Reviews

I love bipoc historical fiction and this one was no exception. I had no idea until the end that it was based off a real person. I absolutely loved and enjoyed this story from beginning to the end. It drew all kinds of emotions out of me. I have not read a book by this author before, but this is about to change, because after this, I plan to devour anything she has already written (once I get caught up on a few things, of course). Great job with this story

easturgeon's review

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emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

zzrozi's review

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2.5

the book didn't add anything valuable to the life of anna but since she lead an interesting life and i liked learning about golden age hollywood from a chinese perspective, it was mostly fine, but got really boring by the end

saraka's review

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slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

meshuggeknitter's review

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3.0

My least favorite of her books. There wasn’t much depth, read like a a recitation of events in a calendar. I didn’t feel that I really got to know Anna May Wong- just where she traveled and who she met.

holley4734's review

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5.0

When The Brightest Star by Gail Tsukiyama, a historical fiction novel based on the life of Anna May Wong, became available on NetGalley I was stoked. Thankfully, NetGalley approved my request. After watching Hollywood on Netflix, I learned who Anna May Wong everything that I could about her. I was beyond excited to be able to read this book.

Anna May Wong was the first Asian American actress to achieve stardom in Hollywood. Her career began in 1919 and lasted until 1960. To escape the racism of Hollywood and the laws that enforced racial segregation, she traveled to Europe often for work on stage and screen. When Anna May wasn’t working on a film, she was working on becoming a fashion icon.

The book follows Anna May as she goes to the ceremony to receive her star on the Walk of Fame in 1960. The fictional character of Anna May narrates the book so it seems like a memoir. Honestly, I kept forgetting that it was fiction and not an autobiography.

Although Anna May is traveling around the world, she is still close to her sisters Lulu and Mary. Their father is not supportive of her non-traditional job. However, Lulu and Mary always hope that she follows her heart. They bicker as most sisters do but I enjoy hearing about their family. Anna May worked with many famous people but was still someone’s sister.

Recommendation
If you like stories about women who become successful in spite of obstacles, then you will love The Brightest Star. Also, if you enjoy hearing about the early days of movies and Hollywood, then this could also be the book for you.

If you aren’t a fan of historical fiction that is insanely accurate, then you are missing out on a great book if you don’t read The Brightest Star.

* I received this book from NetGalley. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own. Obviously.

deirdreanais's review

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emotional informative slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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