Reviews

Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange

mostdefinitelystephanie's review against another edition

emotional reflective

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

This definitely makes you think about generational trauma and history and how we figure out who we are and what we want to be. There were things I liked and didn't like but, ultimately, it was a solid read.

citylif's review against another edition

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

shamelessbibliophile41's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction

emceeawkward's review

emotional sad medium-paced

4.5

nancyalligood's review

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

kdawn999's review

2.0

I didn't know while reading that certain characters of this novel tie in to Orange's previous novel. I'm not sure what a difference that makes in reading, but I found myself wishing more had been done with the loose ends of storylines here. The stories--told from varying perspectives named at the starts of new chapters--trace the bloodline of a Native family descended from a survivor of a massacre. Family, though, is a strong word because the descendants often grow up isolated from their culture, adopted because their biological parents die or abuse drugs. One of their ancestors happened to record some of his father's history, and that's the thread that some of the descendants find as they piece their history together. It's a strong and moving concept--the idea of at once possessing a harrowing lineage and not feeling ownership of the story. We, as readers, are the only ones who can fully trace the lineage since we start with the first chapter from the ancestor's viewpoint. That first ancestor, too, invents his own name--building a legacy even apart from his own people as he assimilates into Christianity.

I wish the story had stayed with the ancestors and not dropped each narrative thread in such abrupt and hopeless places. The other discussion of the novel is addiction and substance abuse as an inheritance. This might be moving for readers who struggle with these, but I didn't find the discussed experiences particularly insightful. Rather, it was painful to suffer with the various characters who keep making the same mistakes made before them. If we had stuck with just one or two stories--maybe one ancestor and one descendant--more could have been done with their individual narratives.

tashaseegmiller's review

5.0

Perhaps the greatest compliment I can give a writer is that I couldn’t read this book fast. The language is beautiful and the characters shatter the heart before giving readers a little bit of hope to mend them again.

leighannebfd3b's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

samahsolimann's review against another edition

4.0

There There is one of my favorite novels, and this was that perfect sequel (companion?) to it. 

patlo's review

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Addiction, and Genocide

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts