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Jul 25, 2016mexicanadiense rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
This was really, really well done. I honestly don't know why this book gets tagged with the "YA" label while Chuck Wendig's "Aftermath" series is, um, "adult"? The themes explored here- love, loyalty, sacrifice, empathy- are just as important, and though they are addressed through the early lives of two young people as they grow up together and then go on to rise in the ranks of the Empire and the Real Alliance I felt their character development and internal lives were handled with admirable poignancy and restraint. I've often seen this book compared to Romeo and Juliet and, while it may have the "star-crossed lovers" angle covered, I think the R&J-inspired West Side Story is an even apter comparison as there is a strong thread of cultural differences dividing our protagonists Thane and Ciena that goes far beyond the usual "our families hate each other" narrative. Lastly, to keep the theatrical comparisons going, the protagonists' presence on the periphery of so many key narrative events in the Original Trilogy is so cleverly handled it brought to mind the famous play, later made into a film, "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern" are Dead which retells Hamlet from the perspective of those two ill-fated minor characters from that play. If you read this without ever having seen the original films you'll still be able to follow the story and be deeply entertained as it doesn't assume too much knowledge on the reader's part, but if (like so many of us) you've seen those movies dozens of times you'll appreciate how seamlessly Thane and Ciena's lives fit within the overall structure while at the same time making that Far Away Galaxy still feel like a vast and limitless place to explore. Upon reflection and reading my own review, it's got to be 4.5 stars for Lost Stars. Get over your embarrassment at going to the "Teen" section of your local library or book store and check it out!