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colormecaro's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
1 - historical “before” part of Wandering Stars
2 - There There in its entirety
3 - Aftermath & Futures parts of Wandering Stars
I would thoroughly recommmend this way of reading the two books. If I hadn’t been able to follow on immediately after finishing There There, I think I would have rated it worse because it leaves quite a few questions at the end.
Equally, while the historical part seems very short (and I would love to read it in more detail), it provides some very necessary context for the general feeling of displacement and lack of connection to native roots that ripples through both books.
And while I still have some quarrels with the way Tommy Orange writes (a few more full stops instead of commas would have been nice), I loved how in Wandering Stars he focuses on fewer characters and gives them more depth. Something I was missing in There There.
I also hope Tommy Orange will write a book focussing on Lony in the future. That character just made sense to me (I am a white European woman, so this is absolutely a tribute to Tommy Orange and his writing ability).
I know I critiqued the writing so it should only be 4.5 but I want this in my 5⭐️ reads because feelings wise, it definitely was.
Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, and Colonisation
orla_h's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Genocide
Moderate: Cancer, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, and Abandonment
Minor: Car accident
letsgolesbians's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Colonisation
Minor: Rape, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic
skitch41's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Addiction and Drug use
Moderate: Genocide, Self harm, and Colonisation
Minor: Alcoholism and Suicidal thoughts
katrinky's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Cancer, Chronic illness, Gore, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Medical content, Car accident, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
lizmart88's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Drug use and Suicide attempt
ukponge's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gun violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, and Colonisation
sydlio's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Sexual assault
greylovesbroccoli's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Self harm
Moderate: Cancer and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Gun violence, Sexual assault, and Mass/school shootings
kailaelders's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
This was excellent, it gave so much more context and meaning as a follow up to There, There. I love that it has two such distinct parts between the early lineage of this family and coming back to the aftermath of the powwow in the first book. It is dark and heavy and emotional, but also enlightening and heart-warming. I'm so impressed by not only Orange's skill at writing, but also his gift at crafting and interweaving so much symbolism, plot points, language, and pacing into a cohesive larger world. I think these little details are missing from a lot of other books I pick up and this easily filled that void. I also want to give a shout out to the brilliant yet subtle cover design, with its illustrations functioning as both the "Stars" of the family name/history, but also the bullet holes (both literal and the trauma and violence they represent). Read both of these books, but definitely check for trigger warnings beforehand!
Moderate: Addiction and Drug use
Minor: Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Mass/school shootings