Scan barcode
A review by book_concierge
All the Stars in the Heavens by Adriana Trigiani
3.0
Digital audiobook performed by Blair Brown
3.5***
Historical fiction based on real-life Hollywood drama: the love affair between Loretta Young and Clark Gable that resulted in a love child.
I like Trigiani’s writing. I like the way she draws the reader in and moves the story forward. Because I already knew the basics of this story I did feel somewhat impatient to “get on with it.” And yet, the “will they / won’t they” (or more accurately, “when and how will they”) did add to the tension and kept me turning pages.
I really liked the secondary story of Alda and Luca – two people who met because of their work with the movies and the movie stars. Their steady love story is a direct contrast to the multiple relationships / marriages / breakups / divorces of the Hollywood stars.
I was also happy to learn more details of the intricate relationships between Hollywood legends such as Spencer Tracy, David Niven, Jean Harlow and Carole Lombard. And to get a peek at the difficulties of filming on location. Reading this book made me recall all those movies I watched with my mother on TCM, “wasting” half a day (or more) sitting up in her bed with coffee and cinnamon rolls, entertained by the glamour of the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Blair Brown does a marvelous job of performing the audiobook. A trained actress, she really brings the characters to life. And I’m glad she didn’t try to imitate the distinctive voices of the Hollywood legends.
3.5***
Historical fiction based on real-life Hollywood drama: the love affair between Loretta Young and Clark Gable that resulted in a love child.
I like Trigiani’s writing. I like the way she draws the reader in and moves the story forward. Because I already knew the basics of this story I did feel somewhat impatient to “get on with it.” And yet, the “will they / won’t they” (or more accurately, “when and how will they”) did add to the tension and kept me turning pages.
I really liked the secondary story of Alda and Luca – two people who met because of their work with the movies and the movie stars. Their steady love story is a direct contrast to the multiple relationships / marriages / breakups / divorces of the Hollywood stars.
I was also happy to learn more details of the intricate relationships between Hollywood legends such as Spencer Tracy, David Niven, Jean Harlow and Carole Lombard. And to get a peek at the difficulties of filming on location. Reading this book made me recall all those movies I watched with my mother on TCM, “wasting” half a day (or more) sitting up in her bed with coffee and cinnamon rolls, entertained by the glamour of the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Blair Brown does a marvelous job of performing the audiobook. A trained actress, she really brings the characters to life. And I’m glad she didn’t try to imitate the distinctive voices of the Hollywood legends.