Among the books I’m reading, The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow, offers near-future dystopian adventure flavored with romance. An alien race, the Ilori, has invaded Earth and one-third of the world’s human population are dead. Those humans who remain live under the control of the Ilori, who have outlawed art, books, music: any type of creative expression.
Seventeen-year-old Ellie Baker keeps a secret library of books, which she shares with other humans in her building. She’s risking her life by doing this, and one day, a young Ilori commander, Morris, discovers Ellie’s secret library. He should turn her in … but he doesn’t. Morris has his own secret, a passion for Earth music, and is part of a secret rebellion. There is no reason why Ellie and Morris should trust each other, and yet the two of them come to care about each other.
The story is told through Ellie’s and Morris’s alternating viewpoints, with chapter headings that feature quotes from books or song titles respectively. Interspersed through the narrative are article clippings, transcripts from interviews and podcasts, and song lyrics relating to a pop band, “The Starry-Eyed,” whose music seems to mirror the conflicts that Morris and Ellie face.
I’m really enjoying this story about “star-crossed” individuals: learning from their differences, embracing their similarities, discovering everything they have in common. The tone of this book is ultimately hopeful and I strongly recommend it.
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