Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Last Star Burning
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.caitlinsangster.com/
CITY:
STATE: UT
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
Married with four children.
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married; husband’s name Allen; children: four.
EDUCATION:Brigham Young University, B.A.
ADDRESS
CAREER
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Caitlin Sangster spent many of her young adult years living in different parts of East Asia—and the culture she encountered in China and Taiwan influenced the development of the novels in her “Last Star Burning” series: Last Star Burning and Shatter the Suns. “I’ve been writing on and off since I was a kid, but [I] started seriously writing about five years ago,” Sangster declared in an interview in the Spinning Pen. “I’ve lived in California, China, Taiwan, Montana, and, most recently Utah. In college, I did a BA in Asian Studies with an emphasis in China (and am, consequently, a huge Chinese history and politics nerd).” “The world is kind of a lot bigger than most people realize,” Sangster said in her Spinning Pen interview. “At least people who don’t have a chance to go live somewhere else where people do things differently, speak differently…. I have three younger sisters adopted from China as teenagers who were struggling to get into reading in English because it wasn’t just a matter of understanding the words, it was a culture disconnect.”
In the first volume of the series Sangster introduces her heroine Sev and the dystopian future world in which she is forced to live. In “Last Star Burning, the Sleeping Sickness … has destroyed the world outside of Sev’s city and the life Sev used to have,” explained Alison Ng on the YA Interrobang website. She “is branded with the mark of a criminal—a star burned into her hand. That’s the penalty for being the daughter of the woman who betrayed their entire nation,” stated a NovelKnight website reviewer. “Now her mother’s body is displayed above Traitor’s Arch, kept in a paralyzed half sleep by the same plague that destroyed the rest of the world. And as further punishment, Sev is forced to do hard labor ” “Now marked as a criminal as punishment for her mom’s betrayal,” Ng continued, “Sev just wants to prove that she’s still of value to her city. But when the government blames her for an attack, Sev’s only hope is the Chairman’s son Howl who leads her beyond the walls of everything she’s ever known, including the twisted past she believed was true.”
Sangster’s dystopia differs in several respects from other dystopias found in modern popular fiction. “The main character is in kind of a rough spot in the beginning of the book, and it only gets worse, but she’s really up-beat and functional even when things are bad. I hope people, as they read her story, take away an attitude of choosing to be happy even when things aren’t going well,” Sangster stated in an interview found in the Nevada County, California Union. “As someone who suffers from depression and anxiety, it’s a lesson I’ve had to learn for myself. Not everyone who suffers from mental health issues … can make that choice, and medication and help from professionals is absolutely appropriate.”
Critics enjoyed Sangster’s debut novel. “Brimming with rich detail in an Asian-inflected alternative world that’s lightly touched with Maoist terminology,” stated a Kirkus Reviews contributor, “… Sevvy’s story is thrilling to get lost in.” “‘Last Star Burning’ is compellingly and excellently written,” assessed Rachel Chipman in the Deseret News. “Sev’s world comes into focus quickly and vividly, and Sangster crafts the mystery expertly, giving the reader just enough clues to build suspense.” “Sangster’s vivid dystopia draws heavily from Chinese history,” wrote Lisa Martincik in Voice of Youth Advocates, “making for a refreshing change from the usual teen dystopia. The lush Asian setting … add[s] to the plot’s momentum.” Last Star Burning “may be Sangster’s first authorial outing,” asserted Booklist reviewer Cindy Welch, “but the result is a gripping tale of trust … and betrayal.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, September 15, 2017, Cindy Welch, review of Last Star Burning, p. 51.
Deseret News, June 9, 2018, Rachel Chipman, review of Last Star Burning.
Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 2017, review of Last Star Burning.
Union (Nevada County, CA), October 13, 2017, “‘Meet the Author’ with Caitlin Sangster.”
Voice of Youth Advocates, October, 2017, Lisa Martincik, review of Last Star Burning, p. 77.
ONLINE
Caitlin Sangster website, https://www.caitlinsangster.com (June 14, 2018), author profile.
NovelKnight, http://novelknight.com/ (September 28, 2017), review of Last Star Burning.
Spinning Pen, https://thespinningpen.com/ (December 14, 2017), “YA Author Interview: Caitlin Sangster.”
YA Interrobang, http://www.yainterrobang.com/ (August 23, 2017), Alison Ng, “Writing Last Star Burning Gave Me Nightmares.”
Series
Last Star Burning
1. Last Star Burning (2017)
2. Shatter the Suns (2018)
Caitlin Sangster grew up in the back woods of California and would rather go hiking, running, swimming, or general outdoorsing than just about anything else. If there aren’t any mountains, it doesn’t count as a real place. At eighteen, she moved to XinJiang, and at twenty-one it was Taiwan. She did eventually buckle down and graduate from Brigham Young University with a BA in Asian Studies and is now that person you avoid at parties because she'll probably start talking about Shang dynasty oracle bones.
Caitlin has been writing since middle school. She always thought of it as a silly sort of compulsive habit until she realized that people like reading stories and she liked writing them and there wasn’t much silly about that.
She currently lives in Utah with her husband and four children.
‘Meet the Author’ with Caitlin Sangster
Submitted to The Union
October 13, 2017
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Author Caitlin Sangster grew up in Penn Valley, but has spent a great deal of time in China and Taiwan. She now lives in Utah with her husband Allen a...
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KNOW & GO
WHAT: Book launch party with Caitlin Sangster
WHEN: 5-6 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: The Book Seller. 107 Mill St., Grass Valley.
INFO: https://www.caitlinsangster.com/news-events
Related Media
Former local and new author Caitlin Sangster recently released her first novel called, "Last Star Burning" and will be at The Book Seller from 5 to 6 p.m. Saturday to celebrate the launch. We caught up with Sangster and tossed a few questions her way about her life and her debut novel.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I went to Ready Springs School and then Nevada Union High School and was a huge choir nerd while I was there (yay singing!). After graduating, I moved to Urumuqi, China to teach English, and it turned me into an Asia nerd (though I do still love singing, too.).
I lived in Taiwan for a while, got a degree in Asian Studies from Brigham Young University and am now that person you avoid at parties because I'll probably start talking about Shang dynasty oracle bones.
I ended up living in Montana, and more recently Utah with my fabulous husband Allen. We have four kids. They're very cute and absolutely crazy.
Last Star Burning is my debut novel, and it came out Oct. 10 with Simon and Schuster/Simon Pulse.
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What brought you this area?
I grew up in Penn Valley! I don't live in the area now, but I miss it a lot. It's great to be here for a visit.
How did you get into writing?
I've been an avid reader since I was a kid. I didn't think writing books was something normal people did, though. As if authors are some kind of alien species, or books magically appear on bookstore shelves.
I've been writing pretty consistently since middle school, but it was usually in a journal, not for public consumption.
That changed when my older sister got her first book published. It clicked in my head that writing was something that I loved to do, and that it wasn't just aliens who got to write books. I started writing seriously and loved it so much I couldn't stop.
What is your favorite book or who is your favorite author?
This is a tough question. If I have to pick one, Patrick Rothfuss is my favorite adult fantasy writer. The man is a poet, and someone needs to make him turn in the last book in the "Kingkiller Chronicles" because waiting any longer might kill me.
What is your book about?
"Last Star Burning" is about a sixteen-year-old girl who is the last living daughter of a traitor in post-apocalyptic China. When she's accused of a crime she didn't commit, she has to escape the safe-haven city she lives in, leaving her best friend to believe she tried to murder him.
What inspired you to write this book?
I was walking through the library with my one-year-old son and he somehow sensed it when we crossed out of the children's section into the quiet-only zone and immediately began screaming.
As I was a carrying him out, I managed to snag a book from the staff picks wall, and it turned out be a narrative history of encephalitis lethargica, a disease that doctors still can't explain, is untreatable and causes some victims to fall into a paralyzed sleep.
Some victims wake up and have psychotic breaks in which they harm themselves and others for no apparent reason (including things like pulling out their own teeth, eyeballs, chasing other people around with weapons, and other terrifying things).
It just seemed as if it belonged in a "Young Adult" novel about chemical warfare.
What do you find most challenging about writing a book?
Writing — for me, anyway — is a cycle that goes from "This is awesome!" to "I hope I can pull this together …" to "Why on earth did I think I knew how to write books?!?" then back to "THIS IS AWESOME!!!"
It's having the self-discipline to get through those middle parts that's rough.
What is your key takeaway or message you hope readers find in your book?
The main character is in kind of a rough spot in the beginning of the book, and it only gets worse, but she's really up-beat and functional even when things are bad.
I hope people, as they read her story, take away an attitude of choosing to be happy even when things aren't going well. As someone who suffers from depression and anxiety, it's a lesson I've had to learn for myself.
Not everyone who suffers from mental health issues (including depression and anxiety, I'm lucky enough to have found coping mechanisms that don't involve doctors) can make that choice, and medication and help from professionals is absolutely appropriate in some cases, but I think for the rest of us, it's too easy to let our situation in life dictate whether or not we're happy rather than actively choosing to be happy in spite of difficulty.
Where can people find your book?
You can get signed copies in The Book Seller right now! Or it's available through anywhere else you can buy books, including Barnes and Noble and Amazon.
How would you describe your perfect day?
A perfect day would probably include going for a hike with my family, reading a book, then spending as much time as I want writing.
See this story online at TheUnion.com for more of our Q&A with Caitlin Sangster, and information on her book.
Writing Last Star Burning gave me nightmares.
0
By Alison Ng on August 23, 2017
Fantasy, Features
Imagine falling asleep… and then waking up with symptoms you are unable to control.
In Caitlin Sangster’s Last Star Burning, the Sleeping Sickness (SS) has destroyed the world outside of Sev’s city and the life Sev used to have. Now marked as a criminal as punishment for her mom’s betrayal, Sev just wants to prove that she’s still of value to her city. But when the government blames her for an attack, Sev’s only hope is the Chariman’s son Howl who leads her beyond the walls of everything she’s ever known, including the twisted past she believed was true.
“Writing [Last Star Burning] gave me nightmares!” said Sangster. “I lived in Montana most of the time I was drafting Last Star Burning and there are certain scary things that happen in the book that having to think through made me terrified to walk around outside at night. With the bears. And mountain lions. And WOLVES.”
But the scary things in this novel go much further than wandering creatures. The plague that keeps society at bay is terrifying enough. And in Sangster’s author’s note, she mentions that the real disease encephalitis lethargica inspired the Sleeping Sickness.
“I first heard learned about encephalitis lethargica as I was dragging my darling one-year-old through the library,” said Sangster. She had picked up one of the staff picks titled Asleep: The Forgotten Epidemic that Remains One of Medicine’s Greatest Mysteries by Molly Caldwell before rushing back to the picture book section. “It’s a narrative history featuring a group of case studies (and a healthy dose of speculation).”
“Real encephalitis lethargica comes with a sore throat or other flu-like symptoms that then turn into a sleepy state. In some cases it goes to a completely coma-like paralyzed condition like the one described in Last Star Burning,” explained Sangster.
“Right after I finished reading about the disease, I was listening to a radio program about scientists refusing to publicly publish their findings on the ‘flu, because they felt it was unethical. Now, I don’t remember why the scientists said it was unethical, but it sparked me thinking about what would happen if ‘flu studies to formulate pathogens for biological warfare. And what if that already terrifying influenza virus was deliberately manufactured trigger encephalitis lethargica . . . it just seemed like a very scary, very YA-ish, very, very fun idea to write.”
And so SS in Last Star Burning was born.
But while the Sleeping Sickness is a very important part of Last Star Burning, so is Sev’s culture and society. The entire book is inspired by China and elements of Chinese history.
While Sangster is not Chinese, she majored in Asian Studies in college and has also lived in China and Taiwan.
“There’s a lot that went into this book,” said Sangster, talking about how her own experiences – like being an awkward teenager herself – has shaped this novel. “Some of it was wanting my three adopted sisters to have a book with someone who looked like them on the cover.” Her sisters, who she practices Mandarin with from time to time, were adopted from China as teenagers.
Sangster also worked with a sensitivity reader, someone who reads through a piece of work and looks for representation and bias issues, for her novel.
“Shenwei Zhang read for me,” said Sangster. “I knew there were bound to be things in my book that weren’t quite right because no matter how much I read about or talk to Chinese people, I can’t magically become one. As the Own Voices movement has pointed out, when you try to write outside your lane, there are all sorts of ways you can get something wrong, and it can be hurtful and perpetuate stereotypes.”
“Working with Shenwei made me look a lot harder at everything that I was writing. Language is a tricky thing sometimes, and, as an author, I’ve learned that it’s my responsibility to set a good example,” said Sangster.
Long Description
Author Caitlin Sangster. Courtesy of Caitlin Sangster.
In early drafts, Zhang pointed out slang uses of the word psychotic.
“When I first looked at those notes, I thought ‘Well, that’s what the character would have said. They don’t know the proper clinical definition of psychosis any more than most teenagers (or adults!) do. It’s slang.’ But that’s exactly what problem is.
“Even if a slang term is in common usage, that doesn’t mean it’s responsible to use it. Using it in a book reinforces the idea that it’s okay to talk that way, and it isn’t.”
Zhang’s notes bought Sangster to do more research to further her understanding.
“I was really grateful for Shenwei’s nudges in the right direction,” said Sangster. “They were great to work with.”
Last Star Burning releases October 10. For more on Caitlin Sangster or Last Star Burning, visit her website or follow her on Twitter.
YA Author Interview: Caitlin Sangster
December 14, 2017 ~
The Spinning Pen
Pen Friends~ It’s my honor to welcome YA Author Caitlin Sangster to the Spinning Pen. This amazing lady shares something very special with me– a love for travel and Asia! Which kind of inspired her debut, Last Star Burning– a thrilling dystopian, fantasy, fairytale, blend of awesome. Today she will share all kinds of gems with us: her writing journey, world building tips, and more!
SP: Hi Caitlin! Thanks so much for joining us! First, can you please tell us a bit of who are you and how long have you have been writing?
CS: Hi! I’m so glad to be here! I’ve been writing on and off since I was a kid, but started seriously writing about five years ago. I’ve lived in California, China, Taiwan, Montana, and, most recently Utah. In college, I did a BA in Asian Studies with an emphasis in China (and am, consequently, a huge Chinese history and politics nerd). I love to run and wish I were a ballroom dancer. Lost but very much not least, I have four delightfully disruptive children ages seven and under.
SP: Your debut, Last Star Burning has been described as a dystopian/fantasy mix with inspiration from China’s history and culture. As someone who lives in China, and loves both dystopian & fantasy, this book totally hit the mark. Can you explain when and where you got your inspiration? Was it in country? Was it during your studies?
CS: Well, so as you well know because you live in China, the world is kind of a lot bigger than most people realize. At least people who don’t have a chance to go live somewhere else where people do things differently, speak differently, and just . . . aren’t the same. You can’t experience that as a tourist or as without speaking the language.
Both times I lived out of country, I came home just wanting to share how cool China and Taiwan were…or even moving from Montana to Utah or wherever…people and places are all just…different. And when I decided to write a book I wanted to share a little of that different-ness, which isn’t actually a word. On top of that, I have three younger sisters adopted from China as teenagers who were struggling to get into reading in English because it wasn’t just a matter of understanding the words, it was a culture disconnect. Try reading Percy Jackson if Greek mythology hasn’t been something that has just been a part of your life since…forever. There’s a whole extra learning curve in addition to idioms and slang…and it was hard on them. I wanted to write something that might sound a little more familiar for them.
So, combine that with my time spent studying Asian studies and there you have it. Chinese history is my love.
SP: What was your favorite part about living in China & Taiwan? Any embarrassing cultural anecdote/wisdom you gleaned from Asia that you care to share?
CS: Oh my goodness I could share so many embarrassing anecdotes. I have two favorite language mess-up stories, one of which is not mine, but must, must, must be shared:
A friend of mine was teaching an informal conversational English class and one of the students asked him what the word “ton” meant. You know, the weight measurement. Two-thousand pounds. He didn’t know how to say “ton” in Chinese, and instead of looking it up, he thought maybe he could cobble together some Chinese words and hope for the best. He put together “ying” which was supposed to mean England I guess (in Chinese, it’s “Yingguo”) and “jing” which was supposed to be “pound.” Yingjing. English…pounds? Which doesn’t even make sense. But it was even better in the class, because the students all thought he said “yinjing” which means penis.
So a ton, in that class, means two-thousand yinjing. Two-thousand penises.
Story number 2: Once (and I’m quick to say this was before I spoke Chinese very well) I was sitting talking to some kids, the oldest of whom was a fourteen-year-old boy. He was trying to do something, I can’t remember what, but I asked him if I could help. Only I asked wrong. Instead of asking “can I help you?” I, using the correct word for help, but the incorrect sentence structure, pretty much propositioned a fourteen-year-old boy.
I’m happy he laughed about it.
As for favorite things…man, how do you choose. The people I knew and the friends I made . . . I loved the language, the food, the amazing idioms, which I can’t learn enough of so I’ll probably always sound like a hick when I talk. I loved coming up on those differences between our cultures, and going from being completely clueless to being proud of myself for not making anyone (at least openly) laugh at me.
SP: Is LSB your first ever novel? Did it take you a long time? Was it a breeze? What helped you finish?
CS: Yes, it is. I wouldn’t say it was easy to finish, exactly…I just set my mind to it and did it. I loved writing once I started and I couldn’t stop until I was done. The middle part–the part where you feel like everything you are writing is terrible, so why keep trying?–I just refused to let myself give up. It was my escape from little sticky hands, so I wanted to make the time count.
SP: Out of all the amazing characters in LSB, which is your favorite?
CS: I really like Sev because even though she’s sort of reeling and can’t get her feet under her, she doesn’t give up. I like Howl because he’s full of salt. And June because she doesn’t have to talk to get her point across. I like ALL OF THEM 🙂
SP: Agent Journey. How did you find your agent? How did you know she was the right fit?
I cold queried, so it was a bit of a bumpy ride finding an agent, but once I found Victoria, I knew she was right because dystopias were really hard to sell at the time, and she wanted to take me on anyway. When I asked her about what her approach to selling a genre that was kind of down, she said, “I like your writing, Caitlin. If this book doesn’t sell, you’ll write another one and we’ll sell that.”
SP: From what I understand, LSB is series and book two is already underway. Did you write LSB with a series in mind or did it process naturally into one? How is writing book two compared to book one?
CS: I did mean for it to be a series. I love books that give you enough time with the characters to really bond and get to know them and see how much they grow. To be fair, not all characters need THAT much time, but series give you so much room to explore, and that’s what I wanted. LSB is the first of three, and SHATTER THE SUNS (book 2) will be out next fall.
SP: Do you have other projects in the works that are unrelated to LSB?
CS: Yes indeed I do. I have a middle grade fantasy book I’d really, really like to get out there, but I suppose we’ll see. Also, when I’m not working on the LSB series, I’m secretly tweaking a space opera project that I hope will be the next thing I have for readers.
SP: You used history, fairytales, fantasy, modern realities all within one world–can you tell us your favorite part about world-building?
CS: WORLD BUILDING IS SO COOL. I love thinking through the way one little detail can affect your character’s voice and the world around them. With the Chinese influence in LSB, having people thinking in terms of the game wieqi and Howl scowling over lychee-flavored things…it’s the little details that are the most fun. Where something that is super important to you just sort of peeks out in lines of dialogue or twist your characters into different shapes than they ever would have been before.
SP: Greatest writing tip you’ve heard up until now? (Optional!)
CS: Just keep writing. Don’t let yourself give up. Finish something. Then get feedback and revise it. It’s not a failure if you don’t get it perfect the first time.
SP: Fav drink while writing? Favorite food from China that you miss? (Optional)
CS: I can’t eat or drink or do anything while I’m writing. AND my favorite Chinese food is street rice in Urumqi. And Danbaofan. AND THE FRUIT. Oh my goodness I wish I lived closer to the equator and could have such good fruit.
SP: Fav thing to do when you’re not writing? (Optional!)
CS: Run very, very long distances. Okay, maybe they’re just long for me.
SP: Lastly, where can we learn more about YOU and your books?
CS: You can find out more about me on my website: caitlinsangster.com, on twitter @caitsangter, facebook @caitlinsangsterauthor, or instagram @caitsangster.
Thanks so much for interviewing me and for all the nice things you’ve said about my book!!
Caitlin Sangster grew up in the back woods of California and would rather go hiking, running, swimming, or general outdoorsing than just about anything else. If there aren’t any mountains, it doesn’t count as a real place. At eighteen, she moved to XinJiang, and at twenty-one it was Taiwan. She did eventually buckle down and graduate from Brigham Young University with a BA in Asian Studies and is now that person you avoid at parties because she'll probably start talking about Shang dynasty oracle bones.
Caitlin has been writing since middle school. She always thought of it as a silly sort of compulsive habit until she realized that people like reading stories and she liked writing them and there wasn’t much silly about that.
She currently lives in Utah with her husband and four children.
Sangster, Caitlin. Last Star Burning
Lisa Martincik
Voice of Youth Advocates. 40.4 (Oct. 2017): p77.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
4Q * 3P * J * S
Sangster, Caitlin. Last Star Burning. Simon Pulse, October 2017. 400p. $18.99. 978-14814-8613-2.
Sev's mother betrayed the City, letting in the sleeping sickness that ravished the world outside and abetting the enemy, Kamari--or so says the government. Now, Sev bears a criminal's brand on her forehead, lives in an orphanage, and undergoes daily rehabilitation. Framed for an enemy bombing for which the penalty is death, she escapes to the Outside with the help of unexpected new friends, and she realizes that neither the past nor future are what they seem. Sev meets many people in her flight from the City, including the mysterious double-agent Howl, the young Outsider June, and creepy soldier Helix; all of them have secrets and stories that reveal something about their environment.
Sangster's vivid dystopia draws heavily from Chinese history, making for a refreshing change from the usual teen dystopia. The lush Asian setting in a post-apocalypic city, coupled with the harshness of the Outside, add to the plot's momentum. Although the author retains elements familiar to the genre--such as oppressive governments and stratified societies--they come together differently and sometimes unexpectedly here, giving the story a fresh twist. The greatest theme of the book is trust, especially the devastation caused by its loss, as demonstrated when Sev is unable to change years' worth of feelings upon learning new truths about her own history. In such an atmosphere, romance is a luxury and secondary to friendship. Deep worldbuilding continues throughout the entire story, rewarding attention and unspooling new information right up to the breathless ending (that leads into the next volume). The author's note at the end of the book includes information on Chinese history and encephalitis lethargica ("sleepy sickness"), and reading recommendations for both topics. Young adult lovers of dystopian dramas will enjoy this new twist on the "old" standards.--Lisa Martincik.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Martincik, Lisa. "Sangster, Caitlin. Last Star Burning." Voice of Youth Advocates, Oct. 2017, p. 77. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A511785104/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=a6a76f67. Accessed 16 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A511785104
Sangster, Caitlin: LAST STAR BURNING
Kirkus Reviews. (Aug. 15, 2017):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Sangster, Caitlin LAST STAR BURNING Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster (Children's Fiction) $18.99 10, 10 ISBN: 978-1-4814-8613-2
Made an outcast by her mother's crimes, a girl fights to uncover the secrets of those that control her sequestered City.Sixteen-year-old Jiang Sev, called Sevvy, was once a member of the most revered group in the City: Firsts--those of superior wisdom. But eight years ago, her mother betrayed the City, ushering in encephalitis lethargica, or sleeping sickness, and informing the enemy of their location. Sevvy was rebranded a Fourth, the lowest caste, and sent to a military family for re-education. But when an enemy bomb falls near Sevvy and her friend, everything accelerates. The City paints Sevvy as a suspect in the bombing due to her mother's past. While sneaking through her own manhunt, Sevvy meets a boy who seeks to help her--shockingly, he's the Chairman's son. He goes by Howl, and he wants her to venture outside with him, where both fantastical beasts and those ravaged by sleeping sickness roam. As a loyal citizen, Sevvy feels conflicted--but she has nowhere else to go. As Sevvy embarks on a wild journey, she must navigate the duplicity of war, decide whom she can truly trust, and unravel the truth of her past. Brimming with rich detail in an Asian-inflected alternative world that's lightly touched with Maoist terminology and concepts and helmed by achingly real characters, Sevvy's story is thrilling to get lost in. By the end, readers will be clamoring for more. Incredibly immersive and tightly plotted. (Fantasy. 14-adult)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Sangster, Caitlin: LAST STAR BURNING." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Aug. 2017. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A500364755/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=93c32b2c. Accessed 16 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A500364755
Last Star Burning
Cindy Welch
Booklist. 114.2 (Sept. 15, 2017): p51.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Last Star Burning.
By Caitlin Sangster.
Oct. 2017. 400p. Simon & Schuster/Simon Pulse, $ 18.99 (9781481486132). Gr. 8-
11.
For most of her life Jiang Sev has been told her mother sold out the City and endangered its residents by introducing a sleeping sickness that causes violent compulsions. Her family was removed from the First Quarter and stripped of their home and belongings, her father and sister are dead, and her mother rests in a very public place in permanent sleep--a warning to all who would commit treason. Sev has been consigned to the Fourth Quarter, the quarter of lowest social standing. But when the government accuses Sev of a fatal bombing, the chairman's son persuades her to leave and head for the Mountain, a rebel hideout, where Sev discovers the treachery that surrounds her. Though unspecified, the political situation and setting evoke China, from the military class informally known as "reds" to place and character names. There are twists aplenty, although less summarizing by the narrator would have tightened their execution. This may be Sangsters first authorial outing, but the result is a gripping tale of trust, class struggle, and betrayal. --Cindy Welch
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Welch, Cindy. "Last Star Burning." Booklist, 15 Sept. 2017, p. 51. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A507359959/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=6e5b9175. Accessed 16 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A507359959
Review – Last Star Burning by Caitlin Sangster
POSTED ON September 28, 2017 BY Austine IN Book Review
Last Star Burning (Last Star Burning #1) by Caitlin Sangster
Published on October 10, 2017 by Simon Pulse
Pages: 400
Genres: Dystopian, Young Adult
Buy the Book!
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Sev is branded with the mark of a criminal—a star burned into her hand. That’s the penalty for being the daughter of the woman who betrayed their entire nation.
Now her mother’s body is displayed above Traitor’s Arch, kept in a paralyzed half sleep by the same plague that destroyed the rest of the world. And as further punishment, Sev is forced to do hard labor to prove that she’s more valuable alive than dead.
When the government blames Sev for a horrific bombing, she must escape the city or face the chopping block. Unimaginable dangers lurk outside the city walls, and Sev’s only hope of survival lies with the most unlikely person—Howl, the chairman’s son. Though he promises to lead her to safety, Howl has secrets, and Sev can’t help but wonder if he knows more about her past—and her mother’s crimes—than he lets on.
But in a hostile world, trust is a luxury. Even when Sev’s life and the lives of everyone she loves may hang in the balance.
Knight's Judgment
Plot
Characters
Writing Style
Cover
Enjoyment
Overall:
This book was provided by the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I. . . wasn’t prepared for this book. You know, maybe I should have read the synopsis a bit more closely because I thought I was going to be reading a sweeping YA fantasy and that wasn’t really the case. And that’s not a bad thing, to be honest, because this book has altered my view of dystopians a bit for the better.
Let’s start with the good: characters. Were they perfect(ly flawed)? No. Did I still like them? Yeah. Sev is an interesting protagonist. On the one hand, I loved that she has this fierceness in her that comes out at times. Her personal history is unfortunate, taking the blame for something that her mother did and having to deal with that for the rest of her life. You can see the strength she’s forced to hold on to because weakness could put her in even more trouble.
At the same time, I got really angry with her. I needed her to be curious. Just a little. Maybe ask a few questions, not jump blindly into situations without knowing a bit more information. That sort of thing. It left Sev as a character that I didn’t mind reading about but she didn’t stand out. And neither did the rest of the cast in the way that something average just exists rather than shining above the rest.
Which is how I felt about this book in general. Last Star Burning was good, but not great. I found the plot far too drawn out to keep my attention for more than a few pages at a time. So many things could have been solved if Sev had just questioned what was going on or the people around her. Like I said, I needed her to be more curious because it felt like the lack of information just served the plot rather than feeling natural for her character. I think I would’ve loved this book a million times more if the plot hadn’t felt like information was constantly being withheld. Sev could be a strong character.
Ultimately, I was bored with this book. I put it down several times and it wasn’t because of the author’s writing style (which I enjoyed) or the world-building (definitely well done and I could tell a lot of thought went into it). I wanted to enjoy reading this book but instead found the predictability and frustration with the protagonist took over. I also think that my expectations of what kind of book this was going in (a fantasy) had an effect on my opinion, at least to start off. Though I would call Last Star Burning an average first book, I think this series could go somewhere and look forward to seeing where Sangster takes it!
Book review: Author Caitlin Sangster's debut novel 'Last Star Burning' truly is stellar
By Rachel Chipman
For the Deseret News
Published: June 9, 2018 7:00 am
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Simon and Schuster
"Last Star Burning" by Caitlin Sangster.
"LAST STAR BURNING," by Caitlin Sangster, Simon Pulse, $19.99, 400 pages (f)
Jiang Sev, heroine of "Last Star Burning," is a Seph, one who is infected with the Sleeping Sickness. The disease is named for its first stage, a paralyzing sleep. When the unfortunate awakes, he experiences irresistible compulsions — to strangle an annoying classmate, to stab a strict teacher; to murder friends and family members or oneself without a second thought. Only two doses a day of Mantis pills keep the infected, including Sev, from having compulsions.
The City was free from the Sleeping Sickness for a hundred years until Jiang Gui-hua, Sev's mother, betrayed the City's location to its enemies. Once discovered, Jiang Gui-hua infected Sev with the Sleeping Sickness, murdered several families from the City's ruling class, and attempted to escape. However, she was apprehended, put into a deep sleep and displayed at Traitor's Arch, her husband executed, and her daughters condemned to the City's lowest class for her crimes.
For years, Sev never questioned her mother's guilt. After all, she clearly remembers her mother sneaking into her room one night and injecting her with the Sleeping Sickness. However, when Sev is blamed for a horrific bombing, she is rescued by a secret rebellion who honors her mother as a martyr. The truth is bigger, more complicated and more evasive than she ever imagined.
Comment on this story
"Last Star Burning" is compellingly and excellently written. Sev's world comes into focus quickly and vividly, and Sangster crafts the mystery expertly, giving the reader just enough clues to build suspense and move the story along. This book's place as a 2017Whitney Awards finalist in the young adult speculative category is well-deserved. The Whitney Awards recognize novels by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Caitlin Sangster is a graduate of Brighan Young University with a bachelor's degree in Asian studies. She lives in Utah with her family. This is her first novel, and the sequel titled "Shatter the Suns" is scheduled to be released later this year.
"Last Star Burning" contains a few scenes of action violence and descriptions of cruelty but no profanity or sexual content.
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Rachel Chipman believes heaven will have books piled to the ceiling and endless time to read. She lives with two little bookworms and one grown-up bookworm in northern Virginia.