Starstruck

by Aimee Ogden

Prish has always been a radish who knows what she’s about; chiefly, her wife, Alsing, a literal and figurative fox. They’ve woven together a cozy life organized around welcoming other starstruck beings into the world—plants and animals ensouled by a falling star—but when the stars stop falling, all of that unravels. Prish gives in to Alsing’s longing to move on, and their new path leads them to two unlikely companions: an abandoned human child, and, impossibly, a brand-new starstruck who is neither a plant nor an animal, but rather a chunk of anthropomorphized granite with delusions of destiny.

Genres: Fantasy

94 pages, Paperback

First published June 17, 2025

Reviews

[Jamedi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally on JamReads

Starstruck is a science-fantasy novella written by Aimee Ogden, published by Psychopomp. A short but impactful piece that carries a lot of emotional punch, and that tells us about deep love and loss, showing us more about humanity with a particular set of characters, filled with great prose.

Prish and Alsing have woven together a cozy life, organized around welcoming other starstruck beings into the world (animals and plants ensouled by a falling star), helping them to adapt; when the stars stop falling, their existence changes. Alsing wishes to move on, and Prish concedes; their new path leads them towards two new companions: an abandoned human child and a new type of starstruck, a chunk of granite with delusions of grandeur.

Ogden has woven a mostly contemplative novella, a piece where the interaction between the characters is at the center of the stage, with barely a semblance of a plot. At the end, we are looking at a story about what we do when life doesn't go as we plan; moving forward in life, but still having your soulmate with you. Derived from this, we get the rest of the group that accompanies our pair, leading us towards more complications and also a bit of insight about why the world is changing.

The pacing is quite in the sweet spot; my only gripe with this novella is about the ending (but I don't want to enter into spoilers; anyways, it's probably a me thing), which feels quite bitter and abrupt.

Said that, Starstruck is an outstanding novella, a piece that you can enjoy if you are looking for a tale full of raw emotions and humanity. Quite a remarkable book by Aimee Ogden.

[Runalong]

I’m afraid not quite for me

[Robyn Bennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can a radish teach us about humanity? More than you’d think. Filled with beautiful prose, vibrant characters, and heart-stirring reflections on the sacrifice of self for love, this is a book that will give you ALL THE FEELS.

I got withdrawal symptoms every time I put it down.

[Eugenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short and sweet novella that carries the emotional punch of a star crashing on Earth. If you want to read about deep love and loss. About what makes a soul and how much it costs to keep your own, you should buy this book.

[Maria Haskins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this novella in one sitting and now I'm lingering in its warm, sweet, yet also deeply sorrowful afterglow. What a wondrous story, about a world where a starstruck radish person is living happily with starstruck fox-person, and where star-souls fall from the sky turning all sorts of creatures and plants and even rocks into persons. Yes, it sounds strange, but Ogden turns it into a warm, beautifully crafted tale, about love and perseverance, about the way life doesn't always turn out the way we planned, or the way we wanted, and how bitter-sweet it can be to try to come to terms with the life you have, rather than the one you thought you'd have.

[Lyndsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh what a song for living this book is. Brimming with warmth, STARSTRUCK is a story about lost souls coming together, loving each other despite their circumstances, suspicions, and newness. Ogden is masterful in creating a group of characters--a radish, a fox, a heap of rocks, and a lost boy-- that you would go to the ends of the universe for. It's a breathtakingly human story, and every emotion is raw and to the fore. If you're searching for a book that hits those Studio Ghibli vibes just right, this should be your next read.

[Myna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A radish, a fox, and a boulder walk into the world…

How can you *not* read a story with that intro? It was such a treat to meet Aimee Ogden’s charming characters in her new novella, Starstruck (Psychopomp). The premise of this story is delightful and just a little heartbreaking.

Aimee’s prose is always delicious. I was happy to linger on her gorgeous wordplay, and the thread of kindness and hope that runs through the story gave me a welcome break from reality.

[Siavahda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved it until the ending, which I hated! Both because I don't like my endings that bitter, and because it felt very sudden and random to me. I don't at all understand how what happened was Prish's fault instead of Otra's.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly a delight—why am I crying over the sorrows of a radish?!

[Venneh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes family is a radish, a fox, the human child they find abandoned, and a newly awakened piece of rock! This is relatively fast paced because it's a short novelette, but it's honestly incredibly sweet as well, because you have two people figuring out how they want to move forward in life, with some additional complications! Read it in two quick doses over a long weekend, and highly recommended.