Reviews with content warning for Gun violence - Wandering Stars

“Simply lasting was great for a wall, for a fortress, but not for a person.” (247)

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!

Content Warnings

nerp's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

WOW. I really enjoyed There There but Wandering Stars was INCREDIBLE. Prose, themes, structure, tone—truly incredible. I love Orange’s prose and how he structures his books. It so deeply impacts your experience with it.

This isn’t a plot heavy book, particularly in part one, but the telling of the ancestors was vital to the telling and the whole point. It’s about intergenerational trauma and the lineage of addiction as a coping mechanism for experiencing unbelievable violence. Each story reinforces those. You can read it without There There, although it’s technically a sequel.

Also, the audio is a delight!!

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ashvaberle16's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Content Warnings

author2223's review

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challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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january_one's review

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Gave me a lot of anxiety but well written

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lvleggett's review

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Wandering Stars picks up where There, There left off - in terms of characters and themes. But you can enjoy as a standalone book.

First, Orange takes us back a few generations to when things initially shifted for the family. A massacre of a Shawnee village sends Jude Star on the run. He and the generations that follow are wandering through the world, separated from who they once were and unsure how or if they can get back to it.

As with There, There, the narrative takes on the POVs of the different characters. Wandering Stars is a more reflective book. Plenty of plot, centered on the newest generation of Stars in modern-day America, but with a strong internal dialogue that brings us deep into the experiences of these characters. This book explores how you figure out who you are in a world that has sought to eradicate your family, history and culture across hundreds of years. Yet you exist. We meet characters across the generations who are striving to hold onto what's been lost, to reclaim & rediscover, and to define the future for themselves.

Orange writes young men especially with such precision and care. I can see many generations of readers connecting with their struggles and joys.

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pomoevareads's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Author Tommy Orange of the Cheyenne and Arapaho people has written a prequel and sequel in one to his breakout novel, There There. Wandering Stars begins in 1864 at the Sand Creek Massacre and follows a character through several generations to the present day. Many of us know about the institutionalization of Indigenous Peoples in schools but Orange also shares in his story about a prison castle in Florida that was a seed for the future schools. He writes about intergenerational trauma, familial love and addiction. In the present day, we see how Orvil is doing after the events at the powwow in There There.

Readers will find Wandering Stars an easier read in that it was easier to keep track of the characters. There is a lineage chart at the beginning of the book and we stay with a small group of characters at a time.

I found myself deeply engaged throughout the novel and want an Opal in my life. My only reason for not giving this book five stars was for a possible dropped opportunity from one scene. A hint to those who have read it is what lies next to a typewriter many years ago. That said I have just learned that Orange is already signed to write his next book. I don’t know if it will be connected to these books but will read it nonetheless.

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jamiejanae_6's review

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

Content Warnings

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