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k_fry's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Murder, Outing, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Transphobia, Violence, Self harm, Blood, Bullying, Deadnaming, Body shaming, Racial slurs, and Rape
watervixxen's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
5.0
Absolutely beautiful story that centers Queer love and hope. It also shows some of the darker, unfortunately very real reactions society has towards Trans folxs.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, and Hate crime
Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, and Deadnaming
ngrant88's review against another edition
Poorly developed characters and relationships, way too much plot without anything actually happening, POV changes mid paragraph and EVERY TRIGGER WARNING there is. This could have been a good book if someone else wrote it (and removed several plot lines).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, Child abuse, Outing, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Transphobia, War, Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, Deadnaming, and Sexual violence
saracat's review
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-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
4.0
In some sci-fi or fantasy books, there is there sense of human exceptionalism that I personally don’t know how to feel about. And I’m not sure I would say I got that from this book. But I’m not sure I can say there wasn’t a feeling if it towards the end either. However, in reality, there are definitely instances when individuals from different cultures meet and that new culture teaches them something that results in them changing some views on things. And I don’t think any of this is by default good or bad. It just makes me think.
And this book did give a lot to think about. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that combines demons and aliens. So it was very interesting to see how those elements got combined.
Listening to the audiobook, it sometimes felt like there were very sudden jumps from one character to another, so it took me a few seconds or sentences to realize what was being said was not about the previous character. And I did sometimes struggle to keep some of the characters straight in my head.
My heart went out constantly to Katrina and Shirley because of their kindness and the flawed adults in their lives. I found Lan and Shizuka to be complicated and flawed, but still likable characters who had a lot of growth.
And this book did give a lot to think about. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that combines demons and aliens. So it was very interesting to see how those elements got combined.
Listening to the audiobook, it sometimes felt like there were very sudden jumps from one character to another, so it took me a few seconds or sentences to realize what was being said was not about the previous character. And I did sometimes struggle to keep some of the characters straight in my head.
My heart went out constantly to Katrina and Shirley because of their kindness and the flawed adults in their lives. I found Lan and Shizuka to be complicated and flawed, but still likable characters who had a lot of growth.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia
Moderate: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Violence, Rape, and Homophobia
Minor: Sexual harassment
Not just people being transphobic but internalized transphobiaanna_fangirling's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-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? Yes
5.0
This is easily one of my favorite books I have read. From the prose-like writing Aoki uses, to the clear passion put into every aspect of this story, readers are taken on a journey truly out of this world. I simultaneously wanted to devour it and never wanted it to end. Light From Uncommon Stars is different from any other book I’ve read in many aspects; pacing, writing style, formatting. It took a bit to get used to however it did not take away from my enjoyment or understanding of the book. The representation of various marginalized communities, the exploration of what life is, deep extensive knowledge of the music world and violins, all wrapped together in pages and a cover.
Throughout the story we get thought provoking questions through and from the characters. Aoki writes all of the characters with depth, soul (hehe), and life that they felt so real. Truly mesmerized by the writing. I laughed, I cried, I wrote down quotes that just hit hard. Just as Katrina’s music made people feel, so did Aoki’s writing. I hope more people read this book
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Child abuse, Deadnaming, and Sexual assault
Minor: Rape
laguerrelewis's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-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? Yes
5.0
“When two violins are placed in a room if a chord on one violin is struck
the other violin will sound the note”
—Say Yes, Andrea Gibson
Light From Uncommon Stars is difficult to distill. A plot synopsis often leaves your audience thinking “how does that fit together?” This is actually Stars’ greatest strength—it contains multitudes, and its insight is fathomless. Like Gibson says in the poem quoted above, Ryka Aoki is able to play the exact chords that resonate and sound in the reader. The result is a moving and incredibly affecting story of legacy, love, connection, community, mistakes, the condition of being alive, and the connective power of music and donuts. These words will stay with me for years to come. Keep tissues on hand, and do not read this book hungry.
the other violin will sound the note”
—Say Yes, Andrea Gibson
Light From Uncommon Stars is difficult to distill. A plot synopsis often leaves your audience thinking “how does that fit together?” This is actually Stars’ greatest strength—it contains multitudes, and its insight is fathomless. Like Gibson says in the poem quoted above, Ryka Aoki is able to play the exact chords that resonate and sound in the reader. The result is a moving and incredibly affecting story of legacy, love, connection, community, mistakes, the condition of being alive, and the connective power of music and donuts. These words will stay with me for years to come. Keep tissues on hand, and do not read this book hungry.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Violence, Misogyny, Blood, Death, Dysphoria, Sexual content, War, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Outing, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Deadnaming, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, and Medical content
sgoldstine's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Transphobia
alsoapples's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Deadnaming, Transphobia, Outing, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Alcoholism
mercapto's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
3.75
Initially, I struggled with this because of my own personal expectations. I found the blurb quite misleading - it read like it would focus more on the Shizuka and Lan romance, the blend of sci-fi and fantasy, with a trans prodigy as a side character. Even the reviews on the back page made it seem like a fantastical love story. It was quite jarring to expect something removed from reality and to get a very real and very harrowing story of an abused trans girl, even if she found happiness in the end. Especially because it was at the start of the book, there was no easing into it. However, once I took a step back and reassessed my expectations, I did begin to enjoy it more for what it was.
But I wish the blurb had made the focus Katrina! It reads like Lan and her donuts broke the curse when it was Katrina being her wonderful self that made Shizuka change!
Aoki is wonderfully imaginative, and obviously has many stories to tell - I can tell that she wanted to pour everything into this book. I get it, a book crossing deals with demons with an intergalactic family and the story of a trans girl finding herself is very unique, is going to stand out more than individual books in each genre. But… I can’t help but think I’d rather have read a separate book for each theme. Or even just demons deals and the Katrina storyline. Or even just a longer book! A series that blends together in one final novel!
Katrina’s narrative is so much more in depth than the other two main characters, and it’s clear that writing what you know works well for Aoki - even without looking her up I could tell that whoever was writing Katrina had real experience either being trans or was heavily involved in the trans community, and the way she writes these scenes, so matter-of-fact, so real, is where her ability shines through - “The violin had given Katrina a voice with which to sing. And now, that newfound voice was pushing her, urging Katrina to speak.”
It’s not that she doesn’t write Shizuka or Lan well, it’s just that there’s not enough pages to flesh them out properly - they are big concepts and backstories that need a bit more handholding to understand than Katrina, who’s backstory, sadly, we are all familiar with in today’s reality. And so effective is her writing of Katrina, that no matter how well Shizuka and Lan are written, they will pale in comparison to her. I felt I really knew Katrina, but Lan and Shizuka? I just didn’t feel the connection to each other, unfortunately.
Unlike others, I don’t mind the changes in POV, I feel like with a book like this you need it to understand the complex world. It actually reminded me a bit of Les Mis, in a way, because there’s so much going on and so many characters you need to see into their heads. Of course, it’s a lot choppier in this novel, but I still think it’s fine. I also liked the food descriptions, in think they worked well and were quite immersive, and actually made me want to go out and appreciate all the hidden little eateries with hidden stories where I live!
This was an enjoyable read, and had a lot to offer. There’s a lot of in depth analogies and metaphors, and I think a very thought-provoking book.
But I wish the blurb had made the focus Katrina! It reads like Lan and her donuts broke the curse when it was Katrina being her wonderful self that made Shizuka change!
Aoki is wonderfully imaginative, and obviously has many stories to tell - I can tell that she wanted to pour everything into this book. I get it, a book crossing deals with demons with an intergalactic family and the story of a trans girl finding herself is very unique, is going to stand out more than individual books in each genre. But… I can’t help but think I’d rather have read a separate book for each theme. Or even just demons deals and the Katrina storyline. Or even just a longer book! A series that blends together in one final novel!
Katrina’s narrative is so much more in depth than the other two main characters, and it’s clear that writing what you know works well for Aoki - even without looking her up I could tell that whoever was writing Katrina had real experience either being trans or was heavily involved in the trans community, and the way she writes these scenes, so matter-of-fact, so real, is where her ability shines through - “The violin had given Katrina a voice with which to sing. And now, that newfound voice was pushing her, urging Katrina to speak.”
It’s not that she doesn’t write Shizuka or Lan well, it’s just that there’s not enough pages to flesh them out properly - they are big concepts and backstories that need a bit more handholding to understand than Katrina, who’s backstory, sadly, we are all familiar with in today’s reality. And so effective is her writing of Katrina, that no matter how well Shizuka and Lan are written, they will pale in comparison to her. I felt I really knew Katrina, but Lan and Shizuka? I just didn’t feel the connection to each other, unfortunately.
Unlike others, I don’t mind the changes in POV, I feel like with a book like this you need it to understand the complex world. It actually reminded me a bit of Les Mis, in a way, because there’s so much going on and so many characters you need to see into their heads. Of course, it’s a lot choppier in this novel, but I still think it’s fine. I also liked the food descriptions, in think they worked well and were quite immersive, and actually made me want to go out and appreciate all the hidden little eateries with hidden stories where I live!
This was an enjoyable read, and had a lot to offer. There’s a lot of in depth analogies and metaphors, and I think a very thought-provoking book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Transphobia, Racism, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Rape, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Child death, and Physical abuse
corriespondent's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
5.0
I picked up Light From Uncommon Stars only because of the title and cover (good job, marketers/design team!) and read it blind. So delighted to find an unusual, page turning story!
Katrina is a trans teenager who runs away from an abusive father with just a few possessions, including her violin. She crosses paths with Shizuka Satomi, a violin teacher who (unbeknownst to her) has made a deal with the devil to deliver seven souls in order to save her own. Ms. Satomi has delivered six brilliant violin students already — and Katrina is in the crosshairs to be the seventh. But then — add queer alien-human romance! Alien technology crossed with donuts! Cursed violins! And a poignant picture of a trans girl trying to find herself and her voice, while holding all of the ugly voices from her past in her head.
Katrina is a trans teenager who runs away from an abusive father with just a few possessions, including her violin. She crosses paths with Shizuka Satomi, a violin teacher who (unbeknownst to her) has made a deal with the devil to deliver seven souls in order to save her own. Ms. Satomi has delivered six brilliant violin students already — and Katrina is in the crosshairs to be the seventh. But then — add queer alien-human romance! Alien technology crossed with donuts! Cursed violins! And a poignant picture of a trans girl trying to find herself and her voice, while holding all of the ugly voices from her past in her head.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Child abuse and Sexual content