The Sun Is Also A Star

The Sun is Also a Star is a young adult romance novel written by Nicola Yoon. The two main characters, Natasha and Daniel, fall in love in a single day despite having nothing in common. Natasha is a Jamaican-American teenager who has lived in New York City for ten years as an undocumented immigrant. Daniel is a Korean-American teenager whose parents are pressuring him to attend Yale University and become a successful doctor. Natasha believes in science and factual information, while Daniel is poetic and not afraid to pour his heart out. After Natasha’s father gets arrested for drunk driving, her family is forced to leave the country and her world is shattered. Daniel is on his way to an interview with a Yale alumni and crosses Natasha’s path on a crowded street in New York City. Fate seems to keep pushing these two lovers together, as they can’t seem to let each other go. Daniel and Natasha challenge each other’s beliefs about love, whether its an abundance of chemicals signaling temporary arousal or a genuine connection between two soulmates. Daniel is convinced that he can make Natasha fall in love with him in twelve hours, and they begin to understand each other’s views and passions.

This intense novel helped me relate to Daniel’s character as he attempted to please his Korean parents and achieve his own dreams of becoming a poet. In The Sun is Also a Star, Daniel voiced his thoughts by stating, “If people who were actually born here had to prove they were worthy enough to live in America, this would be a much less populated country.” This quote reflects the struggles that many immigrant parents, including Daniel’s, had to face while moving out of their country. Daniel’s parents had to earn enough money in the family business of selling fish in order to arrive in America and open a haircare store for African-Americans. The parents of Daniel and Natasha continued to remind them of the many opportunities that they had. But, Daniel also realizes that he must pursue his own passions. Near the end of the book, he decides to not attend college, but rather focus on his writings. While respecting his parents, Daniel understands that he must lead his own life, and not their dreams. He wants to live life with no regrets, which displays why he is open and honest about his attraction towards Natasha.

Additionally, I learned an important value from Natasha’s experience in the novel. Natasha starts out as a smart, brave girl who is searching for a legal way for her family to remain in America. She believed in visible proof and data, not hope and faith. However, Natasha’s critical perspective of life began to change after meeting Daniel. She realized that destiny brought her and Daniel together, and not all relationships were temporary or insignificant. The Sun is Also a Star teaches readers that its okay to live a happy life without worrying about what will happen next. Throughout the book, you realize that living in the moment helps you connect more with the people that you care about. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who believes in destiny, or someone who is more skeptical about life. The Sun is Also a Star will open your eyes to a new world where you can understand different cultures, personalities, and experiences.