Review.

Light From Uncommon Stars

Ryka Aoki

Pub date: 28 Sept 2021
Publisher: Tor
Reviewed from personal library

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.

Ok, a deal with the devil, I can get behind that. But then you mix in “a young transgender runaway,” alien fugitives, a stargate and a giant donut (doughnut for us Canucks) and the story takes a decidedly odd turn. Odd enough that it just might cause you to move it to the bottom of the to-read list. But few rave reviews from people I trusted and I finally made time.

One of the things I liked — loved really, if I am being honest — is that the story works. Turns out what seems like a recipe for sheer chaos is not that complicated at all. Aoki hooks you right off the bat with a little drama and a little mystery and then slowly, gently reels you in, and makes you a part of the story.

From the music of Bartók to the philosophies and secrets of good food each piece seamlessly fits in with the next and pretty soon you are immersed in what is, to be honest, a rather improbable story.

One of the things I appreciated about Light From Uncommon Stars was just how it dealt with the issue of a transgendered character. To me, gender fluidity and sexuality has long been a part of SF/Fantasy but lately it has become a little more prominent, and, again to me, occasionally a bit forced. I read a YA novel not that long ago that was chock full of pronouns, multiple sexes and genders and was, once again to me, a bit … is overbearing the right word? … just a bit too. Aoki didn’t make me feel like an outsider, didn’t make me feel guilty for my own lifestyle and didn’t demand that I approve or even be sympathetic. Instead she invited me into the world of someone whose perspective is different, often violently different, from anything familiar to me and let me feel for her character as I would any other. And as a result I learned/realized a thing or two along the way.

In an article for Publisher Weekly Ryka Aoki wrote:

…that she hopes that through writing for a general audience instead of only trans people, that she can help others see transgender people as human, she wrote: “If a trans musician can make the audience cry by playing Chopin, how else, but as a human, can she be regarded?
— en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryka_Aoki

After some reflection I now realize that the aforementioned YA novel had been written for transgendered youth while Light From Uncommon Stars had been written about (as well as for) transgendered youth. With that distinction settled, I can see that the reasons for both.

And at the end of it all what I read was a book about people, with all their capacity for love and cruelty, with hope and redemption mixed in with corruption and dispair in a genuine reflection of the human condition.

I really, really enjoyed the book. And if you like music (violins especially), donuts (or doughnuts), the idea of food or enjoy books about nurture, family & friendship and hope then I think you will enjoy it too.