El Oráculo Molecular

A wilderness of stars is the latest YA novel by Shea Ernshaw and the first I read from her. I found this book in Goodreads recommendations and decided to give it a go based on a compelling synopsis and its pretty cover. It is a dystopian story with shades of sci-fi, romance and obviously, adventure. Vega is the Astronomer, the keeper of a secret plan that has been laid out for the past hundred years. She learned the stars, constellations and their stories from her mother, knowledge passed down for generations. The world as it is known is coming to an end. People are dying of consumption , a strange disease of unknown source. A darkness is spreading across the night sky.   After her mother dies and two sister stars appear on the horizon, Vega leaves the safety of her home and embarks into the mission she has inherited as the last of the Astronomers. As her trip begins, Vega soon discovers the world is as ruthless as her mother warned her. With a violent brotherhood closely chasing h...

Growing up, finding one’s passion and place in the world, friendship and love are all themes that intertwine in this first book I read in 2023. The idiot is a semi-autobiographical novel by Elif Batuman. It tells the story of Selin, a Turkish descent student at Harvard, and her self-discovery journey. The story follows Selin in her first year studying at Harvard, and the summer she spends in the Hungarian countryside teaching English. It is a coming of age story that differs from others due to the nature of Selin’s character. She is witty, insightful and possesses a unique way of thinking. This is particularly relevant for she serves as narrator to her own story.   Few books contain such detail, not of the actions, but of what the main character feels and thinks. Through Selin’s eyes we meet her roommates and friends, we join her in her lectures and travels. We meet Svetlana, who becomes her best friend. Though they may seem quite different to each other they share a similar perspe...