The Sun Is Also a Star (Delacorte Press, 2016) by Nicola Yoon is an impactful book that covers a very short time period in the two protagonists lives. The book is mainly told from the viewpoints of two teens from immigrant families. We also get some insight with viewpoints of some other characters.
First, we meet Daniel who feels like he has to accept his destiny and become a doctor because his oldest brother has screwed up. Daniel’s family is from Korea.
Then we met Natascha who is angry at her father. Her mother says she should give up on trying to keep them in America. Her little brother thinks Jamaica will be better.
The two meet on the day Natascha’s family is being deported and the day Daniel is being interviewed for Yale. And what an amazing, frustrating, busy day they have. These two couldn’t be more different. One is a romantic, the other a scientist–you’ll have to read it to see which is which.
How could a story like this have a satisfactory ending? Well, it does.
This book is a National Book Award Finalist, Michael L. Printz Honor Book, and New York Times Best Seller.
Nicola’s unofficial bio makes me smile. I haven’t yet read her book Everything, Everything. I hope she keeps writing.
