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4.53 AVERAGE
4.53 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Stunning and unique concept, touted as a utopia, the world the reader lands in quickly makes you ask if this is actually a dystopia. Ultimately I don’t think the question is clear even by the ending. (This is a standalone, and I think it will and should stay that way.)
This is very much a story that will stick with me and will also be one I ponder for a while. I think the blurb does a good enough job of explaining the set up, but I would otherwise go in without reading too much into this. I do definitely recommend this one even if I don’t know if I should be happy or sad about the ending. Bittersweet is highly accurate.
This is very much a story that will stick with me and will also be one I ponder for a while. I think the blurb does a good enough job of explaining the set up, but I would otherwise go in without reading too much into this. I do definitely recommend this one even if I don’t know if I should be happy or sad about the ending. Bittersweet is highly accurate.
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
Thank you Yen Press, Netgalley, and Aki Poroyama for the early copy of this manga!
Stardust Family by Aki Poroyama is a speculative science fiction story set within a reality where the choices to raise a family are decided through the trust put into children with a system set in place to determine how fit a set of parents are to raise children of their own. On the surface, it sounds like a strange topic, and feels like a confusing immersion into a universe so drastically different from modern society.
Delving into the story though feels like repetitious punches to the gut in between heart wrenching backstories for multiple characters and surprising twist reveals in the latter portion of the story. Aki Poroyama is capable of bringing the reader through every emotion under the sun, as well as guiding the reader through each stage of grief in a slow, healing process.
Finishing this story left me caught in a mix of indescribable emotions, and it's one I already know I would love to read again and again, just to immerse myself in the lives and feelings of the main trio of characters. Overall, more than anything, I found the way this story approaches the topics of selection and parenthood to be a tender exploration, one that imagines a world where pain is inevitable, where grief is misunderstood and hard to look head on, but hopeful, and sweet, and where love isn't just who you're born from. It's a story about confronting what makes us human at our most vulnerable, a story about the feeling of being othered from society, and in finding safety, comfort, and community with people who want to understand you.
It is a story that made me happy, despite the grief contained within.
Stardust Family by Aki Poroyama is a speculative science fiction story set within a reality where the choices to raise a family are decided through the trust put into children with a system set in place to determine how fit a set of parents are to raise children of their own. On the surface, it sounds like a strange topic, and feels like a confusing immersion into a universe so drastically different from modern society.
Delving into the story though feels like repetitious punches to the gut in between heart wrenching backstories for multiple characters and surprising twist reveals in the latter portion of the story. Aki Poroyama is capable of bringing the reader through every emotion under the sun, as well as guiding the reader through each stage of grief in a slow, healing process.
Finishing this story left me caught in a mix of indescribable emotions, and it's one I already know I would love to read again and again, just to immerse myself in the lives and feelings of the main trio of characters. Overall, more than anything, I found the way this story approaches the topics of selection and parenthood to be a tender exploration, one that imagines a world where pain is inevitable, where grief is misunderstood and hard to look head on, but hopeful, and sweet, and where love isn't just who you're born from. It's a story about confronting what makes us human at our most vulnerable, a story about the feeling of being othered from society, and in finding safety, comfort, and community with people who want to understand you.
It is a story that made me happy, despite the grief contained within.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this opportunity to read this arc for a truthful review.
This manga really surprised me! I’ll admit at first I didn’t see the issue with the system until I realized how dystopian it was. I always wished there was a way to prevent abusive people from having children. I know firsthand how it hurts. But I realized, how it hurt the inspectors and their “temporary” families. This was not the way. The writing quality was high.
Every character had a purpose, and every character I loved! I'd say my favorite was the main character himself. I’ve lived in many living situations thoughout my life. His emotions were displayed in a way that brought out the tension in the story.
The pacing was great! I'm unsure if this will remain the only volume but I’ve found that with a lot of those — manga or graphic novels, it can feel very rushed. This story sets up its world-building flawlessly, mostly through the news.
Lastly about the things I disliked. I wish the ending were a bit different. It was alright to the point it didn’t ruin the story, yet it was a bit confusing and wonky. It felt a bit stereotypical as well. Even at other times, things felt wonky but I think it was a translation issue. I wish there were more of a revolution against the system and stuff. More dystopia you know?
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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:
Complicated
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I went to the book today to just browse and this title caught my eye. Glimpsed at the pages and thought this might be a good read.
I’m glad I was right. This story is amazing! I read it a few hours because I couldn’t put it down.
The premise and the characters are so fascinating that once you start reading a few pages you won’t be able to put it down.
I definitely recommend reading it.
I’m glad I was right. This story is amazing! I read it a few hours because I couldn’t put it down.
The premise and the characters are so fascinating that once you start reading a few pages you won’t be able to put it down.
I definitely recommend reading it.
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Super interesting concept about a world where people need permission to become parents, and while the execution was not what I expected, I still liked it a lot. It's about this caregiver inspector – a child basically – who gets send to people and lives with them for two weeks to evaluate if they are fit to become parents. Taking care of children is seen as the definition of happiness in this society and getting a license for parenting is considered a blessing, so the inspectors make life altering decisions in their job. The world building didn't go much deeper than that and left some open questions for me, but it was ok. The manga focused on a single evaluation and explored both the feelings of the inspector and the potential parents. From the cover I thought that this might go in the horror direction, but it was more of an emotional story. And by emotional I mean a whole range of emotions, because it was wholesome and sweet, but also sad and kinda unsettling at times. Some aspects of the story could have been a little more fleshed out, though. It didn't really explore what it means to be a good parent, and every time people were denied that privilege it was always because they physically abused the inspectors. And come on, a good parent has to check more criteria than just not hitting a child. Aspects like health, money or living standards were never discussed. I did like that it was mentioned that some people are perfectly happy without children, but I wish it had played an even bigger role. Overall it's a character focused story and it really succeeded there. All three of the main characters were explored well, and all had complex backstories that unfolded as the story went on and finally painted a coherent family picture. And that's a great accomplishment for a single volume of manga.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Yen Press for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Yen Press for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.
Holy. Shit.
This went from a really pretty great manga to unbelievably strange, beautiful, and absolutely heartbreaking in the final chapter, leaving me bawling!
In a vague future people must get a licence to have children with failure to get approval being tied to a great deal of socioeconomic status and opportunities as the people getting branded as defective. The assessment is carried out by specially trained adolescents called Inspectors who undergo intense education and training to assess people they stay with for two weeks to make their verdict, before moving on.
Stardust Family focuses on an Inspector named Hikari and a couple who have failed countless previous evaluations, as the history of the couple and the Inspector are explored over an eventful and emotional two weeks. An unexpected confluence of events lead to an absolutely wild reveal and a mind blowing and heartbreaking ending.
I was having a good time with a really interesting a scifi 'utopian' dystopian concept with some fascinating exploration of authoritarian consequences and some rich and fleshed out characters, but the final chapter came along with some truly jaw-dropping worldbuilding that made me literally exclaim out loud, and then proceeded to tear my heart out and then serve it back to me leaving me in floods of tears.
A truly fascinating, beautiful, and uniquely exquisite manga!
Holy. Shit.
This went from a really pretty great manga to unbelievably strange, beautiful, and absolutely heartbreaking in the final chapter, leaving me bawling!
In a vague future people must get a licence to have children with failure to get approval being tied to a great deal of socioeconomic status and opportunities as the people getting branded as defective. The assessment is carried out by specially trained adolescents called Inspectors who undergo intense education and training to assess people they stay with for two weeks to make their verdict, before moving on.
Stardust Family focuses on an Inspector named Hikari and a couple who have failed countless previous evaluations, as the history of the couple and the Inspector are explored over an eventful and emotional two weeks. An unexpected confluence of events lead to an absolutely wild reveal and a mind blowing and heartbreaking ending.
I was having a good time with a really interesting a scifi 'utopian' dystopian concept with some fascinating exploration of authoritarian consequences and some rich and fleshed out characters, but the final chapter came along with some truly jaw-dropping worldbuilding that made me literally exclaim out loud, and then proceeded to tear my heart out and then serve it back to me leaving me in floods of tears.
A truly fascinating, beautiful, and uniquely exquisite manga!
Stardust Family intelligently raises important questions about parenthood and the power of society and government over the right to procreate and raise a child. In this original dystopia, couples have to pass various tests before they are allowed to have a child, including a practical test with a child inspector.
The lives of the child inspectors are very sad. I immediately felt great sorrow and compassion for the condition of these children, who cannot have a real childhood, a family or be loved, and who undergo traumatic experiences in order to serve the system.
As well as the ethical issues, the characters are intriguing and interesting.
The behaviour of this man, who rejects what every member of society actively seeks, raises questions, and the mysteries surrounding this woman keep us on the edge of our seats. Hikaru, who reveals himself as the story progresses, is also very poignant, adding extra emotional depth to the story.
The manga also subtly explores themes such as the gaze of others, the importance of forming one's own opinion and the impact a crime can have on other family members. This manga is very complete and profound.
Spoiler : I wasn't expecting the SF ‘twist’ at all, it was very effective even if I would have liked to see a bit more of it.
I really like the bittersweet ending, which made me shed a tear.
Originally in only two volumes (one in this edition [a positive point, as I would have been frustrated not to get to the end of the story!]) the story is well-paced, neither too much nor too little. I had a great time, with no length or rush, and I would recommend this book without hesitation.
The lives of the child inspectors are very sad. I immediately felt great sorrow and compassion for the condition of these children, who cannot have a real childhood, a family or be loved, and who undergo traumatic experiences in order to serve the system.
As well as the ethical issues, the characters are intriguing and interesting.
The behaviour of this man, who rejects what every member of society actively seeks, raises questions, and the mysteries surrounding this woman keep us on the edge of our seats. Hikaru, who reveals himself as the story progresses, is also very poignant, adding extra emotional depth to the story.
The manga also subtly explores themes such as the gaze of others, the importance of forming one's own opinion and the impact a crime can have on other family members. This manga is very complete and profound.
Spoiler : I wasn't expecting the SF ‘twist’ at all, it was very effective even if I would have liked to see a bit more of it.
I really like the bittersweet ending, which made me shed a tear.
Originally in only two volumes (one in this edition [a positive point, as I would have been frustrated not to get to the end of the story!]) the story is well-paced, neither too much nor too little. I had a great time, with no length or rush, and I would recommend this book without hesitation.
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Absolutely spectacular and deeply melancholy speculative fiction about a dystopic future where Japan lisences all parents in order for them to legally raise children. A short but emotio ally swnse story, lots of space to reflect in the narrative. Happy hut open-ending with room to draw your own conclusions about the social issues discussed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Child death, Pedophilia, Murder
CW: Brief scenes show or imply the abuse the MC and other investigators face while evaluating families including sexual and physical abuse. They are forced into sevitude and considered property. They are inhuman but sentient and clearly suffer from the traumatic events. Mentioned past infanticide. Proceed with caution if these topics are triggering.