the-sun-is-also-a-star

The Sun Is Also A Star – Nicola Yoon – Delcacorte Press – Published 1 November 2016

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Synopsis

Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?

My thoughts

I chose to read this because of a) that cover and b) so many enthusiastic reviews. Those reviews seemed to be persistent urging to read this wonderful book, just give it a try. I would recommend the same. The Sun Is Also A Star is so very clever, so very cool and so very worth reading.

I found the synopsis vague… purposely so because the less you know the better. The plot points aren’t important – it’s the magic of all the little moments coming together. Natasha has one day left in New York before she and her family are deported back to Jamaica. For Daniel, this day is the last day of his childhood, of following his own dreams before relinquishing them to follow the path set before him by his parents. When the two meet it seems more than happenstance, maybe even meant to be.

I absolutely adore the romance in this book. Insta-love move over because love at first sight (or maybe second sight) is clearly the winner here. Yes, this is a love story told over one day. Skeptical? Fair enough. I’m sure, like me, you’ve read stories where the characters fall head over heels so quickly that it seems more ridiculous than romantic. I had no such problems with The Sun Is Also A Star. Daniel is a dreamer, poet, romantic. He believes in meant-to-be and love. Natasha on the other hand is a scientist, lover of facts and just a little bit cynical. She thinks Daniel’s crazy to believe in love, yet she can’t deny how drawn to him she is.

“There’s a Japanese phrase that I like: koi no yokan. It doesn’t mean love at first sight. It’s closer to love at second sight. It’s the feeling when you meet someone that you’re going to fall in love with them. Maybe you don’t love them right away, but it’s inevitable that you will.”
Goldfish – Nat Luurtsema

 

As they spend the day together – and sometimes apart – they get to know each other, shape their futures, come to terms with their pasts and impact the lives of those around them.

The book is told in short, quickly alternating sections from Daniel and Natasha, along with a few sections from the universe, which offers insights from the other characters and other relevant phenomenon (gotta love a book that starts with an in-depth look at apple pie). The universe sections are what make this book unique and so clever. It has a great way of making you consider the situation from multiple perspectives, how tiny things can make the biggest difference, how everyone’s stories, seemingly disconnected, interact. Especially the end. Loved, loved, loved the ending.

And I really enjoyed the writing style. This was an easy book to read, as easy book to sink into and an easy book to quickly pick back up (even in the supermarket). I will definitely be putting Nicola Yoon’s first book, Everything Everything, on my to-read list (I just went and looked up the synopsis. How on earth did I miss that book??? Must read ASAP!).

Diverse characters, important themes and turning YA tropes on their head, The Sun Is Also A Star is just as important as it is beautiful.

The publishers provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

More information

Category: Young adult fiction.

Genre: Contemporary.

Themes: Immigration, deportation, immigrants, family, love, science, poetry, relationships, love at first sight, dreams, college, community,

Reading age guide: Ages 12 and up.

Advisory: Infrequent coarse language, sh**, f***, m*****f*****.

Published: 1 November 2016 by Delacorte Press.

Format: Hardcover, paperback,  ebook. 384 pages.

ISBN: 9780553496680

Find it on Goodreads