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erin_hibshman's review against another edition
3.0
3.5. I had heard of the truth behind this love story, so there were no real surprises for me. I do enjoy the writing of Ms. Trigiani, and have read all of her books. This book and her last book seemed to be a bit on the downside for me. I was hoping Alda would be more of a character, but she was pushed to the sidelines after the Mount Baker scenes.
drey72's review against another edition
3.0
drey’s thoughts:
All the Stars in the Heavens is the story of a young woman who's told her calling really isn't, and sent to Hollywood to be the personal assistant to a famous actress.
Aldi Ducci planned to become a nun to atone for her past, but is told she's not a good fit. Sent to Los Angeles, she joins the Young household as personal assistant to Loretta Young. Aldi has to find her footing - life in Hollywood is very different from the convent she left; she also has to figure out the movie business as Loretta's assistant.
I liked Aldi's trusting heart and gentle nature, and I really enjoyed watching her story unfold. There were times I wished All the Stars in the Heavens didn't include movie stars; their drama eclipses just about everything else that's going on... And with Loretta Young's ill-fated love affair with Clark Gable as one of the main storylines, there's drama aplenty between these covers.
Trigiani portrays Young as romantic and slightly naive, and I can't complain as I didn't know much about Loretta Young - other than she was a beautiful and prolific actress. Her two great romances brought only heartbreak and scandal, along with a healthy dollop of angst and self-recrimination. There were quite a few times I wished I could reach into the book and smack her upside the head, so she'd quite being so, well, dramatic. Then I remembered she's an actress.
I would've enjoyed All the Stars in the Heavens more if there weren't quite so much angst and drama; those of you who've been here before know I'm not a fan of either. I actually wanted more of Aldi's story, I felt like she was short-changed because of the focus on Young and Gable. But that's not to say that those of you who like a well-spun tale of love and loss won't love All the Stars in the Heavens! So grab a copy, and feel free to come back and let me know what you thought. :)
drey’s rating: Pick it up!This review was originally posted on drey's library
artinyourworld's review against another edition
3.0
To read my full review, click the following link: https://artinyourworld.com/2019/05/20/all-the-stars-in-the-heaven-by-adriana-trigiani/
https://www.instagram.com/art_in_your_world/
https://www.facebook.com/caitlinrambling/
The love affair of Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn’s sass towards Spencer Tracy, Marilyn Monroe floating around set, Cary Grant dashing his way through every troubled situation, it was the golden age of Hollywood. And who isn’t obsessed with the rumors surrounding it, the classics made from it, the love, the hate, the legacies?
I think it’s safe to assume that Adriana Trigiani has the same obsession with classic Hollywood as the rest of us, considering her latest novel, All the Stars in the Heaven, is set in and around the golden age of Hollywood. But, not to get lost in the stardom, we forget that those classic eras actors and actresses aren’t just figments of our imagination or legends, they’re people with lives. With families built around the scandals the media grew, with loves publicized over every tabloid and radio show, with every aspect of their life folded hand-in-hand with the general public, it’s hard to be a star. Most notable example of such being Marilyn Monroe, now with Trigiani’s novel, Loretta Young as well.
https://www.instagram.com/art_in_your_world/
https://www.facebook.com/caitlinrambling/
The love affair of Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn’s sass towards Spencer Tracy, Marilyn Monroe floating around set, Cary Grant dashing his way through every troubled situation, it was the golden age of Hollywood. And who isn’t obsessed with the rumors surrounding it, the classics made from it, the love, the hate, the legacies?
I think it’s safe to assume that Adriana Trigiani has the same obsession with classic Hollywood as the rest of us, considering her latest novel, All the Stars in the Heaven, is set in and around the golden age of Hollywood. But, not to get lost in the stardom, we forget that those classic eras actors and actresses aren’t just figments of our imagination or legends, they’re people with lives. With families built around the scandals the media grew, with loves publicized over every tabloid and radio show, with every aspect of their life folded hand-in-hand with the general public, it’s hard to be a star. Most notable example of such being Marilyn Monroe, now with Trigiani’s novel, Loretta Young as well.
jcansdale's review against another edition
3.0
I look to Adriana Trigiani for charming romances featuring unique characters and colorful locales. Although this book tells the story of the beloved Loretta Young, it just didn't measure up to Trigiani's usual standard.
dozenthhoney's review against another edition
3.0
Loved the Loretta Young/Clark Gable/Old Hollywood story but I never got over the feeling that Alda had been reduced to a supporting role in her own story.
alremler's review against another edition
3.0
I had a really hard time getting into this one. The first half dragged on forever and it took me significantly longer to read than most books usually do.
309804490's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
erika1971's review against another edition
3.0
I was really excited to read this book - I loved "The Shoemaker's Wife" as well as the subject of Golden Age of film. I was a little disappointed however - I don't want to spoil the story but not as riveting as I had hoped!
sharone7's review against another edition
1.0
This book seemed like the kind of thing I would love, but I hated it almost from the first minute. I gave it another couple hours just in case, but there's no way this book is getting another 15 hours of my life. There are too many good things to read. The writing is so clunky and it makes its research so obvious, like the writer hasn't figured out that you don't have to say everything you know about a subject to prove that you're knowledgeable. Good historical fiction doesn't read like it's trying to teach its readers about the historical period it's set in or the characters it involves. And I'll charitably say that the framing of the Young-Gable situation as a grand but ill-fated romance is...unfortunate, given that in later years Young described what happened as date rape.
Hard pass, not recommended.
Hard pass, not recommended.