As any regular visitors to my blog will know, I was just a little bit excited about reading the new Marian Keyes book. I have taken my time with The Brightest Star in the Sky and really enjoyed it. There's a fair few characters so I'll give you a little overview of the inhabitants of 66 Star Street, the address in Dublin where this tale takes place:
In the top floor flat lives music exec Katie. She spends her days fighting off has-been rock stars and wondering how much cheesecake you'd need to eat yourself to death.
Below her, a pair of muscular Poles share with a streetwise cabbie named Lydia, who has a sharp tongue, an even sharper brain but some unexpected soft spots.
On the first floor is Fionn- a gardener who prefers the company of parsnips to people. But he looks like a fairy-tale prince and when he's offered his own television show, he's suddenly thrust into the limelight.
And at the bottom of the house live Maeve and Matt, who are Very Much In Love and who stave off despair by doing random acts of kindness.
But a mysterious visitor has just landed at 66 Star Street and big changes are on the way. Old secrets are working their way to the surface, bringing love, tragedy and unexpected optimism. And life will be different for everyone...
So as you can see there are quite a few characters to follow but Marian Keyes manages to link them perfectly. I don't usually like books with lots of characters to keep track of but I didn't feel confused at any point as they all feature consistently throughout. I have always enjoyed the characters that Keyes creates and this lot did not disappoint. By having 66 Star Street as a central point, Keyes is able to bring a varied bunch of people together in a very believable manner. I think that my favourite character was the feisty Lydia, hard as nails but with a heart of gold.
Many people felt that Marian Keyes' last book, This Charming Man, was a little serious compared to her other writing. I think it did have a darker side but that it was dealt with in a very Marian Keyes manner. The Brightest Star in the Sky also explores some pretty heavy issues and there are many poignant moments within the book. However, Keyes' wit and humour is still present throughout and personally I think that it is this humour which allows her to explore darker subjects in such a sensitive way.
The mysterious visitor to Star Street is not revealed until the very last page and I was guessing right up until the very end. I loved the use of the mysterious visitor though as it allowed the reader to get to the very core of the characters whilst adding an air of mystery that kept me turning the pages.
I may be a little biased in this review as I am such a fan of Marian Keyes but I do think that this is one of her best. As with all her books, you get a brilliant story with some fantastic characters but there is real depth to the book too. The Brightest Star in the Sky left me with a profound feeling of hope, hope that if we surround ourselves with the people who love and care for us then we can face anything that life throws at us,
