Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Review: Starfish By Akemi Dawn Bowman

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Goodreads Synopsis: Kiko Himura has always had a hard time saying exactly what she’s thinking. With a mother who makes her feel unremarkable and a half-Japanese heritage she doesn’t quite understand, Kiko prefers to keep her head down, certain that once she makes it into her dream art school, Prism, her real life will begin. But then Kiko doesn’t get into Prism, at the same time her abusive uncle moves back in with her family. So when she receives an invitation from her childhood friend to leave her small town and tour art schools on the west coast, Kiko jumps at the opportunity in spite of the anxieties and fears that attempt to hold her back. And now that she is finally free to be her own person outside the constricting walls of her home life, Kiko learns life-changing truths about herself, her past, and how to be brave.

My Review: I'm so, so happy that I discovered this story, because it got me out of my reading slump. I have to admit, this book was pretty much perfect. 

Kiko was a deeply fleshed out character, and I really appreciate the time the author took to develop her and the other characters in this story. The mom made me so incredibly angry, and it was really difficult to understand her intentions, until I realized that she was meant to be this flawed and cruel. As her true colors are revealed, Kiko learns to outgrow her shell in a completely natural, realistic way, and I love the way the plot was structured to show her growth. 

Kiko herself was such a lovable protagonist, and I like how she started to focus on herself instead of her relationship when she realized what she truly wanted from her life. She also never shows much jealousy in her relationship, which is uncommon in many YA novels, and very refreshing! 

Additionally, the author spends time focusing on Kiko's passion of art, and I enjoyed the vivid all the descriptions of paintings and sketches Kiko creates. When Kiko doesn't get into the art school of her dreams, it's inspiring to watch her stick to her passion, strive to get better, and never give up.

There were so many twists and turns in this novel, and just when things are going great, something horrible happens. But it really shows you the power of living in the moment, and I think it's something Kiko needed to learn.

Some problems I had with the novel:
  • I feel like the whole point of Kiko getting rejected from Prism was to move on, but she still reapplies in the course of the novel?
  • Kiko meeting Hiroshi seems very coincidental.
  • Jamie meeting Kiko was also pretty coincidental? It was absolutely integral to the plot, too.
  • I'm not sure why Kiko only applied to one school in the first place? Even if she could only imagine herself at one school there are so many amazing art schools around the country, so I'm pretty surprised she didn't apply to any safeties.
  • That's it. Go read the book. Shoo.
If you can't tell already, I highly recommend Starfish. It handles important issues in an elegant, poignant manner, and the author took her time to focus on the plot, Kiko's art, and character development. I rate this story 5 stars, and I can't wait to read whatever Bowman writes next!

Trigger warnings: sexual assault, attempts at suicide, anxiety

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