Review: The Heart Is a Star

Title: The Heart Is a Star

Author: Megan Rogers

Publisher: 28th April 2023 by HarperCollins Australia

Pages: 284 pages

Genre: contemporary, drama

Rating: 3 cups

Synopsis:

Layla Byrnes is exhausted. She's juggling a demanding job as an anaesthetist, a disintegrating marriage, her young kids, and a needy lover. And most particularly she's managing her histrionically unstable mother, who repeatedly threatens to kill herself.

But this year, it's different. When her mother rings just before Christmas, she doesn't follow the usual script. Instead, she tells Layla that there's something she needs to tell her about her much-loved father. In response, Layla drops everything to rush to her childhood home on the wild west coast of Tasmania. She's determined to finally confront her mother - and find out what really happened to her father - and lay some demons to rest.

The Heart is a Star is an engrossing, lyrical and powerfully absorbing novel about the complicated and beautiful messiness of midlife; about the ways in which we navigate an intricate, complicated world; and about how we can uncover our true selves when we are forced to face the myths that make us.

My Thoughts

The Heart is a Star appealed to me as it promised what many face in real life - daily struggles for a woman of a certain age. Layla is exhausted and is feeling the strain from work and family demands. She has a troubled mother and when she calls threatening to harm herself and claiming there are things she needs to tell her about her father, Layla jumps on a plane to go and see her. 

‘… at night, when Dad held our hands and walked us the fifty paces to the cliff edge, he'd look up at the dome of constellations above us and say, 'I've never seen the stars so bright than they are here. There are two things in this world you can trust, girls: me and the constancy of those stars.’

Firstly, there is much going on in this book with a number of heavy topics, therefore, it was hard to devote the necessary time to do each of them justice. Layla has work troubles, her marriage is in crisis, her young children need her, she is having an affair, her family (mother and sister) are estranged with her mother threatening self harm; and finally, what is the mystery surrounding her father’s death? Can you see what I mean? There is a lot going on. 

‘… as the children began to grow up and need me less, I remembered that I was a person, with desires and passions and interests and a career that I'd spent a lifetime building.’

This led me to be rather conflicted about this book. Whilst I appreciate what the author was trying to do, scaling it back somewhat might have allowed for further development of certain issues. Whether it had been family dysfunction or the role of women or personally my preferred theme, the long held family secret regarding her father and their initial move to Tasmania, time would have been better spent in my opinion developing a singular theme. 

‘We live a double life. The outer life, which is the one we observe at airports and across dinner tables, at school pick-ups and basketball practice. And then, the one beneath. The secret, passionate, inside-our-skin lives; the intense life that no one else sees.’

The Heart is a Star is a slow burn tale that held potential. At its heart I felt it was about family and the fallout of family secrets being kept. Although others may feel they are protecting those they love and care for by hiding the truth, the damage can be unequivocal when finally they are revealed. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

 

Review: The Way From Here

Title: The Way From Here

Author: Jane Cockram

Publisher: 2nd March 2022 by Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA

Pages: 320 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: women’s fiction, drama, contemporary

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

Three generations of women. Three generations worth of secrets. Will a cache of letters from beyond the grave hold the key to unravelling them all? The answer to that question lies at the heart of this addictive and atmospheric novel from the author of The House of Brides.

Growing up, the Anderson sisters could not have been more different. Susie, the wild one, had an adventurous life while Camilla— Mills—followed a safer path. When Susie suddenly dies, Mills falls apart. Until she receives a bundle of mysterious letters from her estranged sister to be read in the case of her death. Each letter instructs her to visit a place special to Susie, both to spread her ashes but also to uncover some truths Susie has long kept hidden from her family.

Their mother Margaret has secrets of her own. When living in Swinging Sixties London, she too made a decision about her life that not only haunts her, but will reverberate through the generations.

One family, three very different women. What choices and secrets connect them? In this novel of truth and lies, concealment and regret, Jane Cockram flips the looking glass to expose our true face, revealing the deep lines of deception that can run through families and how the people we love the most often have the most to hide.

My Thoughts

The Way From Here by Jane Cockram is such a great read! It truly had it all …. twists and turns that I simply did not see coming. The perfect balance of emotional investment combined with family drama, with a touch of mystery and intrigue. 

‘A promise to myself that one day this story will be told. Even as I write them, I worry about getting the words down right, so I have a crazy idea. Reading the words is not enough. I want you to walk in the hushed halls of the National Gallery of London, to breathe deeply in the salty island air of the Île de Clair and shelter in the green gardens of Pond Cottage. I’m going to ask you to visit these places and do something for me. And because I’m dead and it’s my last request, you’ ll have to do it!’

What attracted me from the outset was the concept. Susie unexpectedly dies just before her fortieth birthday, shocking everyone. Her sister, Camilla, then receives a set of letters where Susie requests they be read in order and at specific locations of where to scatter her ashes. The inclusion of the letters was genius, on top of first person narratives from both sisters (and the mother at a later date) it really added another dimension to the tale. Camilla then sets out on a journey following the footsteps of the trip Susie had made in 1998. 

‘She was here because her sister wanted to tell her something she hadn’t had the courage to tell her when she was alive. It was never going to be easy.’

The first part of the book established both sisters in the past and present and I thought I was in for a solid reflective and introspective read. Then bang! Halfway through the first of what would be several twists hit the story. Now I was fully hooked! This was a story that would involve three generations of the same family and would prove to be shocking to some, if not all, members involved. Slowly, Jane tells the story moving seamlessly between character voices and timelines - it was, in fact,  faultless. Family secrets slowly unfurled as its members come to realise past mistakes and regrets. 

‘Nostalgia is laced with sadness and regrets. The could-haves and should-haves. Do you have any of those, Mills?’

I have nothing but praise for Jane’s writing and the way she pulled all the various threads of this intriguing tale together for a most satisfying story. It is about families and the often difficult relationships, yet, it is also about life and meaning, all set against a backdrop of some picturesque locations - from Australia, to France, to England. 

This book, with such an original plot, is one full of intrigue and drama set across three generations of women. There are secrets that, when revealed, will have lasting impact on all involved. The melding of voices through the sisters and especially the letters is unique and bittersweet. I simply can't wait to read what future stories Jane has lined up for us next. 

‘… the future I looked forward to then hasn’t turned out the way I expected. They say youth is wasted on the young, but it feels to me like not a moment is wasted - we carry our youth with us forever. How I felt when I was sixteen, who I loved when I was nineteen, what I regretted at twenty-one - none of this goes away. It’s all me, it’s all still here.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: On a Cold Dark Sea

Title:  On a Cold Dark Sea

Author: Elizabeth Blackwell

Publisher: 10th April 2018 by Lake Union Publishing

Pages: 290 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: historical fiction, tragedy, drama

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

On April 15, 1912, three women climbed into Lifeboat 21 and watched in horror as the Titanic sank into the icy depths. They were strangers then…

Con artist Charlotte Digby lied her way through London and onto the Titanic. The disaster could be her chance at a new life—if she hides the truth about her past. Esme Harper, a wealthy American, mourns the end of a passionate affair and fears that everything beautiful is slipping from her grasp. And Anna Halversson, a Swedish farm girl in search of a fresh start in America, is tormented by the screams that ring out from the water. Is one of them calling her name?

Twenty years later, a sudden death brings the three women back together, forcing them to face the impossible choices they made, the inconceivable loss, and the secrets they have kept for far too long.

My Thoughts

I am always up for anything ‘Titanic’ related, some are good and some ... not so good. I am happy to say, that this is one of the good ones - a unique take on this infamous tale.

‘... men who did their duty and went down with the ship. It sounds like a noble sort of death, but it isn’t: it’s loud and painful and terrifying. No one surrenders to the water without a fight.’

For this particular tale, we have three women who survived the sinking of the Titanic and found themselves together on a lifeboat on ‘a cold, dark sea’. The story is told from their alternating viewpoints, as we gradually learn a bit about each woman's past, her interpretation of the tragedy and what occurred in the years to follow. All up, ‘On A Cold Dark Sea’ is a captivating tale of survival and how one tries to start over after witnessing and being part of such a tragedy.

‘I hate to think where I’d have ended up if the Titanic hadn’t sunk.’

The book is divided into four parts: life before then life after the tragedy, what occurred on Lifeboat 21 and finally, many years later. I really enjoyed the different stories from all three women who came from such contrasting backgrounds, yet together experienced a tragedy that would link them for a lifetime. This is a very well written tale with the pacing being just right. All characters, not just the three main women, are strong and engaging, highlighting three very different lifestyles in the early years of the twentieth century.

Two points that make this book a standout for me: one, although a work of fiction, the necessary research has been done and it came across as a most realistic portrayal of this well documented tragedy. Everything from how passengers were evacuated, to the crew and the implications of them of not having enough training or necessary equipment. Secondly, the background stories really made this tale. It was definitely not just about the sinking, it was more about these three women and how they came to be on the ship in the first place and how they handled what occured in both the short and long term. How could three women from such varying socioeconomic backgrounds forever be linked together? My only slight disappointment was the ending, it did not really tidy things up enough for my liking.

‘The moment she’d pulled Charlie into the lifeboat—without even thinking, simply reaching out in need—was the moment she’d lost him.’

Reading this book you get a first hand account of how lives were before and after being part of such a tragedy. And how, some twenty years on, they were still very much dealing with haunting memories and critical decisions made on that fateful lifeboat.

‘On that night, it was impossible to imagine that each small decision might later be magnified beyond reason, or that one spontaneous gesture could be held up as evidence in the court of public opinion.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release

Review: All the Stars in the Heavens

Title: All the Stars in the Heavens

Author: Adriana Trigiani

Publisher: 1 January 2016 by Simon and Schuster Australia

Pages: 464 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction, romance, Hollywood, drama

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

Clark Gable, Loretta Young, Spencer Tracy, David Niven, Carole Lombard lead a magnificent cast of characters, real and imagined, in Adriana Trigiani's new novel set in the rich landscape of 1930s' Los Angeles. 
In this spectacular saga as radiant, thrilling and beguiling as Hollywood itself, Trigiani takes us back to the golden age of movie-making and into the complex and glamorous world of a young actress hungry for fame, success - and love. With meticulous, beautiful detail, she paints a rich landscape, where European and American artisans flocked to pursue the ultimate dream: to tell stories on the silver screen. 

My Thoughts

Get comfy .... this review may take awhile. 

"All the Stars in the Heavens" is about the Golden Years of Hollywood: Clark Gable, David Niven, Spencer Tracy, and Loretta Young just to name a few. Reading it felt like being transported back to that time in history, or at the very least, sitting enthralled as if I were watching a riveting black and white movie of the time. And what a perfect title for this book, for it reads just like a movie. 

Now, the details. 

Firstly, you have to appreciate the Golden Years of Hollywood. I love this period in history (thanks to my Mother) and to see the more private side of such unforgettable characters was fascinating. For example: the scene on set with Clark Gable and Hattie McDaniel on the set of the 1937 Saratoga movie (where Jean Harlow died - Googled that - one of many that you will upon reading this book) was most memorable. And that is just one of many factual episodes that Trigiani details. It's poignant at this stage to pause and think about the amount of research that Trigiani must have gone into and, that then begs the question, how much of the story is fiction versus fact? More of that in a moment. 

Although the focus is on Hollywood 1930s, it does jump around a bit (especially towards the end - large jumps along the timeline) but I found it all just so engrossing, that I was prepared to overlook these shortcomings. Trigiani introduces you to the leading actors, their glamourous lifestyles but, also, the double edged sword of just how controlling the studios were and the hypocrisy that existed. This was a reflection of the tragic side of movie making - it's not all bells and whistles. 

"The studio controlled the actors' public and private life. Their personal time was not their own."

Now to the controversy (have a look at the Goodreads reviews!). Let me state from the outset, this is a work of fiction. Yes, factual people and events, but just one persons interpretation. Take that for what it is - and I found it fascinating, for Trigiani can write. You will laugh, you will cry and you will be enchanted. 

"She knew that when the bubble burst, the snow globe would shatter like blown glass, and there would be no putting the picture inside back together."

Reviewers have made Trigiani's tale a battle between 'true love' versus 'date rape' (story bought to light a couple of months ago, a recalled conversation with Young who died over 15 years ago) I don't want to get into that discussion, for those answers, we will never know. I am here to discuss what I found to be a really interesting book. Any book that has you running to Google to check places and faces is good. I was hooked. The novel takes real people and imagines what might have gone on behind closed doors. Creating dialogue for characters who were real people fascinates me. You would have to be naive to not appreciate that artistic liberties were taken with the storyline and of course, things may have been very different. However, I can tell you I enjoyed my time researching all of these characters and movies just as much as reading the story. 

"Powerless to change the circumstances, she plowed ahead, believing that someday the entire situation would change for the better."

I grabbed this book having read Trigiani before, and with the added attraction of Clark Gable and Loretta Young's tumultuous love affair, which I knew nothing about. I loved reading about them and many others - Spencer Tracy (his family situation), Jean Harlow, Carole Lombard, David Niven and even Young's delightful sisters -  all who are long gone. Their lives, their loves, their flaws, their joys, their hopes, their sorrows - became mine. I felt angry at Young, felt sorry for Gable, then felt empathy for Young. 

"Loretta would explain why she had to hide the truth on paper. She was protecting her baby, Clark Gable's career, her own livelihood, and the reputation of her family."

A fascinating read that had me thinking long after I turned the last page. I highly recommended it and congratulate Adriana Trigiani on another winning book. I couldn't put this down and suffered badly from withdrawals upon completion, that's how involved I had become. 

"You know, Sister, we think we have the luxury of time. We figure that there will always be a moment to have the conversation that we meant to have, and then the moment passes and it's too late."

ps. this is similar to 'A Touch of Stardust' (click on title to go to our review of that book) that involved some of the above mentioned actors also.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.