The Sun and the Starmaker
What it's about
Hidden in the snowy mountains of the Lost Range, the village of Reverie lies beyond the Sun's reach and depends on the magic of the mysterious Starmaker, who crosses a glacier every morning to pull sunlight over the peaks. Aurora Finch grew up on tales of him, until, on the morning of her wedding, a chance encounter in the woods changes everything: he senses a powerful magic within her and demands she come with him.
Why it's worth reading
It has spent 20 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists in 2026. It's a wintry, romantic young-adult fantasy from the author of The Nature of Witches.
You'll love it if you liked
Divine Rivals, Spinning Silver or The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Good to know
It's a standalone romantasy for teens and adults. It's atmospheric and slow-burning.
Quick answers
Is The Sun and the Starmaker worth reading?
Yes. It has spent 20 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists in 2026. It ranks #903 of the 2,819 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 74.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Sun and the Starmaker about?
Hidden in the snowy mountains of the Lost Range, the village of Reverie lies beyond the Sun's reach and depends on the magic of the mysterious Starmaker, who crosses a glacier every morning to pull sunlight over the peaks. Aurora Finch grew up on tales of him, until, on the morning of her wedding, a chance encounter in the woods changes everything: he senses a powerful magic within her and demands she come with him.
How long does it take to read The Sun and the Starmaker?
About 11 hours (448 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Sun and the Starmaker?
If you liked it, try Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross, Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik or The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab.
By the numbers
- Readers76 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller38 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz38 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
20 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists since 2026.
Where it ranks
- #56 of the 222 young adult books we rank
- #132 of the 461 fantasy books we rank
- #155 of the 481 new books we rank
- #903 of the 2,819 books we rank
Bestseller
- 20 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists since 2026
Reads as
Epic
If you like this, read next
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Tress of the Emerald Sea
The Knight and the Moth
Fairy Tale
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Six of Crows