Savyasaachi

Cancer is a dreadful disease, indiscriminate in its choice, picking its victims regardless of age, gender, or status. So much has already been written about cancer, so many movies filmed, so many tears shed. It has been done and redone in every possible way. So what novelty does John Green bring to the table?

In “The Fault in Our Stars”, John Green builds a story out of darkness and despair. He takes the tragedy of cancer and takes us on a roller-coaster ride, immersing us in the lives of the characters that very well could have been real. This tale is built around two typical teenagers, a girl and a boy, who could have been us. Except that one is a cancer patient and the other a cancer survivor.

John Green tells the story though the eyes of Hazel Lancaster - stricken with cancer from a very young age, she believes she has come to terms with life. That is, until she meets Augustus Walters, an amputee who has beaten cancer at a support group for kids. With his boyish good looks and charm accompanying his carefree attitude, he changes Hazel’s entire perspective on life. From then on, Hazel’s story is rewritten. Her character was like a breath of fresh air – so real and so strong, yet empathetic. She was neither depressed nor too optimistic. She was realistic, which turns out to be perfect. She was not fooling herself or anyone in any way.

The story is so brilliantly and beautifully written that your heart and emotions are sure to melt. It is not a typical teenage story. It is much more - about romance and friendship; excitement and humour; and anger and bravery. You become a part of the overwhelming story. The friendships and families – the depths they go through preparing for the worst - for cancer touches not just its victims but all their near and dear ones.

John Green manages to captivate the attention of the readers from the very beginning. The book keeps you hooked on. From what started as a casual read, the book turned out to be one of my all-time favourites. So for those of you who have not yet read this book and are searching for a good read, do not hesitate to pick this one up. And for those who prefer movies to books, there is always the option of watching its screen adaptation.