As I'm sure we can all imagine not being able to breath is horrifying and induces an instant panic attack.

And so it bugs me a lot that the teens seem to eat anything they want with no consideration for nutrition. When she's not writing, she is watching old black and white movies, listening to Doris Day on repeat, or reading ancient Greek plays. I believe it’s urgent to raise awareness about CF and many other chronic illnesses (many of them invisible) countless people live with. I didn’t feel any other than Stella and Will were particularly rounded out, but I can appreciate that the focus is on the impossible circumstances.

Will is more headstrong, determined to live his short life to the full and battling against his mother and the hospital staff regarding his treatments. This book is based on the screenplay of the movie, so I'd imagine there won't be much deviation, but again, it doesn't matter. I decided for my bf and knew he probably wouldn’t live all too long (he’s my ex-bf now and still alive and well! This novel romanticizes and sanitizes CF, turning people’s suffering into inspiration porn and a star-crossed lovers tale of sorts. Stella suffers from a genetic disease Cystic Fibrosis (CF),and is doing to keep up with her meds until she can get a new pair of lungs.

Will is just waiting until he turns 18, so he can walk away from the hospital and the drug trial, and live (and die) on his own terms. Now this isn't just because I'm not a big crier; it's also because I just don't understand the point of a story when the primary reason is to make you cry. Stella Grant likes to be in control--even though her totally out of control lungs have sent her in and out of the hospital most of her life.

Overall, the reader in me enjoyed the story and the characters (I’m a sucker for an ill-fated romance). its one of those books where you walk away, knowing its missing something that could have made the story truly great (maybe because its based on a screenplay and not an original novel? I know next to nothing about Cystic Fibrosis and it was so interesting to read about these two kids struggling but coping in different ways.

I found the development of their love extremely fast, considering Stella’s coldness towards him in the beginning, but perhaps given their situation it would be quick to develop? I’m aware that opinions tend to differ when it comes to books like this one and there will always be as many pros as cons. I'm sure I'm missing dozens of other things to point out and I would encourage everyone with interest to read more about CF from reliable health sites. not an emotional impact from a loving story, like i thought, but a new perspective of how often i take my health for granted. And if you were at the hospital in the CF/Respiratory ward you were usually interrogated by a nurse in advance of entering a CF patient's room.

The story is told in alternating perspectives between Stella and Will and both narratives complimented each other really well.