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A Heartfelt Review of Onjali Q. Rauf's Captivating Novel "The Star Outside My Window"
These words are the first words I saw when I opened The Star Outside My Window by Onjali Q. Rauf. They immediately made me want to dive into the pages of the book, without any delay. This made me realize, that the best quality a book can have is a captivating beginning! The authoress, Onjali Q. Rauf, is a bestselling author with many books to her name such as The Boy at The Back of The Class and The Lion Above The Door. Onjali has captured the flag of my heart with The Star Outside My Window and hence, this month I have decided to share my thoughts on it! The two main characters namely, Aniyah and Noah, are siblings who have been transferred to a foster ho me to stay with their new foster mother, Mrs. Iwuchukwu. Mrs. Iwuchukwu is a widow, who is sweet, exceedingly kind and understanding. Here the siblings meet Travis and Ben, two other foster children. Aniyah, being obsessed with the night sky and different types of constellations, believes that her mother ’left’ the two of them and turned into the biggest and most beautiful star in the galaxy. However, she had not been acquainted with the truth. Aniyah’s and Noah’s mother had actually been killed by their father in a horrible manner while she was trying to protect Aniyah and Noah. To find their mother, Aniyah and Noah with Ben’s and Travis’s help, search for their star / mother online. Soon, they find a site that gives them information about a new star that had been discovered by the Royal Observatory Greenwich. They also manage to uncover a competition that allows people to name the star any name they want. The final name of the star would be selected randomly by the Royal Observatory’s computer. This name would be unveiled at the Kronos Gala at Greenwich, itself! Aniyah, unable to bear the fact that her darling mum was going to be given a randomly chosen name, decides to formulate a plan. The four children all come together to fool Mrs. Iwuchukwu and her adopted daughter, Sophie, and travel from Oxford, all the way to the planetarium where The Kronos Gala was to take place, in Greenwich, London, that too on bicycles! Of course, as every story goes, this isn’t as simple as it sounds, and the four kids face many challenges and learn many lessons during the course of their journey including losing their cycles! In the end, however, Aniyah and Noah do not fail in their attempts to reach the Kronos Gala and successfully name the star after their mother after realizing that their mum had passed away. Hence, The Star Outside My Window is, to put into simple words, a story of faith. Of unconditional love and trust. And most importantly, a story of empowerment. Personally, I believe it’s the perfect book for children who wish to be introduced to real world concepts. It has true depth and is extremely easy to understand. What really stood out in this book was the way every character was slightly flawed but could not be term ed as an antagonist. Yes, Mrs. Iwuchukwu’s daughter, Sophie, was kind of a major bully but this only shows how insecure she really was and how desperate she was for attention. Again, Aniyah, to me, is super-duper special. She really enhanced the plot of the book and brought in variations and feelings into the story that I’m sure couldn’t have been done by any of the other characters. She embodies everything that is good and kind and deals with so much over the course of the story. So, to conclude, I would like to say what an absolute pleasure this book was to read and how utterly touched I was by the end. It left me pondering how beautiful and yet tortured a singular person can be. A novel like this deserves recognition and I believe that such a profound story of friendship and found family, should be regarded with the highest of respect!
Blogger Enthusiast: Shreelekha Shinde
Introducing Shreelekha Shinde, a Blogger Enthusiast under the enchanting banner of RidhzWorld Publishing. At just eighth-grade, Shreelekha embraces the precious gift of literacy, revelling in the power of reading and writing.
Embarking on a thrilling journey into the blogosphere, Shreelekha has partnered with RidhzWorld Publications to offer readers a captivating glimpse into her unique perspective on life, her literary preferences, and her talent for imaginative storytelling.
More about Shreelekha
A passionate lover of music, Shreelekha's musical tastes span a wide spectrum, from the enchanting melodies of Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey to the intricate rhythms of Indian Classical music. Not only does she appreciate the beauty of music, but she also possesses remarkable abilities in singing and dancing, finding true joy in every aspect of her life. Shreelekha attributes her happiness not only to her beloved family but also to the unwavering support she receives from her mother. With unwavering confidence, Shreelekha believes her blogging journey will be an unforgettable and immensely enjoyable adventure. She wholeheartedly invites you, dear reader, to join her on this exhilarating ride. Stay tuned for her upcoming blog posts and let's meet again in her next enthralling instalment!