The day that Natasha and Daniel meet is one that is already scheduled to change both of their lives. Daniel is headed to his Yale interview. If it goes well, he's headed to Connecticut to become a doctor, just like his parents have always wanted. Natasha's family is being deported to Jamaica - tonight. She's hoping to meet with a lawyer to figure out a way to stay. They are both in the middle of major moments in their lives, but when they meet, they both suddenly have entirely new reasons for staying in New York. Do they dare disturb the universe and its plan already in progress? Or is meeting each other part of the plan?
Why It's Worth Reading:
It's Eleanor & Park in New York City with a touch of Serendipity in the mix! There are a lot of sappy romances out there, but this isn't one of them. It's a clever, sincere, hilarious yet poignant story about two young people who don't have time or space in their lives for each other, but they just cannot help themselves. They come from completely different cultures and have completely different philosophies. No one would ever put them together, but the universe has other plans. There are also these fabulous chapters that function as asides within the story and add tremendous depth and oft needed background to the plot. One, for example, might focus on a minor character with whom Natasha interacts for only a few minutes, giving history and explanation of how their momentary interaction has a lasting impact. Later in the story, after the reader learns that Daniel's South Korean parents own a black hair care store, one of these chapters briefly but compellingly explains the fascinating history of the South Korean hair trade that led to nearly all black hair care shops in New York being owned by immigrants from South Korea. There is a reason that this novel made all of the best of lists in 2016 and was a finalist in multiple award categories, including the John Steptoe New Talent Award (a sub-category of the Coretta Scott King) and National Book Award. It's at the top of my 2017 list already.
Book Details:
Title: The Sun is also a Star
Author: Nicola Yoon
ISBN: 9780553496680
Awards/Accolades: 2017 Printz Award finalist, 217 John Steptoe Award for New Talent, 2016 National Book Award finalist and at least 5 starred reviews!
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: November 1, 2016
Do We Own a Copy?: Multiple copies are on order.