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soforlorn's review against another edition
5.0
I cried. A lot. I've been wanting to read this book for a while. I remember trying to download it all night once. I was in a hotel in a trip with my mom and my aunt/cousin about a year ago. I failed, obviously. I went to sleep sad and woke up with a period pain that made me throw up. I wasn't happy throughout the whole couple of days. I wonder what would've happened if I did read the book a year ago. That little difference would've changed everything? This book made me think of that. Maybe yes, maybe no. Only the multiverse can tell us for sure.
paxyquiltan's review against another edition
3.0
I think the following quotes pretty much sum up the book for me:
“The Universe is very, very big.
It also loves a paradox. For example, it has some extremely strict rules.
Rule number one: Nothing lasts forever.
Not you or your family or your house or your planet or the sun. It is an absolute rule. Therefore when someone says that their love will never die, it means that their love is not real, for everything that is real dies.
Rule number two: Everything lasts forever.”
― Craig Ferguson
“No, no, it's not all random, if it really was all random, the universe would abandon us completely. and the universe doesn't. it takes care of its most fragile creations in ways we can't see. like with parents who adore you blindly. and a big sister who feels guilty for being human over you. and a little gravelly-voiced kid whose friends have left him over you. and even a pink-haired girl who carries your picture in her wallet. maybe it is a lottery, but the universe makes it all even out in the end. the universe takes care of all its birds.”
― R.J. Palacio
When asked what this book is about one would say it is a love story about two teenagers who fall in love during 12 intense hours together in NYC, and that is what i gathered after reading the back of the book, reading some reviews, and watching the movie trailer. But after reading the book myself i can say that this is not just a love story, it's so much more. and it's the so much more part that made me give this book a 3.5/5 rating and not less.
I am almost exactly like Natasha at the beginning of the book: I do not believe in love at first sight. And so it was hard for me to read some parts in the book like when Daniel threw the we're meant to be I know you feel it too statement, or when they had their first fight (I wanted to stop reading right then and there), but again this book was more then just Natasha and Daniel.
For example, there is the discussion of identity and what it is to feel American when others don’t see you that way. It also tackles the issue of interracial relationships, racism, the topic of immigration, self-worth, depression, the power of choice, destiny, time, family, science, history, culture, loss, dreams, parent-child relationship, and the odds of having the universe shift and play with events so that two strangers can cross paths. And what I loved about this part was that we don't only read about how these events only affected Natasha and Daniel, but how they also affected the people around them and I feel obligated to mention their names: Irene, Charles, Samuel, Donald, Patricia, the waitress, Dae, Joe, Jeremy, Hannah, Min Soo, Lester Barnes, Rob, and even the conductor. All these characters were the universe in Natasha and Daniels story disguised in human form.
Overall, I did not enjoy the love story but i loved the concept behind it and the real issues [a: Nicola Yoon|7353006|Nicola Yoon|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1411143980p2/7353006.jpg] tackles.
“The Universe is very, very big.
It also loves a paradox. For example, it has some extremely strict rules.
Rule number one: Nothing lasts forever.
Not you or your family or your house or your planet or the sun. It is an absolute rule. Therefore when someone says that their love will never die, it means that their love is not real, for everything that is real dies.
Rule number two: Everything lasts forever.”
― Craig Ferguson
“No, no, it's not all random, if it really was all random, the universe would abandon us completely. and the universe doesn't. it takes care of its most fragile creations in ways we can't see. like with parents who adore you blindly. and a big sister who feels guilty for being human over you. and a little gravelly-voiced kid whose friends have left him over you. and even a pink-haired girl who carries your picture in her wallet. maybe it is a lottery, but the universe makes it all even out in the end. the universe takes care of all its birds.”
― R.J. Palacio
When asked what this book is about one would say it is a love story about two teenagers who fall in love during 12 intense hours together in NYC, and that is what i gathered after reading the back of the book, reading some reviews, and watching the movie trailer. But after reading the book myself i can say that this is not just a love story, it's so much more. and it's the so much more part that made me give this book a 3.5/5 rating and not less.
I am almost exactly like Natasha at the beginning of the book: I do not believe in love at first sight. And so it was hard for me to read some parts in the book like when Daniel threw the we're meant to be I know you feel it too statement, or when they had their first fight (I wanted to stop reading right then and there), but again this book was more then just Natasha and Daniel.
For example, there is the discussion of identity and what it is to feel American when others don’t see you that way. It also tackles the issue of interracial relationships, racism, the topic of immigration, self-worth, depression, the power of choice, destiny, time, family, science, history, culture, loss, dreams, parent-child relationship, and the odds of having the universe shift and play with events so that two strangers can cross paths. And what I loved about this part was that we don't only read about how these events only affected Natasha and Daniel, but how they also affected the people around them and I feel obligated to mention their names: Irene, Charles, Samuel, Donald, Patricia, the waitress, Dae, Joe, Jeremy, Hannah, Min Soo, Lester Barnes, Rob, and even the conductor. All these characters were the universe in Natasha and Daniels story disguised in human form.
Overall, I did not enjoy the love story but i loved the concept behind it and the real issues [a: Nicola Yoon|7353006|Nicola Yoon|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1411143980p2/7353006.jpg] tackles.
withlovenour's review against another edition
5.0
Fate plays a huge role in this book and this book has definitely come into my life at a time when i truly needed it.
emmyslovelylibrary's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
lynnziego's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
stephtherose_'s review against another edition
4.0
Really really good. Listened to the audio book and I honestly think it gave the characters even more depth. I can't wait to listen to more Nicola Yoon! Interracial couples for the win!
cover_2_covered's review against another edition
5.0
"ᴏʙꜱᴇʀᴠᴀʙʟᴇ ꜰᴀᴄᴛ: ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴀʀᴇɴ'ᴛ ʟᴏɢɪᴄᴀʟ." -Natasha Kingsley
"ᴡʜᴏ ᴄᴀʀᴇꜱ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴇᴘɪᴄ? ᴅᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜱ ᴅᴇᴀᴅ." -Natasha Kingsley
"ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ɪᴛ ᴅᴏᴇꜱɴ'ᴛ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪ ꜱᴀʏ. ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ᴀᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴀɴᴛ." -Daniel Jae Ho Bae
"ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴛɪᴍᴇꜱ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ꜱʜᴀᴋᴇꜱ ꜱᴏ ʜᴀʀᴅ, ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴅɪꜰꜰɪᴄᴜʟᴛ ᴛᴏ ɪᴍᴀɢɪɴᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ᴇʟꜱᴇ ɪꜱɴ'ᴛ ꜰᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ɪᴛ ᴛᴏᴏ."
-Natasha Kingsley
"ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʟɪꜰᴇ ᴇxɪꜱᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ɪᴛ ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ. ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴇxɪꜱᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ɪᴛ ᴡᴏʀꜱᴇ." -Natasha Kingsley
"ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴏᴜʙʟᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɢᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴏᴘᴇꜱ ᴛᴏᴏ ꜰᴀʀ ᴜᴘ ɪꜱ: ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴀ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴡᴀʏ ᴅᴏᴡɴ." -Natasha Kingsley
One word- Earth-shattering.
This book was so good. And I know I say that to most of the books that I have read, but this is now in my list of favourites. It made me question life and every moment leading up to now. And I don't play favourites with authors as well but I will for Nicola Yoon.
Set in a modern day New York City; the tale centers around a Jamaican born Natasha who is being deported and Korean- American Daniel who has just been introduced to his parents desires and expectations for him- something he clearly doesn't want.
Natasha bases her life on science and facts; categorising everything into black or white, while Daniel is a poet who sees the world as a vibrant, "anything can happen" kind of way.
He is captivated by Natasha and spends what is quite possibly her last day in America trying to prove to her that one can fall in love in an instant and it can last forever.
The story is supported by several important topics like racism, issues faced by immigrants, the toll that parents's expectations takes on a child's mental health and suicide. It also highlights the importance to taking time to value people, which I think is a lesson we all should incorporate in our life.
The Sun Is Also A Star gets a definite ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 from me.
#bookstagramsrilanka
#books #bookshelvesofinstagram #bookshelf #bookstagrammer #booktoksrilanka #bookgraphy #booktography #nicolayoon #nicolayoonthesunisalsoastar #thesunisalsoastar #thesunisalsoastarbook #movie #thesunisalsoastarmovie #natashakingsley #danieljaehobae
"ᴡʜᴏ ᴄᴀʀᴇꜱ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴇᴘɪᴄ? ᴅᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜱ ᴅᴇᴀᴅ." -Natasha Kingsley
"ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ɪᴛ ᴅᴏᴇꜱɴ'ᴛ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪ ꜱᴀʏ. ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ᴀᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴀɴᴛ." -Daniel Jae Ho Bae
"ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴛɪᴍᴇꜱ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ꜱʜᴀᴋᴇꜱ ꜱᴏ ʜᴀʀᴅ, ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴅɪꜰꜰɪᴄᴜʟᴛ ᴛᴏ ɪᴍᴀɢɪɴᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ᴇʟꜱᴇ ɪꜱɴ'ᴛ ꜰᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ɪᴛ ᴛᴏᴏ."
-Natasha Kingsley
"ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʟɪꜰᴇ ᴇxɪꜱᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ɪᴛ ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ. ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴇxɪꜱᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ɪᴛ ᴡᴏʀꜱᴇ." -Natasha Kingsley
"ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴏᴜʙʟᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɢᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴏᴘᴇꜱ ᴛᴏᴏ ꜰᴀʀ ᴜᴘ ɪꜱ: ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴀ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴡᴀʏ ᴅᴏᴡɴ." -Natasha Kingsley
One word- Earth-shattering.
This book was so good. And I know I say that to most of the books that I have read, but this is now in my list of favourites. It made me question life and every moment leading up to now. And I don't play favourites with authors as well but I will for Nicola Yoon.
Set in a modern day New York City; the tale centers around a Jamaican born Natasha who is being deported and Korean- American Daniel who has just been introduced to his parents desires and expectations for him- something he clearly doesn't want.
Natasha bases her life on science and facts; categorising everything into black or white, while Daniel is a poet who sees the world as a vibrant, "anything can happen" kind of way.
He is captivated by Natasha and spends what is quite possibly her last day in America trying to prove to her that one can fall in love in an instant and it can last forever.
The story is supported by several important topics like racism, issues faced by immigrants, the toll that parents's expectations takes on a child's mental health and suicide. It also highlights the importance to taking time to value people, which I think is a lesson we all should incorporate in our life.
The Sun Is Also A Star gets a definite ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 from me.
#bookstagramsrilanka
#books #bookshelvesofinstagram #bookshelf #bookstagrammer #booktoksrilanka #bookgraphy #booktography #nicolayoon #nicolayoonthesunisalsoastar #thesunisalsoastar #thesunisalsoastarbook #movie #thesunisalsoastarmovie #natashakingsley #danieljaehobae
chelle22's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Violence, Classism, and Deportation
chelseakamm's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
nickscoby's review against another edition
4.0
Note: I am grading on a curve. Truthfully, this is closer to a 3.5
So, in one universe, I really hate this book because the plot is contrived and there are, like, so many annoying coincidences that are enumerated a number of times. And because the main characters, particularly Daniel, say things that no actual human being actually utters. And because Charlie (Daniel's brother) is not really a character but a mustache twirling villain (I hate those). And because the ending is pretty unsatisfying.
But in *this* universe, I mostly love this book mainly because Yoon is just a damn good writer. She handles perspectives about science and poetry almost equally well (although clearly she prefers science). I enjoy Natasha and Daniel and the book sparkles when it focuses on those two. [The one exception is the first story about liminal character Irene which damn near broke my heart] It certainly helps that I imagined Yara Shaheedi in the role the whole time who I suspect is perfectly cast. I'm actually looking forward to seeing the movie and to reading more from Yoon.
So, in one universe, I really hate this book because the plot is contrived and there are, like, so many annoying coincidences that are enumerated a number of times. And because the main characters, particularly Daniel, say things that no actual human being actually utters. And because Charlie (Daniel's brother) is not really a character but a mustache twirling villain (I hate those). And because the ending is pretty unsatisfying.
But in *this* universe, I mostly love this book mainly because Yoon is just a damn good writer. She handles perspectives about science and poetry almost equally well (although clearly she prefers science). I enjoy Natasha and Daniel and the book sparkles when it focuses on those two. [The one exception is the first story about liminal character Irene which damn near broke my heart] It certainly helps that I imagined Yara Shaheedi in the role the whole time who I suspect is perfectly cast. I'm actually looking forward to seeing the movie and to reading more from Yoon.