Blue Sun, Yellow Sky

by Jamie Jo Hoang

Overview

Hailed as "One of the best technical painters of our time" by an L.A. Times critic, 27-year-old Aubrey Johnson is finally gaining traction with her work. But as she weaves through what should be a celebration of her art, a single nagging echo of her doctor's words refuses to stay silent-there is no cure. In less than eight weeks Aubrey is going blind. Traveling on a one-way ticket around the world with childhood friend Jeff Anderson, Aubrey is in complete denial. But a blindfolded game of tasting foreign foods in China jolts her into confronting the reality of her situation. So begins her quest. In this adult coming-of-age story, Aubrey struggles to make sense of her crippling diagnosis. But on her journey she finds a deeper understanding of herself and her life-sometimes fragmented and complex, but always with relentless truth.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781944245887
Publisher:	Hey Jamie
Publication date:	03/11/2022
Pages:	348
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.94(d)

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 -- Color
Chapter 2 -- Change
Chapter 3 -- Spontaneity
Chapter 4 -- Grit
Chapter 5 -- App World
Chapter 6 -- Love
Chapter 7 -- Luminosity
Chapter 8 -- Story
Chapter 9 -- Detour
Chapter 10 -- Midnight in Paris
Chapter 11 -- Solitude
Chapter 12 -- Nature
Chapter 13 -- Nurture
Chapter 14 -- Fear
Chapter 15 -- Acceptance
Chapter 16 -- Innovation
Chapter 17 -- Foundation
Chapter 18 -- Blue
Book Club Questions

Editorial Reviews

04/27/2015
Aubrey is a painter on the cusp of success when she receives a life-changing diagnosis: very soon, she will be completely blind. She’s still reeling from the news when she runs into Jeff, an old friend, at a gallery opening featuring her paintings and accepts his spontaneous invitation to travel the world and see its wonders before it’s too late. The journey, which follows the pair through Jordan, India, China, Brazil, and Peru, is believable in its attention to detail—from children’s games to Peruvian porters’ footwear to the details of the facade of the Taj Mahal—but it remains somehow flat, providing information about each setting without bringing it to life. Likewise, Aubrey’s crisis—as a visual artist who is losing her sight—is described, and its psychology explored, but with an emotional distance that might leave readers feeling more like uninvolved observers than intimates: Aubrey mentions that she is grieving and afraid, though she shows few signs of actually having those feelings. Despite the distance, those who are reading for Aubrey and Jeff’s journey will find a memorable adventure. (BookLife)

Publishers Weekly

"A touching exploration of identity and reinvention painted with gentle yet precise brush strokes." --Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review) "...fully realized, vivid, and alive...[Aubrey] reminds us of the lively nature of living a life well." - Judge, 23rd Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards "Blue Sun, Yellow Sky delivers a glimpse into the artistic process, a stunning globe-trotting journey, and the intimate portrait of mending a heart broken by life itself." -- Indigo Wilmann, Visual Yarn "The book is gripping for its thought-provoking power." -- Candi Sary, Underground Book Reviews. "...a memorable adventure." -- BookLife "...my favorite indie book this year." - Loretta Milan, Literary Lightbox "BLUE SUN, YELLOW SKY is a masterpiece!" -- Star, Bibliophilic Book Blog "To say that this book is well-written would be a critical understatement. Blue Sun, Yellow sky was everything I expected it to be, and more. " -- Melissa Rose, Around the World in Books "The depth of my emotional response towards the end of the book surprised me." -- Amanda Price, My Tangled Skeins Book Reviews "The attention to detail and beautiful descriptions will just blow you away...I loved every inch of this novel." -- Lady A, Literature Junkie Extraordinaire "Ms. Hoang sidestepped virtually every single romantic dramedy landmine." -The SNG Show

From the Publisher

In Hoang's assured debut, a young artist makes peace with a crushing diagnosis and takes a stab at reinvention.

What would you do if your very identity were about to be erased? That's the fundamental question Aubrey Johnson must answer—quickly. At the novel's outset, the young, talented painter is handed a damning diagnosis: retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic disorder that will blind her in six to eight weeks. As Aubrey tries to wrap her head around her condition, she runs into an old friend, Jeff Anderson. Jeff and Aubs had been best friends in high school before life took them on separate paths. Now Jeff is back, suggesting Aubrey accompany him on a trip around the world. Aubrey grabs at the chance to pack as many life-altering experiences as she can in a few weeks, while Jeff in turn is seeking some clarity in his own personal life. The novel's central premise—a gifted painter losing her vision—might seem too neat a hook on which to hang a story, yet Hoang successfully prevents the narrative from spiraling into cliche. Insights that Aubrey slowly gathers—"Maybe the question you should be asking yourself is why you feel like what you have isn't enough"—sometimes come across as trite life lessons, but they are more than made up for with flashes of inspired writing. Aubrey narrates the story, which has touches of romance, in the first person, and Hoang's characterization is so impressive that the novel reads like a memoir. Readers see the world (China, India, Jordan, Israel, Brazil, Peru) through Aubrey's artistic point of view, the result of which is often refreshing. She describes the Dead Sea, for example, as a place with "a lack of visual noise." Despite having been dealt a cruel hand, Aubrey still has a lot going for her, including caring friends and a career that blossomed early. Her imagination first flourished after a visit to the Rothko Chapel in Houston, known for its dark, somber modern art. In contrast—and reassuringly—Aubrey's artistic vision continues to shine plenty of light even as the natural world around her slowly fades to black.

A touching exploration of identity and reinvention painted with gentle yet precise brush strokes.

Kirkus Reviews - Kirkus Indie Reviews