Book Review: Every Soul A Star

This  book has been recommended by a close friend and I do, too, for reasons below. 🙂

Every Soul a Star is a young adult fiction that shows the point of view of three teenagers who unlikely met each other at a campground to watch a total solar eclipse, and developed genuine friendship along the way. It is a story set in approximately about two week-time frame how three three kids, with very different personalities and under normal circumstances would never meet, learned from each other and grow individually.

The author, Wendy Mass, did a great job describing the characters in detail given a first-person point of view. It was like looking at one character in three perspective, which made me appreciate each character, with all their strengths and flaws. The main characters Ally, Bree and Jack are just normal kids, at varying life situations, who are able to share their passion for science, fashion, books and drawing. Additional characters Melanie, Kenny and Ryan are also described in a way that showed how their friendship developed as a whole.  I’ve seen in this book a very innocent characterization, with raw definition of how life is treating them, in their own perspective. Puppy love can also be interpreted, but again, in a very innocent depiction. Also, I thought the parents of these kids were depicted as killjoy overall, but their actions were given justice eventually and how the kids resolved family issues on their own highlighted a normal family circumstance — that kids have to accept things whether or not they like it, and just learn to make the best out of it.

The pacing of the book is just so, so, but since there are so many mentions about astronomy, stars, sun and the love of characters for this subject, I came to love it as well. I have been fascinated with heavenly bodies, but not to the extent to really do research and run after it. After reading this book, I felt like I want to experience a total solar eclipse, and made me want to see it on my own. With this book, my close friend was inspired to watch and experience for himself the total solar eclipse last August 21, 2017. It is also the same for me. After reading this book, I want to catch the next total solar eclipse and experience the magic, mystery and life-changing effect this miracle of the universe can do to people.

So, overall, if you want a good read with a bit about science, astronomy, and a story of how a genuine friendship can develop from very unexpected places, this one is for you. 🙂