You ever have one of those days where everything feels like a massive, cosmic coincidence? That is basically the entire vibe of The Sun Is Also a Star book by Nicola Yoon. It is a story about a single day in New York City, two teenagers who shouldn't have met, and a whole lot of physics. Honestly, it’s one of those rare Young Adult novels that manages to be incredibly cheesy and deeply cynical at the exact same time.
Most people pick it up thinking it’s just another romance. It isn't. Not really.
The plot follows Natasha Kingsley and Daniel Jae Ho Bae. Natasha is a girl of science. She doesn't believe in fate, and she definitely doesn't believe in love at first sight. She believes in things she can see, touch, and prove. Her family is also about to be deported to Jamaica in twenty-four hours. Then there's Daniel. He’s the "good son," the poet, the dreamer who is currently on his way to an interview for Yale that he doesn't even want. When they collide, Daniel decides he has one day to make Natasha believe in love. It sounds like a typical trope, right? But Yoon does something smarter with the structure that makes it stick in your head long after you finish the last page.
The Science of Luck and "The Sun Is Also a Star Book"
Nicola Yoon uses a narrative style that some critics call "interstitial." This basically means she interrupts the main story with tiny chapters about random things. You get a chapter about the history of the ponytail. You get a chapter about the Multiverse theory. You even get chapters from the perspective of the security guard at the USCIS office or the conductor of a subway train.
Why does this matter?
Because it reinforces the book's central argument: no one is an island. Every tiny choice we make ripples out and hits someone else. In The Sun Is Also a Star book, the "universe" isn't some magical force with a plan; it’s a chaotic web of cause and effect. Natasha’s cynicism is her armor against a world that is literally forcing her out of her home. Daniel’s optimism is his rebellion against a family that wants to dictate his entire future.
The book leans heavily into the idea of Sonder—the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own. When you read those side-chapters, you realize that Natasha and Daniel aren't the center of the universe. They are just two people caught in the machinery of it.
Why the dual perspective actually works
A lot of YA books use dual perspectives, but often the voices sound identical. Here, the contrast is stark. Natasha’s chapters are clipped and logical. Daniel’s are flowing and full of "what ifs."
It’s worth noting that the book was a National Book Award Finalist for a reason. It tackles heavy themes like systemic racism, the American Dream, and the Korean-American immigrant experience without feeling like a lecture. Daniel’s brother, Charlie, is a great example of this. He’s frustrating, mean, and seemingly "assimilated" in a way that creates a huge rift in the family. It’s messy. Real life is messy.
The Reality of Deportation in YA Literature
We need to talk about the stakes. In many romance novels, the "barrier" keeping the lovers apart is something silly, like a misunderstanding or a jealous ex. In The Sun Is Also a Star book, the barrier is the United States government.
Natasha is "undocumented." That word carries a lot of weight. Yoon doesn't sugarcoat the bureaucracy of the immigration system. The scenes in the federal building feel cold and claustrophobic. It creates a ticking clock that is genuinely stressful. You want them to fall in love, but you also want Natasha to find a way to stay. The tension comes from the fact that Daniel's romantic mission feels so small compared to the legal reality Natasha is facing.
Yet, that’s kind of the point.
Small moments are all we have. If the world is going to end (or your life as you know it is ending tomorrow), does a three-minute conversation in a record store matter? The book argues that it matters more than anything else.
The Movie vs. The Book
Look, the 2019 film starring Yara Shahidi and Charles Melton was fine. It was pretty. It had great cinematography. But it missed the soul of the book.
In the film, the "interstitial" chapters are mostly gone or turned into quick montages. You lose the weight of the side characters. In the book, the fact that a random waitress's bad mood might delay Daniel by five minutes—which then leads to him seeing Natasha—is crucial. The movie turns it into a standard "boy meets girl" story. The book is a "the world meets boy meets girl" story. If you’ve only seen the movie, you haven't really experienced what makes this story special.
🔗 Read more: Lola Bunny Coloring Pages: Why Everyone Is Obsessed With This Looney Tune
Let's talk about that ending (No spoilers, but...)
People are divided on the ending of The Sun Is Also a Star book. Some people find it too convenient. Others find it heartbreaking.
Without giving away the specific "ten years later" vibes, I’ll say this: it’s realistic about how time changes people. Most teen romances end with a "happily ever after" that feels fake. Yoon chooses a path that respects the characters' growth. It acknowledges that you can be the most important person in someone's life for exactly twelve hours, and then never see them again. And that doesn't make those twelve hours any less "real."
It's a bittersweet pill to swallow.
Actionable Takeaways for Readers
If you are planning to dive into this book or use it for a book club, here is how to get the most out of it:
- Pay attention to the "History of" chapters. Don't skip them. They aren't filler. They are the scaffolding that holds up the themes of the book.
- Look for the "Red String of Fate" references. There are subtle nods to this East Asian myth throughout Daniel’s sections.
- Research the "Multiverse Theory" mentioned by Natasha. Understanding the basics of quantum mechanics—even on a surface level—makes her internal monologue much more impactful.
- Compare it to "Everything, Everything." If you've read Yoon's other big hit, look at how she shifted from a very "contained" setting to the sprawling landscape of New York City. The change in scale is intentional.
Final Thought:
The beauty of The Sun Is Also a Star book isn't in the romance itself. It’s in the reminder that we are all constantly bumping into each other, changing each other's trajectories in ways we will never fully understand. Sometimes the person who ruins your morning is the reason you meet the person who changes your life. It’s chaotic, it’s random, and honestly, it’s kind of beautiful.
Go read the physical copy if you can. The layout of the chapters is part of the experience. Once you're done, look up Nicola Yoon's interviews about her own marriage—she's Jamaican-American and her husband is Korean-American. Knowing the story is loosely inspired by her own life makes the chemistry between Natasha and Daniel feel much more grounded in reality.