When the Stars Go Blue Blogpost

While reading When the Stars Go Blue, I have noticed an inconsistency in the "quality" of the characters that the author has created in the book. Certain characters, such as Soledad and Raj are admirable characters that we can learn from. But there are also characters, such as Jonathan and Gray (his father) who are cliche and boring to read about.

Soledad is an admirable character because she's passionate, compassionate, and a loyal friend, daughter, and dancer. She devotes most of her time to dancing because she knows it will pay off one day. She has a place in heart for others. She wants to help people, despite the fact that she has many problems of her own. She is also a good friend and an all-around good person.

Raj, her dance partner, is also an admirable character. He embraces his identity, (he is gay). He doesn't care what others think about him. He is confident, humorous, and a good friend. He and Soledad get along well together!

On the other hand, Jonathan is a terrible character. He is needy, depends on others, and is closed off from the rest of the world. He won't share his feelings with Soledad, even though she completely trusts him with her secrets. He is also overly protective of her. He needs to relax and realize that Soledad can handle things on her own without him "breathing down her neck." Sometimes Soledad is offended by this. She thinks Jonathan views her as a fragile, little girl. But she is fierce and strong.

Also, I don't like Jonathan's father, Gray. He is very cliche. He is hard on his son because he wants him to succeed. He is mean and cold and doesn't take no for an answer. I've read about characters like this before! I am tired of reading about close-minded, unsupportive parents who seem to only care about themselves.

I would appreciate the book more if the characters were more original and realistic. Jonathan is a huge secondary character in the book, but a poorly created one. This has affected my opinion of the book.