Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus Waters are both the main characters in this Young Adult Literature book, The Fault in Our Stars, written by John Green. (John Green is an award winning #1 bestselling author of many different books) Hazel is a teenage cancer patient who suffers from Thyroid Cancer that affects her lungs. Gus had Osteosarcoma but is now clear of cancer since he amputated one of his legs.
They both live in Indianapolis, Indiana and meet at a cancer support. The first moment they met they kind of “clicked” and you could tell they were going to be friends. In fact, Gus makes it no secret that he has a major crush on Hazel. Hazel on the other hand doesn’t want to start anything with him since her Thyroid cancer is incurable. This means that she knows very well that she may die soon and once she does she doesn’t want to leave any broken hearts or sad friends/family. She proves this by saying, “I’m a grenade, and at some point I’m going to blow up, and I would like to minimize the casualties, okay?” (Hazel Lancaster, Ch.10 Pg. 99). After support group they began to hang out with each other and learned they had a lot in common. They both were friends with Isaac, another cancer patient who had one real and one glass eye but later in the book needed an operation done causing him to go blind. They also have a similar sense in humor. But one major thing they both have in common is their love for reading. After Hazel suggested that Gus read her favorite book, AIA (An Imperial Affliction), they often talk about wanting a sequel. The thing about this book is that it ended mid sentence so you don’t get to find out what happened in the end. Their desire for a sequel, or at least get to find out what happens in the end, makes them even closer. Gus is even able to contact Peter Van Houten’s (the author of AIA) assistant to try and arrange a meeting. Gus uses his “wish” that all cancer patients get to get three tickets (for himself, Hazel, and her mother) to Amsterdam to meet Peter Van Houten to learn the rest of the story to the book. Things don’t go as planned but they still manage to have a great time. They even become closer and begin dating. Once they come back things are different due to sad news that was given to them that they unfortunately can’t do anything about. They learn that, “Some infinities are bigger than other infinities.” (Peter Van Houten Ch. 12 Pg. 129) and “The world is not wish-granting factory.” (Hazel Lancaster Ch. 12 Pg. 125).
I think that the theme of this book is “Hope”. The reason is because throughout this book and Hazel and Augustus’ journey together, the number one thing they held onto to keep them together was hope; The hope the Hazel’s Thyroid cancer wouldn’t take her life, the hope that Gus’ cancer didn’t come back, the hope of meeting Peter Van Houten in Amsterdam and finding out the rest of the story of AIA. The one thing that kept them together was their love for each other and hopes for the future. I loved this book because it’s different from the usual depressing cancer sob story and is a funny and inspirational story of love and hope. I most definitely recommend this book for my peers to read.