ARC Review: The Sun is Also a Star

About The Book:

  Title: The Sun is Also a Star 

  Author: Nicola Yoon 
  Pub. Date: November 1st, 2016 
  Publisher: Delacorte Press 
  Pages: 384 

  Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance 

  Rate: 2.5/5 stars 

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?

Review:

I hope I don't get much backlash from people with this. I know that this has been a highly popular book since probably the first announcement. The ratings on Goodreads are even fabulous for it. However, I just didn't love it as much as I was hoping to. I didn't think anything was too terrible about it, I honestly just think it was a personal preference kind of thing on my end.

I think I'm going to start out this review by saying that I think The Sun is Also a Star was well written. In fact, my favorite thing about this book was the alternating chapters between Natasha, Daniel, the people they meet throughout the book and the inanimate objects that affect them throughout their time together. I thought it was really unique and it added a lot to the emotional impact it gives readers. I also especially enjoyed learning about the Rastafari religion and other things that influence Jamaican and Korean history as well as what immigrants go through.

So why didn't I love The Sun is Also a Star? Well, I was able to put it down so many times. I didn't have that compelling feeling towards it that I feel towards so many books that I give 5 stars or even 4 (I'm sure you know the feeling that I'm talking about). I think I felt this way because while the deportation aspect definitely added a dramatic and intense spin on the romance, I felt like I've read the excursion through NYC to fall in love before. I'm not saying I didn't like the story about the deportation, because I enjoyed learning about that process. But personally, I didn't buy into the romance. Also I think the author clearly pushed the issue of fate a little too far with that ending, like wow.

“Observable Fact: I don't believe in magic.
Observable Fact: We are magic."

Is it just that I'm losing interest in this genre of books? It might very well be. But I can't change my feelings about that. I just know for next time that I won't reach for that genre first. I haven't enjoyed a YA contemporary that wasn't about mental health or some kind of heavy topic in a very long time. That isn't to say that you won't because I know a lot of people that are enjoying this book. If you read it, I'd love to hear your perspective or why you're excited to read it!

- Jocelyn