stars, John Green

*warning, spoilers ahead*

“The marks humans leave are too often scars.”

The Fault in Our Stars is a book many people are talking about these days, and with good reason. However, I first have to admit that, originally, I was somewhat reluctant to read this novel, for a number of different reasons. The main reason is because it is a book that has received a great deal of attention recently, not just amongst readers but in the media as well. Due to the disappointment of recent book-to-film adaptations, I have become a bit skeptical when it comes to reading books that are being turned into films. With a film adaptation being released, it is also hard not to hear about the plot and have the story ruined by 'spoilers'. Once more, with a film adaptation there is also, of course, the casting of the main roles. Once you know who they have been cast in a film, it can often be hard to imagine the characters the way you would personally, had you not been previously influenced by what you had heard about in relation to the film. This is something that greatly put me off reading The Fault in Our Stars; like with the 'Divergent' series, the more I read, the more unconvinced I became about Shailene Woodley playing the protagonist role. 

Another reason I was unenthusiastic about reading this novel was due to the the subject matter, which to some can seem slightly off-putting. In a short summary, The Fault in Our Stars is a story about sixteen year-old Hazel Grace Lancaster, a girl suffering from lung cancer. After being forced to go to a cancer support group, there she meets Augustus, a former cancer patient, and friend of another group member named Isaac. Following this first encounter, Green's novel explores the relationship between Hazel and Gus, watching their romance blossom in spite of the sickness that surrounds them. Although it is primarily a love story, for me what resonated in the book's summary was the fact that both protagonists suffered from cancer, and it was almost inevitable that both would be dead by the end of the book. With the plot revolving around dying and suffering, you pretty much assume that it is going to be a depressing read.

That said, I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised to learn I was wrong about this preconception. One of the things I found most surprising about Green's novel is the fact that I found myself laughing quite often while reading this story. There is a charm in Green's way of writing, not only in Hazel's narrative, but during her interactions with other characters, that makes this story feel more uplifting than sombre. The jokes Hazel and her friends make about their conditions, particularly the bad puns surrounding Hazel and Gus's friend Isaac are very amusing, and having them said by them makes the awkwardness around the topic of cancer more approachable. Hazel and Isaac's conversation about the nurse who said 'you'll see' to Isaac after his eye operation is just one example of this. Furthermore, it is the frequent humour throughout this novel in spite of its sombre themes that makes it such a refreshing read.

It is also the optimism surrounding Hazel and Gus's relationship that I found so intriguing.
Green's exploration of Hazel and Gus also is focused more on their relationship as young people, rather than cancer sufferers. This is highlighted in Gus's reluctance to tell Hazel that his cancer has returned. Instead he wishes to concentrate on being happy more than being sick, perhaps in the same way that Green wishes to explore the positives of Hazel's life, rather than the negatives. Like Hazel, and probably every other girl that reads this book, I couldn't help but fall for Gus's charm, even during those occasional overly-cheesy moments. But hey, there is nothing wrong with someone (fictional though he may be) being able to make you smile. This doesn't mean that Green doesn't acknowledge the fact that their relationship is limited by her sickness. At first, Hazel is reluctant to pursue her feelings for Gus, realising that her cancer will eventually separate them. While he addresses this fact, in the end it is Gus's adamance that her sickness will not stop him loving her that causes Hazel to give into him.  

Of course, while Gus and Hazel try to ignore the reality of their condition, The Fault in Our Stars demonstrates how cancer is not something people can escape. Following Gus's admission that his cancer is back, and much worse than before, things seem to go downhill from this point onwards. Watching Gus deteriorate is heart-breaking, as the charm we remember from Hazel's first meeting him is replaced by a young man to sick to do anything. I was very shocked when Gus died; from the very beginning we expect the end to be Hazel's death, with Gus by her side. However, instead, Gus dies two thirds in, and Hazel learns the news by a phone call. This can be seen as some as tragic, with the two lovers being separated in his final moments; for me, however, it made their story seem almost more realistic. Their separation reflects their acceptance that death is imminent for them both; it is their later actions that reflect their affection for one another. Gus writing to Peter Van Houten, the author of Hazel's favourite novel An Imperial Affliction shows Gus's understanding of Hazel and the closure she needs before she dies. For Gus, on the other hand, it is simply knowing that Hazel loves him that seems to be enough, which she by all means proves in her eulogy at his 'pre-funeral'. 

In terms of literary technique, Green's use of intertextuality is another interesting aspect to this young-adult novel. Throughout The Fault in Our Stars, Hazel frequently refers to her favourite book, An Imperial Affliction. This is what, in some sense, brings her and Gus together, and is the catalyst of their relationship. However, there appears to be a deeper meaning to the frequent references to this fictional novel. Throughout the book, people liken Hazel to the novel's protagonist Anna; there are similarities in their conditions, as well as their outlooks on life. In addition, the way in which Hazel longs to know the answers to the book's unanswered questions can be seen as representing her fears regarding what will happen to her after she is gone. Her constant questioning of what happened to Anna's mother perhaps reflects her concern as to how her mother and father will cope after she has died. 

Finally, as more of a small side-note, I have to say that I was so happy when I realised where the title of the novel came from. I am a massive fan of William Shakespeare (as almost all English students are), so when I learnt that he had taken it from Julius Caesar, I smile appeared on my face. Cassius' line appears to have a great significance when it comes to the meaning of Green's novel:     

“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars / But in ourselves.” 

This quote from Shakespeare's tragedy seems particularly significant for Hazel's character, not just because it was said by her hero in the novel, but because of its relation to Hazel's outlook on life. After the story progresses, we see how she does not wish to be controlled by her inevitable death, her life led by the fact that she has cancer. Instead, through her relationship with Gus she finds something new, something better. It is this optimism that remains by the end of the novel; while the events that take place are devastating, it is Hazel's final words of reassurance that seem to also reassure the reader that, at the end of the day, there is still hope.

Overall, The Fault in Our Stars was a book I laughed and cried to (well a tear or two maybe) and it was one I will happily read again. Despite being such a morbid subject matter, this book is not a story about cancer; it is about life and love, and how those who suffer are still able to find some sort of happiness.