The Fault in Our Stars (2014), directed by Josh Boone, is a touching and emotional film adaptation of John Green’s best-selling novel. The story follows Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley), a 16-year-old girl battling terminal cancer, and Augustus Waters (Ansel Elgort), a charming and witty cancer survivor. The two meet at a cancer support group, where their unlikely friendship turns into a profound and transformative love story.

Hazel, whose thyroid cancer has spread to her lungs, lives a life largely isolated from her peers. She depends on an oxygen tank to help her breathe and is often preoccupied with the limitations of her condition. Her mother, played by Laura Dern, encourages Hazel to attend a cancer support group in the hopes of giving her more social interaction, but Hazel remains reluctant. It’s here that she meets Gus, a confident and optimistic young man who has been in remission from osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer. Despite their initial differences, the two bond over their shared experience of illness and a mutual love for literature, particularly a book called An Imperial Affliction by the mysterious author Peter Van Houten.

Gus, with his charming personality and irreverent sense of humor, convinces Hazel to open up to him, and their connection grows deeper. Although Hazel is hesitant to get too close, fearing the pain of loss, Gus’s persistence and wit eventually melt her defenses. Together, they form a unique and intense bond, finding solace and joy in each other’s company. Gus, who has a prosthetic leg due to his cancer treatment, refuses to let his illness define him, which contrasts with Hazel’s more cautious and reserved approach to life. Their relationship is full of witty banter, emotional vulnerability, and profound conversations about life, death, and the meaning of existence.

A central part of their bond is their shared love of books. Hazel’s favorite, An Imperial Affliction, is a novel that deeply resonates with her because of its portrayal of a young girl with cancer. When the book ends abruptly, Hazel is left with unresolved questions about the characters’ fates. Gus, wanting to bring Hazel joy, arranges a trip to Amsterdam to meet the book’s reclusive author, Peter Van Houten, hoping he will offer answers to the book’s open-ended conclusion. However, their meeting with Van Houten, played by Willem Dafoe, turns out to be a disillusioning experience. Van Houten, bitter and drunk, refuses to provide any closure, leading to a painful confrontation. Despite this, the trip to Amsterdam allows Hazel and Gus to confront their fears and deepen their emotional connection.

The film is not just about their romantic relationship, but also about the way they both come to terms with their illness and the impermanence of life. Hazel struggles with the idea that she is not living a “normal” life, and she grapples with feelings of guilt about the impact her illness has on her parents, particularly her mother. Gus, on the other hand, is more focused on living life to the fullest, even though he knows his own time is limited. As their relationship develops, Hazel learns to accept that love and loss are inseparable parts of life, and Gus’s fearless embrace of life’s fleeting nature helps her realize that there is beauty in even the briefest of experiences.

The film’s pacing is measured, allowing time for the emotional depth of the characters’ journey to unfold. It balances moments of humor, tenderness, and heartbreak, making the story all the more impactful. Shailene Woodley delivers an extraordinary performance as Hazel, portraying her intelligence, wit, and vulnerability with grace. She perfectly captures the complexity of a young woman coming to terms with her illness while learning to open herself to love. Ansel Elgort’s portrayal of Gus is equally compelling—he brings both charm and vulnerability to the character, making Gus’s optimism and eventual grief deeply moving.

The chemistry between Woodley and Elgort is palpable, and their performances create an authentic and relatable portrayal of young love. Their relationship feels genuine, full of both lighthearted moments and profound emotional depth. As the story progresses, the audience becomes deeply invested in their journey, knowing that their love, like all things in life, is impermanent.

Visually, the film is beautifully sH๏τ, with cinematographer David Lanzenberg using soft lighting and a muted color palette to reflect the emotional tone of the story. The film’s setting, particularly the picturesque landscapes of Amsterdam, adds a sense of dreaminess to the narrative, providing both a metaphor for the characters’ fleeting time together and a stark contrast to the realities they face back home.

The film also delves into themes of legacy and the search for meaning in the face of mortality. As Hazel and Gus grapple with their illness, they also question their place in the world and the impact they will leave behind. There’s a poignant moment in the film where Hazel expresses her fear of not leaving anything behind, of being forgotten, a common feeling for those dealing with terminal illness. Gus, however, reᴀssures her that their love and their experiences together are enough to make their lives meaningful.

The story of The Fault in Our Stars is ultimately about the way love, even in its briefest form, can transform lives and make even the hardest moments worth living. It asks the audience to appreciate the beauty in life’s fragility, to cherish the time we have, and to love without regret or fear of loss. Despite the overwhelming sadness of the story, there is an undeniable sense of hope that pervades the film—a hope that, even in the face of illness and death, life still holds meaning, love is worth pursuing, and every moment is precious.

In conclusion, The Fault in Our Stars is an emotionally powerful film about love, loss, and the meaning of life, anchored by two outstanding performances from Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort. It captures the complexity of young love, the reality of illness, and the beauty of living fully in the face of adversity. The film is a bittersweet exploration of the way love and relationships shape us, even in the most difficult circumstances. It is a reminder that, while life may be fleeting, the connections we make with others leave a lasting impact.

A Farmer’s Misplaced Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain

---

November 16, 1992 was the day which changed Suffolk-resident Eric Lawes’ life in a huge way. What he thought would have been an innocent search for a hammer he had misplaced on his farm in Hoxne Village, Suffolk, England ended up bringing him much more than he had bargained for — namely, uncovering the hiding spot of a long-hidden treasure. Based on the Guardian’s coverage of the story, Eric Lawes had been previously gifted a metal detector upon his retirement as a parting token. He decided to put his retirement gift to good use in order to locate the hammer which he had had some trouble finding. According to a 2018 Smithsonian Magazine article, when the device started recording that there was a strong signal coming from the earth, he knew that he was about to discover something big. As he started digging, it soon became clear to him that he had unearthed a treasure trove.

The Guardian reports that, when Lawes saw that his preliminary digging had yielded a few gold coins and silver spoons, he immediately contacted both the local archaeological society and the police department. Archaeologists came to the property the following day and had the area of earth holding the treasure carefully sectioned-off and removed. Their hope was that at a later stage, in their laboratory, they could examined the items in order to identify both their age and how they were stored.

When all was said and done, close to 60 pounds of items made from silver and gold were found on the site. These included more than 15,000 Roman coins, 200 gold objects, and several silver spoons. For archaeologists, this find — which later became labeled as the Hoxne Hoard — was an incredible discovery. AP News reported that archaeologist Judith Plouviez was over-the-moon about the discovery, saying that it was “an incredibly exciting and amazing find.” What’s more, another archaeologist, Rachel Wilkinson, told Smithsonian Magazine that this discovery was “the largest and latest ever found in Britain.”

Ordinarily, archaeologists would use radiocarbon dating as a means of identifying the age of ancient relics. However, they couldn’t locate any suitable material from the haul. Consequently, they determined the age by examining writing on the coins, as well as the ruler carved into them, estimating that the treasure was probably buried in either 408 or 409 AD.

Roman-era archaeologist Peter Guest told Smithsonian Magazine that “if you look at them a little more carefully, then they should be dated to the period after the separation of Britain from the Roman Empire.” He offers as part of his evidence the fact that almost all of the coins found in the Hoxne Hoard were clipped – in other words, small chunks of their edges had been taken off. These clippings would have been used to create coins which were similar to the Roman coins of that era.

Guest has a logical reason for this, arguing that “The Roman Empire wasn’t supplying Britain with new gold and silver coins, and in light of that, the population tried to get over this sudden cutoff in the supply of their precious metals by making the existing supplies go further.”

Archaeologists also believe that the treasure belonged to a Romano-British family. During that time, considering that there was so much societal discord and upheaval, it was common for Romans who had settled in Britain to bury their most prized possessions.

That said, one archaeologist is of the belief that the hoard had a lot of sentimental value for the Romano-British family to whom it is believed to have belonged. In her book The Hoxne Late Roman Treasure: Gold Jewellery and Silver Plate, Catherine Johns claims that the manner in which the treasure was kept supported this claim. Some of the items which were recovered had been packaged in small, wooden boxes which were lined with leather. What’s more, pieces of wood, locks, and nails, among other things, surrounded the gold and silver pieces. This leads Catherine to assert that the package was carefully buried and not simply chucked away in a rush.

Interestingly enough, the items unearthed might shed some light on the identity of the family who owned them. They cite a gold bracelet bearing the inscription “UTERE FELIX DOMINA IULIANE,” which roughly translates to “use this happily Lady Juliane”. A second name “Aurelius Ursicinus” has also been discovered. This has consequently led some to believe that Juliane and Aurelius were the couple and the original owners of the treasure. That said, that has yet to be confirmed.

All in all, the discovery was a real treasure for archaeologists, and by extension, for Lawes. According to Smithsonian Magazine, in recognition of his discovery and willingness to contact authorities, the British government rewarded him with over £1.7 million, an amount which he shared with the farmer whose land was dug out in order to get the treasure. Read another story from us: The Dazzling ‘Hope Diamond’ has Brought Misery to all of its Illustrious Owners Funnily enough, apart from the treasure, Lawes also found his lost hammer — which now resides in the British Museum.