Reviews - Wandering Stars | The StoryGraph

3.47k reviews for:

Wandering Stars

Tommy Orange

4.02 AVERAGE

nikki_mann's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional 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: Yes

jacquelinegurliaccio's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

While Wandering Stars is a prequel and sequel to There, There, it also stands in its own with unique characters and stories that momentarily converge on the Oakland Powwow.

There is a heavy duty examination of poverty, systemic oppression, and addiction that reminds me of Demon Copperhead but again this is a unique story with compelling characters.

neonfuzz's review against another edition

3.5

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The first section of this book (roughly 100 pages) was a 5 star read for me. The narrative was just beautiful. The middle section (the majority of the book) was really thought-provoking at times and had lines that really stuck with me. However, there were also times that the narration of the teenage characters felt a little clunky - like you could tell an adult was trying to write a young person’s perspective. The final section of the book gave some nice closure, while also leaving the story hopeful. I really appreciated this book as a look through the eyes of various Native people, whom I haven’t gotten to read much as main characters.

allthismakescherries's review against another edition

3.75

challenging dark emotional

nucleartumbleweeds's review against another edition

4.25

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

holdenreg11's review against another edition

3.5

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

This was beautiful and heartbreaking. He is such a great author.

I loved the generational timeline, but felt that it didn’t connect fully with the “present” day chapters as much other than the omnipresence of addition.