Title: The Sun Is Also a Star
Genre: Young Adult (Realistic Fiction)
Publication Date: November 1, 2016
Number of Pages: 384
Geographical Setting: New York City
Time Period: Current
Plot Summary:
Daniel is the son of South Korean immigrants. His parents are adamant that he will become a doctor. Daniel always does whatever his parents want. But Daniel is a dreamer, always has been and always will be. His true passion is for poetry.
Natasha believes in science and facts, things she can see. Natasha is from Jamaica. This is her last day in the United States. Her family has been here illegally for years and they will all be deported in the evening.
In a last ditch effort to keep the family from being deported, Natasha sets out across New York City to find a way to stay in the United States legally. Daniel sets out for his important interview as part of the application process to get into Yale. Daniel sees Natasha on the street and is so taken with her, that he follows her into a record store. For Daniel, it is love at first sight. After their first meeting, they end up heading in the same direction when Daniel saves Natasha from getting hit by a car. As their paths continue to cross, is it just coincidence or fate that has brought them together? Daniel convinces Natasha to spend the day with him and at the same time tries to prove that they are meant to be together to Natasha who only sees the science in life. So he goes to prove love using a scientific approach, but he only has until the remainder of the day. Will Daniel be able to prove love to Natasha? Was it fate that brought them together?
Subject Headings:
Immigrants - Fiction
Interpersonal Relationships - Fiction
Illegal Aliens - Fiction
Deportation - Fiction
Korean Americans - Fiction
Fate and Fatalism - Fiction
New York (N.Y.) - Fiction
Love Stories
Young Adult Fiction
Appeal:
- character-driven.
- great dialogue between the main characters, Natasha and Daniel.
- Natasha and Daniel (protagonists) each tell the their story from their point of view.
- emotional tone pulls the reader into the story.
- fast paced, but short chapters make it easy to put down and pick up later.
- setting is contemporary and deals with family relationships and the timely topic of immigration and deportation.
3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors:
Like No Other by Una LaMarche
Fate brings Devorah and Jax together when they are trapped in an elevator during a hurricane. They are both from different cultures and a relationship would be out of the question. But they both continue to see each other in secret, risking everything.
-relates because both stories contain culturally diverse characters who fall for each other.
Something in Between by Melissa De la Cruz
Jasmine is a great student who has worked hard to go to college, making her Filipino immigrant parents proud of her achievements. She dates Royce, who she cares about considerably. Royce's father is a congressman opposing an immigration bill. Jasmine suddenly finds everything falling apart, even her relationship with Royce when she finds out that her entire family is living in the United States illegally.
-realistic fiction story that relates to the topic of immigration and deportation.
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer Smith
Hadley and Oliver meet at the airport and they seem to connect with each other immediately, even sharing a kiss on their flight to London. Then they lose track of each other at the airport and Hadley has less than 24 hours to find him before she returns to the United States.
-relates to Daniel giving scientific reasons to Natasha why fate brought them together.
I love romantic YA novels, and this seems like one that would be really good. I like that you describe it to be written with an emotional tone because that will help the reader feel connected to the main characters. I also like the read-a-likes that you provide because they are appropriate to the issues of immigration and deportation, especially with what is occurring in the U.S with immigration issues and newly proposed bills. The title and the cover are also intriguing and it serves as another means to pull the reader into the story; it would with me at least.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteWhen reading your wonderful summary I kept thinking that this story is universal. It is not just aimed at YA. Add in a few more years and it could a mid-late twenty something couple; she is a grad student in a science field that does not want a relationship to get in the way of her academic plans until she meets a visiting passionate writer on campus whose visa is about to expire and only has a few short days left in the country. Will they fall in love? Will their cultural and academic difference come between them? Will he have to leave the country never to see his one true love again?
Or even still add in another two or three decades and an esteemed college science professor is wrapped up in proving some important scientific theory. She does not believe that she has time for such a silly notion like love. This is until she meets an immigrate who is spending his retirement writing poetry and is considering going back to his homeland to spend the rest of his life....until he sees her and makes him reconsider his plans. Will this led into a whirl wind romance changing both their lives or will this blow up and destroy their plans?
The purpose of my above rambling is to prove that certain themes found in books are universal. In the prompt this week we are asked if adults should read YA books. The answer is yes. Great literary themes transcend age and can be enjoyed by adults even if the people in the story are not the age of the readers.
Thanks for the inspiring post.
Robert
When I was reading the summary for this book, I was thinking that it will probably be turned into a movie really soon because of its relevant themes. I love YA. Great post.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read this book! When I have some free time, this is going to be the first book I pick up. I loved Yoon's first YA book Everything, Everything so much. If you haven't read it yet, I would definitely recommend it. Great annotation!
ReplyDeleteI loved reading this book! Her first book, Everything Everything, just got made into a movie!
ReplyDeleteFantastic annotation! You did a great job with the summary. Full points!
ReplyDelete