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springonion's review against another edition
5.0
4.99 stars
If only there was less Leni! Otherwise perfect, sad because it follows lives till the end. I'd sell a kidney to replace my internal monologue with Amanda Lee Koe's writing. It's also Gay, but equally Sad. Amazing how this story originated from a snapshot, but is such a saga. Actresses age. History happens. This is very good.
If only there was less Leni! Otherwise perfect, sad because it follows lives till the end. I'd sell a kidney to replace my internal monologue with Amanda Lee Koe's writing. It's also Gay, but equally Sad. Amazing how this story originated from a snapshot, but is such a saga. Actresses age. History happens. This is very good.
laurenw's review against another edition
emotional
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
This book is great in its technicalities. A lot of the individual chapters are lovely, and I especially loved the perspectives such as immigration, diaspora, and flawed humanity that are discussed throughout. However, as a whole, the book felt flat to me. The characters are often too disconnected and the various storylines did not stir the same amount of interest.
Reading this was still an enjoyable experience though, and the author manages to immerse the reader well in the times in which she is writing.
Reading this was still an enjoyable experience though, and the author manages to immerse the reader well in the times in which she is writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Chronic illness, Confinement, Genocide, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Body shaming and Racial slurs
Minor: Biphobia, Cancer, Car accident, and Transphobia
jenrefiction's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
zanyanomaly's review against another edition
5.0
"Men would mouth off without thinking twice about who they were crossing. Never having to fight for anything made them complacent and impulsive."
.
I have been trying to articulate why I love this book for the past 5 months now, and I don't think I still can do it. Because Delayed Rays Of A Star is one of those - one of a kind, beautifully written books that shatter every standard you've set for a book to be good and makes you go "oh wow, I love this in a way like I've never loved any other book".
.
So, what is Delayed Rays Of A Star about? Delayed Rays Of A Star is part historical fiction and part biographical narrative of 3 well-known women during the world war 2 era - namely,
- Marlene Dietrich, actress, diva, and femme fatale - one of the highest paid Hollywood actress of her time
- Anna May Wong, the first Chinese American actress and
- Leni Riefenstahl, one of the first female filmmakers, famously infamous for the nazi propaganda films she made for Hitler.
.
And all of this begins with a picture. A picture in which all three women were seen together at a party before their paths diverged in their different life trajectories (and interweaved along the way).
.
"Marlene, do you identify more as German or American?"
"At the best of times, Marlene said, categorical limitations should be difficult to determine, in nationality as in gender. Why, please, should a table be male in German, female in French, and castrated in English?"
.
Marlene was a force to be reckoned with, a woman who got her way using her charm, humor, quick-wit, and confidence. oh, and her sexuality. A woman who did not restrict herself in any way in her professional career as well as her personal life - but always remaining the icon that everyone around her revered in awe. And Amanda Lee Koe manages to extract Marlene's personality and character so skillfully through her writing that, now I am also among the countless men (and women!) who were/are infatuated with her.
.
"by their very nature decisions tended towards narrowing life's possibilities, but Marlene had a knack for making decisions that opened rather than closed, shrugging labels off like they were fleas."
.
Anna May Wong, was the daughter of a laundry man who aspired to be the heroine in movies, but hollywood had other plans for her. As a Chinese American, she was always cast as the villain who dies or the side character (who dies so the hero can unite with the white lead actress). And of course, her roles were all caricatures based on chinese stereotypes, which garnered her hateful criticism in China. And we see what Anna feels about being able to pursue her passion, but in a bad light.
.
"But retrospection is a ripe-looking fruit a few sly boughs out of reach. We are not given to know if its flesh is tart or sweet until everything is too late"
.
Leni Riefenstahl is the most controversial character that Amanda Lee Koe has taken upon herself to write because, Riefenstahl was a director who was responsible for making many nazi propaganda films. She was ambitious, self absorbed and heavily in denial of what she was contributing to. Mind you, she is still a villain, and Koe doesn't shy away from saying that - but overall, her perspective added something essential to this book.
.
There were also a few side characters whose story were also well fleshed out to provide more depth to the story. I don't wanna just call them side characters cause they really do bring a whole different depth to the story.
.
so, to conclude this already long review - Delayed Rays Of A Star is THE novel you should add to your immediate TBR to read cause the characters and the writing will stay with you forever and that is why it is one of my top reads of 2019 and all time favorite read and Amanda Lee Koe goes directly to my auto-buy author list. Don't sleep on this book. That's all.
.
I rate this a full freaking 5
.
I have been trying to articulate why I love this book for the past 5 months now, and I don't think I still can do it. Because Delayed Rays Of A Star is one of those - one of a kind, beautifully written books that shatter every standard you've set for a book to be good and makes you go "oh wow, I love this in a way like I've never loved any other book".
.
So, what is Delayed Rays Of A Star about? Delayed Rays Of A Star is part historical fiction and part biographical narrative of 3 well-known women during the world war 2 era - namely,
- Marlene Dietrich, actress, diva, and femme fatale - one of the highest paid Hollywood actress of her time
- Anna May Wong, the first Chinese American actress and
- Leni Riefenstahl, one of the first female filmmakers, famously infamous for the nazi propaganda films she made for Hitler.
.
And all of this begins with a picture. A picture in which all three women were seen together at a party before their paths diverged in their different life trajectories (and interweaved along the way).
.
"Marlene, do you identify more as German or American?"
"At the best of times, Marlene said, categorical limitations should be difficult to determine, in nationality as in gender. Why, please, should a table be male in German, female in French, and castrated in English?"
.
Marlene was a force to be reckoned with, a woman who got her way using her charm, humor, quick-wit, and confidence. oh, and her sexuality. A woman who did not restrict herself in any way in her professional career as well as her personal life - but always remaining the icon that everyone around her revered in awe. And Amanda Lee Koe manages to extract Marlene's personality and character so skillfully through her writing that, now I am also among the countless men (and women!) who were/are infatuated with her.
.
"by their very nature decisions tended towards narrowing life's possibilities, but Marlene had a knack for making decisions that opened rather than closed, shrugging labels off like they were fleas."
.
Anna May Wong, was the daughter of a laundry man who aspired to be the heroine in movies, but hollywood had other plans for her. As a Chinese American, she was always cast as the villain who dies or the side character (who dies so the hero can unite with the white lead actress). And of course, her roles were all caricatures based on chinese stereotypes, which garnered her hateful criticism in China. And we see what Anna feels about being able to pursue her passion, but in a bad light.
.
"But retrospection is a ripe-looking fruit a few sly boughs out of reach. We are not given to know if its flesh is tart or sweet until everything is too late"
.
Leni Riefenstahl is the most controversial character that Amanda Lee Koe has taken upon herself to write because, Riefenstahl was a director who was responsible for making many nazi propaganda films. She was ambitious, self absorbed and heavily in denial of what she was contributing to. Mind you, she is still a villain, and Koe doesn't shy away from saying that - but overall, her perspective added something essential to this book.
.
There were also a few side characters whose story were also well fleshed out to provide more depth to the story. I don't wanna just call them side characters cause they really do bring a whole different depth to the story.
.
so, to conclude this already long review - Delayed Rays Of A Star is THE novel you should add to your immediate TBR to read cause the characters and the writing will stay with you forever and that is why it is one of my top reads of 2019 and all time favorite read and Amanda Lee Koe goes directly to my auto-buy author list. Don't sleep on this book. That's all.
.
I rate this a full freaking 5
katymm's review against another edition
5.0
I couldn’t put this book down despite not usually being a fan of historical fiction. I didn’t have much previous knowledge about the historical figures in this story except for Anna May Wong, but I was intrigued by all of their narratives. And I was pleasantly surprised when I realized the story follows a thread of queer women and relationships (and the author is queer as well).
bethrose8's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
itsmaymayy's review against another edition
5.0
This exploration of three iconic but undeniably flawed women (one made propaganda films for the Nazi’s so when I say flawed I mean FLAWED) is truly wonderful.
I’ve researched so much about these women while reading this book and will continue to do so.
I’ve researched so much about these women while reading this book and will continue to do so.
returningtoreading's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
theinkdrinker's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0