Stunning photo by @vibrantreads
Hello everyone!
It’s day 2 of our Readalong for Star Daughter!
We left off yesterday with so so much information and emotions, Sheetal and Minal are setting off to the stars. Let’s find out how it goes.
Today we’re reading Chapters 7-12!
Please be warned, the following will include spoilers for Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar Chapters 1-12! Read only if you’ve finished those chapters!
-!SPOILERS!-
We begin today’s chapters with Sheetal, Minal and Radhikafoi heading to the Night Market. Where Sheetal must find the Harp Sisters, to find the way to the stars.
WOW this place is enchanting and hella crowded with people from all over, including from the stars. Sheetal’s attention gets caught by a certain apsara and gives some advice on what to buy. Despite being distracted, she still hears the sound of a harp and heads on a hunt to finally finds the harp sisters.
And of course, everything they said was in rhyme slash Riddle but also a song… fun.
After much dallying they give her a Lotus made of moonbeams and now it is time for them to go. Sheetal can feel the cold from the stars and the Lotus starts to lighten up to find clouds making a staircase, how weirdly intriguing.
Part 2 – Another chapter from Sheetal Journal and this one is a memory of a story her mother told her, a story of how diamonds came to be…
After soaking in the beauty of the stars, they find the Palace. With zero plan they have to convince two guards who she is, the daughter of Charumati of the Pushya Nakshatra and of course they don’t believe her.
Sheetal answers all the questions, we find out that the stars that first went down to earth became the first diamonds and that is the answer that gets them through wow.
And off they go into the Palace that no building on earth could compare to and they come across a country yard full of beautiful people dressed in finery and so they are on the lookout for Sheetal’s mother. But instead they find all the houses, gathered around announcing champions?
Ohh no what’s this? Not much just a casual champion announcement, Houses Pushya just asked for their champion to come forward… ahhh The stars of Pushya start to sing and unable to resist Sheetal is pulled into the song of Starlight and so it’s announced she is the champion for house Pushya.
Together for the first time in 10 years, Sheetal and Charumati face each other and have no idea what to say to each other.
The star song was a call for Sheetal to come home! Sheetal is overwhelmed and can only express again that she doesn’t want to be in her competition, but she can’t bring herself to tell her that the reason why is to save her dad, because she burnt him… Sheetal faints.
She wakes up thinking it was all a dream until Minal tells her it really happened, but now it’s time to go see her grandmother and granddad oh lordy.
Padmini, the grandmother’s personal attendant, dresses Sheetal in a blue and silver sari. They head to the dining chamber, they find many people – the whole house Pushya and connecting them is the Starsong. And through the song Sheetal can feel what everyone is thinking… awkward.
The food is simply delish! *chef’s kiss*
But despite the lovely food the people can’t get with the fact that she is half mortal. Charumati and Nani make it clear that Sheetal is a star! *mic drop*
Sheetal is getting frustrated over the lack of communication. Why does she need training? What is going on?
Finally, alone and time to find out what is going on. And so, we finds out how House Pushya ruled the stars and other houses a long time ago and now they want to win and rule again. Each House has a champion and he/she must be a mortal artist who will be inspired to create something, and it will be judged to choose the winning house.
Sheetal’s music is the mortal part so they give her an ultimatum, win the competition and she will get the blood to save her dad. And the competition is only two days away on her birthday! Two days to learn everything ohmygod. AND Nani kind of read her mind!!!! ??
So they’re also going to teach her how to control her fire and alongside learn how to win the competition no pressure.
And so, we end day 2 on a big one. Sheetal has only two days to learn everything to win the championship and to save her dad.
Comment down below what you think is going to happen next because this is wild.
Love,
Shaz
The Night Market sequence was very intriguing, would love to see more later of those interesting characters!
This championship idea sounds interesting, I wonder what will the training include! Also, Sheetal being their “mortal” champion sounds quite a bit like cheating. 😛
Sheetal and Charumati’s relationship is quite strained, I do hope they’ll reconcile later, but I see that it is extremely hard at the moment. Especially since I think Sheetal might have hoped for a bit more warmer welcome from her mother. 🙁
Others knowing your feelings/thoughts through the starsong sounds a bit awkward and invasive. At least Sheetal’s grandparents are okay, I guess. I mean they are way better then some other people in their house.
What will happen next: I think we’ll definitely get a “training montage” like in the movies, plus I think we’ll get to learn more of the other celestial houses, I think. Can’t wait to continue! 🙂
haha it does sound like cheating right? ?
Those chapters were so…magical. I can’t find any other word for it. I loved the market and the palace both, the descriptions are so lush and strange and unwordly that I read some of them twice because they’re just so good!
Getting to the plot: if I were Sheetal I’d be freaking out so badly, I’m glad our girl manages to keep it together (for now at least).
I’m happy that the competition is not the usual fighting one, and I hope we’ll get to know more about Hindu traditions and arts through it.
Plus this is the end of the part covered by the synopsis, so I’m curious about how it will go on.
Very intriguing that it’s not the usual fantasy type fighting competition!
The descriptions are so lush and magical ?
In terms of the ultimatum (win or her father dies) it always bugs me when the MC doesn’t have a back up. Like: I’ll try my very best, and if I don’t manage to win you’ll still heal my dad?
Lol
2 days isn’t a long time to gain confidence for a thong she’s been respsiting/repressing her whole life. I hope we see her learn to control her starfire too.
And yes….using her as their ‘mortal’ champion seems an lot like cheating ??♀️
2 days is so not a lot of time!! ahhh
What a nice family she has…… they will save her dad…….IF SHE WINS!
grrrrrrr?
Her mom doesn’t give her a really warm welcome, it feels like they only wanted het to come to compete… ??
Love the way Minal wants to stand op for Sheetal when someone says “Half mortal thing. Go home”.
Minal for the win!!!
As much as I enjoyed the first six chapters I found that as the story progresses the pace picks up and the story gets better
The description of the market.. I could see it in my mind and it was magical.
I liked the subtle hint at Minals sexuality.. It’s not made in to some big deal.. It’s a passing comment which I really like..
You can see that Sheetal has conflicted feelings about her mother. Even though she knows she left for good reason she still feels abandoned.
The competition being thrown in there just as she arrives.. What will happen? Is she up to the challenge?
I’m looking forward to where the story goes..
The description of each setting is super amazing, right? ?
I honestly want to skim the whole book. Because it’s just so bad.
But let’s continue where we left off.
So she Has to remind herself not to think of Dev. And we’re not even connected to their relationship because we didn’t get to see it from the beginning. We got to see it when they were already apparently three months dating.
So we go to bazaar where they’re trying to find the two twins that play the harp and everything‘s really confusing, there’s too many places and too many people to keep track of. It doesn’t seem as magical as it’s being told us that it is.
There are more Hindu references and none of which I understand, I’m not from the culture so I really wish that we had something that would tell us about the culture. Anyway so there are finally flying through the air going to the heavens and then there’s guards at the gates and no offense but if you work at the palace they would know her real identity. So it’s completely implausible for me to think that they wouldn’t know she is And would need to verify who she is.
Anyway we get introduced to the competition and of course there is a hint of racism, she is shown as a half breed. And it’s merely touched up on a couple of times. I already have no appreciation for that because if you’re gonna touch the subject you have to keep it going.
The competition seems super confusing as well, the stars have to pick mortals to represent them? I don’t understand why don’t stars play, it’s a competition about them, it’s retarded.
And all she has to do is play the instrument. Like I was looking forward to a competition not a freaking talent show.
I am incredibly disappointed with this book even though I wasn’t expecting much from the beginning.
Sorry my thoughts are jumbled lol
I love how Thakrar wrote these new and wonderful places. She just created an amazing atmosphere where we as readers can get lost in. I hope to see a lot more of this in the coming chapters.
I loved the night market. But I was sort of distracted by looking up all the mentioned mythical creatures. This book is not just fun to read, it’s educating.
And I must say, I love how Minal just rolls along with everything. She keeps Sheetal grounded and somehow fits in better with this magical world than her magical friend. She’s great.
It’s not fair for her family to just throw her in a competition without any prior warning or instruction. Couldn’t they just have called her like one week earlier? To get her settled down and acquainted with everything? But maybe she is just the backup champion. Imagine, all the houses are trying to assassinate the most promising rival and Sheetal would have been plan B.
Yet it is cruel to force her to compete by using her love for her father against her. I’m not sure if I like her grandparents. And to me they also sound like they want to end the exchange between stars and mortal world. Somehow I expect them to trap Sheetal in heaven or make her choose between her life on earth with her father and her mother.
I expect her grandfathers to be on that side of things as well, but I also expect her mother to disagree with them!
I think her mother wants the Pushya family to win the competition so they can establish a good relationship between the sky and the human world and her family can be together (even when I didn’t even see her flinch when Shataal told her his husband was very ill…)
Let’s see if our predictions hit the spot or not!
Oooo that’s a very good theory, guys!
I’m at a point of not really knowing how I feel about this book. I like some parts, not so much others.
I’m really not keen on Sheetal’s star family – they’re clearly not interested in helping Sheetal unless she helps them first – you would think her mother would be trying to make amends for abandoning her.
Still love Minal though!
I love the star court, it really sounds fantastic…
Not very impressed with Sheetal’s family though… her mom doesn’t seem very sorry for abandoning her daughter, and also I thought Charumati was in love with Sheetal’s dad?! It doesn’t really seem like it though as it doesn’t really look like she cares about his condition all that much.
The grandparents don’t really seem to care for their granddaughter either, seemingly only using her for their gain in the competiton.
There’s still a bunch of questions to be answered though, I’m curious to see where this goes 😉
I’m still not really connecting and had to make myself keep reading. I’m still hoping it gets better for me. It’s nothing about the book itself (at least nothing I can name or point out).
Maybe with more magic and the tournament I start to enjoy it more….
I did like the night market sequence, but I would like to have a bit more showing of things and a bit more time there.
So far I enjoy the Stories and the chapters from her journal the most to be honest
Hello everyone!
I finished today’s part earlier on the day, but I didn’t have time to write something here until now. Let me begin with the Night Market… I adored it! I love (normal non-magical) street markets and the way this one is described (with all the wondrous things you can find on it) makes me wish I could actually be there losing myself between merchants! I can only quote Minal’s reaction: “I want it. All of it.” The harp sisters were intriguing the way magical creatures from mythologies always are, and I laughed at Shaatal’s aunt getting all hyped because of the rakshasa selling marvellous couches!
Once in the sky, I think everything was so magical yet so cold. I like how the competition is set so stars cannot compete, but a mortal has to do it. It makes sense since stars are muses, so the family who inspires the brightest piece of art is the one who will win.
But then… I could almost feel Shaatal’s pain watching her family using her for a competition! The relationship with her mom reminds me a lot of Percy Jackson’s relationship with his father Poseidon. Stars are so out of this world it almost seems natural they don’t understand human feelings fully, but I still hope her mother can be warmer and make up for abandoning her in future chapters…
I LOVE MINAL. Not only she’s sarcastic and funny as I was saying yesterday, but now she’s part of the LGTBQ+ community too! I love me some representation, and I liked a lot how Shveta intruduced it: casually without it being something big or shocking. Minal continues to be the best character so far for me, and I agree with some of you that she almost seems more ready for the quest than the protagonist even if she says she’d be going crazy if she were Sheetal.
From these chapters, the best part for me was the market and Charumati’s story, and the worst one was Sheetal’s star family blackmailing her for the blood… It would have been easier to help her first and ask nicely for her help in return when her father is okey.
Anyways, I’m ready to know how this book continues! I’ll see you everyone tomorrow!
I am truly stunned by these magical descriptions – especially the night market scenes were pictured right before my eyes!
Reading this book makes me somehow feel like I’m sucked into a whole other dimension full of unknown beauty and I‘m all here for it! (Honestly, give me more!)
I feel so sad for Sheetal; her mother does not seem like the same person as she was in her memories and I feel very suspicious towards her nani and nana! I hope she will find the love she deserves, it is her family after all and it is her right to be with them – especially after being separated from them for so long!
I also hope that the training sequences won‘t dampen the magic of the story, I always feel a bit hesitant towards these because they can get boring rather quickly for me!
Looking forward to reading more ^^
The Night Market is such a magical place. I really want to visit this place and investigate all secrets. Characters which we met here are so unique and specific. The prices for products which they offer are also special.
Sheetal’s star family, well….I see here a little toxic family. We will help your dad, but you have to win for as a little talent compensation. Plus Sheetal’s mother probably is not as saint and perfect as girl remember form the past. She has her own purpose.
Minal is really great character. She is funny, even a little sarcastic, but she is a true friend.
The dream sequence and now her childhood memory of her mother’s story are my 2 favorite parts. I wish the author had written about them instead of this.
But anyway!
The night market was pretty fun but I do wish we had an index or maybe even footnotes ala Nevernight explaining some cultural background. It would make things make a lot more sense and I’d feel more immersed and less lost.
I wish her mom was a little more concerned for her dad and didnt give in to her family so easily. The grandparents are pretty cold to blackmail Sheetal.
I’m still enjoying this though and absolutely love the descriptions of the stars and their beauty and the clothes and the rooms.
I loved the riddles to get into heaven part! Her grandparents seem fake and are pretty annoying but I’m excited to see how the competition turns out!
Wow, these chapters were a rollercoaster of emotions for Sheetal and for me too!
The Night Market description, the magical stalls and specially creepy Harp sisters and their song gave me beautiful imaginary scenery. I love how Radhikafoi gets hooked in at sofa shop, lol! I was really happy when Minal found that potion to walk on clouds, because with Sheetal’s thin hold on her newly found powers I was worried about her safety in travelling to heaven.
I really enjoyed reminiscing about old mythology when the guards question Sheetal at the gates of the Palace! But I knew she will be plunged into quest, which she did later on! I was expecting a bit more from Charumati when they finally reunited but it is understandable that after 10 years Sheetal would prefer some space, specially after being named a champion for house Pushya.
The family seems very dodgy and suspicious, and blackmail is the worst thing they could do to endear themselves to Sheetal. Also I hate the bias the other members have towards their champion. How dare they! I lovedit when Minal, even though she’s a mortal, stood up for Sheetal!
The story has picked up speed and is rushing into action. I’m looking forward to the next chapters today!
What I am wondering about is that are the other champions all pure stars? or purely mortal?
The champions are supposed to be mortals, hence the uproar from the other families!
For some reason I thought the “you’ll get the blood if you win” was a trick, but no… looking back seems Sheetal is aware of this?
I am looking forward to the competition and getting to the meat of the story, as still finding things a little slow-going so far.
I’m also not sure how to feel about Charumati. In the flashbacks and things, Sheetal describes her mother and somewhat loving and kind. But so far she seems just… cold and distant?
A lot of pressure all at once for our MC ugh. Also I don’t trust anyone at all…except her best friend
I’m having mixed feelings about this book… It gives me very ‘old YA when it was a really new genre so people didn’t really care about the quality of the dialogue and pacing’ vibes.
I love the culture and the stories and hate when I’m not a huge fan of a book that’s trying to trailblaze its way to allow more diversity into the publishing industry which it desperately needs.
But.
The dialogue always seems very stunted and sudden and we don’t really get much insight about what’s going on in Sheetal’s mind unless she’s ‘freaking out’ or stating the obvious again.
When we’re in the night market I genuinely couldn’t imagine what it looked like and the stalls flew by very quickly with each character (seemingly at random) being entranced by a stall or desperately trying to get another character to leave it. Maybe a mix of dangerous and normal stalls would have been nice and made the risks seem unknown. Maybe it was the rush to find the harp sisters that stopped it being a really immersive scene?
Also how quickly does Minal get the hang of magic? I know she’s used to Sheetal’s star-ness, but trading her barrettes for a magic potion that lets her walk on clouds, immediately showing us that they bargained so there could be no danger or suspense there, and having the flying/cloud-walking scene happen so quickly it feels more like they’re walking down a regular street than blooming flying to the stars??
Also possibly if the ‘stars came down and became diamonds’ story had been right at the beginning of the book it wouldn’t have felt like it was wedged in right when it was suddenly needed to prove Sheetal was a star? And why were they so worried about Minal being human and being let in when three seconds later the guards were all ‘oh you must be her companion, come right on in!’…
I love the feeling of the book though, the shining and the way the songs reach right inside you. I just think a little bit of tweaking would have made it a much more immersive read for me. *crossed fingers* the chapters coming up are good reads 🙂
Also I really hope we see more character development because right now I don’t know much about Minal apart from how she’s there for Sheetal, and she has a crush on the maidservant right away? (I hope that gets more development otherwise it’s verging on LGBTQ+ rep just for the sake of it with no depth.) Also the maidservant deserves more development too, I’d love to know her backstory, what her dreams and goals are, why she’d be the sort of person you have a crush on!
The night market is like magic but i think I would bargain away way to much than needed probably not a save space for me to shop hehe
Minal is awesome I love how she just rolls whit everything such positive and nice person really love love her
Her star family is so cold to me ok yes they were welcoming but helooo saving her dad only if she wins rude much like ok you hate humans apparently and use the for your political schemes but come on it your grand daughter and her father is in danger but ok at least they will teach her some stuff that will help her
But I am curious how the games will be like and what is behind the must win urgently this might get interesting
I loved the night market, could easily imagine getting myself lost there. I am interested to see what Sheetal will have to do for the competition. Although I do think it is so unfair that her star family won’t help her unless she wins the competition, they are family and should help her father first rather than put more pressure on her.