Star Daughter
*Chosen as a 2020 Kids’ Indie Next pick * A Locus Reading List recommendation * An Andre Norton Nebula Award Finalist*
“Shveta Thakrar's prose is as beautiful as starlight.”—New York Times bestselling author Holly Black
This gorgeously imagined YA debut blends shades of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust and a breathtaking landscape of Hindu mythology into a radiant contemporary fantasy.
The daughter of a star and a mortal, Sheetal is used to keeping secrets. Pretending to be “normal.” But when an accidental flare of her starfire puts her human father in the hospital, Sheetal needs a full star’s help to heal him. A star like her mother, who returned to the sky long ago.
Sheetal’s quest to save her father will take her to a celestial court of shining wonders and dark shadows, where she must take the stage as her family’s champion in a competition to decide the next ruling house of the heavens—and win, or risk never returning to Earth at all.
Brimming with celestial intrigue, this sparkling YA debut is perfect for fans of Roshani Chokshi and Laini Taylor.
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Community Reviews
What a compelling novel. Star Daughter is reminiscent of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust as it follows Sheetal as she embarks on a journey to the celestial court to save her father. Imbued with Hindu mythology, the story is filled with magic and wonder as it offers readers a brilliant read.
Wonderful Story
Thakrar did a masterful job with her storytelling. For a debut novel, Star Daughter is polished and thoughtful in its storytelling and remarkable. Sheetal is half-mortal and half-star, her mother leaving her at age seven to return to the celestial court, leaving a hole in the family. Gifted with silver hair that she keeps hidden beneath dye, Sheetal struggles with her heritage and the secrets that came with it.
It is a beautiful story that connects to the reader on an emotional level because Sheetal is dealing with the abandonment of her mother, the secrets of the past, her power, and much more. It gives the story so much dimension and color as it creates this celestial court full of stars that are also muses for artists in the world.
Star Daughter is a fun and imaginative story that captures the wonder of the stars. The very fact that Sheetal embarks on this journey allows her to reconnect with her mother and her family but also allows her to reopen old wounds and deal with them. There is so much depth to the story as it unveils the history of the stars and the shadows that linger there. Even Sheetal has to deal with the anxiety she has always felt at being different, and the pain of being abandoned by her mother. All of these elements together, give the story its momentum, keeping the reader engaged in the development and wonder of the story.
Fascinating Characters
While the story is filled to the bring with fantasy and wonder, the characters allow those elements to shine. The reader gets to experience how the stars inspire and give life to art. Sheetal is a star at her core, and the cost of helping her father is entering a competition about inspiration. Sheetal has much anxiety about her gift of musicality, but she soon learns to embrace it alongside her heritage without losing her love for her human heritage. It says much about being a child of two different cultures and being able to embrace both sides of herself.
Sheetal’s experience makes her a relatable and compelling character. She has to contend with the mix of emotions she has within her. The relationship with her mother, father, best friend, and boyfriend are filled so such a range of complexities, creating a strong dynamic between characters. Sheetal grows so much as a character, going through the motions of what it means to accept her family and herself. In the end, the story is all about Sheetal learning to forgive and love herself.
Final Thoughts
Star Daughter is a brilliant read. It is full of magic and wonder, connecting to the reader in marvelous ways.
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