The Sun is also a Star by Nicola Yoon [cute, but not so satisfying]

I read this book right after Age of Swords which left me an empty shell, so naturally, reading a light and fluffy book helped. However, in all honesty, it didn’t satisfy me as much as I’d have liked.

Natasha is Jamaican. She and her family moved to the US illegally therefore, they have no citizenship. So when her father is caught in a DUI, they get deported. But this deportation is going to ruin everything Natasha has built for herself in this country and she will not go back to a country she hardly knows without a fight.

Daniel is Korean. His family has built themselves a comfortable life in the US but Daniel is tired of living up to his parents’ expectations. He cannot bear the thought of leading a boring life as a Doctor while his true passion lies in poetry. A big believer of faith and destiny, he is determined to find his path before it’s too late.

I love Daniel. He’s absolutely adorable and a super dork BUT his ridiculous outlook on life and destiny felt really naive and silly to me. Maybe because while I do believe everything happens for a reason, I’m not the one to believe that we have some calling we need to look for. And reading Daniel talk constantly about destiny and love really got on my nerves.

Natasha was someone I could relate to a lot. I saw a lot of myself in her. From her curly hair to her love of science fiction and time paradoxes. From her practicality to her disbelief in love at first sight. I was in love with her… until she fell in love with Daniel.

If people who were actually born here had to prove they were worthy enough to live in America, this would be a much less populated country.

It was inevitable that she would fall for him sooner or later. But it was waaaay too soon. After all, this whole book surrounds the events of ONE DAY! And while Daniel fell victim to insta-love (regardless of what he says):

There’s a Japanese phrase that I like: koi no yokan. It doesn’t mean love at first sight. It’s closer to love to love at second sight. It’s the feeling when you meet someone that you’re going to fall in love with them. Mayeb you don’t love them right away, but it’s inevitable that you will.

Once Nat fell in love, she became the sappiest, love-sick person EVER! Suddenly she was believing in fate and the cosmos and the freaking planets aligning perfectly to form mickey-mouse. I swear, the book just got more silly and unbelievable as it got to the end.

I already dislike the way romance is portrayed in the media and this just added to it.

I do want to mention that I did up end up crying at one point of the book. No, it was not for Nat and Daniel, it was for Nat and her father. The scene where she confronted him really resonated with me and I was pretty much reduced to tears.

And I’m not a satellite. I’m space junk, hurtling as far as I can away from him.

The only reason I finished this book is because I loved the Jamaican and Korean culture I was getting to learn. And with “the Donald” on the loose, the topic of immigrants was something I took great interest in.

Overall I’d give this book a three-star rating. Daniel made me laugh a lot and I did cry so in terms of emotions felt, this book is really good. Way better than Everything, Everything. But I just cannot digest the issues I have with the book.

I hope you guys liked the review. Do let me know if you’ve read this book, and what you felt about it down in the comments below!

Lots of love and space,

Raven