I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon Also by this author: Everything, Everything, Instructions for Dancing
Published by Random House LCC US on November 1st 2016
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
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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?
After finishing The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon, I was not quite sure what to do with myself. The book had affected me so profoundly that I could not just immediately pick up the next book and dive right in. I just wanted to bask in the knowledge of a book well written. Yoon’s sophomore book shows that Everything, Everything is not a fluke. Turns out, I want to read all the books by Yoon because she has got some authorial chops.
The Sun Is Also A Star is this gorgeous book that’s about fate and two characters – Natasha and Daniel. Natasha’s family is being deported that night back to Jamaica. Daniel is about to have an interview with a Yale alumni which should help him get into the college. Natasha is Black. Daniel is Korean-American. The two are from what feels like different worlds and based upon convention, should not be attracted to each other. But, oh, they collide and it’s beautiful. Of course, the book explores timing and the science of love and even race.
So, Natasha does not put her stock in hopes and dreams. She does not really believe in fate or love. She’s a girl who gets passionate about science and physics. Also, she’s a terrible singer (that’s just a sidebar). Today, the day of the book, she is trying her damndest to get the voluntary deportation overturned. She begins at the immigration office, but through some twists of fate finds herself in Manhattan, by Times Square. This is where her getting really into her music catches the attention of Daniel.
So, Daniel. He’s the younger son of first generation Korean immigrants. His brother Charlie is handsome and smart and athletic. Charlie is also kind of a dick. Charlie has basically been kicked out of Harvard. So, now Daniel’s parents are super invested in Daniel who does not really want to disappoint. However, Daniel cannot stop writing poetry, he isn’t sure he wants to be on the track to be a doctor. So, when he’s in Times Square and sees Natasha, he cannot look away.
What happens the rest of the day is what you might call fate or a series of coincidences or timing. Either way, what unfolds is a storyline with turns and twists and the slow building of a relationship. I mean, slow building for taking only a day. However, what Yoon does is masterful. She explores how people develop trust and feelings. It’s a book of little moments over and over and over. I think that if you’re the slow build kind of fan, you’ll love The Sun Is Also A Star.
Readers who want prose that grabs them and does not let go deserve The Sun Is Also A Star. I thought this book had some of the best writing I’ve read so far in 2016. It kept my attention while driving to Canada and back. I mean, I barely even scrolled my phone on the night of and after a presidential debate. That’s how well written Yoon’s book is.
Thanks to Random House, I have a copy of The Sun Is Also A Star to give away to one lucky reader. US only. 13 or older. Use the rafflecopter!
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Oh wow, this sounds very interesting! I’ve read a few books that take the entire book to get through a day, but it’s been awhile. Thanks for the chance!
I’ve been watching this book for awhile since I first heard about it and can’t wait to read it!