Semi Finalist
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: 9/11 serves as the backdrop for I Hunt For Stars Alone, a gripping tale of immigration, identity, sexuality, and above all else, family, as the young protagonist adjusts to his new life in Indiana. Small moments, like receiving a bike as a gift and sneaking a burger with his mother, have big impact and keep the reader emotionally engaged.
Prose: From the first page to the last, Quintana-Vallejo’s lyrical verse gives voices to the inner world of the young protagonist, while carefully placed sonnets told from a retrospective adult perspective add gravity to the most serious themes, such as sexual assault and dementia.
Originality: Readers might recognize themes like sexuality and identity, as well as certain plot beats, from many other YA novels but Quintana-Vallejo’s inimitable, breathtaking free verse sets I Hunt Stars Alone apart. Specific cultural touchstones from 2001-2002 also build out the novel’s world and provide authenticity to the young protagonist’s experience.
Character/Execution: The young protagonist learns to transform his fears about his sexuality into desire, and his pain at leaving his country into hope. Quintana-Vallejo has also crafted his cast of supporting characters with such tender nuance that readers will empathize even in difficult moments.
Date Submitted: April 13, 2024
REVIEW: I HUNT FOR STARS ALONE BY RICARDO QUINTANA-VALLEJO
I Hunt for Stars Alone: A Novel by Ricardo Quintana-Vallejo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I felt close to the characters in this story and like any great book, I’ll miss a few of them. They felt real to me like I could give them a call and pick up where the book left off. This is the skill of a gifted writer and Ricardo Quintana-Vallejo does not let down in his first novel, I Hunt For Stars Alone.
Aside from the wonderful character dynamics between our protagonist and all the people who color his world, the book is beautifully written and thoughtfully layered with real emotions. Each piece of verse, which constitutes a chapter, packs a punch. Every word paints the inner world of our hero in his youth and as an adult narrator.
The story centers on a teenage boy from Mexico and his immigration to the U.S. The narrator (the protagonist as an adult) illustrates our hero navigating his new world in the Midwest America in the early 2000s. As the story progresses, he must figure out how to deal with bigotry, a new stepfather, and a dissolving relationship with his brother. To overcome these challenges, he turns to music, books, movies, and a few good friends. Still, he’s faced with obstacle after obstacle, wins and loses, tiny victories and big mistakes.
For someone such as myself, who has considered himself a lifelong artist and social outsider, I felt a sense of validation. Our hero is just not like everyone else who wants to score touchdowns, and party hard. He just wants to figure out his world while trying to figure out himself. And although my demographic background does not completely match our protagonist’s background, I felt what any one of my favorite authors have made me feel–like I’m not alone in this world and in this universe, and the stars still burn bright no matter how much our lives have let us down. It’s up to us to keep looking. I highly recommend I Hunt For Stars Alone by Ricardo Quintana-Vallejo.
