Scan barcode
shereadytoread's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
This book was a fun mix of a lot of different things. A deal with a demon as a backdrop, a stranded spaceship crew, a family owned donut shop and a sapphic romance but the core of the story is a journey of a trans girl trying to find her way and identity through music. I can honestly say I’ve never read anything like this before, but I’m very glad I did.
Pros:
- complex, well-written characters
- multiple layers of growth for multiple women in the story
- genre blending
- serious story with some fun aspects
Cons
- the world building with multiple genres was a little lacking (but you could still understand the story fine)
- how “hell” works in a universe with multiple galaxies didn’t make a ton of sense to me
TW: transphobia, death of a child, child abuse, sexual exploitation
Pros:
- complex, well-written characters
- multiple layers of growth for multiple women in the story
- genre blending
- serious story with some fun aspects
Cons
- the world building with multiple genres was a little lacking (but you could still understand the story fine)
- how “hell” works in a universe with multiple galaxies didn’t make a ton of sense to me
TW: transphobia, death of a child, child abuse, sexual exploitation
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Child death
alyssamakesart's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
Listened to the audiobook last year, this was my first reread and first time reading the physical copy. This was even better the 2nd time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual content, and Sexual assault
Minor: Child death, Sexual harassment, Deadnaming, and War
silvernfire's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia
Moderate: Rape, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: War, Child death, Deadnaming, and Self harm
brianneh's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
5.0
It’s been a while since a book really made me emotional. And Light from Uncommon Stars not only made me sob once, it made me cry multiple times throughout my reading of it. This book was intriguing, weird, and overall just a joy to read.
One of our main characters, Katrina, has not had an easy life. The trauma and the seemingly endless amounts of little cruelties that the main character Katrina goes through and the resulting self doubt/ emotional baggage that she carries with her is just heartbreaking. I really just wanted to slap anyone who was mean to her.
I absolutely loved the writing style of Ryka Aoki. She jumps around quite a bit, but I didn’t find it that hard to follow as all the characters are very distinct from each other. All of the main characters in the book are complex and multifaceted with their own rich backgrounds and histories.
Light from Uncommon Stars, while heart-wrenching at certain points also has a nice balance of quirky & lighthearted sections. This book honestly has it all. Queer & multicultural representation. A devil with a toadish appearance. An abundance of tangerines. A space crew that’s also a family. Donuts. A good mentor to someone in need. Selling souls. And a lot (A LOT) of violins.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Racism, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, War, and Outing
Moderate: Murder, Violence, and Deadnaming
Minor: Child death
the_real_al_cal's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
slow-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
3.5
I was originally drawn in by the absolutely gorgeous cover of this book, and the first paragraph of the summary, which sounded so unlike anything I've read before. And that's exactly what it was!
In some ways, this book is a tough read because of the racism and transphobia that the main character, Katrina, faces. The story doesn't shy away from her struggles, including some very sad scenes early on in which she is brought very low. I imagine that unless trans readers are looking for a story where common struggles are highlighted, this would still be a tough read, because, as other reviewers have mentioned, Katrina is deadnamed and frequently fetishized and sexually assaulted, leaving no question as to what's happening. That said, the story places just as much importance on her growth as a musician and as the person she has always wanted to be. We follow Katrina during her highest highs and lowest lows, and it really just made you root for her in finding herself through her music and her supportive found family. Her parts of the story were the most compelling--reading about her growing relationship with Shizuka and Astrid was so wholesome and were some of my favorite parts of the book.
I'm typically more of a fantasy reader than a sci-fi reader, so I wasn't sure how I would like the sci-fi/alien aspect (not a spoiler; it's in the book summary). Sometimes it did feel a little bit much, with everything else going on, and could be a bit difficult for me to follow. Until the very end, I felt like the entire Tran family could have been nixed from the story without losing much. Though I did really like Shirley and Lan. But I think their part of the story reads more slice-of-life than anything. Looking at it in that context makes their contribution to the overall story feel more purposeful (I realize I just kind of boomeranged my opinion, but the Tran family kind of does that to me, lol).
All-in-all, I'm glad I read this book. I wouldn't say it shifted my reality or rocked my world in ways that other similar books have, but it was still a nice read and kept my attention all the way through. The descriptions of the foods left me drooling--they sounded delicious! I can definitely see it being a special book on the top shelf for other readers, especially (but not exclusive to) trans audiences. If you're at all curious about the book, I'd say give it a try! At the end of the day, the relationships were sweet and complex, and that was the most important part. Just like Katrina, this book deserves some love.
In some ways, this book is a tough read because of the racism and transphobia that the main character, Katrina, faces. The story doesn't shy away from her struggles, including some very sad scenes early on in which she is brought very low. I imagine that unless trans readers are looking for a story where common struggles are highlighted, this would still be a tough read, because, as other reviewers have mentioned, Katrina is deadnamed and frequently fetishized and sexually assaulted, leaving no question as to what's happening. That said, the story places just as much importance on her growth as a musician and as the person she has always wanted to be. We follow Katrina during her highest highs and lowest lows, and it really just made you root for her in finding herself through her music and her supportive found family. Her parts of the story were the most compelling--reading about her growing relationship with Shizuka and Astrid was so wholesome and were some of my favorite parts of the book.
I'm typically more of a fantasy reader than a sci-fi reader, so I wasn't sure how I would like the sci-fi/alien aspect (not a spoiler; it's in the book summary). Sometimes it did feel a little bit much, with everything else going on, and could be a bit difficult for me to follow. Until the very end, I felt like the entire Tran family could have been nixed from the story without losing much. Though I did really like Shirley and Lan. But I think their part of the story reads more slice-of-life than anything. Looking at it in that context makes their contribution to the overall story feel more purposeful (I realize I just kind of boomeranged my opinion, but the Tran family kind of does that to me, lol).
All-in-all, I'm glad I read this book. I wouldn't say it shifted my reality or rocked my world in ways that other similar books have, but it was still a nice read and kept my attention all the way through. The descriptions of the foods left me drooling--they sounded delicious! I can definitely see it being a special book on the top shelf for other readers, especially (but not exclusive to) trans audiences. If you're at all curious about the book, I'd say give it a try! At the end of the day, the relationships were sweet and complex, and that was the most important part. Just like Katrina, this book deserves some love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Homophobia, Mental illness, Murder, Outing, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Transphobia
Moderate: Deadnaming and Lesbophobia
Minor: Child death and Chronic illness
discarded_dust_jacket's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? No
3.75
This story can be very tender and also quite heartbreaking. As you read, you find yourself both hurting for and rooting for Katrina Nguyen in equal measure. The plot is so unique and lovable (a retired intergalactic space captain running a donut shop? yes please!)
That being said, I don’t agree with the way this book is marketed as a “cute, cozy, queer sci-fi” novel, considering the story is so dark. Katrina gets both verbally and physically abused, sexually assaulted and raped on page, there’s a lot of bullying, there’s slurs, there’s murder. It’s not that I didn’t like it for what it was, but having read it, I’m not comfortable with the comparisons between this book and “the Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet,” or Douglas Adams. This isn’t a quirky, lighthearted story.
At times the style felt a bit over-written, and if you’re not very familiar with the terms used to describe classical music, it’s easy to get a bit lost or lose focus at some parts.
That being said, I don’t agree with the way this book is marketed as a “cute, cozy, queer sci-fi” novel, considering the story is so dark. Katrina gets both verbally and physically abused, sexually assaulted and raped on page, there’s a lot of bullying, there’s slurs, there’s murder. It’s not that I didn’t like it for what it was, but having read it, I’m not comfortable with the comparisons between this book and “the Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet,” or Douglas Adams. This isn’t a quirky, lighthearted story.
At times the style felt a bit over-written, and if you’re not very familiar with the terms used to describe classical music, it’s easy to get a bit lost or lose focus at some parts.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Gun violence, Transphobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Bullying, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Physical abuse and Racial slurs
Minor: Child death and Deadnaming
achlaj's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
This books tried to do WAY too much. It mostly read as a YA novel, with shallow logic to advance plot points, but also tried to deal with heavy complex issues. I wanted to know more about almost every character. They were intriguing, but just felt underdeveloped. Same with the plot. Some well written detailed scenes, descriptions and interactions, but many more that were lacking depth or logical flow.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Transphobia
Moderate: Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Deadnaming, and Homophobia
Minor: Miscarriage, Rape, Bullying, Sexual assault, and Child death
minervacerridwen's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
I had heard very different opinions on this book, so I was curious to find out what I'd think of it myself. I loved the writing style from the start; it reminded me of Douglas Adams but also of anime, in certain scenes. Add to that the donuts, all the gorgeous food descriptions, the passion for music, and the messages of love and family, and this was absolutely a great book for me. However, I also feel it should have come with content warnings. A lot of absolutely horrible things happened to Katrina, and I was sad to see her suffer so. If you'd rather avoid stories that contain the queer struggle because you already see enough of that in daily life, you should probably skip this one. But it made sense for the narrative and was treated with respect, eventually keeping a careful balance between heartbreaking and humorous, with a satisfying ending and the feeling I have learned a few more things about classical music and violins.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Racism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying, Outing, and War
Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Miscarriage, and Murder
griddlemybeloved's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
5.0
This book has everything. Demons, aliens, incredibly relatable and loveable queer main characters. I couldn’t get enough of this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria, Child abuse, and Transphobia
Moderate: Outing, Deadnaming, Lesbophobia, and Rape
Minor: Child death and Sexual assault
skudiklier's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
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
4.5
I feel a bit torn when it comes to this book. On one hand, I was very engaged with it and wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen. I liked the mix of characters and perspectives, and even some of the surprising things (that at first felt like a mix of too many genres) ended up feeling natural and fine.
However, I also feel like I ended the book missing some of the point. Like, there was just so much going on, and I'm not sure what my takeaways were supposed to be. Also, there was just so much transphobia that Katrina had to deal with; it was hard to read and felt like some of it wasn't totally necessary? Idk. I get that that can be real but it's not like every single trans person has to go through all of the things she did, and it just was so rough to read. Between that and the racism and violence, I would definitely recommend checking out the content warnings before reading this.
However, I also feel like I ended the book missing some of the point. Like, there was just so much going on, and I'm not sure what my takeaways were supposed to be. Also, there was just so much transphobia that Katrina had to deal with; it was hard to read and felt like some of it wasn't totally necessary? Idk. I get that that can be real but it's not like every single trans person has to go through all of the things she did, and it just was so rough to read. Between that and the racism and violence, I would definitely recommend checking out the content warnings before reading this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Outing, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Sexism, Death, Deadnaming, Lesbophobia, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Classism, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Body shaming, Fatphobia, War, Vomit, Child death, and Ableism