
The Actual Star
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Carolina Hoyos
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Kareem Ferguson
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Gisela Chipe
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By:
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Monica Byrne
About this listen
David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas meets Octavia Butler's Earthseed series, as acclaimed author Monica Byrne (The Girl in the Road) spins a brilliant multigenerational saga spanning two thousand years, from the collapse of the ancient Maya to a far-future utopia on the brink of civil war.
The Actual Star takes listeners on a journey over thousands of years and six continents—collapsing three separate timelines into one cave in the Belizean jungle.
An epic saga of three reincarnated souls, this novel demonstrates the entanglements of tradition and progress, sister and stranger, love and hate. The book jumps forward and backward in time among a pair of twins who ruled a Maya kingdom, a young American on a trip of self-discovery, and two dangerous charismatics in a conflict that will determine the fate of the few humans left on Earth after massive climate change.
In each era, age-old questions about existence and belonging and identity converge deep underground. Because only in complete darkness can one truly see the stars.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2021 Monica Byrne (P)2021 HarperCollins PublishersListeners also enjoyed...
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maybe I'm daft, but I did not get how it ended
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masterpiece time spanning epic
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Friggin weird
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Best Audio Book So Far
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Echoes of Cloud Atlas
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Notes: some of the themes are a bit graphic (cw: self harm, sex)
Incredibly creative, still processing
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Another comment - I think this book is categorized as science fiction, but people who don't usually like science fiction shouldn't let that discourage them. The science fiction element is just the vision of what the future could be. Really the book is a literary masterwork on humanity, spirituality, and the ties that bind us. I hope this review encourages someone to read the book! It truly is extraordinary.
A Masterpiece
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the performance is excellent
highly entertaining and engrossing
stunning story telling, transcendant
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Speculative fiction enters a whole new dimension
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The novel jumps around between the three different periods but begins in 1012, set in a Mayan kingdom in Belize. A royal brother and sister set of twins are preparing to rule their kingdom but face difficulties as there are rumors of rebellion and the climate is changing, and their and the surrounding kingdoms are in decline due to this. The twins’ beloved younger sister is also featured in this section. She takes mushrooms early on and begins to have visions and plays an important role as this storyline progresses. We are introduced to a nearby sacred cave, supposedly a portal to the Mayan underworld, which ultimately becomes a central part of all three timelines.
A thousand years later in 2012 in the fictional city of Anoong, Minnesota a young half-Belizean lady, Leah, who was conceived by her mother there on a missionary trip, plans to travel to Belize to explore her roots and tour the mythical cave. She befriends two of the cave tour guides, who happen to be twin brothers, and hijinks ensue. She becomes infatuated with the cave and longs to explore past what the official government tours allow.
Sidenote: the fictional city of Anoong, Minnesota is located near the real city of St. Cloud, close to where I live. It was funny to read her bumming around town and when she drove to MSP to fly to Belize she would’ve rolled right through my town. Nitpick: Leah and her boyfriend drive out on the ice-covered Mississippi River near St. Cloud in the winter to make out. There is no way a car drives out on the Mississippi River in my neck of the woods in the winter! The ice never gets thick enough to support a motor vehicle as the water underneath is always moving. An easy fix to this would’ve been to have Leah and her boyfriend drive out on to the ice of any area lake. Most lakes have ice fishing houses on them and many have trucks criss-crossing them once the ice is thick enough as roads come right off boat landings. Been there, done that.
Yet another thousand years later in 3012 an outspoken member of society, Niloux, finds herself in hot water as she is questioning the sacred beliefs of her culture, particularly the divinity of St. Leah (the woman from 2012!). This is the part of the novel that requires the aforementioned glossary. The world building in this second is complex and mind-blowing. I know I didn’t understand all of it. In 3012 human society is reeling from the effects of climate change. Population levels have plummeted and civilization has become nomadic and religious, centered on the worship of St. Leah and the two Belizian cave guides. There is some really cool tech. Niloux travels to the Mayan cave from the Middle East in hopes of proving her theory and disproving the overriding religious beliefs of her culture.
It all sounds crazy but it works. I really enjoyed this novel. It was epic. The scope was vast. The main characters are interesting and well fleshed-out. I couldn’t wait to see how the author was going to tie this all together. The ending was confusing and I’m not sure if I fully understood it but I can’t stop thinking about it. I'm going to read more about this book in upcoming days.
Excellent Time Hopping Mindbender
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