Thursday, July 5, 2018

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

Narrated by Bahni Turpin, 
Raymond Lee & Dominic Hoffman
Synopsis (via Goodreads): 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?

๐‘‹

I loved that Natasha was very scientific and only wanted to believe in the things that she could prove. Of course that meant she didn't believe in love, because how do you prove that?

Daniel's poetic heart and his endless enthusiasm swept me away from the beginning. He was determined to prove to Natasha that love existed, and he wanted to do it with science. They didn't agree on a lot of topics, which I actually found refreshing, so it was fun to watch them learn new things about each other and themselves.

I also learned a lot while listening to this audiobook. Some of my favorite parts were the explanations about different religions, certain histories, and various scientific facts. I enjoyed the conversations about alternate and parallel universes, and how every choice brings with it an infinite number of possibilities. The author clearly did her research and wanted to make sure we were somewhat educated on the subject matter. However, it didn't come across as a lesson, just some additional commentary on what was already being discussed. I think it helped me to better understand the characters and their story.

The adults in this book were the worst. They were selfish, racist, and unwilling to listen to their children. I'm still angry with Natasha's father for saying something a parent should never say, Daniel's brother for being an unapologetic asshole, and Natasha's lawyer for being selfish and unconcerned with his professional responsibilities. 

At the same time, the author points out how every seemingly inconsequential action can have unforeseen consequences. Daniel stopping to leave a dollar in a musician's hat caused him to briefly miss passing Natasha on the subway. Natasha being a few minutes late to her appointment allowed her to pass in front of Daniel for the first time. There were so many small side stories that showed just how much one person could affect the lives around them. 

I think the author raises some important questions about immigrants and what happens to them once they are living in America. In the end, it didn't matter that Natasha's brother was born here, it mattered that his parents had overstayed their travel visa. Children that have no say in whether or not their families remain in America are being forced to leave the only homes they've ever known.

The Sun Is Also a Star was a very thought-provoking story that touched on a lot of relevant subjects. The ending wasn't perfect, but it was incredibly satisfying.

35 comments:

  1. I was a fan of this book, especially the ending, and can't wait to see it on the big screen. I thought the way Yoon showed how a small event could have that "butterfly effect" was brilliant.

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    1. Ohh, that's right! I forgot it was being made into a movie. I think it will have a spectacular ending if they follow the book. <3

      "I thought the way Yoon showed how a small event could have that "butterfly effect" was brilliant." --Totally agree with this!

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  2. This has got wonderful reviews and every time I read one I just want to draw hearts around this book!

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    1. Haha! It would be deserving of all the hearts! <3 I hope you have a chance to read it soon.

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  3. I'm glad that you enjoyed this one! I read Everything, Everything and loved it, but these definitely aren't my usual reads. Great review!

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    1. I actually own Everything, Everything but I haven't had a chance to read it yet! I was only able to get to this one when I did because I stumbled across the audiobook. I don't think these are book I would go looking for, but I'm definitely glad I read this one! I'm sure I'll get to Everything, Everything soon. :)

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  4. I really enjoyed Yoon’s Everything Everything but have yet to pick this one up. The immigration aspect sure does make this one very timely and relevant right now. I already love the sound of Daniel. I’m a sucker for those poetic guys with a heart of gold. :)
    Tanya @ Girl Plus Books
    Http://girlplusbooks.blogspot.com

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    1. I still need to read that one! It's actually sitting on my shelves and staring at me with judgey book eyes.

      Yes! I love guys that ooze poetry and optimism. Daniel was also quick to defend Natasha even against his family, so bonus points there.

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  5. the topics sound interesting there and many things seem featured. I heard a lot about this book but I still haven't read it I confess

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    1. The author mentions a lot of important topics that I think the world is struggling with today. I'm sure a lot of people will be able to relate to this book and its characters. I hope you have a chance to read it soon!

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  6. I’ve got this one on my shelf. Need to read it. Everything, Everything wasn’t my favorite but I want to give the author another chance.

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    1. I haven't read Everything, Everything even though I own it (it's terrible, I know). I can't compare the two books, but I definitely enjoyed this one. I liked the unique way the story was presented.

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  7. That does sound like a thought provoking book.

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    1. It really was! We've been hearing a lot about immigration and deportation on the news recently, so I think this book shines a light on what it might be like for someone in their situation (especially the children involved).

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  8. I have never heard of this book. The cover is POPPING and I love it. I feel like this book would open my eyes to a lot of things in the world that I may or may not have known.

    Elle Inked @ Keep on Reading

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    1. I feel like the cover is something you can't stare at for too long, lol. It's like one of those pictures that conceals images, and you can only find them if you stare at them the right way.

      I do think this book addresses a lot of issues we might not experience on our own.

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  9. I've seen this book around but haven't read it yet. I think I would enjoy it as the immigration aspect is so timely and I like novels that teach as they entertain :-)

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    1. I wholeheartedly agree. <3 I love books that have stories or issues that coincide with what's happening in the world today. There are a lot of people that don't follow the news and choose to be disconnected, so it's good to have books that can teach as well as entertain.

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  10. Ugh, the adults sound awful but the rest of the book sounds pretty amazing. I've had this one on my TBR for ages and had actually forgotten about it, so thanks for reminding me about it :)

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    1. Happy to help! :)

      The adults were either stuck in the past, or being selfish in the present. They may have had good intentions at one point, but things derailed somewhere along the way.

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  11. I have this book sitting on my bookshelf but haven't had the chance to read it yet. I didn't even know what it was about before reading your review but now I am even more excited to read it. It sounds like a really powerful book.

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    1. I thought the author did a wonderful job addressing important issues. I also liked that she used teenagers to help adults view the world a little differently. Everyone can make an impact, even those people we dismiss because of their age or race. I hope you're able to read it soon! <3

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  12. oooh I hated that ending lol

    I had just read several books with kind of open endings and asked twitter if this one was a solid HEA and everyone was like YES! It will make you so happy!!! LIARS lol

    I think it was the right ending for the book and for them but I wasn't what I needed atm so I pisssssed. hehe

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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    1. Haha! That's why I said it wasn't perfect! I was happy with it, but it's not how I would have chosen to end things. I don't know why someone said it was a HEA... a lot of bad happens right at the end, even though it was mixed in with some good.

      I agree that it was the right ending for their story! <3

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  13. I read Everything, Everything and loved it so much. Not sure why I haven't picked this one up just yet. I think I'm requesting too many arcs lately lol. Lovely review <3

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    1. I did that last month! I only have two arcs to review this month, so I'm using the extra time to catch up on what I've missed (and read some I've had forever).

      I still need to read Everything, Everything, so I'm happy to hear you loved it! Didn't that make that one into a movie? Someone else mentioned this book being a movie soon, too.

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  14. Oh I haven't read this one yet, but I loved Everything, Everything and have this on my TBR. Definitely far more excited to read it after your review!!!


    Jade @ Ink Scratchers

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    1. If you have a chance to read it soon, let me know what you think! I didn't know this one was being made into a movie, and now I'm curious about closely they'll follow the story. It has the potential to be great! <3

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  15. I'm not a huge realistic fiction reader but I remember quite enjoying this one... partly I think because it had such a unique feel? It's wonderfully thoughtful and it was fascinating watching the way the stories of strangers interwove (as the Universe, which was almost a character in this one, looked on). It was lovely and it had such a well done bittersweet ending that really suited the story being told.

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    1. I love what you said about the Universe basically being its own character... I hadn't thought about it that way! It's a lovely thought. <3

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  16. This has been on my radar, but I haven't got around to it. It sounds like a really good book given the climate we're in now.

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    1. I thought it was really relevant to what the world is experiencing right now. I'm glad they decided to turn this one into a movie! There are a lot of awesome aspects that I think people will be able to relate to.

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  17. I'm so glad you liked this one, I enjoyed it too! I thought that Natasha and Daniel were SUPER CUTE together. Tough topics and realistic senerios are always tricky to tackle and Yoon does an amazing job. Now, i didn't love this one as much as her first novel, Everything Everything but she's definitely a writter I'm always eager to read!

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    1. I have a copy of Everything, Everything, but haven't gotten around to reading it yet! I really enjoyed the audiobook for this one, so I might see if there is one available for EE.

      Yes, they were adorable together! I loved how scientific she was in relation to Daniel's ideals and his poetry. They viewed the world so differently, but were able to compliment each other so well. It was a beautiful story... both sad and lovely.

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“Stuff and nonsense. Nonsense and stuff and much of a muchness and nonsense all over again. We are all mad here, don't you know?”
― Marissa Meyer, Heartless