Book Review: The Sun is Also a Star

The Sun is Also a Star

By Nicola Yoon

(Finished reading: 27/05/20)

4.5/5 stars

Cute, funny, wise.

“Sometimes your world shakes so hard, it's difficult to imagine that everyone else isn't feeling it too.”

The Sun is Also a Star is a YA novel that takes place over the course of one day and is told from multiple perspectives. Natasha’s family is about to be deported back to Jamaica; they must leave at 10pm. Daniel is about to take a train to an interview which will determine his future. In a strange turn of events, the two meet and spend an entire day together and begin to alter how they both see the world. But they cannot change the universe, and only the universe can decide what happens next.

I admit, when I picked up this book, I expected to like it, but I did not expect to love it. But after each page I found myself falling in love with this book more and more. I think what I liked about it is how unusual and yet simple it is as a concept, but there is a beautiful depth to how it is executed. Nothing was overcomplicated or trying to be clever, it knew exactly what it was and it didn’t need to be anything else.

I think for me the most interesting part of this book is the use of multiple perspectives. Natasha and Daniel’s perspectives take up the majority of the novel, however, it’s interspersed with the perspectives of a security guard, a waitress, a train conductor and even the universe itself. I loved this as a concept, particularly because the whole story happens in one day. It reminded me of how ignorant we are as a human race about caring about others’ lives. At times Natasha and Daniel do as we all do and see others in a judgmental way or simply ignore them entirely. But there was a kind of inferred infiniteness to how these characters are all connected—and indeed, how we are all connected. The theme of fate felt very strong throughout, echoing this message that everything happens for a reason. I think the setting in New York City also really helped to bring out the richness and busyness of everyday life in a city. The detail was colourful and genuine, it made the whole novel feel very down to earth, unlike the portrayal of life we are so often presented on silver screen. There is a beauty in ordinariness, and I think Nicola Yoon embraced this whole heartedly.

In partnership with this ordinariness, we are presented with splashes of wisdom and knowledge: from theories of time travel to a history of hair. I absolutely loved these factual elements throughout the book. They were educational and fun to read but also tied into the narrative beautifully. We are given context to every aspect of the story in a really obvious way. And yet, I really liked that it was obvious because it was unusual and gave the book a very distinct style.

I loved Natasha and Daniel as characters, particularly how their mind sets began as polar opposites and slowly evolved over the course of the book. Natasha is scientifically minded; she believes in facts and cause and effect. However, Daniel is a poet, he believes in fate and destiny. I thought this perfectly captures the intellectual conflict between artists and scientists in the real world. But I really liked how they came together, teaching us that the two are compatible and both can be right and wrong at the same time.

The focus on immigration was really fascinating. Specifically, the idea that by being two nationalities at once, you can often feel like you aren’t enough of one or the other. I think this thought is one that will resonate with many first-generation immigrants who are brought up within a different culture to their parents’. But also, we are presented with what can only be described as the absurdity of the American immigration policies, and how unfair they seem. I really liked how the book highlighted these important issues, both from the perspectives of the parents and their children. I found the whole discussion so enlightening. I just love how books can put you inside the head of someone with a different life to yours, allowing you to see the world in an entirely different way.

I suppose my only criticism of the novel is there were some moments that felt a little cheesy or far-fetched. Although, certainly no more cheesy or far-fetched than your average rom com! And I suppose, real life can also often be a bit cheesy or far-fetched too. But this mostly relates to my own personal taste and is in no way a reflection of the quality of the writing. In fact, the ending actually changed my mind about this. I won’t spoil the ending, but all I’ll say is that it didn’t go in the predictable and cliched direction I thought that it would. The last few chapters really brought us back to real life and tied the story up really beautifully. It’s been a while since I read a book with a really satisfying ending and this one was just a perfect ending to a wonderful story.

Overall, this book was such a pleasure to read. I loved the concept and thought it was executed so so well. It was light-hearted and funny, and yet also touched on some really important topics that were really well handled. I highly recommend to anyone looking for a cute and easy read that’s presented in an interesting and unique way. It will make you laugh, and maybe even shed a tear!