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A review by thereadingskeleton
Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
Rep: Asian MCs (Japanese American, Vietnamese American), trans woman MC, sapphic MCs, central sapphic relationship
Shizuka Satomi needs one more violin prodigy ready to sell their soul to complete her deal with the devil. Katrina Nguyen is young, trans, estranged from her family, and a wildly talented violinist. It’s the perfect match. Then there’s Lan Tran—retired spaceship captain, interstellar refugee, donut shop owner, and mother of four—who enters Shizuka’s life at just the right time.
Despite the deadline of her deal approaching, Shizuka is distracted by Lan and growing closer to Katrina. But neither of these connections is one she can afford, not when finding a family may very well also mean eternal damnation.
I went into this book expecting to enjoy it. What I did not expect was for it to break my heart and put it back together.
I absolutely adored this story. It is populated mostly by women—the three women mentioned in the synopsis and several more who intrigued me nearly as much as the leads—and that is absolutely a plus. Each of these women is distinct and real, and the theme of gender—its expression and expectations—is woven throughout many of their stories. I often found myself angry, or frustrated, or melancholic on their behalf.
Also woven throughout the book is a love, understanding, and appreciation of the things that make life worth living, that we pour our souls into, that by sharing them with people allow others to know us—particularly music and food. If you are (or ever have been) a musician, you may cry at some of the passages where music is discussed. These passages felt like being seen on a core level, a recognition of visceral and raw emotions. Absolutely gorgeous.
I’m not saying that this book is perfect (for one, I think it’s quite a bit darker than the synopsis makes it seem), but it bursts with so much humanity—joy and sadness and confusion and hope—that I see it as a must-read, even if you aren’t big into science fiction or fantasy. I bet you’ll find something here to love.
Shizuka Satomi needs one more violin prodigy ready to sell their soul to complete her deal with the devil. Katrina Nguyen is young, trans, estranged from her family, and a wildly talented violinist. It’s the perfect match. Then there’s Lan Tran—retired spaceship captain, interstellar refugee, donut shop owner, and mother of four—who enters Shizuka’s life at just the right time.
Despite the deadline of her deal approaching, Shizuka is distracted by Lan and growing closer to Katrina. But neither of these connections is one she can afford, not when finding a family may very well also mean eternal damnation.
I went into this book expecting to enjoy it. What I did not expect was for it to break my heart and put it back together.
I absolutely adored this story. It is populated mostly by women—the three women mentioned in the synopsis and several more who intrigued me nearly as much as the leads—and that is absolutely a plus. Each of these women is distinct and real, and the theme of gender—its expression and expectations—is woven throughout many of their stories. I often found myself angry, or frustrated, or melancholic on their behalf.
Also woven throughout the book is a love, understanding, and appreciation of the things that make life worth living, that we pour our souls into, that by sharing them with people allow others to know us—particularly music and food. If you are (or ever have been) a musician, you may cry at some of the passages where music is discussed. These passages felt like being seen on a core level, a recognition of visceral and raw emotions. Absolutely gorgeous.
I’m not saying that this book is perfect (for one, I think it’s quite a bit darker than the synopsis makes it seem), but it bursts with so much humanity—joy and sadness and confusion and hope—that I see it as a must-read, even if you aren’t big into science fiction or fantasy. I bet you’ll find something here to love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Transphobia
Moderate: Child abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Minor: Self harm