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The Sound of Stars Hardcover – 25 Feb. 2020

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 351 ratings

"This debut has it all: music, books, aliens, adventure, resistance, queerness, and a bold heroine tying it all together. "--Ms. Magazine

Can a girl who risks her life for books and an Ilori who loves pop music work together to save humanity?

When a rebel librarian meets an Ilori commander...

Two years ago, a misunderstanding between the leaders of Earth and the invading Ilori resulted in the death of one-third of the world's population. Today, seventeen-year-old Ellie Baker survives in an Ilori-controlled center in New York City. All art, books and creative expression are illegal, but Ellie breaks the rules by keeping a secret library.

When young Ilori commander Morris finds Ellie's illegal library, he's duty-bound to deliver her for execution. But Morris isn't a typical Ilori...and Ellie and her books might be the key to a desperate rebellion of his own.
"The Sound of Stars is a marvelous genre-bending debut." --The Nerd Daily
"
The Sound of Stars is a stunning exploration of the comforts that make us human and the horrors that challenge our humanity."--K. Ancrum, author of The Wicker King

"This book has everything! Aliens set on conquering earth! A determined heroine with a hidden stash of books! And the power of music and stories to give those with every reason to hate the power to love. Who could want anything more?"--Joelle Charbonneau,
New York Times bestselling author of The Testing and Verify

"An absolute must-read for everyone." --Book Riot

"Dow's debut is a testament to hope and the power of art." --Buzzfeed

Also by Alechia Dow:
The Kindred

Product description

Review

"This debut has it all: music, books, aliens, adventure, resistance, queerness, and a bold heroine tying it all together. "--Ms. Magazine

"The Sound of Stars is a marvellous genre-bending debut." --The Nerd Daily

"This book has everything! Aliens set on conquering earth, a determined heroine with a hidden stash of books...and proof of the power of music and stories to give those with every reason to hate the will to love." --Joelle Charbonneau, New York Times bestselling author of The Testing and Verify

"Alechia Dow is an incredible new voice--The Sound of Stars was a true pleasure to read." --Saundra Mitchell, author of The Prom novel and editor of All Out and Out Now

"A stunning exploration of the comforts that make us human and the horrors that challenge our humanity." --K. Ancrum, author of The Wicker King

BookRiot Most Anticipated Queer Read of 2020

"Dow paints a moving picture of two young people's defiance and the power of song and story to combat despair." --Publishers Weekly

"There is much to enjoy in this story featuring a complex black teen: Ellie is bright, resourceful, and coping with issues with body image and anxiety. Morris and his family are intriguing. The depiction of the world has many similarities to today's society, and the overlay of speculative aspects fits seamlessly. A promising debut that begs for a sequel." --Kirkus Reviews

"This debut is a hopeful testament to resistance that weaves in commentary about climate change, racism and politics, and includes LGBTQIA and mental and physical health representation. --Lana Barnes, freelance reviewer and proofreader, for Shelf Awareness

About the Author

Alechia Dow is a former pastry chef, librarian, and author of Young Adult sci fi-fantasies: The Sound of Stars, The Kindred, and A Song of Salvation. When not writing, you can find her having epic dance parties with her daughter, baking, reading, or traveling.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Inkyard Press; Original ed. edition (25 Feb. 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1335911553
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1335911551
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 - 17 years
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 14.68 x 3.15 x 21.59 cm
  • Customer reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 351 ratings

About the author

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Alechia Dow
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Alechia Dow is a former pastry chef, teacher, and librarian. When she's not writing, you can find her having epic dance parties with her little girl, baking, reading, or traveling.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
351 global ratings

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One of the BEST YA novels I've ever read
5 out of 5 stars
One of the BEST YA novels I've ever read
I didn't know what to expect when I opened this book. I saw a poster of the MCs, Janelle 'Ellie' and Morris on Twitter and I knew I had to read this novel. I was not disappointed. The way Alechia Dow has weaved black culture into this YA fantasy will never cease to amaze me. I found myself nodding and uttering 'SAY THEIR NAMES' when Ellie was confronted by humans she thought wouldn't kill her but was reminded of all the hate she'd seen from the fallen black and brown brothers and sisters throughout history.I have never felt so connected to a book like this before and I wish I had this book when I was a teen. I needed this story so much. I was the chunky black girl that no one quite understood and never felt like I fit in anywhere. This book touched me so deep and I don't cry when I read novels but I couldn't stop the tears from flowing.Thank you Ms. Alechia Dow for writing such an amazing, beautiful heartwarming story. There's so so much I want to say about this novel and the words are escaping me, but thank you so much and I can't wait to read more beautiful stories by you.
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Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 31 December 2020
    I didn't know what to expect when I opened this book. I saw a poster of the MCs, Janelle 'Ellie' and Morris on Twitter and I knew I had to read this novel. I was not disappointed. The way Alechia Dow has weaved black culture into this YA fantasy will never cease to amaze me. I found myself nodding and uttering 'SAY THEIR NAMES' when Ellie was confronted by humans she thought wouldn't kill her but was reminded of all the hate she'd seen from the fallen black and brown brothers and sisters throughout history.

    I have never felt so connected to a book like this before and I wish I had this book when I was a teen. I needed this story so much. I was the chunky black girl that no one quite understood and never felt like I fit in anywhere. This book touched me so deep and I don't cry when I read novels but I couldn't stop the tears from flowing.

    Thank you Ms. Alechia Dow for writing such an amazing, beautiful heartwarming story. There's so so much I want to say about this novel and the words are escaping me, but thank you so much and I can't wait to read more beautiful stories by you.
    Customer image
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    One of the BEST YA novels I've ever read

    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 31 December 2020
    I didn't know what to expect when I opened this book. I saw a poster of the MCs, Janelle 'Ellie' and Morris on Twitter and I knew I had to read this novel. I was not disappointed. The way Alechia Dow has weaved black culture into this YA fantasy will never cease to amaze me. I found myself nodding and uttering 'SAY THEIR NAMES' when Ellie was confronted by humans she thought wouldn't kill her but was reminded of all the hate she'd seen from the fallen black and brown brothers and sisters throughout history.

    I have never felt so connected to a book like this before and I wish I had this book when I was a teen. I needed this story so much. I was the chunky black girl that no one quite understood and never felt like I fit in anywhere. This book touched me so deep and I don't cry when I read novels but I couldn't stop the tears from flowing.

    Thank you Ms. Alechia Dow for writing such an amazing, beautiful heartwarming story. There's so so much I want to say about this novel and the words are escaping me, but thank you so much and I can't wait to read more beautiful stories by you.
    Images in this review
    Customer image
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 August 2020
    “Life's short, but it’s the longest thing you’ll ever do, so give more than you take and be kind.”

    4.5 ☆

    I can’t recall where I heard about this book, it could have been on Instagram or a newsletter from someone or other – I honestly can’t recall, but I do remember when I added it to my cart, and why I decided to buy it when I did.. The title and the cover.. They’re incredibly important for someone like me because I hate reading blurbs, they often give too much away for me, so I had no idea what this was about beyond the subtitle on the front cover.

    ‘Can their love of books and pop music save the world?’

    If that line isn’t enough to make someone want to read a book, I don’t know what will.

    The story itself is about an alien invasion, and an unlikely pair joining together to quite literally save the world – beneath all that, it’s about so much more.

    “But I won’t let humanity die because of them. I have to believe that we can change this world, and maybe even society in the process.”

    And oh how society could really do with a change. The emphasis on how cruel humanity is to each other is really important in this book. How, even during a world wide invasion, Ellie fears humans just as much as the aliens because of the colour of her skin.

    Some of the characters in this book will stick with me forever.

    Ellie is this beautiful, intelligent girl who wears a purple beanie that, in a way is her shield and I really understand that. She has hypoglycaemia and anxiety. She holds onto books and the stories within them like a lifeline. She’s strong, even when she’s terrified. She’s brave, even when she’s lost hope. She’s easy to love, despite how awkward she thinks she is.

    MORR1S is a contradiction. He is supposed to be unfeeling. He is supposed to obey. He is supposed to act a certain way, but he feels deeply and his love for music ended up putting him on a path that changed his life. He’s loyal, fiercely protective and incredibly humane. He’s also the best kind of blunt. I love him so much.

    I immediately loved Allister, I have no idea why specifically but it was instant and as the story went on I ended up loving him more, and more. He’s now on my favourite literary characters of all time list!

    I love that the characters are a mixture of race, sexuality, and how the Ilori introduce themselves as male, female, and nonbinary.

    I think humanity and Ilori alike could really learn a thing or two from each other.

    Alechia writes beautifully, this story and how it was written made me so emotional. I cannot wait to see what comes next from her.

    “Sometimes love needs only a moment to blossom, and it lingers forever.”
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 July 2020
    This book was so much fun! I loved all the song lyrics, loved the news stories & books all mixed in with the story. Ellie & Morris are such great characters
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 June 2020
    It's so rare to get a story about the importance of art in a dystopian world. Ellie risks everything for her books, and for the people she is locked up with to be able to read them. It is equally rare to get a sense, straight off the bat, that there is more to the story than 'evil invaders from outer space'. When Alien Morris arrives on the scene, with his questioning gaze and his love for music, it's not hard to feel for both of them.
    It's not hard to believe that even in a world thrown into invasion, there is still that constant of art, of hope, and sadly, still, racism. You really feel for Ellie as she tries to find her place amongst all of this in a world in peril.

    It's the kind of book I would have loved to find on my library shelf as a 16 year old.

    The only downside would be that it stops rather abruptly, at the start of another story that we cannot have yet. Guess I'll have to wait for the next one.
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 February 2020
    The World has ended. Aliens have colonised the Earth, but the seeds of rebellion have been sown and two individuals from different sides of the conflict are brought together by a shared love of books and music...

    I love a good Sci Fi, and human/alien romance is one of my favourites, so I expected to really enjoy this book. However, although it started well, jumping right in with an alien invasion, it quickly petered out. There was a lot of "tell, not show" which moved the plot along quickly but meant I wasn't really bothered about what had happened.

    Additionally, I wasn't really feeling any emotional connection between the characters and the events of the book - there are some pretty traumatic moments that get brushed off without a second thought.

    Thankfully, Sound of Stars was a quick read, but unfortunately I was not a fan.

    I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Top reviews from other countries

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  • Laura Machado
    4.0 out of 5 stars Uma jornada divertida por um futuro distópico
    Reviewed in Brazil on 22 June 2021
    Antes de mais nada, acho bom começar dizendo que esse livro em geral é bem melhor do que eu esperava. Amo livros e música mais do que basicamente tudo no universo, mas ainda estava um pouco apreensiva pela história deste, porque era muito difícil para mim imaginar como a autora iria fazer livros e música serem tão imprescindíveis assim em um futuro distópico. Honestamente? Não acho que ela conseguiu dar tanta relevância assim, minha sensação era de que as duas coisas eram tão importantes na vida da Ellie quanto são na minha. Ou seja, super importantes, mas nada a ponto de serem essenciais em uma "rebelião".

    Acho que a presença da música e dos livros foi, sim, bacana, acho que as duas coisas se misturaram bem com o enredo e toda a questão do Starry Eyed. Foi a sinopse e a frase de efeito na capa, falando como se o amor dos protagonistas por essas duas coisas pudesse salvar o mundo que achei um pouco forçado. De fato, tem um único detalhe que poderia ter ajudado muito, mas é spoiler, então pule para o próximo parágrafo se você quiser evitar! O final acaba com Morris e Ellie prontos para liberarem a música que vai salvar a humanidade. Acho que não deixar isso no livro, deixar como algo que acontece 'depois' foi um erro, porque era a chance de música ser tão determinante quanto tinha sido divulgado, e não foi. Além disso, perder a oportunidade de usar mesmo livros para passar mensagens foi triste. Poderia ter uma rebelião de verdade com isso, com mensagens escritas em papel, o que super funcionaria contra os Iloris, que são tão digitais, mas a autora nem tentou.

    Tenho uma outra crítica. A Ellie é uma garota birracial que sofreu bastante racismo em seu prédio antes da invasão alienígena. Acho super válido falar disso, ter as lembranças dela e tudo o mais, mas queria que a autora não tivesse sempre acabado essas partes com uma comparação à invasão alienígena. Acho que isso fez toda a experiência anterior dela ser jogada meio de lado, porque o foco nunca ficava nela por muito tempo. Além disso, acabou me passando a impressão de que foi algo introduzido depois, o que eu duvido muito que tenha sido.

    Em geral, eu gostei do livro, apesar de boa parte do enredo ser "de jornada" e de que não consegui por nada me conectar a Morris. A Ellie, em compensação, foi bem mais interessante e acho que talvez tivesse sido melhor se ela fosse a única narradora. Mas o Morris não é ruim, só robótico, coitado. Achei que a questão da Ellie ser demi-sexual foi super bem feita e o romance é bem bacana também! O final é bem legal, só queria que a história tivesse mesmo terminado no livro direito, sem deixar algo tão importante para o futuro próximo. Falaria mais, mas já expliquei na parte do spoiler!

    Por último, só queria dizer que gostei bastante da ambientação distópica super próxima da nossa realidade. Pelo que Ellie falava, era como se tudo tivesse ficado pior pela atitude de seu presidente, o que deu muito a entender que era sobre o Trump. Essa foi a primeira distopia alienígena que eu li e a primeira super plausível, já que até as referências de livros e músicas são reais e atuais! Deu um pouco de medo até, confesso! Mas deixou a história mais intrigante ainda!

    É uma leitura rápida, fácil e divertida! Recomendo bastante principalmente para quem está procurando um livro leve, mas que não é superficial e nem foge de seus próprios conflitos!
    Customer image
    Laura Machado
    4.0 out of 5 stars
    Uma jornada divertida por um futuro distópico

    Reviewed in Brazil on 22 June 2021
    Antes de mais nada, acho bom começar dizendo que esse livro em geral é bem melhor do que eu esperava. Amo livros e música mais do que basicamente tudo no universo, mas ainda estava um pouco apreensiva pela história deste, porque era muito difícil para mim imaginar como a autora iria fazer livros e música serem tão imprescindíveis assim em um futuro distópico. Honestamente? Não acho que ela conseguiu dar tanta relevância assim, minha sensação era de que as duas coisas eram tão importantes na vida da Ellie quanto são na minha. Ou seja, super importantes, mas nada a ponto de serem essenciais em uma "rebelião".

    Acho que a presença da música e dos livros foi, sim, bacana, acho que as duas coisas se misturaram bem com o enredo e toda a questão do Starry Eyed. Foi a sinopse e a frase de efeito na capa, falando como se o amor dos protagonistas por essas duas coisas pudesse salvar o mundo que achei um pouco forçado. De fato, tem um único detalhe que poderia ter ajudado muito, mas é spoiler, então pule para o próximo parágrafo se você quiser evitar! O final acaba com Morris e Ellie prontos para liberarem a música que vai salvar a humanidade. Acho que não deixar isso no livro, deixar como algo que acontece 'depois' foi um erro, porque era a chance de música ser tão determinante quanto tinha sido divulgado, e não foi. Além disso, perder a oportunidade de usar mesmo livros para passar mensagens foi triste. Poderia ter uma rebelião de verdade com isso, com mensagens escritas em papel, o que super funcionaria contra os Iloris, que são tão digitais, mas a autora nem tentou.

    Tenho uma outra crítica. A Ellie é uma garota birracial que sofreu bastante racismo em seu prédio antes da invasão alienígena. Acho super válido falar disso, ter as lembranças dela e tudo o mais, mas queria que a autora não tivesse sempre acabado essas partes com uma comparação à invasão alienígena. Acho que isso fez toda a experiência anterior dela ser jogada meio de lado, porque o foco nunca ficava nela por muito tempo. Além disso, acabou me passando a impressão de que foi algo introduzido depois, o que eu duvido muito que tenha sido.

    Em geral, eu gostei do livro, apesar de boa parte do enredo ser "de jornada" e de que não consegui por nada me conectar a Morris. A Ellie, em compensação, foi bem mais interessante e acho que talvez tivesse sido melhor se ela fosse a única narradora. Mas o Morris não é ruim, só robótico, coitado. Achei que a questão da Ellie ser demi-sexual foi super bem feita e o romance é bem bacana também! O final é bem legal, só queria que a história tivesse mesmo terminado no livro direito, sem deixar algo tão importante para o futuro próximo. Falaria mais, mas já expliquei na parte do spoiler!

    Por último, só queria dizer que gostei bastante da ambientação distópica super próxima da nossa realidade. Pelo que Ellie falava, era como se tudo tivesse ficado pior pela atitude de seu presidente, o que deu muito a entender que era sobre o Trump. Essa foi a primeira distopia alienígena que eu li e a primeira super plausível, já que até as referências de livros e músicas são reais e atuais! Deu um pouco de medo até, confesso! Mas deixou a história mais intrigante ainda!

    É uma leitura rápida, fácil e divertida! Recomendo bastante principalmente para quem está procurando um livro leve, mas que não é superficial e nem foge de seus próprios conflitos!
    Images in this review
    Customer image
  • Priya Roy
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best sci-fi romance ever
    Reviewed in India on 28 March 2024
    Janelle Baker is a human whose world is attacked and conquered by the alien species called Ilori. The Ilori banned all books,art,music and any form of creative expression will lead humans to death i.e., execution. But our MC Ellie is rebellious enough to do so. She owns a secret library and distributes books to those who are interested in reading them, which is against the rules put forward by the Ilori. Did she get caught?
    And even if she does get caught, will the young Ilori commander,M0Rr1S, execute her or will his secret be exposed in the process, which can tarnish his reputation in front of the Ilori or even worse lead to his death by his own kind...
    Customer image
    Priya Roy
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    One of the best sci-fi romance ever

    Reviewed in India on 28 March 2024
    Janelle Baker is a human whose world is attacked and conquered by the alien species called Ilori. The Ilori banned all books,art,music and any form of creative expression will lead humans to death i.e., execution. But our MC Ellie is rebellious enough to do so. She owns a secret library and distributes books to those who are interested in reading them, which is against the rules put forward by the Ilori. Did she get caught?
    And even if she does get caught, will the young Ilori commander,M0Rr1S, execute her or will his secret be exposed in the process, which can tarnish his reputation in front of the Ilori or even worse lead to his death by his own kind...
    Images in this review
    Customer imageCustomer imageCustomer image
  • Sarah Wright
    5.0 out of 5 stars Relatable and inspiring: a valuable message of hope in adversity
    Reviewed in the United States on 8 April 2020
    It’s not often these days a book leaves me profoundly peaceful and full of optimism. The Sound of Stars is about a girl named Ellie Baker who holds onto determination and compassion in the face of terrible odds. The harshness of Ellie’s world (and even the arrival of aliens) is never enough to snuff out her star. While the book goes to some necessarily dark places, the message is ultimately one of survival and love.

    The book is also about one of the invading aliens: a labmade Ilori named M0R1s (or “Morris,” as Ellie comes to know him). While Ellie’s initially wary of his motives, she slowly learns that his mission on Earth may not align with that of the other Ilori. In some ways, it’s a well-loved story given new life with an innovative premise. Ellie and Morris are star-crossed lovers: an alien and a human. He sings to her and she tells him stories. Together, they’re going to save the world.

    This book is about leaping headlong into love—not just romantic love, but familial love and self-acceptance too—even through adversity. It’s a beacon of a story, and I recommend it to anyone interested in YA sci-fi with a liberal dash of hope that defies the odds.
  • Ekaterina Belova
    2.0 out of 5 stars Did not like it.. at all
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on 29 March 2021
    Bought this after reading the 5 star reviews. I tried to love this book, but couldn't even finish the story.
  • Linda S
    5.0 out of 5 stars Such a beautiful book
    Reviewed in Germany on 16 June 2020
    I bought this book for Pridemonth some weaks ago and now I've finally been able to read it. And what can I say... I'm in love. 😍😭💜 Like really very much in love. Like favorite book of the year in love. 😲😍
    There I said it. This is my favorite book of the year for many reasons and I LOVE IT SO MUCH! 😭💜

    "The sound of stars" takes place two years after an alien invasion. Books, music and art are forbidden, but our main Ellie keeps a secret library going. One day, Morris, one of the aliens called the Illori, discovers it. Though forbidden Morris loves music and hopes that the girl with the secret library will help him to get more. But who would have thought that their love for books and music would take them on a roadtrip to save humanity?

    I really had a hard time to sum this up, because this book is so wonderful and full of depth, that no summary would do it justice!
    The worldbuilding is incredibly well done. The alien species, the Illori, and the whole backround story are so thoughtfully developed.
    At the same time this books tackles so many important (social) issues. There is a lot of discussion of the racism Black people have to face. The injustice that happens right now in our world stands in comparison with the time after the Illori inavasion. I found all of this was handled in such a powerful way.

    Let's talk about the main chatacters! I LOVED them. "The sound of stars is very, very character driven. Though there is action, the main focus is on the characters, their thoughts, their love for books and music and their feelings.
    Our main, Ellie, is amazing. She's a fat Black girl with anxiety, rebelling through her love for books, fighting for her family. She's quiet, doesn't like people very much, loves books, music and stories. I loved her to pieces. 💜
    Morris is a labmade Illori, created to serve the True Illori, who were born Illori. Though they aren't allowed to feel something, Morris feels a lot and he learns to embrace his emotions during this book. You have no idea how much I love him. 😭 He's utterly sweet and kind an wears his heart on his sleeves. 💜
    These two characters match so well! Quiet, lovely Ellie who has kind of given up on humanity meets Morris who's so open about everything he feels, cause he couldn't be for so long. Them connecting over books and music, talking about their feelings and experiences... my heart melted. 😭 Morris is so careful with Ellie's feelings, while Ellie embraces Morris' vulnerability... I loved this dynamic. 😭💜

    Also, Ellie is open about being bi/panromantic demi-ace, while Morris explains during their talks that he always thought he was bad at sex. For me they're both a-spec and I ADORED the representation. I loved to see them getting to know each other. It was beautiful, it felt real, it was utterly sweet and soft and lovely.
    Alechia Dow manged to creat a wonderfully heartwarming atmosphere during an alien invasion. And that it was two a-spec characters who fell in love, on their tempo, to their conditions was amazing. 💜

    Also outstanding was the love for books and music. There are many ways you can fight, but showing the importance of art as a tool to keep going was powerful. This book is a loveletter to music and books, it contains so many eastereggs and I loved reading about two characters who connetced trough their love for art.
    Also Morris' chapters all start with a quote from a song, while Ellie's chapters start with a quote from a book. 💜

    I loved the writing. I can't really put it into words, but it was very detailed and raw. The author managed to catch the voices of the characters perfectly.

    Tbh I still have the feeling I couldn't do "The sound of stars" justice with my review. 😅 There were so many puzzlepieces coming together and I truely think this book is a masterpiece. I am utterly and deeply in love with it. 💜 I will keep Ellie, Morris, their love for books and music, their love for each other and their fight for a better world close to my heart. 💜 I highly recommend reading this book. 💜

    CW: Colonization, execution, violence, alcoholism, panic attacks