In the opening chapters, Hazel and Augustus bond over reading each other’s favorite novel. Through this sharing we begin to learn more about the main characters individually, but also what they mean to each other.
Augustus clearly likes Hazel enough to invite her to dinner, but in agreeing to read An Imperial Affliction he asserts his interest. “I am going to read this terrible book with the boring title that does not contain stormtroopers.” It’s hard to say whether or not Augustus is actually expecting the book to be terrible. There’s an implied sarcasm in his quote, which is definitely flirtatious. Regardless of if he’s excited to read the book, he’s doing it for Hazel.
Since the book is written from Hazel’s point of view, we already know she’s very attracted to Augustus both physically and intellectually. When she reads The Price of Dawn we learn more about Hazel. Earlier that evening she’d watched a film with Augustus she dubbed “a boy movie”, due to a “heroic guy in a mask who died heroically for Natalie Portman”. It was surprising to me that she read The Price of Dawn in one sitting since it featured a protagonist, Max Mayhem, who was also a masculine hero. She may have done this for Augustus, but the following day she picks up the sequel and starts reading. She likes Mayhem, and she’s entertained reading the series, but I believe she’s lost in these books for another reason. She’s able to relate to Mayhem and his never-ending adventures because her battle with cancer has been never-ending adventure.
I was also kind of surprised that she went and got the sequel of “The Prince of Dawn”. I thought that she was just reading Augustus’ book to be nice to him because he said that he would read her favorite book, but I didn’t think that she would actually enjoy the book enough to go buy the sequel.