With intricately humane characters, a compelling and emotionally jarring story, and attention to minute details, “The Sun Is Also A Star” has left a mark in the young adult fiction genre that will not fade soon. The novel, written by Nicola Yoon, evokes the emotions of thrill and melancholy as the reader moves across its pages, and it tugs at the heart with a beautiful tragic-comedic romance story that cuts across multiple lives and times.
A Story of Hearts and Reality
“The Sun Is Also A Star” tells a beautiful story of love, the desire for acceptance, regret, pain, and fate. Every character has an intricate arc that affects others, and Nicola pays attention to the minute details. The novel’s pacing feels slightly slow, but the author compensates by adding snippets of feel-good scenes, like Daniel and Natasha kissing.
Besides focusing on the tribulation of an immigrant, “The Sun Is Also A Star” shows other characters’ problems. The Conductor was a man whose divorce led to him finding peace in evangelical Christianity.
The waitress had a terrible relationship with her children and felt America was a country that took everything from someone. The BMW driver struggled to regain his sanity after his daughter’s death. Hannah suffered from feeling insecure about herself, and Irene struggled with chronic loneliness and depression.
Though the characters had sad stories, none evoked more sadness than the tale of Samuel Kingsley, a man from Jamaica who dreamt of becoming an actor. He struggled to enter the United States of America and fought to get an acting role. However, life and destiny showed him that not everyone can be a winner, and after seeing what could have been of his life, he and his family received a deportation order.
Though many people may think “The Sun Is Also A Star” is a good-ending story, it does not seem like it. At every twist and turn, life hits the characters so hard that one may feel they know only pain. The novel somehow mimics the reality of most humans who never have the happy ending everyone wants. The book had a great sense of realism and showed that romantics and love do not conquer immediate problems.
A captivating part of the novel is its slight focus on poetry, science, and history. Though Nicola Yoon did not need to go further, she took the extra mile and explained scientific phenomena with pinpoint accuracy.
Themes of Introspection
Every theme featured in “The Sun Is Also A Star” forces its reader into introspection. The story’s intricate portrayal of fate, love, the American Dream, culture, and grief made it a marvel of literary expressionism. One can feel the emotions portrayed in every scene. Nicola did an excellent job showing how seemingly minor characters’ dreams, pain, and histories affected the primary plotline.
Realistic Characterization
Where “The Sun Is Also A Star” succeeds the most is in its characterization. Every person in the novel has their ideology, hopes, and dreams. From the Korean American struggling to become a poet to the Conductor, they all want to be free of their pain and struggles.
Natasha Kingsley wants to remain in the United States and gain citizenship even though she is an illegal immigrant; Daniel Bae tries becoming a poet, abandoning his parents’ high expectations of being a good student and medical doctor; Charlie Bae wants to get rid of the idea of being the son of Korean immigrants; Irene and Peter Kingsley crave friendship; Patricia wants to have a good life with her family, and Attorney Jeremy Fitzgerald wants to be with the woman he loves, Hannah Stone.
The novel ensures not everyone has the happy ending they deserve; this intentional realism makes the story’s characterization incredible.
An Intentional Writing Style
Most young adult fiction and romance novels use the first-person perspective to tell their story, ensuring readers can place themselves in the character’s shoes. However, Nicola Yoon took things further in “The Sun Is Also A Star.” She used two people, Daniel and Natasha, for the first-person narration and added a third omniscient observer who can see into the past and present. Using the writing style reinforced the fate aspect of “The Sun Is Also A Star” as it gave a full view of the effect created by each character’s action.
“The Sun Is Also A Star” employs a bittersweet tone that alternates between bubbly romance and a sad realization of the brutality of reality. Nicola’s writing style evokes a feeling of sympathy in the reader as they feel for the characters whose lives some events beyond their control shatter.
Remarkable Dialogues
“The Sun Is Also A Star” has a refreshing dialogue. Every conversation feels natural, and there are no cuts or loopholes in thought. Nicola Yoon uses characters talking to each other to propel the story, and when dialogue is not enough, she adds the third-person perspective. Even though Nicola says she is a hopeless romantic, she does not let her preference for love writing get in the way of “The Sun Is Also A Star.“
A Fluid Structure and Pacing
“The Sun Is Also A Star” has an excellent structure of resounding themes and figures of speech. Every aspect of the plotline feels refreshing and reinforces Nicola’s views on love, reality, fate, and grief. However, the story faltered a bit in its pacing. Because of the added third-person perspective, the plotline felt dragged in some instances.
A Beautiful Setting
The crowded New York City street was the best setting for “The Sun Is Also A Star.” The bustling streets of Manhattan propelled the ideology of how everyone in the United States goes about their daily business in hopes of fulfilling the American Dream, which seems to be pulling further away from the masses.
Nicola used young teenagers trying to find their way, depressed young adults, and regretful grown-ups to show how everyone’s idea of the American Dream got shattered in one way. She portrayed that the fantasy people long for is nothing but a dream that is quick to fade away in the slightest turbulence of life.
Main Pros and Cons
As for its pros, “The Sun Is Also A Star” has a remarkable story. Every aspect of the plot felt thrilling, and Nicola’s attention to detail ensured no plot holes existed.
The story also had a pristine ending that felt complete. Most young adult romance novels employ an open ending that leaves readers in erratic suspense, but “The Sun Is Also A Star” never does that. It ended satisfyingly.
Another aspect of the novel was its themes and fluid writing. Nicola showed her writing prowess on the pages of “The Sun Is Also A Star” as the characters’ conversations, the worldbuilding, and the setting were all on point.
For its cons, “The Sun Is Also A Star” used a writing style that may confuse some people. Nicola switches from the first to third person to give a rounded view of the past and present; this may be hard for some people to track.
Another slight downside of the novel is the minor characters who never had proper endings. People like the waitress never got their plot closed, and it felt a bit sad. “The Sun Is Also A Star” also had a lot of cursing and making out, which may be unsuitable for a younger audience.
Lasting Impact on Reader
Though “The Sun Is Also A Star” concludes somewhat happily, one cannot help but feel sad for the characters that had terrible endings; this includes Patricia Kingsley, who dies five years after leaving the United States, Jeremy’s children, whose lives never straighten out, and the BMW driver, who no one knows if he ever recovers from his daughter’s death.
As a beautiful story of love, passion, and fate, “The Sun Is Also A Star” leaves a positive impression on most of its readers. Many people who dove into the world of Natasha and Daniel’s romance came out praising Nicola’s expert storytelling and character design.
The Sun Is Also A Star: The Fate In Our Stories
Book Title: The Sun Is Also A Star
Book Description: 'The Sun Is Also A Star' is a novel that shows the lives of two teenagers, Natasha and Daniel, as they struggle to find their place in the world. Natasha fights to remain in the United States while Daniel struggles with choosing either being the ideal son or chasing his dreams.
Book Author: Nicola Yoon
Book Edition: First Edition
Book Format: Hardcover
Publisher - Organization: Delacorte Books
Date published: November 1, 2016
Illustrator: David Yoon
ISBN: 9780552574242
Number Of Pages: 384
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Story
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Characters
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Dialogue
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Setting
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Conclusion
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Lasting Effect on Reader
The Sun Is Also A Star: A Life of Destiny, A Love of Fate
‘The Sun Is Also A Star’ tells a story of love, broken dreams, and the desire to find oneself. It follows the lives of Natasha and Daniel, two teens brought together by fate, and shows the love that develops between them.
Pros
- The story is beautiful.
- The novel’s conclusion is pristine and leaves an impression.
- The writing is fluid and the themes are deep.
Cons
- The use of two writing perspectives may not be ideal for some people.
