The one with the stars

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 her, she needs to find the Architect, the elusive and only person who can help her complete her mission in time. However, heart and duty almost never agree and Vega will have to make a choice that might end up breaking her heart.

Though the writing feels slow and repetitive at times, the story is one of hope, fate and the importance of home, of belonging. As her mother dies and Vega leaves the only home she has known, a longing for what was once familiar seizes her thoughts. She wanders through forests, deserts and ghost-towns finding comfort in the stars, the only reminder of the life she once knew. Vega has fear indeed, but she also has hope on the plan she must fulfil. This hope is fuelled by her sense of duty and the knowledge that others depend on her. Fate and destiny are pivotal to the development of the story. However, her journey is also an internal one as she discovers the power of her own decisions. Vega unburies another part of herself; she is more than just a piece on a chess board. Soon the juxtaposition of duty and love proves to be the greatest challenge she will have to overcome. 

These three main themes make of this novel a relatable one for both adults and teenagers. If you read it with an open mind—regarding its pace and science—your are in for a treat. 

"I can feel time tugging at me, pulling against my chest like a silver-spun thread made of the darkness between stars."