
Two teenagers with cancer fall in love in this global phenomenon that sold 23 million copies and sparked a $307 million film. Time Magazine's "#1 Fiction Book of 2012" delivers heartbreak and wisdom that transcends its tragic premise - "damn near genius" storytelling.
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Sixteen-year-old Hazel Grace Lancaster lives on borrowed time. Stage IV thyroid cancer has compromised her lungs, transforming simple acts like climbing stairs into exhausting feats. Her life has contracted to a careful choreography of community college classes, reading sessions, and evenings watching America's Next Top Model with parents who monitor her every breath. When her mother insists she attend a church basement Support Group-"the literal heart of Jesus," as Hazel sardonically notes-she meets Augustus Waters, a charismatic seventeen-year-old in remission from osteosarcoma that claimed one of his legs. Their initial exchange crackles with wit as Augustus provocatively places an unlit cigarette between his lips. When Hazel expresses outrage, he explains his metaphor: "You put the killing thing right between your teeth, but you don't give it the power to do its killing" - a perfect encapsulation of his defiant approach to mortality. Their connection challenges conventional narratives about illness. Through their relationship, we see how awareness of limited time doesn't diminish the value of connection - it intensifies it. Their story suggests that even borrowed time can transform into something precious when filled with moments of genuine understanding and shared laughter.
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