The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon

A romantic work to follow her bestselling novel Everything, Everything, The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon is a novel that can transcend generations and touch all readers. The story of love between Natasha and Daniel not only breaks down the barriers of inter-racial love but also the idea that there is nothing other than physical attraction to promote an unconditional type of love. Though the two lovers are not the same- one could say they begin as something closer to polar opposites- the third person omniscient role of fate guides the two lovers and shows how their love is more than mere coincidence. The strength of Yoon’s use of this fate perspective allows the reader to become engrossed in a thriller of a tale that lasts for only twelve hours- the last twelve hours Natasha may have lived peacefully in the United States, and therefore the only twelve hours of her and Daniel’s relationship. The short timeframe of the story only gives more praise to Yoon as she draws you into a story that seems like days, and, in reality, is only hours.

Yoon’s use of time and the chemistry of love remind the reader that love is not measured in days, months or years. Love is measured in the quality of the moments you spend together. Daniel did not know for a good portion of the novel that Natasha was even subject to deportation; when he found out, nothing changed. The love for Natasha he held in his heartbeat with the same rhythm and his determination to show Natasha that they were “meant to be” did not falter. Through all of Natasha’s scientific, realistic, and factual discounts of the love that was overtaking them, there was nothing to keep Daniel from falling head over heels for her.

Beyond the idea of love, Yoon uses both knowledge and circumstance to proclaim the validity of having dreams. Daniel’s wish to be a poet despite his parent’s wishes for him to become a doctor is just the beginning of a cycle of dreams that pervades through the story line to touch the reader. Through these dreams, we find that though Natasha is very analytical, she has dreamed long before her love of science overtook her perspective. Natasha’s wish to be accepted in the United States is beyond her actions, as predetermined by her father’s DUI that got them noticed by law enforcement. Natasha calls out for anyone to help her, anyone who is willing to look past the legality of the situation and see that she is human. In her proclamation that “The sun is also a star,” Natasha reminds all readers that the biggest details of a circumstance can go unnoticed, much like Daniel is oblivious to the fact that Natasha is going to lose her home and life in the United States.

A National Book Award-nominated novel, this young adult fiction story will have you entranced from the first lines. The Sun Is Also A Star is a profession of love, life, and happiness for all those who dare to pursue their dreams. Surely a page turner for all dedicated readers, this novel will leave you questioning the universe around you, the stars above you, and the voices within you. Was that stranger that passed you by another stranger, or a lifelong soulmate? Does one person or one moment really make all the difference? Is fate currently working its magic in ways unannounced to us? Yoon will tell you in this romantic, thrilling novel set in the roaring boroughs of New York City.

Reviewed by: Allison Ferrante