LitPick Review
Fifteen-year-old Ella has cancer and is living a fantastical existence despite her illness, but the world around her is suffering. Her mom, Tessa, frenzies over keeping her daughter safe. But in their dreams, an odd Star in the sea shows signs that Ella is the only one who is able to save the world. However, Ella’s life will end if she succeeds. While Ella is on the journey, her mother discovers that she and Ella are not human. If they are not human, then what are Ella and Tessa?
Opinion:
Because it is similar to other books I've read, Inside the Sun is not necessarily unique, but it has a very interesting plot that keeps the reader engaged for the most part. But some scenes do not do the trick as I find a few parts to be slow-paced. The narrative is told from shifting points of view of different characters—Ella, the main character; Tessa, Ella's mother; and Archie, Tessa's father-in-law—which gives the story several perspectives, but this makes it somewhat tricky for me to follow.
From Ella's perspective, I really like that I get a glimpse of her challenges with illness. For example, because too much mucus is in her throat, it is impossible for Ella to talk, so alternatively she communicates by writing on a note pad and doing hand signals. This inspires me to realize I can still have a voice even if I were not able to talk. Other elements I like are the believable dialogue between characters, and the pictures—they are very vivid and help the reader visualize the setting and characters. Overall I say this is a good book, which I recommend to readers ages 11 and up.