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A review by glitterdeww
Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
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
4.5
This book right here. <3 What a beautiful, heartfelt gem this turned out to be. I thoroughly loved it!
Light From Uncommon Stars is the kind of book where... there is just so much packed into it, that trying to explain the plot might make the reader sound a bit manic. Lol It has sci-fi elements AND modern fantasy elements. There are demons vying for the souls of classical musicians... then there are intergalactic refugees fleeing something called the Endplague. There's a broad cast of characters, and, though this flattens some of them out of necessity, they are painfully and gorgeously real. There are also some of the most mouth-watering descriptions of food I have ever read. Truly, I was hungry every time I sat down to read. Lol
This book is also the story of women: of mothers and aunts trying to keep their family together, of skilled women that reach the height of success and are then dehumanized for it, of daughters whom are purposefully neglected in favor of sons, and most importantly, this is the story of trans women, and the barrage of abuses they endure in order to survive.
And yet, Light From Uncommon Stars tackles these serious topics with a hopeful whimsy that I don't often experience. I cried at the end of this book because it made me feel more human, more deserving, more magical for experiencing it.
Light From Uncommon Stars is the kind of book where... there is just so much packed into it, that trying to explain the plot might make the reader sound a bit manic. Lol It has sci-fi elements AND modern fantasy elements. There are demons vying for the souls of classical musicians... then there are intergalactic refugees fleeing something called the Endplague. There's a broad cast of characters, and, though this flattens some of them out of necessity, they are painfully and gorgeously real. There are also some of the most mouth-watering descriptions of food I have ever read. Truly, I was hungry every time I sat down to read. Lol
This book is also the story of women: of mothers and aunts trying to keep their family together, of skilled women that reach the height of success and are then dehumanized for it, of daughters whom are purposefully neglected in favor of sons, and most importantly, this is the story of trans women, and the barrage of abuses they endure in order to survive.
And yet, Light From Uncommon Stars tackles these serious topics with a hopeful whimsy that I don't often experience. I cried at the end of this book because it made me feel more human, more deserving, more magical for experiencing it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia
Moderate: Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Child death and Miscarriage