A review by jthekemp
Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin

funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I’m not sure I was in the mood for this sort of story, which I why I didn’t rank it very highly. It uses many mythology / folktale devices such as simplistic characters / writing and predictable plots to explain the world and teach a moral. Lin weaves stories inspired by Chinese folklore that her characters tell which add explanation and deepen the characters without having to make use of flashbacks. The way she weaves the stories into the main narrative is perfect for a reader who loves folktales but wants something written more recently. The story itself deals with anger and presents forgiveness as the answer to achieving peace. I love how it used stories to show Rendi life from other perspectives and how that enabled him to share his story and find a way to move on from the past.