Light from Uncommon Stars - Review
Link to the author's (R. Aoki) personal website
Genre: Fantasy Sci-Fi
Publication Type: Book
Tags:
- Average Age of Main Characters (25)
- Length (4 / 10)
Link to Goodreads
Blurb: Shizuka Satomi made a deal with the devil: to escape damnation, she must entice seven other violin prodigies to trade their souls for success. She has already delivered six.
When Katrina Nguyen, a young transgender runaway, catches Shizuka's ear with her wild talent, Shizuka can almost feel the curse lifting. She's found her final candidate.
But in a donut shop off a bustling highway in the San Gabriel Valley, Shizuka meets Lan Tran, retired starship captain, interstellar refugee, and mother of four. Shizuka doesn't have time for crushes or coffee dates, what with her very soul on the line, but Lan's kind smile and eyes like stars might just redefine a soul's worth. And maybe something as small as a warm donut is powerful enough to break a curse as vast as the California coastline.
As the lives of these three women become entangled by chance and fate, a story of magic, identity, curses, and hope begins, and a family worth crossing the universe for is found.
Review: I read this during a recent trip to Japan, and it was so good that I didn't pick up another book until the plane ride back. It genuinely just left me fulfilled.
I was a bit hesitant to start this book, as the story of a runaway transgender, soul condemning violin teacher, and an intergalactic starship captain sounds like it wouldn't fit in the pages. Add to that the mistake of reading too much of other people's mixed opinions, and you got a boat load of hesitancy. Damn am I glad I went ahead and read this. I loved seeing the growth of all the characters, especially Katrina, and appreciated how the author made no attempt to tone down how repulsive and unforgiving bits of the world can be. This is a huge recommend from me for those looking for fiction dipped in a bit of fantasy / sci-fi.