Is it a coincidence? Or is it Fate?
Two teenagers (who don't know each other) in New York. They have just 24 hours before their lives change - or they change their lives. Natasha is a 17-year old Jamaican girl, trying to keep her family for being deported. The day of her deportation, as she searches for a way to stay in the United States, she meets Daniel Bae. Daniel is a 17-year-old Korean-American boy who is stuck between his dreams and his parents’ wishes. He is on his way to an interview for going to Yale.
Natasha’s factual no-nonsense personality juxtaposes Daniel’s more flamboyant and dream-like thinking, but they fall in love instantly. The story follows them as they work through their struggles and fight against the clock.
BTSYA / Teen Reader (15):
The story is exciting and heartfelt. I enjoyed the quick pace, and the limited time Daniel and Natasha have together creates a tension that stays true throughout. What piqued my interest was the book's structure. Not only do we get Daniel and Natasha's perspectives, but the universe is a viewpoint, too. It plays a large roll in providing backstory, as well as insight on why things end the way they do. That added real depth and I felt more connected to the characters.
I was rooting for the characters and their love, but there were a few things that were missing for me. Yoon does a terrific job of giving as much background as possible about the main characters, but the future is rushed to when Natasha and Daniel meet again. So many questions. At the end of the book, I was really rooting for them and when they finally meet again I wanted to know more. The open-ended nature does allow the reader to imagine for themselves, but I still wanted to have more information.
Readers who love the thrill of "time crunch" stories will enjoy The Sun Is Also a Star.
There are some expletives. Mild, but they are part of the book.
This is a young adult novel that takes place in a 24-hour window. NOTE: The reading level makes it a high interest/low readability option.
The book leaves the readers wondering and asking questions: What do their lives look like? What is Natasha’s life really like when she returns to Jamaica? What does Daniel’s life look like after he decides against Yale? How did their younger lives affect their older versions of themselves? Do they even get together in the end?
Walking in Natasha's shoes: how do you imagine her life first getting used to the United States, and then, after 10 years, going back to Jamaica?
4.7
15 and Up
15 and Up
Teen STAR Review Team, Be the Star You Are!™ . Reviewer age: 16
Borrow. This is a nice, quick read.
Title | The Sun is Also a Star |
Author | Nicola Yoon |
Publisher | Delacorte Books for Young Readers © 2016 |
ISBN | 9780553496680 |
Material | Hard Cover |
Cost | $15.99 |
Genres | Family, Emotions and Feelings, Contemporary Fiction, Romance |