English / USA
The sun is also a star
Yoon, Nicola
(text)
New York: Delacorte Press, [2016]. – 344 p. + [30] p.
ISBN 978-0-553-49668-0
Love | Immigration | Fate
Reading age: 14+
White Ravens issue: 2017
Life is often complicated, especially for adolescents. This is certainly true for Natasha and Daniel, who are facing life-changing decisions. Natasha, an undocumented immigrant from Jamaica, seeks to reverse a judge’s decision to deport her entire family – tonight. Daniel, the son of Korean immigrants who is expected to attend Yale and become a doctor, grapples with defying his parents and becoming a poet instead. As the two strive to do the right thing, realising life as they know it may end in a split second, their lives become intertwined. Alternating chapters convey Natasha’s and Daniel’s contrasting approaches to life and their growing connection to each other. Additional chapters with an omniscient narrator offer insight into other characters’ lives, from security guards to the protagonists’ parents, and include scientific and historical facts about human interconnectedness. Yoon’s luminous novel captivates readers in the serendipitous coincidences that bring Natasha and Daniel together and considers the complexities of love.