The Sun is Also a Star - Nicola Yoon - 3 Stars

[Olivermagnus]

I belong to a group where every other week another member looks at your shelf and chooses a book for you to read. The Sun Is Also a Star has been chosen for me several times but I just never felt in the mood to read it. The story takes place over the course of a day and features two young people.

Natasha has everything planned out regarding college and career. She loves science and numbers, but doesn't believe in fate or destiny. The problem is all her plans and dreams will not come to fruition as her family is being deported back to Jamaica in just a few hours.

Daniel is a Korean American whose family has high hopes and expectations of him. After being disappointed by his older brother, his parents have pinned all their dreams on him becoming a doctor. But Daniel knows he's destined to be a poet.

During the course of the day, stories they tell each other about their families and background give readers an opportunity to really get to know Natasha and Daniel. "The Sun is Also a Star" is much more than just the story of Natasha and Daniel falling in love though. This book tackles many complicated issues without having too many different plots. I did like the insight into the experiences of Korean and Jamaican immigrants.

Despite the fact that the novel only spans one day, it still manages to craft a convincing love story. Of course, the storyline is unrealistic and seemed impossible to me, but I'm not the target audience for this genre. It was disheartening, bittersweet, and yet wonderfully hopeful. It made me think fate and destiny can give you a different and alternate choice in life, if you are willing to follow it.

If you're in the mood for an updated and diverse Romeo and Juliet story, give this book a look.