Author: Nicola Yoon
Number of pages: 384 pages
Date of published: November 1, 2016
Publisher: Delacorte Press
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?
***
The Sun Is Also a Star is on my TBR list. I remember being drawn to the book because of its beautiful and unique cover. This year, I challenged myself to participate in Taylor Swift's 1989 Reading Challenge, with the first prompt being Welcome to New York: A book set in New York.
After conducting a Google search, I discovered that The Sun Is Also a Star was on one of the recommended lists. So, why not give it a shot, right?
The Story
Natasha's world fell apart when she learned that she and her family would be deported tonight at 10 p.m. She couldn't believe her twisted fate until now. Natasha chose not to accept her fate, despite the fact that her family did. She attempted to find a way out. She went to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services in the early morning (USCIS). Unfortunately, she missed her appointment and there is nothing she can do to avoid deportation.
Not knowing what to do, one of the officers there told her about an immigrant lawyer who might be able to help her. Natasha will take any opportunity to avoid the deportation at all costs. As a result, she decided to schedule an appointment with the lawyer as soon as possible, hoping for the best possible outcome.
She met Daniel on her way to the lawyer's office, precisely when she took the subway. A Korean American guy who will soon become the closest guy she has ever known.
After her brother, Charlie, was discharged from Harvard, Daniel Jae Ho Bae felt pressured to be the best child in his family. Being a medical student was never his dream. Poetry is the only subject in which he is particularly interested. But, as a member of an Asian family, Daniel understands the importance of living up to his parents' expectations. As a result, he will go to an alum interview as part of his preparation to attend Yale University and become a doctor, as his family has told him.
When Daniel met Natasha, he realized that his own dream was more important than his parents' expectations. Finally, meeting each other will offer Natasha and Daniel with a new perspective on their lives.
Surprisingly, Not Bored
When I first started reading this book, I expected to be bored. Interestingly, I wasn't. Each of the points of view was fascinating to me. What I liked best about this book was how Yoon showed us sides other than Natasha and Daniel's. She also included perspectives from unexpected characters, such as Irene (the security officer), Samuel (Natasha's father), and Jeremy (the immigrant lawyer). When we read the story, those POVs still provide a unique perspective.
This book is fast paced for me. The POV will smoothly switch from one to the other. Because each section isn't that long, switching POVs didn't bother me.
Another element that surprised me was the fact that the story took place in just one day. I never thought I'd find such a book—because one of my prompts RC is about it and I have no idea what it's about. So, at the very least, it will inspire me to seek out another book with a similar plot.
Perhaps what I couldn't understand is that their process of falling in love is very short and quick. I understand Natasha and Daniel have their own intimacy, but I couldn't understand how their interaction could lead to them falling in love.
Conclusion
After all, I'm pretty pleased with myself for finishing this book. I wasn't bored while reading it, and to be honest, I really enjoyed it. Also, I learned more about the lives of immigrants in America, particularly undocumented immigrants.
In my opinion, the ending is very realistic. As a result, there will be no miracles here. That was acceptable for me.
So... yeah. I give this book four out of five stars.
Sincerely,
Ra
Ra
230103
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