This is my second copy to re-read for my 2 book groups (count them!) that I've promoted onto the lists in 2023

See earlier review here

(16/01/23) I read this over 4 years ago, my first John Green book. I was so impressed I’ve read almost all of his other books since. As I wrote at the time I think it’s wasted on young adults. Green is much too good a writer and observer of human nature to restrict the age of his protagonists or his readership, even with his uncanny ability to occupy the lives of male and female teenage Americans. Four years later this still feels fresh, clever, poetic and powerful. It’s not offer that I enjoy re-reading books, but may choose to read it again in the summer for another book group!

The story follows the very cinematic death story of the Cancer kids and star-crossed lovers Hazel Grace and Augustus ‘Gus’ Waters. As observed by author Peter Van Houten - of whom more later - quoting from Shakespeare ‘The fault … is not in our stars. But in ourselves.’ They meet in a cancer support group in a church, the ‘literal heart of Jesus’, and are doomed to tragedy from the beginning. Although frequently they try to rationalise their conditions and gain some agency over their cancer, such as; pain and death are side effects of life and proof of evolution, and observing Cancer at a cellular level being part of themselves so there's no-one or nothing to blame [etc.]

When Green is not giving our stars witty lines, he shares the spotlight with friends Isaac and Kaitlin, their parents, and just about everyone in the book. Two examples are; Gus having an unlit cigarette in his mouth (to mock their ability to kill him) on a plane, the stewardess tells him, ‘… that metaphor is inhibited on today’s fight.’ And later in Amsterdam, on hearing where they come from in America their taxi driver says, ‘They steal the land from the Indians, and the leave the name [Indiana]’

By far the most unpleasant character in the book, and slightly jarring at the time, is the toxic washed-up author Van Houten, who refuses to grant their Genie wish to find out what happens to the characters at the end of his book 'An Imperial Affliction'. It is the story of a girl dying of cancer which finishes suddenly, symbolic of a life being cut short mid-flow (and mid-sentence). We don’t find out until much later that the girl is Van Houtem’s own 8-year old daughter. The pain continues to hurt him and has turned him into a bitter alcoholic. He blames himself, which I’m sure is common, as it the more generalised condition of ‘survivors guilt’. When Hazel first met Gus she is conscious of being a ‘grenade’ that will someday explode and damage all the loved ones around her. It is cruel that Gus dies first, but he shares with Hazel that he felt privileged to have known and loved her, and to choose who gets to hurt him.

Despite the book being so tragic, the poignancy and emotion never become overpowering or over-sentimental. Green’s clever sparkling dialogue and careful balancing of pathos, humour, and positivity with the heartbreak and hurt make the story believable and readable.

I'm taking this to my Flintshire book group, to share with fellow members or leave in the hotel bookshelf (above the reception).

If you find this book, welcome to book crossing, please leave a journal here :)