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shhchar 's review for:
Starstruck
by Rachel Shukert
Starstruck followed three girls in Hollywood during the 1930s. It was a fun, light read, but really nothing more than that.
The fact that there were so many characters was disconcerting at times. Even though the blurb claims it's three main girls, the PoVS weren't just from those three girls. Random side characters sometimes had a chapter dedicated to them, only to never be heard of again (Olive for example). I'd sometimes read ahead just to find out whose eyes I was looking through. Don't get me wrong, I found all the characters to be interesting and enjoyable to read about. I just feel like the book would have benefited better if it had stuck to the three main girls. On that note, those girls were all intriguing but I didn't really like any of them. I pitied their plights, but I didn't have the urge to comfort them. I need to at least somewhat like the protagonist(s) to care about the book, and the like was only half-hearted for this book.
One other thing that stood out to me was how the author didn't gloss over what was happening in Europe during this time period. Most of the YA 1930s books I've read seem to forget that the second World War is brewing while their book is in action, but Starstruck mentioned Hitler's climb to power several times, and I give it some credit for that.
Starstruck wasn't bad by a longshot, it was quite good. It just didn't have a magical, compelling quality that leaves me begging for more. I might read the second if I happen across it.
P.S.
The cover freaks me out a little. Floating facial features? Not on the top of my list.
The fact that there were so many characters was disconcerting at times. Even though the blurb claims it's three main girls, the PoVS weren't just from those three girls. Random side characters sometimes had a chapter dedicated to them, only to never be heard of again (Olive for example). I'd sometimes read ahead just to find out whose eyes I was looking through. Don't get me wrong, I found all the characters to be interesting and enjoyable to read about. I just feel like the book would have benefited better if it had stuck to the three main girls. On that note, those girls were all intriguing but I didn't really like any of them. I pitied their plights, but I didn't have the urge to comfort them. I need to at least somewhat like the protagonist(s) to care about the book, and the like was only half-hearted for this book.
One other thing that stood out to me was how the author didn't gloss over what was happening in Europe during this time period. Most of the YA 1930s books I've read seem to forget that the second World War is brewing while their book is in action, but Starstruck mentioned Hitler's climb to power several times, and I give it some credit for that.
Starstruck wasn't bad by a longshot, it was quite good. It just didn't have a magical, compelling quality that leaves me begging for more. I might read the second if I happen across it.
P.S.
The cover freaks me out a little. Floating facial features? Not on the top of my list.