What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedWandering Stars
Tommy Orange · Book
If you loved Wandering Stars, start with Reservation Dogs (Taika Waititi, 2021) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Wandering Stars across media.
What hooked you in Wandering Stars was the way deep historical wounds ripple through the lives of future generations.
Films on the same thread
Killers of the Flower Moon
Film · 2023
Explores: Systemic Racism, Greed, Betrayal.
Like Wandering Stars, this story exposes the brutal reality of systemic erasure and the enduring fight for justice against those who seek to destroy indigenous history and culture.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
James Cameron · Film · 2025
Explores: Family Survival, Indigenous Resistance, Environmentalism.
If the multigenerational struggle for survival in Wandering Stars resonated with you, you will appreciate this depiction of indigenous resistance against encroaching forces threatening to dismantle a people.
Avatar: The Way of Water
James Cameron · Film · 2022
Explores: Environmentalism, Colonialism, Family Loyalty.
This film mirrors the focus on family preservation found in Wandering Stars, grounding its expansive narrative in the intense loyalty and protective bonds shared between parents and children.
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Daniel Scheinert · Film · 2022
Shares a thread with Wandering Stars: Intergenerational trauma.
Much like the characters in Wandering Stars, the protagonist here navigates the complex weight of intergenerational trauma while attempting to bridge the gap between fragmented versions of herself.
Series on the same thread
Reservation Dogs
Taika Waititi · Series · 2021
Shares a thread with Wandering Stars: intergenerational trauma.
This series captures the same spirit of contemporary indigenous identity found in Wandering Stars, balancing the harsh realities of rural life with the resilience of youth and community.
Star Trek: Voyager
Jeri Taylor · Series · 1995
Explores: Stranded, Survival, Hope.
The theme of being stranded far from home in a hostile environment echoes the displacement and search for belonging that defines the characters within Wandering Stars.
Your Friends & Neighbors
Jonathan Tropper · Series · 2025
Explores: wealth inequality, midlife crisis, moral decay.
While different in tone from Wandering Stars, both narratives explore how moral decay and personal collapse can unravel the structures that hold a community or family together.
Pachinko
Soo Hugh · Series · 2022
Shares a thread with Wandering Stars: Intergenerational Trauma.
This sweeping saga is the perfect follow-up to Wandering Stars, as it meticulously tracks the long-term impact of historical trauma on a family fighting for cultural survival.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Realignment
The Realignment · Podcast · 2026
Explores: institutional change, populism, technological disruption.
If you are interested in the broader institutional forces that shaped the history explored in Wandering Stars, this analysis provides context for the shifting power dynamics today.
The Orphans
The Light and Tragic Company · Podcast · 2025
The struggle for survival in a harsh, unforgiving universe mirrors the existential stakes faced by the characters in Wandering Stars, highlighting the necessity of enduring bonds.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Wandering Stars a direct sequel to There There?
Yes, Wandering Stars serves as a follow-up to There There. It continues the narrative by exploring how generations of a family are tormented by a man who seeks to eradicate Native history, culture, and identity.
What is the central conflict in Wandering Stars?
The central conflict in Wandering Stars involves generations of a family being tormented by a man who is actively seeking to eradicate Native history, culture, and identity.
Should I read There There before starting Wandering Stars?
Since Wandering Stars is a follow-up to There There, reading the previous book first provides important context regarding the family history and the ongoing struggle against the forces attempting to erase their Native identity.
Does Wandering Stars focus on a single character or a family?
Wandering Stars focuses on generations of a family. The story tracks how this family is collectively tormented by a man dedicated to the eradication of their Native history, culture, and identity.