All the Way Around the Sun

Tian (This Place Is Still Beautiful) crafts an evocative story following a high school senior who must navigate the aftermath of a devastating loss and its ripple effects. When Stella Chen’s older brother Sam abruptly dies in his Harvard dorm room, her tenuous relationship with her parents grows even more fragile as they shift their immense expectations for Sam onto Stella. Between growing up in the Chinese countryside, then moving to a largely white town in the American Midwest, and later contending with Sam’s absence while finishing her senior year in San Diego, Stella feels she’s never had the opportunity to pursue her own desires—not that she knows what they are. Deciding that it would be beneficial for Stella to tour the colleges she plans on applying to, Stella’s parents send her on a road trip with estranged friend Alan Zhao, also of Chinese descent. To Stella, Alan seems to have his whole life planned out. But as the pair travel the California coastline, secrets, unspoken feelings, and heavy truths come to light. Through Stella, Tian attentively considers immigrant diasporic struggles in the U.S. and finding connection while grappling with grief and guilt. Fans of Past Lives and The Farewell will resonate with this emotionally charged road trip novel. Ages 13–up. Agent: Wendi Gu, HG Literary. (Sept.)