Semifinalist BookLife Prize: “I Hunt for Stars Alone.”
Congratulations to North Meridian Press author and North Meridian Review poetry editor, Ricardo Quintana Vallejo for winning the semifinalist award in this year’s BookLife contest. As the judges said—
-9/11 serves as the backdrop for I Hunt For Stars Alone, a gripping tale of immigration, identity, sexuality, and above all else, family, as the young protagonist adjusts to his new life in Indiana. Small moments, like receiving a bike as a gift and sneaking a burger with his mother, have big impact and keep the reader emotionally engaged.
-From the first page to the last, Quintana-Vallejo’s lyrical verse gives voices to the inner world of the young protagonist, while carefully placed sonnets told from a retrospective adult perspective add gravity to the most serious themes, such as sexual assault and dementia.
-Readers might recognize themes like sexuality and identity, as well as certain plot beats, from many other YA novels but Quintana-Vallejo’s inimitable, breathtaking free verse sets I Hunt Stars Alone apart. Specific cultural touchstones from 2001-2002 also build out the novel’s world and provide authenticity to the young protagonist’s experience.
-The young protagonist learns to transform his fears about his sexuality into desire, and his pain at leaving his country into hope. Quintana-Vallejo has also crafted his cast of supporting characters with such tender nuance that readers will empathize even in difficult moments.
To purchase I Hunt For Stars Alone click here.