Review: The Sun Is Also a Star - Nicola Yoon

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?" (Goodreads)

 
I am a sucker for buzz, so I remember pre-ordering Nicola Yoon's debut novel, Everything, Everything, back in 2015 because so many people were raving about it. I read it about a day or so after it arrived and, though I did have some issues with the book, I liked the writing enough to check out Yoon's latest. And let me tell you: SHE HAS UPPED HER GAME. This was my first read of 2017 and I couldn't have picked a better book to kick off the year.

Let's Get the Common Complaint Out of the Way

Many people will take issue with the "instalove" in this story. After all, we are reading about two people who meet and begin falling in love with each other in a matter of hours. Alright. I get it. I'm not a fan of that sort of thing if it's not done well. However, I think there's something wonderful about stories that are told in one day or against a ticking clock, where the heightened romance seems more reasonable. If you knew you might never see this person again, would you throw all caution to the wind and let yourself feel the feelings? There's always a certain suspension of disbelief when it comes to fiction, allowing us to believe certain things like this could happen. Despite that, I do sort of believe in, at the very least, connection at first sight. I sort of have my own experience with it.

So Much More

Though the romance is undoubtedly the heart of the story, this book is about a lot more than a couple of teens falling in love. I am sure I would've enjoyed the story if it were just Natasha and Daniel's thoughts and feelings as they spend the day together. Instead, Yoon explores the intricacies of life, fate, timing, and destiny and how that affects not just Natasha and Daniel, but the various people they interact with throughout the day, and that is what makes this book so special. 

The book is also largely about immigration and race. Natasha's family faces deportation because they are undocumented immigrants from Jamaica. Daniel's parents are Korean immigrants who came to America for a better life but find the Americanization of their children to be frustrating. 

The language was perfect, making the characters feel like real teenagers without dumbing down their voices (which unfortunately happens in YA) or making them sound wise beyond their years (another issue in YA). As I read the book, I felt that people of all ages would be able to appreciate it. It's just good storytelling.

Rating

 Well-written. Diverse. Funny. Touching. Wonderful. 

I just truly adored this book.
(THAT COVER, THO)