Book Review: The Sun is Also a Star

 

“We are capable of big lives. A big history. Why settle? Why choose the practical thing, the mundane thing? We are born to dream and make the things we dream about.”

 

    The world is composed of two different types of people: dreamers and thinkers. While dreamers choose to let their heart guide them to their destination, thinkers view life as more of a practical game, something one has to strategically manipulate in order to attain success. Dreamers stargaze in the middle of the night, conduct impromptu road trips with friends before leaving for college, fantasize aspirations, and play the game of life the way one plays a simple board game: with ease. Thinkers do the exact opposite. 

 

    Now, there’s nothing wrong with either dreamers or thinkers, but I believe that everyone should maintain a balance of practicality and romantics. And, in fact, most people do. But what happens when you bring two polar opposites, a stone-faced girl who doesn’t let emotions riddle her and a starry-eyed wannabe-poet boy, together? A gawky yet adorable love story. 

 

    Nicola Yoon’s realistic fiction The Sun is Also a Star follows the story of Daniel Jae Ho Bae and Natasha Kingsley, two teenagers leading opposite lives with somewhat similar struggles. Daniel has always been more artistic, writing poetry and inquiring about the beautiful mysteries of life in his free time. But when his perfect brother, Charlie, becomes formerly-perfect after receiving academic probation from Harvard, the pressure is on Daniel to become the pride and joy of the family. Charlie’s never really had a plan for life; he likes to just  ride with the waves. Natasha is the opposite. She has a strict plan: go to school, get good grades, go to a good college, and become a data scientist. Her plan is going seemingly well until her father, a formerly-incandescent actor, receives a DUI and spills the secrets of his family, including their illegal immigration from Jamaica to New York, to a police officer. Now she’s getting deported. 

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    Their story spans less than a day, on a day that will be monumental for them forever. For Daniel, it’s the day of his interview for Yale, an interview that must go well in order to compensate for his brother’s errors. For Natasha, it’s the last day she has in America, the last day to reverse the faults of her father. They meet unexpectedly, without warning. Natasha is appalled by Daniel’s carefreeness, and Daniel isn’t too pleased with Natasha’s strict regimen either. However, Daniel is attracted to Natasha and promises her that she will fall in love with him. Natasha argues that love is but an idealistic construct, one that has no foundational basis or connection to reality. Daniel argues and pulls up a list of 30 questions that the both of them must answer to see if they will fall in love. It’s now a scientific study, and although Natasha contends that scientists should never be the guinea pigs of their own experiments, Daniel’s charm lures her in. 

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    Throughout the course of the story, Natasha and Daniel realize that dreamers and thinkers have struggles alike. They confide within each other their deepest and darkest secrets, their hidden emotions, their worries and desires. The story also brings up the pressure many immigrants’ children feel, the pressure to succeed and bring pride to their parents who have left everything behind for them.

 

    A story of love, science, and discovery, this story is for hopeless romantics (like me!) and pragmatic individuals alike. It is a beautiful story that will make you laugh, smile, and maybe even cry. The friendly banter between Daniel and Natasha, the POVs of different characters, the multiple different stories intertwined into the main one: these are the things that bring this story together to form a beautiful harmony. 

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    I would give this book a 9/10. It’s written very well and perfectly captures the emotions of confused high schoolers trying to take on the world. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a somewhat bittersweet story, something they can enjoy while sitting on a couch and sipping hot chocolate. 

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~Simran Pandey