The Fault In Our Stars is a novel by American author, John Green. The title is a reference to a line in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars/But in ourselves".
It is about a girl called Hazel, who has Stage 4 Thyroid cancer with metastasis on her lungs, and her boyfriend Augustus, who lost his leg to osteosarcoma. The book deals with the tragedy of their health problems, but not in a mawkish way, and ends up being totally uplifting. It is set in present day Indianapolis, America.
The book tells the story of how they meet and fall in love, although it isn't some lovey dovey story.
Whilst it isn't laugh out loud funny, it is witty and thoughtful; the characters are honest and likeable. The author makes you connect with Hazel and Augustus, and the book really opens your eyes to the struggle of living with disease. Hazel's relationship with her parents is heart breaking but extremely touching. It is a sad book and it may make some tearful (I admit I did cry) but it is also a book of joy and appreciation of life. You will not regret picking up this book – I have yet to hear a bad review of it!
• Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop.
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