A review by ericageorge91
Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

adventurous emotional funny 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? Yes

4.25

I have GOT to start reviewing closer to finishing the book because the details have slipped 😂 

I doubt you’ve read a story like this before. Light From Uncommon Stars is a sci-fi novel with a donut shop run by alien refugees, a violin master looking to find her seventh soul for the devil, and a runaway who just wants a safe place to rest and the freedom to be the woman she is. 

I remember finding the story intriguing and enjoying the writing and the characters. Lan was adorable in that, “I’m new to this planet. What do you mean by that?” kind of way. Katrina filled me with so much hope and she deserved all the love in this world. Finally, to see a woman as intimidating and formidable as Shizuka fold over these two women was just 🤭

I’m cis so take this with a grain of salt, but of the books that I’ve read that have trans characters, this has been my favorite portrayal. I felt like Katrina was handled with such care. The transphobia she endured was heavy, don’t get me wrong, but once she was under Shizuka’s care, very few instances went unchallenged. 

Beware of a lot of POV shifts within one chapter.  It’ll seem even more abrupt and random if you’re listening to the story.  

I’ll also be honest, I was kind of lost about what the alien refugees were running from, but I don’t read a ton of sci-fi so maybe that was the reason 🤷🏾‍♀️ Either way, I vibed with everything else in the book and still had a great time.

TW: Child abuse (references), transphobia, racism, homophobia, sexual assault (brief), suicidal ideation (brief), gender dysmorphia, self-harm, sex work
Rep: Trans woman MC, Sapphic MCs
Expand filter menu Content Warnings