Starry Starry Night by Nandita Basu – graphic novel exploring death and grief

Starry Starry Night is a well-written and realistic graphic novel exploring death and grief with well-developed characters.

Synopsis

After Kunal’s mother dies, he is sent off to a boarding school in the hills. Till he has a hostel room, he stays with Tara, his father’s cousin, who teaches a special music programme in the school. Teaching music helped Tara after her best friend died—that, and perhaps the company of the enigmatic figure known as Death, whom she sees everywhere. Tara and Kunal must try to live together, their lives entwined by their separate losses—which neither is comfortable talking about. This is a tale of love and loss, of the healing and illuminating power of friendship, art and music.

Review

I initially picked up Starry Starry Night around its release date but kept setting it aside for other books. Now that I’ve finally finished it, I’m kicking myself for not finishing this sooner.

Starry Starry Night is a touching and heartfelt graphic novel that tells the story of Kunal and his aunt Tara, both of whom are grieving the loss of a loved one.

After his mother’s death, Kunal is sent to a boarding school in the hills to live with his father’s cousin, Tara. Due to his parents’ separation, he isn’t close to his father and has never met Tara before. However, they share the common bond of loss, and as they spend more time together, they begin to connect through their grief, helping each other to process and heal enough to move forward in life.

I really felt for Kunal, who has endured so much at such a young age. He hasn’t fully processed the loss of his mother when he’s uprooted to a new place, a new school, and to live with someone he doesn’t know. It’s no wonder he feels aloof, prefers to spend time alone, and struggles to express what he’s going through.

On top of this, he faces challenges adjusting to the boarding school, making friends, and dealing with the influence of other students. Despite everything, I loved seeing how he gradually made friends and tried to understand Tara.

Tara, a music teacher at the boarding school and a once-famous musician, is still grappling with the loss of her childhood friend, Nysa, who died of cancer seven years ago. Tara’s ability to see and communicate with Death doesn’t make coping with her grief any easier. Lately, she’s been seeing the deaths of everyone she meets, and she doesn’t understand why. However, she does understand Kunal and his grief.

I appreciated how she helped him in a gentle, non-intrusive way, giving him the time he needed to adjust to his new life. Their conversations became a crucial part of Kunal’s healing process, and I admired how Tara supported him, especially when he got into trouble near the end. I also admired Tara’s strength in dealing with Death’s presence. Despite doubts about her sanity and undergoing therapy, she eventually learned to trust Death and listen to what it had to say.

The author masterfully handles the themes of grief and loss throughout the book, adding layers of parental pressure, school politics, finding one’s path, and learning from mistakes. I especially enjoyed Death’s perspective and the conversations between Death and Tara—they were some of the best parts of the story.

The illustrations, though in black and white, are vivid and packed with emotion. As this was my first graphic novel, I occasionally struggled with the format, and I wasn’t a fan of the all-caps text throughout the book.

Overall, Starry Starry Night is a well-written and realistic graphic novel with well-developed characters and a poignant exploration of loss and the journey toward healing.

Book Links

Goodreads | Amazon.in | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

My favorite lines from Starry Starry Night-

“The greatest folly of humans lies in the belief they will never die.
(death) But they day you are born, I am born with you.
Very few are fortunate enough to remember that, and see that.”

“Life is intelligent. Why should death be any different? It really is the same thing- though it may look different depending on which side you are seeing it from.“

“Things die everyday — Love, friendship, dreams. Humans just don’t notice these things die. Maybe if they did, their own deaths wouldn’t be so fearsome.”

“Purpose of living is not to avoid losing. Being in pain doesn’t mean you can’t be happy. Being lost doesn’t mean you need to find a way. You need to honour every moment every experience that comes your way. It’s the only way to be human. Very experience we go through makes us who we are. And then you start honouring what you need to do. To live. And it doesn’t mean things won’t be lost or broken.”

#StarryStarryNight is a well-written and realistic #graphicnovel with well-developed characters and a poignant exploration of loss and the journey toward healing. Share on X

What do you think about this book?
What is your favorite book about death, loss and grief?

Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | WhatsApp Channel

Just in Case You Missed,,,,

• Under The Mistletoe Collection – slice of holiday magic
• Tales from the Café by Toshikazu Kawaguchi – feel good time travel contemporary
• Dubai Diaries: A Week of Adventures and Stunning Sights

---