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amy_alwaysreading 's review for:
When the Stars Go Dark
by Paula McLain
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Have your stars ever dimmed or gone dark? Grief, longing, tragedy…each of us have experience in these depths of despair, some more than others. McLain has created a devastatingly heartfelt novel exploring trauma and survival.
I was quickly swept up by McLain’s beautiful prose and powerful utilization of words. The prologue is shocking and consuming. Her lyrical style hooked me and kept me captivated.
While there is suspense and intrigue in this novel, I would not consider it a typical mystery or thriller. As a matter of fact, I would say the mystery is secondary in this novel. The mystery becomes a means of exploring our main character. It was fairly obvious to me early on who the captor was. Normally that would irritate me greatly. There also were a few scenes that were a bit too perfect, too coincidental. Another typical frustration point for me. However, those things (surprisingly) didn’t bother me in this book. I was deeply invested in Anna’s journey, which was so well executed that they mystery was allowed (some minor) blunders.
McLain’s characterization of Anna is artful and masterful. As pieces of her past are excavated, we come to see the fullness of Anna’s complexities: hardened and strong on the outside while troubled and fragile on the inside. It’s ironic and prophetic that Anna is accomplished at solving other people’s problems while struggling with her own.
Maybe the reason Anna’s voice is so strong is because Anna’s journey is one known to McLain. McLain has laid her own soul bare as she interlaced hidden connections from her own life (foster care, sexual abuse, trauma) into Anna’s story. This is a deeply personal story for McLain, and it is evident through the emotional and raw journey she takes the reader.
(*Don’t miss the author’s notes at the end of the story to learn more about her personal connection to this story.)
But don’t despair. Though dark at times, the stars never really stop shining.
Many thanks to Paula McLain, Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was quickly swept up by McLain’s beautiful prose and powerful utilization of words. The prologue is shocking and consuming. Her lyrical style hooked me and kept me captivated.
While there is suspense and intrigue in this novel, I would not consider it a typical mystery or thriller. As a matter of fact, I would say the mystery is secondary in this novel. The mystery becomes a means of exploring our main character. It was fairly obvious to me early on who the captor was. Normally that would irritate me greatly. There also were a few scenes that were a bit too perfect, too coincidental. Another typical frustration point for me. However, those things (surprisingly) didn’t bother me in this book. I was deeply invested in Anna’s journey, which was so well executed that they mystery was allowed (some minor) blunders.
McLain’s characterization of Anna is artful and masterful. As pieces of her past are excavated, we come to see the fullness of Anna’s complexities: hardened and strong on the outside while troubled and fragile on the inside. It’s ironic and prophetic that Anna is accomplished at solving other people’s problems while struggling with her own.
Maybe the reason Anna’s voice is so strong is because Anna’s journey is one known to McLain. McLain has laid her own soul bare as she interlaced hidden connections from her own life (foster care, sexual abuse, trauma) into Anna’s story. This is a deeply personal story for McLain, and it is evident through the emotional and raw journey she takes the reader.
(*Don’t miss the author’s notes at the end of the story to learn more about her personal connection to this story.)
But don’t despair. Though dark at times, the stars never really stop shining.
Many thanks to Paula McLain, Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.