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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
I almost didn't bother to read this book since the Goodreads rating isn't great, but it was hard for me to pass up a novel that dealt with the making of Gone With the Wind, which is something of a pet subject. Unfortunately the movie and its stars were very peripheral to Stars Over Sunset Boulevard, though it was interesting to learn about the little people behind the making of the epic film.
I didn't love either Aubrey or Violet, and though I understand that they were supposed to somewhat mirror Scarlett and Melanie, I found neither as compelling. In the end, I agree with the composite so-so rating from other readers.
I didn't love either Aubrey or Violet, and though I understand that they were supposed to somewhat mirror Scarlett and Melanie, I found neither as compelling. In the end, I agree with the composite so-so rating from other readers.
hopeful
reflective
"The reader’s journey in Stars Over Sunset Boulevard is a look at what we are willing to do or become to hold onto what we can’t imagine living without," author Susan Meissner told us in an interview on my blog in April. What can't you live without? What are you willing to do to to protect it? Susan takes us on quite a journey as she explores the relationship between two young ladies, seemingly from two different worlds who are more alike than they realize.
Violet is a naive Southern girl trying to escape to Hollywood from the heartbreak of her past . When her dreams of being a wife and mother are shattered, Violet is a lost soul searching for a path to take. She has no idea what she wants to do or if her dreams will come true. In contrast, Audrey is a stylish seasoned veteran of the studio life and at 30 years old is still waiting for her big break. She knows precisely what she wants and more importantly, how she will become a coveted star. She will not resort to the usual antics of desperate young actresses. Much like The Odd Couple TV show, these roommates are an unlikely pair but Meissner develops their friendship beautifully. The ladies learn from each other and come to realize what their dreams are and how they want to achieve them.
But their friendship is not all roses and rainbows. Chasing their dreams may just break up their friendship and destroy the lives they worked so hard to create. How will Hollywood change sweet, charming Violet? Is it too late for Audrey to achieve the dreams she's longed for? Will either of them be able to reconcile with the past that haunts them? What or who will come between them?
This is the first book I've read by Susan Meissner and I found her writing lovely, effortless and enjoyable. She created characters that were at times, complex and unpredictable. While I was never a fan of Gone With the Wind (I fell asleep watching it when I was younger) and really had no desire to read the book, Stars Over Sunset Boulevard transported me onto the set of this iconic film and made me want to both read the book and see the movie. I found particularly interesting the meticulous attention the directors paid to accurately portraying the novel. These days, it seems so much creative license is given to directors that fans of the book never quite know if the movie will live up to the book. It's inspiring to see how Gone with the Wind made such a revolutionary impact on the film industry.
Stars Over Sunset Boulevard is an intense and beautiful story about friendship, love and those dreams we long for. I highly recommend this book for fans of classic movies and want to get behind the scenes in 1930's Hollywood.
This review was originally posted on Mom's Small Victories
Violet is a naive Southern girl trying to escape to Hollywood from the heartbreak of her past . When her dreams of being a wife and mother are shattered, Violet is a lost soul searching for a path to take. She has no idea what she wants to do or if her dreams will come true. In contrast, Audrey is a stylish seasoned veteran of the studio life and at 30 years old is still waiting for her big break. She knows precisely what she wants and more importantly, how she will become a coveted star. She will not resort to the usual antics of desperate young actresses. Much like The Odd Couple TV show, these roommates are an unlikely pair but Meissner develops their friendship beautifully. The ladies learn from each other and come to realize what their dreams are and how they want to achieve them.
But their friendship is not all roses and rainbows. Chasing their dreams may just break up their friendship and destroy the lives they worked so hard to create. How will Hollywood change sweet, charming Violet? Is it too late for Audrey to achieve the dreams she's longed for? Will either of them be able to reconcile with the past that haunts them? What or who will come between them?
This is the first book I've read by Susan Meissner and I found her writing lovely, effortless and enjoyable. She created characters that were at times, complex and unpredictable. While I was never a fan of Gone With the Wind (I fell asleep watching it when I was younger) and really had no desire to read the book, Stars Over Sunset Boulevard transported me onto the set of this iconic film and made me want to both read the book and see the movie. I found particularly interesting the meticulous attention the directors paid to accurately portraying the novel. These days, it seems so much creative license is given to directors that fans of the book never quite know if the movie will live up to the book. It's inspiring to see how Gone with the Wind made such a revolutionary impact on the film industry.
Stars Over Sunset Boulevard is an intense and beautiful story about friendship, love and those dreams we long for. I highly recommend this book for fans of classic movies and want to get behind the scenes in 1930's Hollywood.
This review was originally posted on Mom's Small Victories
I actually first became interested in Stars Over Sunset Boulevard by Susan Meissner upon receiving a pitch for it in my email. I mean, they brought up the film Gone With The Wind and old Hollywood glamor. Read my full review here Goes live October 7, 2016
I liked this book? it seemed to be kind of disjointed and a lot of things weren't really explained. The hat seemed to be a big part of the story but the reasoning why seems lackluster.
A quick and compelling read. Two friends working in the film industry during 1939, the Golden Year of Hollywood struggle to realize their dreams. Very enjoyable!
This was an OK read. Felt it very predictable. At the beginning, I felt the author was trying to cram a lot of her knowledge of the making of movies in 1938 into the characters dialogue, making the dialogue feel stilted and unnatural. That did improve. Did find the ending very satisfying, which was nice.
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Susan Meissner is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. As with many of her prior books she weaves stories from two time periods together through an object of clothing. In this case the object is one of Scarlett's hats from the filming of Gone With The Wind. The characters are well developed and I was drawn into the story easily.
More great historical fiction from this author! This one centered around old Hollywood, starting with the filming of Gone With the Wind. The two main female characters were so complex and interesting. Learning what motivated them and wanting to see how things resolved made this a book I didn't want to put down.