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The Inevitability of Stars
A modern-day Romeo and Juliet set amongst the beauty of Byron Bay and the grind of Sydney.
Rip and Sahara have always been together. Primary school friends to high school lovers, their ties to each other are as intertwined and inescapable as the roots of the Byron Strangler Fig. But like that same tree, the tendrils of their love are beginning to stifle and choke, and soon, Sahara finds she must leave, moving to Sydney to pursue her career as an artist.
In Sydney, Sahara draws the attention of Sean, a charismatic entrepreneur, and is quickly drawn into his expensive and glamorous world so very different from the quiet, simple place of her youth. But even as she creates a new life, and a new version of herself, Sahara cannot seem to leave Rip behind.
Back in the Byron hinterland, Rip moves to a working farm to recover from the wounds Sahara left. It's here that he begins to understand his past and reimagine his future. But as Rip rebuilds, Sahara unravels, losing herself in Sean's shiny, but meaningless world and plagued by visions of her previous life and lover.
Heartbreaking and haunting, The Inevitability of Stars is a poignant novel about the burden of fate, the viscosity of reality and the resilience of love.
Rip and Sahara have always been together. Primary school friends to high school lovers, their ties to each other are as intertwined and inescapable as the roots of the Byron Strangler Fig. But like that same tree, the tendrils of their love are beginning to stifle and choke, and soon, Sahara finds she must leave, moving to Sydney to pursue her career as an artist.
In Sydney, Sahara draws the attention of Sean, a charismatic entrepreneur, and is quickly drawn into his expensive and glamorous world so very different from the quiet, simple place of her youth. But even as she creates a new life, and a new version of herself, Sahara cannot seem to leave Rip behind.
Back in the Byron hinterland, Rip moves to a working farm to recover from the wounds Sahara left. It's here that he begins to understand his past and reimagine his future. But as Rip rebuilds, Sahara unravels, losing herself in Sean's shiny, but meaningless world and plagued by visions of her previous life and lover.
Heartbreaking and haunting, The Inevitability of Stars is a poignant novel about the burden of fate, the viscosity of reality and the resilience of love.
297 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2013
About the author
Kathryn R. Lyster
1 book10 followersKathryn R. Lyster is a young Australian writer, discovered at the 2012 Byron Writers Festival. The Inevitability of Stars is her debut novel.
Her writing is a lyrical blend of magic realism, metaphysics and poignant contemporary fiction. She captures the human story in all it's spirit, passion, joy, dreams, despair and heart-yearning.
Her writing is a lyrical blend of magic realism, metaphysics and poignant contemporary fiction. She captures the human story in all it's spirit, passion, joy, dreams, despair and heart-yearning.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
June 29, 2020
One of my comfort reads.
August 9, 2013
Kathryn R Lyster's debut novel, The Inevitability of Stars, tells the poignant love story of Sahara and Rip. Inseparable as childhood friends, they later become lovers, but when Sahara ends their relationship to pursue her love of art, fleeing Byron Bay for Sydney, Rip is devastated, unable to imagine his life without Sahara by his side.
The Inevitability of Stars is a unique re-imagining of Romeo and Juliet's star crossed love story. Exploring the notions of fate, of love and the conflict of want and need, the novel has a strong element of mysticism which doesn't compromise the contemporary issues the protagonists face.
The narrative alternates between the perspectives of Rip, who lies in a hospital bed after a suicide attempt, and Sahara who is ensconced in art school in the city. Slowly Lyster unravels the difficult path they each take away from one another as Rip struggles to come to terms with Sahara's absence and heal his wounded soul, and Sahara, believing Rip is dead, buries herself in the drug fueled, materialistic world of a new lover and begins to fall apart.
The writing is richly descriptive of senses and emotions. I have to admit I found the use of italics for speech disconcerting and never really got used to it, but that is a minor quibble which is easily overlooked.
I liked The Inevitability of Stars, but I think it will resonate most strongly with young adults who will relate best to both the intensity of emotion and the challenges of negotiating the fate that awaits them.
September 13, 2013
3.5 stars
I struggled a little to get into this one, but Lyster's beautiful turn of phrase kept me reading and I finished up enjoying this new age re-imagining of Romeo & Juliet a lot more than I initially thought I would.
Not wanting to settle for an 'ordinary' life in Byron Bay, Sahara breaks up with Rip and moves to Sydney. But her bid for independence and artistic growth becomes a melting pot of toxicity and Sahara's life slowly unravels.
There's quite a spiritual focus to Rip's side of the story and maybe it was that, that took me a bit to get my head around. Not to say that it isn't my thing, it just wasn't what I expected. I can't really say any more without getting spoiler-ish ... but the author's lyrical writing style is lovely to read.
The alternating chapters by Rip and Sahara work well, I really enjoyed the dual narrative and I loved the contrast in setting from Byron Bay to Sydney.
It's a profound, bittersweet story. It's about healing, self discovery, finding your place in the world, standing on your own two feet and being in charge of your own happiness. It's about that beautiful thing called serendipity.
I struggled a little to get into this one, but Lyster's beautiful turn of phrase kept me reading and I finished up enjoying this new age re-imagining of Romeo & Juliet a lot more than I initially thought I would.
Not wanting to settle for an 'ordinary' life in Byron Bay, Sahara breaks up with Rip and moves to Sydney. But her bid for independence and artistic growth becomes a melting pot of toxicity and Sahara's life slowly unravels.
There's quite a spiritual focus to Rip's side of the story and maybe it was that, that took me a bit to get my head around. Not to say that it isn't my thing, it just wasn't what I expected. I can't really say any more without getting spoiler-ish ... but the author's lyrical writing style is lovely to read.
The alternating chapters by Rip and Sahara work well, I really enjoyed the dual narrative and I loved the contrast in setting from Byron Bay to Sydney.
It's a profound, bittersweet story. It's about healing, self discovery, finding your place in the world, standing on your own two feet and being in charge of your own happiness. It's about that beautiful thing called serendipity.
July 20, 2013
The Inevitability of Stars is a book that I just cannot make up my mind about. I loved the writing which was atmospheric and deeply engaging, but I just couldn't make myself believe in the story which was either too fantastical or not fantastical enough, depending on your point of view.
Perhaps it's merely that I'm not into the New Age scene and so couldn't immerse myself in the ideas that were being presented; for all that I enjoyed the prose.
If New Age isn't your thing, this may not be the book for you, but if you mind is open to such things, or if you'd simply like to enjoy some good writing, then I can recommend giving this story a try.
I received this book as an ARC from the publisher.
Perhaps it's merely that I'm not into the New Age scene and so couldn't immerse myself in the ideas that were being presented; for all that I enjoyed the prose.
If New Age isn't your thing, this may not be the book for you, but if you mind is open to such things, or if you'd simply like to enjoy some good writing, then I can recommend giving this story a try.
I received this book as an ARC from the publisher.
December 7, 2013
Goodreads giveaway!!!
An absolutely beautifully written story...I have so many pages 'dogeared' to go back and reread that practically the whole book is turned...sometimes even twice on a page...I am hoping to discover she has written other books. VERY grateful to have won this book...it is a keeper
An absolutely beautifully written story...I have so many pages 'dogeared' to go back and reread that practically the whole book is turned...sometimes even twice on a page...I am hoping to discover she has written other books. VERY grateful to have won this book...it is a keeper
June 8, 2017
'The Inevitability of Stars' by Kathryn Lyster was promising: Two young people part ways; she wants to experience life and feels he is smothering her. So she heads off to Sydney where her life spirals when she meets an entrepreneur who lives the high life. Meanwhile, the young man begins to discover what he really wants in life and seems to be sorting himself out. So far, so good. But there was too much of a new age spiritual feel to this that is just not me. The girl also annoyed me for regularly choosing the wrong thing to do and ignoring her friends. But if you like a different kind of feel-good story then this may be for you.
August 19, 2013
Rip and Sahara have been together since they were small. Their mothers were friends, they lived next door to each other and they spent day after day together, exploring their nearby surroundings. Later on they became more than just friends, high school lovers, a passionate relationship that threatened to consume the both of them.
Sahara flees their small hometown of Byron Bay and moves to Sydney to pursue her career as an artist, living in a rundown apartment, working 14 hour shifts at a bar all in the name of attending art school and getting enough paintings down on canvas to hopefully show her pieces, get noticed. Meanwhile Rip is left behind in Byron, questioning what remains in his life without her in it.
In Sydney, Sahara meets the charismatic, wealthy and influential Sean, who is drawn to her uncaring attitude. Sahara doesn’t know who Sean is and she doesn’t care either, which he finds fascinating. He immediately seeks to help her with her dream, buying her paintings, taking her to the most exclusive places and parties, splashing around all the money that anyone could possibly need to make a success in art. But Sahara finds herself drawn away from her artistic friends and into Sean’s world where he provides everything but demands everything too. Sahara starts to wonder what the price will be for selling out to Sean and as she spirals further and further down into a bad place, she is riddled with memories of Rip, who she believes lost to her forever.
Rip is trying to move on, to rebuild his life without Sahara in it and he thinks a working farm has provided him with the opportunity he needs. But nothing is what it seems and Rip finds strangeness at every turn. Just when he feels as though he may be settling in, his time is almost over and he needs to go back and fight.
The Inevitability Of Stars is the debut novel from Australian author Kathryn Lyster. It’s a story of deep friendship that turned into obsessive teenage love, suffocation and heartbreak. And it is an incredibly hard novel for me to review because there’s a large section that is impossible to talk about without spoiling anything. It’s difficult to decide what to say because that section definitely had an impact on how I felt about the book and yet I can’t say why without ruining several big reveals.
Sahara is a difficult character to identify with or like in some ways. I can understand her need to make something of herself and to explore her passion, what she considered to be her calling. However I can’t agree with the way she treated Rip in order to get it and her lackadaisical “he was supposed to find me in the future” argument, like the world revolved around Sahara and whenever she was ready, Rip would just have to jump when she snapped her fingers. She seemed like a headstrong person and I thought perhaps overindulged after her behaviour at the waterfall when she and Rip were children but her mother seemed like some quintessential Byron Bay hippie that are a dime a dozen. When she meets Sean there’s a million red flags but perhaps she’s so jaded and so strung out from living hand to mouth that she just doesn’t care. She can’t resist the idea of selling out even as she loathes herself for it. She has to change herself, change her art but the payoff is a huge studio with everything she could ever want stocked inside it, the chance to show her work at the MCA and all the parties, champagne, drugs and designer clothes she could dream of. After living in a hovel and working killer shifts in a room filled with cigarette smoke, pokies and despair, it seems as though it’s the chance to dream big. Sahara is also experiencing crippling grief and the belief that what she would always get is lost to her, so she tends to lose a lot of rationality in her decision making and her actions.
Rip is utterly devastated by Sahara’s rejection and disappearing to Sydney. He lost his mother when he was young and it seems as though he is distant from his father. His friends and even Sahara’s mother rally around him as Rip hits rock bottom and attempts to escape it all. Without Sahara, Rip seems lost and he needs to find himself and his direction again, gain strength. I felt a bit sorry for Rip but at the same time, I can’t imagine wrapping up everything in another person and being with them. Rip was clearly dominated by the more dominant personality of Sahara, who had the courage (or carelessness) to walk away from their passionate relationship and so something for herself. Obviously Rip didn’t get the memo that Sahara expected him to find her later on when the timing was right for her.
Although I found myself interested in the core relationship between Rip and Sahara, a lot of this novel incorporated things that my cynical brain had difficulty wrapping itself around. I’m not a mystic, or a believer in alternate worlds – I am not a Byron Bay “New Age” type person. I believe in what I can see, touch and hear and I think that because of that, I couldn’t really experience this book in all of its glory. What was probably eloquent and moving for other people was somewhat difficult for me to read. I appreciated Rip and Sahara and their difficult journeys and their story. It’s a well written novel, a deep exploration of two characters but there was too much of the book that I just couldn’t relate to.
Sahara flees their small hometown of Byron Bay and moves to Sydney to pursue her career as an artist, living in a rundown apartment, working 14 hour shifts at a bar all in the name of attending art school and getting enough paintings down on canvas to hopefully show her pieces, get noticed. Meanwhile Rip is left behind in Byron, questioning what remains in his life without her in it.
In Sydney, Sahara meets the charismatic, wealthy and influential Sean, who is drawn to her uncaring attitude. Sahara doesn’t know who Sean is and she doesn’t care either, which he finds fascinating. He immediately seeks to help her with her dream, buying her paintings, taking her to the most exclusive places and parties, splashing around all the money that anyone could possibly need to make a success in art. But Sahara finds herself drawn away from her artistic friends and into Sean’s world where he provides everything but demands everything too. Sahara starts to wonder what the price will be for selling out to Sean and as she spirals further and further down into a bad place, she is riddled with memories of Rip, who she believes lost to her forever.
Rip is trying to move on, to rebuild his life without Sahara in it and he thinks a working farm has provided him with the opportunity he needs. But nothing is what it seems and Rip finds strangeness at every turn. Just when he feels as though he may be settling in, his time is almost over and he needs to go back and fight.
The Inevitability Of Stars is the debut novel from Australian author Kathryn Lyster. It’s a story of deep friendship that turned into obsessive teenage love, suffocation and heartbreak. And it is an incredibly hard novel for me to review because there’s a large section that is impossible to talk about without spoiling anything. It’s difficult to decide what to say because that section definitely had an impact on how I felt about the book and yet I can’t say why without ruining several big reveals.
Sahara is a difficult character to identify with or like in some ways. I can understand her need to make something of herself and to explore her passion, what she considered to be her calling. However I can’t agree with the way she treated Rip in order to get it and her lackadaisical “he was supposed to find me in the future” argument, like the world revolved around Sahara and whenever she was ready, Rip would just have to jump when she snapped her fingers. She seemed like a headstrong person and I thought perhaps overindulged after her behaviour at the waterfall when she and Rip were children but her mother seemed like some quintessential Byron Bay hippie that are a dime a dozen. When she meets Sean there’s a million red flags but perhaps she’s so jaded and so strung out from living hand to mouth that she just doesn’t care. She can’t resist the idea of selling out even as she loathes herself for it. She has to change herself, change her art but the payoff is a huge studio with everything she could ever want stocked inside it, the chance to show her work at the MCA and all the parties, champagne, drugs and designer clothes she could dream of. After living in a hovel and working killer shifts in a room filled with cigarette smoke, pokies and despair, it seems as though it’s the chance to dream big. Sahara is also experiencing crippling grief and the belief that what she would always get is lost to her, so she tends to lose a lot of rationality in her decision making and her actions.
Rip is utterly devastated by Sahara’s rejection and disappearing to Sydney. He lost his mother when he was young and it seems as though he is distant from his father. His friends and even Sahara’s mother rally around him as Rip hits rock bottom and attempts to escape it all. Without Sahara, Rip seems lost and he needs to find himself and his direction again, gain strength. I felt a bit sorry for Rip but at the same time, I can’t imagine wrapping up everything in another person and being with them. Rip was clearly dominated by the more dominant personality of Sahara, who had the courage (or carelessness) to walk away from their passionate relationship and so something for herself. Obviously Rip didn’t get the memo that Sahara expected him to find her later on when the timing was right for her.
Although I found myself interested in the core relationship between Rip and Sahara, a lot of this novel incorporated things that my cynical brain had difficulty wrapping itself around. I’m not a mystic, or a believer in alternate worlds – I am not a Byron Bay “New Age” type person. I believe in what I can see, touch and hear and I think that because of that, I couldn’t really experience this book in all of its glory. What was probably eloquent and moving for other people was somewhat difficult for me to read. I appreciated Rip and Sahara and their difficult journeys and their story. It’s a well written novel, a deep exploration of two characters but there was too much of the book that I just couldn’t relate to.
November 7, 2020
Not really my style, very interesting tho. Lots of weird hippie scenes
July 31, 2013
3.5 stars
In the media release, The Inevitability of Stars is described as a modern day Romeo and Juliet story as it’s a story of young, unrequited love and the burden of fate.
Sahara and Rip were childhood best friends, high school lovers but as young adults they both have plans for their future that couldn’t be more different. Sahara is a free spirit; she’s an artist and wants to travel the world. Rip enjoys the simple life in his coastal hometown of Byron Bay and wants to marry Sahara. Sahara can’t bear a future living in Byron, married with kids for the rest of her life, so she enrols in art school in Sydney leaving behind a broken-hearted Rip. Rip is so devastated by the loss of Sahara and the prospect of nothing else to look forward to in life he makes a suicide attempt. The story continues in dual viewpoints with Sahara’s life unravelling in Sydney as she becomes involved with an older man and caught up in drugs while Rip undertakes a spiritual journey to find meaning in his life without Sahara.
Technically it is a beautifully written story, but I must admit it did take some time for me to feel drawn in. I was tempted to give up early on as the magical feel of the storytelling held me at a distance from the characters. But once I got used to the dialogue (written in italic without speech marks which I kept reading as the characters internal thoughts!) and once the story got underway and I could see where the author was trying to go I did start to feel myself being drawn into the story at an emotional level. This didn’t happen until about 150 pages in though (the half way mark) so I’m glad I persevered with this story.
Sahara wasn’t someone I could really relate to in the beginning. I understood her desire to spread her wings, but I felt the way she handled the end of their relationship was insensitive and many times she came across as quite selfish and self-absorbed. I didn’t really agree with the path she took in terms of becoming involved with the older man and then experimenting with drugs, but I could connect with her vulnerability and her grief when she learns (incorrectly) that Rip has died. It takes some time to see any growth in her character but when it does come about its very satisfying. Rip is also a character difficult to relate to. In some ways I really empathised with him and his loss but on the other hand he really doesn’t have much sense of self or a purpose in life that doesn’t involve Sahara, which was a little sad. When the story allowed the reader to connect with Rip, I enjoyed his viewpoint, but when the story went off on spiritual journeys I found myself getting a little lost.
By the end of the story I did enjoy the journey I had been taken on, even though it was difficult reading at times. The ending left me feeling both hopeful and disappointed; I had wanted a more tangible closure. I loved that the author set the story in both Sydney and Byron Bay and the story didn’t end up being anything what I had expected at the outset. Overall, The Inevitability of Stars is a novel that takes the reader on a journey along with the characters and can be read in one or two sittings.
In the media release, The Inevitability of Stars is described as a modern day Romeo and Juliet story as it’s a story of young, unrequited love and the burden of fate.
Sahara and Rip were childhood best friends, high school lovers but as young adults they both have plans for their future that couldn’t be more different. Sahara is a free spirit; she’s an artist and wants to travel the world. Rip enjoys the simple life in his coastal hometown of Byron Bay and wants to marry Sahara. Sahara can’t bear a future living in Byron, married with kids for the rest of her life, so she enrols in art school in Sydney leaving behind a broken-hearted Rip. Rip is so devastated by the loss of Sahara and the prospect of nothing else to look forward to in life he makes a suicide attempt. The story continues in dual viewpoints with Sahara’s life unravelling in Sydney as she becomes involved with an older man and caught up in drugs while Rip undertakes a spiritual journey to find meaning in his life without Sahara.
Technically it is a beautifully written story, but I must admit it did take some time for me to feel drawn in. I was tempted to give up early on as the magical feel of the storytelling held me at a distance from the characters. But once I got used to the dialogue (written in italic without speech marks which I kept reading as the characters internal thoughts!) and once the story got underway and I could see where the author was trying to go I did start to feel myself being drawn into the story at an emotional level. This didn’t happen until about 150 pages in though (the half way mark) so I’m glad I persevered with this story.
Sahara wasn’t someone I could really relate to in the beginning. I understood her desire to spread her wings, but I felt the way she handled the end of their relationship was insensitive and many times she came across as quite selfish and self-absorbed. I didn’t really agree with the path she took in terms of becoming involved with the older man and then experimenting with drugs, but I could connect with her vulnerability and her grief when she learns (incorrectly) that Rip has died. It takes some time to see any growth in her character but when it does come about its very satisfying. Rip is also a character difficult to relate to. In some ways I really empathised with him and his loss but on the other hand he really doesn’t have much sense of self or a purpose in life that doesn’t involve Sahara, which was a little sad. When the story allowed the reader to connect with Rip, I enjoyed his viewpoint, but when the story went off on spiritual journeys I found myself getting a little lost.
By the end of the story I did enjoy the journey I had been taken on, even though it was difficult reading at times. The ending left me feeling both hopeful and disappointed; I had wanted a more tangible closure. I loved that the author set the story in both Sydney and Byron Bay and the story didn’t end up being anything what I had expected at the outset. Overall, The Inevitability of Stars is a novel that takes the reader on a journey along with the characters and can be read in one or two sittings.
July 22, 2013
Resilience is that ineffable quality that allows some people to be knocked down by life and come back stronger than ever.
** Quote taken from Internet**
I have to admit Throughout this story I found that Rip's Resilience was at times heart wrenching – disturbing but also uplifting . Watching Him bounce back and regain his soul , his heart and his life shows the power of the human heart.
Sahara and Rip wanted two different paths in life - Rip a more realistic path and Sahara her dreams that take her on journey of discovery and relization.
The Inevitability of Stars was a fantastic show of human spirit in extreme adversity, affliction upon one, distress, heartache and what the love for one can make you feel. The extent you go to, to fix a broken heart or get rid of the pain associated with it.
Does love make you feel all the above ? . - Most definitely - Not having your soul mate, the one you love can cause more than just your heart to shatter but your world to crumble. This story shows how life must go on. We see the characters growth in many ways, both good and bad and what it takes to come back stronger and regain part of you. Without the part you have lost. Putting together a broken puzzle of sorts.
We can see light at the end of the rainbow for Rip = Sahara we see a growth that is not all positive but certainly monumental in her new life she has chosen . No matter how far away she is Rip is always in her heart. But her future aspirations seem her only goal for most parts.
Kathryn R Lyster portrays her characters with such depth we can see and feel every emotion she paints. Her vivid descriptions throughout the story will have you immersed within the pages and your heart aching along with the characters. I enjoyed this authors writing style and will certainly be reading more of her future works.
The story entwines many spritual aspects which I found to be positive within the pages.
We have characters with flaws within this story - but also a well-developed storyline with tons of depth and detail. The story is not all about despair or misery but also about growth, love and life. SPiritually and uplifting at times.
I enjoyed the secondary characters put forth within this story, and I am hoping for a second instalment.
I found I connected more with Rip in this storyline - having been there in his position before but not to the extreme , I just felt like he was a soul that needed help. I could relate to his heartbreak , his distress and not being able to see that light at the end of the tunnel - but eventually moving forward.
There's something relentless about the way the story keeps moving forwards, driven by inevitability, necessity and, at times just life and love.
Pst I love this cover.
Thank you to Harlequin au for supplying me with an arc copy for review for my honest opinion.
August 4, 2013
When I read the blurb about The Inevitability of Stars, I was feeling in a romantic mood and the tag line ‘a modern day Romeo and Juliet’ really pulled at my heart strings. Despite not really knowing what the title meant (actually I still don’t – given the sun is a star and we wouldn’t be here without it, is it inevitable that they – and hence we – exist? Not sure. Potentially too deep for this time of day). Anyway, away from the title.
This is a book about Rip and Sahara – a boy and girl who have grown up together and fallen in love. Now that they’ve finished school, Sahara wants to leave their home of Byron Bay and study art in Sydney. Rip doesn’t want her to do this – in fact, he’s not really sure about what he wants. He’s scarred by the death of his mother (which is alluded to in the prologue) and the loss of Sahara. After Sahara leaves, Rip slashes his wrists. After leaving hospital, he takes flight to an unusual farm in the hinterland that is so much more than a job. In Sydney, Sahara meets Sean, nightclub mogul, and her life changes completely – from student poverty to living at the Hilton’s penthouse. Suddenly life is all about fashion, booze, drugs and looking the part. But when Sahara hears that Rip has died, she begins to crumble. Will she find herself again?
Told in the present tense with alternating chapters between Sahara and Rip, this novel is very spiritual. Sahara’s mum is into crystals and offers to do a tarot reading for Rip, while Rip’s journey contains numerous healing elements. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the way Rip learns how to heal his pain is somewhat mystical. I wasn’t expecting this when I read the book – I’m not all that good when it comes to these kinds of things – but once I accepted that it was part of Rip’s journey, I found it easier to read. There is a lot of common sense within his scenes.
Sahara’s world is totally the opposite of Rip’s – it’s cemented in reality, superficial and commercial. It was interesting to compare what Rip was doing (such as gardening and eating home-grown raw food) to what Sahara was (smoking, not eating and lounging around). This made me think about our busy lives today – how much do we truly connect with ourselves or is it all based on who/what/where/when/why? Sahara’s journey, while not as spiritual as Rip’s, allows her to come full circle and see what parts of her life are so damaging. I did enjoy Sahara’s story more, perhaps because I’m more familiar with some of the aspects.
The prose Lyster writes is beautiful and I think that the characters speak in italics without quotation marks emphasises the slightly other-worldly quality of the book. It makes each line sound poetic and much more emphatic. Lyster should be praised for her ability to entwine two disparate stories together and create a magical, haunting novel.
Thank you to Harlequin Australia for the ARC copy.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
This is a book about Rip and Sahara – a boy and girl who have grown up together and fallen in love. Now that they’ve finished school, Sahara wants to leave their home of Byron Bay and study art in Sydney. Rip doesn’t want her to do this – in fact, he’s not really sure about what he wants. He’s scarred by the death of his mother (which is alluded to in the prologue) and the loss of Sahara. After Sahara leaves, Rip slashes his wrists. After leaving hospital, he takes flight to an unusual farm in the hinterland that is so much more than a job. In Sydney, Sahara meets Sean, nightclub mogul, and her life changes completely – from student poverty to living at the Hilton’s penthouse. Suddenly life is all about fashion, booze, drugs and looking the part. But when Sahara hears that Rip has died, she begins to crumble. Will she find herself again?
Told in the present tense with alternating chapters between Sahara and Rip, this novel is very spiritual. Sahara’s mum is into crystals and offers to do a tarot reading for Rip, while Rip’s journey contains numerous healing elements. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the way Rip learns how to heal his pain is somewhat mystical. I wasn’t expecting this when I read the book – I’m not all that good when it comes to these kinds of things – but once I accepted that it was part of Rip’s journey, I found it easier to read. There is a lot of common sense within his scenes.
Sahara’s world is totally the opposite of Rip’s – it’s cemented in reality, superficial and commercial. It was interesting to compare what Rip was doing (such as gardening and eating home-grown raw food) to what Sahara was (smoking, not eating and lounging around). This made me think about our busy lives today – how much do we truly connect with ourselves or is it all based on who/what/where/when/why? Sahara’s journey, while not as spiritual as Rip’s, allows her to come full circle and see what parts of her life are so damaging. I did enjoy Sahara’s story more, perhaps because I’m more familiar with some of the aspects.
The prose Lyster writes is beautiful and I think that the characters speak in italics without quotation marks emphasises the slightly other-worldly quality of the book. It makes each line sound poetic and much more emphatic. Lyster should be praised for her ability to entwine two disparate stories together and create a magical, haunting novel.
Thank you to Harlequin Australia for the ARC copy.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
August 20, 2013
‘The Inevitability of Stars’ opens with Rip and Sahara as children growing up in Byron Bay, falling in love and then being wrenched apart when Sahara leaves Byron Bay to go to art school in Sydney. So begins the really massive journeys that each of these characters must travel as they work their way through the consequences of their separation and dislocation.
This isn’t a simple love story. It’s multi-layered. There are other interesting relationships going on here, like Sahara’s entanglement with ‘the loosely held together’ Sean, and yet all the way through I desperately wanted Rip and Sahara to find each other again. I felt swept along every step of the way by both Rip and Sahara as they experience moments of wonder and bewilderment. The story also seems searingly real and yet both characters struggle as they ‘skirt the thin wall of reality’. I could really understand both characters – Rip who ever since childhood has been taken to the edge by Sahara, and Sahara who, by her own admission, can find herself in a ‘dangerous mood’ and ‘falling down the rabbit hole’.
I feel that Sahara’s role is to explain the internal creative world of the artist, which is described as a ‘cursed blessing, a blessed curse’, and which takes her to the extremes that she both seeks out yet recoils from. Rip, who is so used to following Sahara, gets left behind and his role is to take us into the world of spirituality and magic realism as he learns how to feel safe on his own.
I was captivated by Lyster’s style which makes everything feel so immediate and vivid. I think it’s amazing to be able to write the story of two very different major characters and yet be so present with each of them. The cast of minor characters is also right there in front of you – whether it’s a young surfer ‘murdering a burger’ in Byron, or Yiska saying ‘you don’t see by looking, you see by caring'. Lyster’s descriptions of place are very evocative as she takes the reader easily from the beauty and bounty of Byron to the grunge of after-party Sydney in the early hours of the morning. The mood changes often and what’s more there were times when Rip made me laugh out loud as this young man tries to assert himself when he feels that things in his world are getting just a bit too ‘magic’.
I thoroughly recommend this book for its memorable imagery, but also because like all good fiction it transports the reader, and the story and the characters linger as you wonder not only about the book but also about life, and indeed the author. I hope to be reading more about Rip's and Sahara’s journeys but if that’s not to be then I look forward to reading anything else that Lyster’s fertile imagination creates.
This isn’t a simple love story. It’s multi-layered. There are other interesting relationships going on here, like Sahara’s entanglement with ‘the loosely held together’ Sean, and yet all the way through I desperately wanted Rip and Sahara to find each other again. I felt swept along every step of the way by both Rip and Sahara as they experience moments of wonder and bewilderment. The story also seems searingly real and yet both characters struggle as they ‘skirt the thin wall of reality’. I could really understand both characters – Rip who ever since childhood has been taken to the edge by Sahara, and Sahara who, by her own admission, can find herself in a ‘dangerous mood’ and ‘falling down the rabbit hole’.
I feel that Sahara’s role is to explain the internal creative world of the artist, which is described as a ‘cursed blessing, a blessed curse’, and which takes her to the extremes that she both seeks out yet recoils from. Rip, who is so used to following Sahara, gets left behind and his role is to take us into the world of spirituality and magic realism as he learns how to feel safe on his own.
I was captivated by Lyster’s style which makes everything feel so immediate and vivid. I think it’s amazing to be able to write the story of two very different major characters and yet be so present with each of them. The cast of minor characters is also right there in front of you – whether it’s a young surfer ‘murdering a burger’ in Byron, or Yiska saying ‘you don’t see by looking, you see by caring'. Lyster’s descriptions of place are very evocative as she takes the reader easily from the beauty and bounty of Byron to the grunge of after-party Sydney in the early hours of the morning. The mood changes often and what’s more there were times when Rip made me laugh out loud as this young man tries to assert himself when he feels that things in his world are getting just a bit too ‘magic’.
I thoroughly recommend this book for its memorable imagery, but also because like all good fiction it transports the reader, and the story and the characters linger as you wonder not only about the book but also about life, and indeed the author. I hope to be reading more about Rip's and Sahara’s journeys but if that’s not to be then I look forward to reading anything else that Lyster’s fertile imagination creates.
August 16, 2013
I thought this was a great read and I couldn't put it down.
The characters really embody a post-modern spirit of not really having their lives together, or having clearly defined life goals (which I wholeheartedly identify with). Sahara's goal seems to be seeing what's out there in the world and experiencing as much as possible, her artwork is a secondary goal which feeds from this. In her hunger to pursue the bright and dark corners of human existence she often hurts the feelings of her loved ones, but they largely understand her nature and wait for the storm to subside. Except for Rip, her yearning soulmate - who cannot understand why she would choose adventure over their enduring romantic bond.
This novel is a mystical journey of the many lessons learnt on the winding path that is life, and even death. Rips journey, is more magical based and uplifts the spirit in it's lessons of service to humanity, fun and the strangeness of a world behind the veil. Rip works on a farm in the Byron Bay hinterland, and this place has an other-worldliness that he finds difficult to fathom. The characters he meets are perplexing and involved in a greater mystery. Sahara, on the other hand, engages in a journey of materialism, riches and hedonism when she becomes involved with a rich Sydney entrepreneur, Sean. I love how Lyster has been fairly gentle in the depiction of the flashy, womanising Sean - and how as a reader I could simultaneously sense the actually real love between Sean and Sahara, while still feeling the relationship was based on a sham. Sean and Sahara's efforts to communicate, and repair their relationship (despite it being a fairly toxic relationship) is like watching a pair continually trying to reanimate something that isn't-quite-living. Despite the sham-ish premise, the characters do have a real respect/care of each other... their strange, material-based and very imperfect love is quite touching in it's own way.
The two journeys of Sahara and Rip are like yin and yang, and create a purpose in both characters lives. Finally, after what appeared senselessness, the meaning of the imperfections becomes clear. Only through exploring and learning can the characters become whole, realise their dreams/priorities - and being soul mates, well... being together again is inevitable :) (buzzy romantic feeling).
Will recommend to those who like a romantic story, with a deeper "what is life?" meaning. Definitely a bit more to it than your average love story.
The characters really embody a post-modern spirit of not really having their lives together, or having clearly defined life goals (which I wholeheartedly identify with). Sahara's goal seems to be seeing what's out there in the world and experiencing as much as possible, her artwork is a secondary goal which feeds from this. In her hunger to pursue the bright and dark corners of human existence she often hurts the feelings of her loved ones, but they largely understand her nature and wait for the storm to subside. Except for Rip, her yearning soulmate - who cannot understand why she would choose adventure over their enduring romantic bond.
This novel is a mystical journey of the many lessons learnt on the winding path that is life, and even death. Rips journey, is more magical based and uplifts the spirit in it's lessons of service to humanity, fun and the strangeness of a world behind the veil. Rip works on a farm in the Byron Bay hinterland, and this place has an other-worldliness that he finds difficult to fathom. The characters he meets are perplexing and involved in a greater mystery. Sahara, on the other hand, engages in a journey of materialism, riches and hedonism when she becomes involved with a rich Sydney entrepreneur, Sean. I love how Lyster has been fairly gentle in the depiction of the flashy, womanising Sean - and how as a reader I could simultaneously sense the actually real love between Sean and Sahara, while still feeling the relationship was based on a sham. Sean and Sahara's efforts to communicate, and repair their relationship (despite it being a fairly toxic relationship) is like watching a pair continually trying to reanimate something that isn't-quite-living. Despite the sham-ish premise, the characters do have a real respect/care of each other... their strange, material-based and very imperfect love is quite touching in it's own way.
The two journeys of Sahara and Rip are like yin and yang, and create a purpose in both characters lives. Finally, after what appeared senselessness, the meaning of the imperfections becomes clear. Only through exploring and learning can the characters become whole, realise their dreams/priorities - and being soul mates, well... being together again is inevitable :) (buzzy romantic feeling).
Will recommend to those who like a romantic story, with a deeper "what is life?" meaning. Definitely a bit more to it than your average love story.
July 20, 2013
This book starts with heartbreak and for the characters, things are downhill from there on. Rip and Sahara have always had each other in their lives. Even when Rip's mother died - he has always had Sahara. But she had dreams for more than small town life. So she flees to Sydney and leaves a grief-stricken Rip to try and make his way in the town he's always lived in without the girl he thought would always be there. Without Sahara, Rip doesn't want to live. Sahara learns that life without Rip is harder than she thought and begins to lose herself in a world of glitz, glamour and high profile socialites.
I wasn't expecting this book to be so spiritual. Rip finds himself on a farm where his work there leads him to discover himself and how to heal his soul. Lead by a collection of quirky characters, Rip finds who he can be without Sahara. And she learns how to survive in a world so different from the small town she grew up in - and without the boy she still loved.
All of the characters are interesting to read - and I liked that they were well formed and had a life outside of facilitating the journeys of the two main characters. The switching point of view worked well to show how deep Rip and Sahara's feelings for each other were. The speech took a little getting used to with dialogue being italicized and thoughts being in quotation marks but as I got further into Rip and Sahara's story I got used to it.
This book is beautifully written and I loved how the story flowed. However I did find the character of Sahara very hard to like and connect with. The settings - of both Byron Bay and Sydney - contrast each other well and the author did a great job of using the environment to show the mental state of the characters.
The Inevitability of Stars is a story about the spiritual journeys that two lovers must take when they've lost each other. Written beautifully, and yet at times confusing, it's a lovely book that was nothing like I was expecting from the blurb and yet I'm glad I read it.
I wasn't expecting this book to be so spiritual. Rip finds himself on a farm where his work there leads him to discover himself and how to heal his soul. Lead by a collection of quirky characters, Rip finds who he can be without Sahara. And she learns how to survive in a world so different from the small town she grew up in - and without the boy she still loved.
All of the characters are interesting to read - and I liked that they were well formed and had a life outside of facilitating the journeys of the two main characters. The switching point of view worked well to show how deep Rip and Sahara's feelings for each other were. The speech took a little getting used to with dialogue being italicized and thoughts being in quotation marks but as I got further into Rip and Sahara's story I got used to it.
This book is beautifully written and I loved how the story flowed. However I did find the character of Sahara very hard to like and connect with. The settings - of both Byron Bay and Sydney - contrast each other well and the author did a great job of using the environment to show the mental state of the characters.
The Inevitability of Stars is a story about the spiritual journeys that two lovers must take when they've lost each other. Written beautifully, and yet at times confusing, it's a lovely book that was nothing like I was expecting from the blurb and yet I'm glad I read it.
September 2, 2013
Books for me, are about more than just the words inside them. It is about the look and feel of them, how they ask you to think, just as much as it is about the actual content.
The Inevitability of Stars covers all my bases, has a great cover design compared to most others I have seen from the same publishers and along with the beautiful prologue, sets the pervading atmosphere that is felt through the remainder of the book. As a reader, I wanted Rip and Sahara to find and return to the innocence of those first scenes in the forest however fleetingly they were described. Of course the end of this part of the story sets the very heavy tone for the larger extent of this story. However this is balanced very well by cutting back and forth between each of the protagonists settings and stories.
What works so well in The Inevitability, is that unlike the traditional chronological chapter names the reader is brought back and forth between Rip and then Sahara's respective worlds with great juxtaposition of extremities in teenage choice or circumstance that is out there today. In that contrast, some difficult challenges and questions are pointed out to the reader about how it is to be a young adult these days.
The realism of the central characters is akin to James Marsden's Tomorrow When the War Began series and I especially like how the writing doesn't really flesh out the extraneous characters too much since it allows one to immerse into the emotional context of Rip and Sahara a little more without distraction.
The story flows well and has been crafted with skill on the part of Kathryn. The last few chapters of the book have the definite feeling of good energy and kind of pump the reader up for the eventual twist. I love the way the author describes the different settings and the festival vibe in the final chapters is really cool.
It's a great summer read that I couldn't put down. I can't wait to see what's next for this talented young debut author!
The Inevitability of Stars covers all my bases, has a great cover design compared to most others I have seen from the same publishers and along with the beautiful prologue, sets the pervading atmosphere that is felt through the remainder of the book. As a reader, I wanted Rip and Sahara to find and return to the innocence of those first scenes in the forest however fleetingly they were described. Of course the end of this part of the story sets the very heavy tone for the larger extent of this story. However this is balanced very well by cutting back and forth between each of the protagonists settings and stories.
What works so well in The Inevitability, is that unlike the traditional chronological chapter names the reader is brought back and forth between Rip and then Sahara's respective worlds with great juxtaposition of extremities in teenage choice or circumstance that is out there today. In that contrast, some difficult challenges and questions are pointed out to the reader about how it is to be a young adult these days.
The realism of the central characters is akin to James Marsden's Tomorrow When the War Began series and I especially like how the writing doesn't really flesh out the extraneous characters too much since it allows one to immerse into the emotional context of Rip and Sahara a little more without distraction.
The story flows well and has been crafted with skill on the part of Kathryn. The last few chapters of the book have the definite feeling of good energy and kind of pump the reader up for the eventual twist. I love the way the author describes the different settings and the festival vibe in the final chapters is really cool.
It's a great summer read that I couldn't put down. I can't wait to see what's next for this talented young debut author!
August 9, 2013
I have known Kathyryn for many years and eagerly awaited the arrival of her first book. I also had the good fortune to be at the Byron Bay Writers festival last weekend where she launched her book and which was a very special occasion. Kathryn is a wonderfully open hearted, optimistic and resilient young women, qualities that come through strongly in her writing.
Because I had been given an earlier draft of her book to review a few years ago I had some idea of what it was going to be. I was not sure about the mystical aspects at first as it had been some time since I had read the likes of Kahlil Gibran and Paulo Coelho etc, however I was soon carried along the journey of Sahara and Rip as they stumble and find their way. In the end I too was caught up in what's real and imagined - fascinating concepts to explore further.
As a surfer and regular visitor to Byron I loved the setting - you can almost feel the salt and warmth. As a resident of Sydney, I was also fascinated by exploring its dark side, however was only too happy when Sahara left to return to her roots in Byron.
Kathryn's style of writing is very special and you will find yourself being very close to everything, as if you were experiencing it all first hand. Rip and Sahara are such real characters and the challenges they face are so contemporary that I am sure it will appeal to a wide audience.
Congratulations on a great debut and well done on your lauch - you were amazing.
To prospective readers - if you want to support young, emerging, exciting authors this is the one to choose. What's more it comes with a publisher's "100 % money back guarantee" - happy reading!
Because I had been given an earlier draft of her book to review a few years ago I had some idea of what it was going to be. I was not sure about the mystical aspects at first as it had been some time since I had read the likes of Kahlil Gibran and Paulo Coelho etc, however I was soon carried along the journey of Sahara and Rip as they stumble and find their way. In the end I too was caught up in what's real and imagined - fascinating concepts to explore further.
As a surfer and regular visitor to Byron I loved the setting - you can almost feel the salt and warmth. As a resident of Sydney, I was also fascinated by exploring its dark side, however was only too happy when Sahara left to return to her roots in Byron.
Kathryn's style of writing is very special and you will find yourself being very close to everything, as if you were experiencing it all first hand. Rip and Sahara are such real characters and the challenges they face are so contemporary that I am sure it will appeal to a wide audience.
Congratulations on a great debut and well done on your lauch - you were amazing.
To prospective readers - if you want to support young, emerging, exciting authors this is the one to choose. What's more it comes with a publisher's "100 % money back guarantee" - happy reading!
September 13, 2013
This book, by Kathryn Lyster, is a modern version of one of the great preoccupations of human beings across all cultures and all eras – to find that which is sacred, transcendent and timeless – to become whole. Rip and Sahara, the hero and heroine of this story, make this journey very differently. As in all the great myths, there are temptations, heartbreak, difficulties and challenges, but always unseen helpers along the way.
The journey is always the same – a movement from the mundane, where we are somewhat on automatic pilot, semi-conscious you might say, to touch that which is sacred or whole. The challenge then, because we cannot stay in the cave or meditation cushion forever, is to somehow integrate that, to allow that understanding to become embodied in our whole life. We are left with that question at the end of the book, which is also a sort of beginning: Can Rip and Sahara, young as they are, make the shift to transformation?
We are taken on a compelling kaleidoscope of situations, experiences, highs and lows – summed up by the author:
"Maybe we’re not meant to forget. Maybe we’re meant to carry our scars and battle wounds and we try to scrub ourselves too clean. Maybe we’re meant to fail and stumble and learn disgracefully, maybe suffering is just as important as the ecstasy, it’s all part of it. It shapes us".
This book charmed me. I found it compelling reading and the characters, especially Sahara, authentic. I also really honour the underlying spirituality of the book from so young an author.
The journey is always the same – a movement from the mundane, where we are somewhat on automatic pilot, semi-conscious you might say, to touch that which is sacred or whole. The challenge then, because we cannot stay in the cave or meditation cushion forever, is to somehow integrate that, to allow that understanding to become embodied in our whole life. We are left with that question at the end of the book, which is also a sort of beginning: Can Rip and Sahara, young as they are, make the shift to transformation?
We are taken on a compelling kaleidoscope of situations, experiences, highs and lows – summed up by the author:
"Maybe we’re not meant to forget. Maybe we’re meant to carry our scars and battle wounds and we try to scrub ourselves too clean. Maybe we’re meant to fail and stumble and learn disgracefully, maybe suffering is just as important as the ecstasy, it’s all part of it. It shapes us".
This book charmed me. I found it compelling reading and the characters, especially Sahara, authentic. I also really honour the underlying spirituality of the book from so young an author.
September 18, 2013
For me the story reads like a modern day fairy tale set in the grittier side of Sydney and seemingly idyllic Byron Bay. Unlike traditional tales where the brave male character rides off into the unknown to seek fame and fortune, the beautiful young damsel takes off, leaving her bereft young lover, Rip, to deal with his demons, alone in his home town.
Sahara seems to have more depth and definition than Rip, her passionate response to Rips suicide followed by her plunge into Sean’s world of drugs, money and subsequently her art, feels raw and authentic.
I thought the handling of Rip’s challenges and the period before he recovers was a highly original perspective – as a reader you were never quite sure of what was real or where the magic took over – eventually “gravity catches him and slows it all down". The hospital world with its friendly nurses and beeping machines is juxtaposed to the magical world he has experienced while between worlds.
The final chapters set at the Byron Blues festival give a real sense of the hypnotic pull of a music festival “ ... they trawl through the excessive mud for more music.” And the reality check as “... people wander aimlessly – lost confused, drugged and now also cold in the midnight air.”
The story ends, like many good fairy tales, however you can’t help feeling that life aint going to be as simple for the two lovers as we’re lead to believe in traditional tales, where the hero and his submissive beauty live happily ever after!
Sahara seems to have more depth and definition than Rip, her passionate response to Rips suicide followed by her plunge into Sean’s world of drugs, money and subsequently her art, feels raw and authentic.
I thought the handling of Rip’s challenges and the period before he recovers was a highly original perspective – as a reader you were never quite sure of what was real or where the magic took over – eventually “gravity catches him and slows it all down". The hospital world with its friendly nurses and beeping machines is juxtaposed to the magical world he has experienced while between worlds.
The final chapters set at the Byron Blues festival give a real sense of the hypnotic pull of a music festival “ ... they trawl through the excessive mud for more music.” And the reality check as “... people wander aimlessly – lost confused, drugged and now also cold in the midnight air.”
The story ends, like many good fairy tales, however you can’t help feeling that life aint going to be as simple for the two lovers as we’re lead to believe in traditional tales, where the hero and his submissive beauty live happily ever after!
September 6, 2013
Spiritual, heart wrenching, deep. The Inevitability of Stars takes us on a journey of love, loss, yearning and self discovery. Young love torn apart when Sahara decides she wants more from life than the comfort that she has known her whole life. She wants to find herself, a self without Rip.
Rip finds himself spiraling downward. Lost without hope. Without a reason to live. Until he finds himself forced to come to terms with a life without Sahara. Forced to dig up the most darkest memories and feelings imaginable or he will never be set free. All the while watching Sahara spiral out of control with no way to help her. He must let go.
Lyster has created a story so touching and so meaningful in The Inevitability of Stars. She goes deep into human emotion so raw that it would be hard not to have your heart-strings pulled and tugged on. She delves into the spiritual side of life which makes you re-evaluate what's important and dig into yourself to make you realise the things you should be grateful for.
Not only did Lyster create such a unique storyline, she also created such realistic characters that made you feel for them. Each with such depth, battling their own inner demons. A must read for anyone with a heart.
Kathryn also answered some interview questions. To read them follow think link.
http://sassybooklovers.blogspot.com.a...
Rip finds himself spiraling downward. Lost without hope. Without a reason to live. Until he finds himself forced to come to terms with a life without Sahara. Forced to dig up the most darkest memories and feelings imaginable or he will never be set free. All the while watching Sahara spiral out of control with no way to help her. He must let go.
Lyster has created a story so touching and so meaningful in The Inevitability of Stars. She goes deep into human emotion so raw that it would be hard not to have your heart-strings pulled and tugged on. She delves into the spiritual side of life which makes you re-evaluate what's important and dig into yourself to make you realise the things you should be grateful for.
Not only did Lyster create such a unique storyline, she also created such realistic characters that made you feel for them. Each with such depth, battling their own inner demons. A must read for anyone with a heart.
Kathryn also answered some interview questions. To read them follow think link.
http://sassybooklovers.blogspot.com.a...
September 14, 2013
Just finished reading this book, was suggested to me by a close friend as something very unique- what an incredible experience. For me, reading is all about escapism. A chance to switch off my subconscience and be transported to another place. This book took me to another place and beyond.
However, unlike most books I read where the connection with the story ends on the last page, this book has lingered. Never before has a novel forced me to reflect so deeply on my own life while being so enthralled in the lives of the characters on the page. This book has really challenged me to think about my connections with people, with nature and with the intangible forces that shape our lives.
It provides a vivid warning of the consequences of relationships that burn so fiercly that heat sustaining coals cannot form, kindling ignites wildly into flame but the intensity consumes the fuel, soon ashes are all that remain. However this story does not end with ash. It also explores the amazing power of forgiveness, of healing and a cleansing of the soul that can only come from the wild, the forest and the ocean. The reader is ultimately left with the inspirational message that a Zephyr can blow ashes into flame...
However, unlike most books I read where the connection with the story ends on the last page, this book has lingered. Never before has a novel forced me to reflect so deeply on my own life while being so enthralled in the lives of the characters on the page. This book has really challenged me to think about my connections with people, with nature and with the intangible forces that shape our lives.
It provides a vivid warning of the consequences of relationships that burn so fiercly that heat sustaining coals cannot form, kindling ignites wildly into flame but the intensity consumes the fuel, soon ashes are all that remain. However this story does not end with ash. It also explores the amazing power of forgiveness, of healing and a cleansing of the soul that can only come from the wild, the forest and the ocean. The reader is ultimately left with the inspirational message that a Zephyr can blow ashes into flame...
August 7, 2013
The Inevitability of Stars is a book I have been eagerly awaiting since first receiving information about it. The idea of a modern day Romeo and Juliet hooked me because I love Romeo and Juliet, star crossed lovers can be so romantic. Lyster’s debut wasn’t what I was expecting, though I couldn’t tell you what it was that I did expect.
Lyster was discovered at the Byron Bay Writers Festival last year, you can find out more about her in our interview with her HERE, and her debut is set largely in Byron Bay.
The Inevitability of Stars tells the story of Rip and Sahara, who have been together for as long as they can remember. They moved from primary school friends to high school friends to lovers, tied together by some wonderful memories as well as some tragic ones. Through all of the events of their lives the two have been there for each other, and it is taken for granted that they will always be together – it is meant to be. But the course of true love never did run smooth.
The rest of my review can be found: http://bookgirl.beautyandlace.net/boo...
Lyster was discovered at the Byron Bay Writers Festival last year, you can find out more about her in our interview with her HERE, and her debut is set largely in Byron Bay.
The Inevitability of Stars tells the story of Rip and Sahara, who have been together for as long as they can remember. They moved from primary school friends to high school friends to lovers, tied together by some wonderful memories as well as some tragic ones. Through all of the events of their lives the two have been there for each other, and it is taken for granted that they will always be together – it is meant to be. But the course of true love never did run smooth.
The rest of my review can be found: http://bookgirl.beautyandlace.net/boo...
August 22, 2013
This is a book everything: about life, death, memory, healing, nature, creativity, relationships, what it's like to lose yourself and struggle to know yourself. It's about love, but more than romantic love... also self-love and compassion. It fits into many genres - contemporary fiction, spiritual, romance, fantasy and can be read by adults or young adults. It's one of those books that I know will spread like wildfire once word gets out. It's not what you'd expect from a young Author; it is so much better. Reading The Inevitability of Stars filled me with so many emotions like elation, despair, joy, inspiration, sadness, all of them. It is a truly wonderful ride, an adventure tale of two young lovers finding themselves and discovering more about this precious world than you could guess at. I loved the twist, the mystical elements, the characters are so rich and human - not perfect, but human. It's pretty much the only book I can think of that portrays so vividly early 20's living in the modern world. Read it, you'll be hooked from the first page.
October 26, 2013
My Review:
I was very happy to recieve this book and enjoyed reading it. Kathryn created an amazing tale that captured the thoughts and feelings of young artistic minded people growing up in small town Australia. I loved how relatable this novel was from Rip, the guy who needed to find his way in life to Sahara who needed to find more in life then what the beachside town of Byron Bay had to offer. Kathryn's writing was superb, she got across the exact point that she wanted too. Something about her writing was different to most i have read good different though, i just cant put my finger on it.
I feel like Kathryn captured the Australian flare in a great way, she put enough of it in there to show how awesome we are, alot of people cant do that very well.
It was kind of strange reading about so many places i have been and i know quiet well in a fictional book.
All in all great book, i cant wait to see what else Kathryn has in stall,
I recommend you read this book.
I was very happy to recieve this book and enjoyed reading it. Kathryn created an amazing tale that captured the thoughts and feelings of young artistic minded people growing up in small town Australia. I loved how relatable this novel was from Rip, the guy who needed to find his way in life to Sahara who needed to find more in life then what the beachside town of Byron Bay had to offer. Kathryn's writing was superb, she got across the exact point that she wanted too. Something about her writing was different to most i have read good different though, i just cant put my finger on it.
I feel like Kathryn captured the Australian flare in a great way, she put enough of it in there to show how awesome we are, alot of people cant do that very well.
It was kind of strange reading about so many places i have been and i know quiet well in a fictional book.
All in all great book, i cant wait to see what else Kathryn has in stall,
I recommend you read this book.
October 23, 2013
This was my first venture into magical realism since I read One Hundred Years of Solitude by Marquez, and I found it intriguing all over again. But that’s only a part of this book. The author’s strong descriptive powers invited me, as a South African who’s never been to Byron Bay, into that world, and I came away with a strong and vivid sense, not only of what it looks like, but what it is like, what sort of people live there and the way in which their various alternative cultures co-exist. The author writes with passion and intensity. The two central characters are consistently real, in their own very different ways, and I identified with their individual struggles, their love for each other and their search for beauty. I enjoyed reading it.
September 27, 2014
I was actually given this book by the author by chance on my visit to byron bay and it was like it was meant to come to me… In dealing with the passing of my mum this book was so very healing and became very special to me.
The blurb I felt didn't do justice the actual story and how the writing allows you to really become one of the characters and live within he pages of the book. I didn't want the book to end, but i couldn't stop reading it.
I felt so many different emotions but the characters and story line were beautiful and i felt allowed us as readers to be able to connect with so easily.
I highly recommend this book and go into it with an open heart allowing it to give you what it needs too :)
The blurb I felt didn't do justice the actual story and how the writing allows you to really become one of the characters and live within he pages of the book. I didn't want the book to end, but i couldn't stop reading it.
I felt so many different emotions but the characters and story line were beautiful and i felt allowed us as readers to be able to connect with so easily.
I highly recommend this book and go into it with an open heart allowing it to give you what it needs too :)
January 11, 2014
Mid way through this novel is when i started enjoying. It seemed like a typical too good to be true story. But really this novel is about self discovery and the power of positive thoughts set around an unconventional love story. Both Rip and Sahara are characters that you envy but at the same time want to violently shake. What i loved most were the background characters esp Jan, Rachael and Kai.
Lyster has a gift in making the settings realistic - i felt like a was part of the rainforest in Byron and also as though i was walking the streets of Kings Cross.
3.5 Stars
Lyster has a gift in making the settings realistic - i felt like a was part of the rainforest in Byron and also as though i was walking the streets of Kings Cross.
3.5 Stars
July 23, 2016
This story is confusing in the first chapter as you are unable to determine what time period the characters are currently in and if it is real-life or truly fantastical. Following the first few chapters, the characters become more real and can easily be related to and from there I love the story! It is a must read for anyone questioning their path in life!
September 16, 2015
I was very drawn to this story, possibly for Byron Bay, Sydney and a yearning for a love story meant to be. Unfortunately it was difficult to read and became a chore. Wanting to know the end wasn't enough particularly as I had little positive connection to the characters. I read several other books between each few chapters and stopped at page 182, never to continue.
September 19, 2013
A truly magical book! It was a wonderful read that took me to the familiar (the streets of Sydney and wonders of Byron) to the new (the fascinating world of the Wilderness). Above all, it is a story about love, in all its forms.
August 5, 2013
Loved it! Would definitely recommend it. Beautiful descriptive writing and flowing storyline.
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