Bookreport ‘The Fault in Our Stars’

1. The book I have read is about a young girl, Hazel Grace Lancaster, who has lung cancer. The type of cancer she has is not curable and she will eventually die from this illness. She falls in love with a boy named Augustus Waters, who has also had cancer but got better. Together they travel to Amsterdam to make Hazels biggest wish come true: meeting the writer of her favourite book An Imperial Affliction. The writer, Peter van Houten, unfortunately turns out to be a prick. In Amsterdam it becomes clear that Augustus got diagnosed with cancer again, and this time it spread over his whole body. Augustus’ personality changes for the worse as he becomes more and more sick, but Hazel stays with him until the end. Augustus ultimately dies and surprisingly, Peter van Houten shows up at the funeral too. He tries to make up for his behaviour in Amsterdam and admits to her that Augustus had been writing something for her before he died. The story ends with Hazel reading what Augustus wrote.

2. The two most important characters are without doubt Hazel and Augustus. Hazel is the teller of the story, which is basically about her life with cancer and Augustus Waters. That automatically brings me to the next important character: Augustus. He is the person Hazels life revolves around in the period of time described in the book.

3. I think the theme is unconditional love. I think so, because Hazel first did not want to fall in love with Augustus and referred to herself as a grenade that will destroy everything and everyone close to her sooner or later and she wants to protect Augustus from that. Augustus knows that she wants to distance herself from him, but continues to love her. When the tables turn and it becomes clear that Augustus does not have very long to live anymore, Hazel loves him harder than ever. She keeps fighting for him, even though now he has turned into the grenade Hazel first was.

Examples: “I’m a grenade, Mom. I’m a grenade and at some point I’m going to blow up and I would like to minimize the casualties, okay?” page 99.

 ”I couldn’t be mad at him for even a moment, and only now that I loved a grenade did I understand the foolishness of trying to save others from my own impending fragmentation: I couldn’t unlove Augustus Waters.” page 214.

4. I am a real cry baby for sappy love stories and so this book has also had that effect on me. It is so sad how these two characters who you grow to love while reading the book can’t be together and get separated by a thing as horrible as death. At the same time it is was makes the story the story and it makes it  a sad yet beautiful one. What I also liked is that part of the book was set in Amsterdam, where I come often and live very close to. That made it a little more personal for me.

Creative exercise 5:

1. Hazels middle name is Jessica.

              True

              False

2. Isaac is Augustus’ best friend.

              True

False

3. ‘Okay’ is a word Hazel and Augustus avoid.

              True

              False

4. Hazel and Augustus met at Support Group.

              True

              False

5. Augustus thinks Hazel looks like Natalie Portman.

              True

              False

6. The author of the book is John Green.

              True

              False

7. Hazel discovers An Imperial Affliction through Augustus.

              True

              False

8. Hazel uses her wish from the Genie Foundation to take Augustus with her to Amsterdam.

              True

              False

9. Hazel has green eyes.

              True

              False

10. Peter van Houten was a drug addict.

              True

              False

11. The hamster’s name from An Imperial Affliction is

              A. Sisyphus

              B. Aristoteles

              C. Socrates

12. Hazel calls her oxygen tank

              A. Oliver

              B. Casper

              C. Philip

13. Hazel spent her wish from the Genie Foundation on going to

              A. Sea World

              B. de Efteling

              C. Disneyworld

14. Augustus’ favourite band is

              A. Queen

              B. The Hectic Glow

              C. Arctic Moneys

15. How old is Hazel during the story?

              A. 17

              B. 16

              C. 19

16. Who did Peter van Houten write his book about? Anna, his daughter

17. Who is Lidewij? Peter van Houtens secretarian

18. How did Isaac lose his eyes? He had to get them removed surgically because he had cancer in his eyes

19. Who is Hazels favourite character from the book she got from Augustus? Staff Sergeant Max Mayhem

20. What happens to the hamster from An Imperial Affliction according to Peter van Houten? It gets adopted by Anna’s friend Christine

21. What happens after Hazel and Augustus kiss in the Anne Frank House? The other visitors around them give them an applause

22. What happens with the old swing in Hazels backyard? She and Augustus sell it online

23. How many siblings does Hazel have? None

24. How did Lidewij make up with Hazel and Augustus? By taking them to the Anne Frank House

25. What sport did Augustus play before his leg got amputated? Basketball