A review by eandrews80
A River of Stars by Vanessa Hua

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I didn't like the end of this book -- the resolution felt rushed, and I wish a few situations had resolved differently.  Regardless, this is worth a read, if only to contemplate what it would to be an undocumented immigrant on the run in America.  Scarlett has a rapidly expiring tourist's visa, a young child to care for, and a former lover to evade.  She does many ethically problematic things to get by, but you have to admire her ingenuity and fierce determination.  So many of the characters in the book have to resort to shady or desperate measures to survive, whether they're in their native China or trying to make it in the US.  While this is a book about motherhood, loyalty, and community, it's mostly a survival story.