A review by lauraliz914
Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

emotional hopeful inspiring 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? No

4.5

 This was so much more than I thought it was going to be. I anticipated a fun romp with a cursed violin and donut-making aliens, and I sort of got that, but also got deep reflections on music, trans identity formation, and family. I found out after finishing that Ryka Aoki is a poet, which in retrospect is obvious with passages like this: 
 
Risoluto, non troppo vivo. Resolutely, not too alive. As how you smile when a stranger spits at you. As how you keep breathing while a friend rapes you. As how you think calmly as a parent is kicking down your door.
 
Every single one of the main characters in this book endeared themselves to me, even if I didn’t always like them (*cough* Lan *cough*). Katrina herself is the star of the story, a gentle soul who has endured some of the worst of humanity. I loved her through every page of this as she reclaims her life and her identity both with her music and outside of it. Her relationship with Shizuka Satomi is very special, and the end made me cry. This could have easily been 5 stars, but I felt the pacing was a bit slow in the middle, then sped up a lot at the end. 
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