A review by badmc
Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A young teen flees home; a violin teacher searches for her next victim; a refugee alien family tries to find their place. Not what I expected at all! 

This book was a weird but enjoyable mixture of characters, themes, and food (oh, the food). The tone shifted a lot, going from slice of life to trauma and murder quite abruptly. There was also a mixture of showing and telling, which left me disoriented at times. 

The thing that elevated the book for me, though, was music. I understood and really appreciated all the terms, exercises, and metaphors, and I always appreciate a book with a soundtrack.  

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