Where the Stars Still Shine

Where the Stars Shine is a very well written book. I loved how it took a somewhat tough subject, and made it somewhat light-hearted, yet also serious and real at the same time. This is one of those times, yet again, where the writing is poetic and beautiful, but there isn’t much that happens. Not to say that it’s a bad thing, because I’ve been relentlessly bored in the past with well-written, yet uneventful books. Thankfully, the main character’s voice was intriguing and despite the lack of intense drama and action, the pace was steady and I found I rather enjoyed this one. Things were very exciting at the beginning, it did kind of dull out in the middle, but towards the end things really picked up.
Here you have a girl who was taken away from a loving family before she even knew what was going on. She dealt with a lot of troubling issues growing up like a flaky and emotional mother, no friends or any sense of normal (having never gone to school or had any proper meals or a proper home), and she dealt with a seriously traumatizing issues as a child. Callie was a decent female protagonist, and while there were times I couldn’t really connect with or understand her, especially when it came to how her and Alex started things, other times, I loved being in her head, seeing all she went through and watching her adjust to her new life.
I also really liked the secondary characters, especially Kat. And I loved the setting. Modern-day Greek culture, food, and language, what’s not to love?! I definitely didn’t know there was such a big Greek population in that part of Florida and I really enjoyed the descriptions of the town, what people like Alex did for a living, and seeing Callie’s family dynamic. Although I could see Alex’s appeal, I didn’t really care for him, but I understood his purpose during Callie’s journey to self-discovery.
While I didn’t love this like I was hoping, I still really enjoyed it and I know YA Contemporary fans will love it. I’m beginning to think I’m not much of a Contemporary fan, at least when it comes to stories like this. I feel like these are the kinds of books that are supposed to tug at your emotions and make you feel something deep and meaningful, but I think I’m missing that gene because I never really get emotional reading these kinds of books. Like Eleanor & Park, Uses for Boys, or Our Song, for example. But really, that’s just my issue. Still, I really did like this one, probably more so than a lot of others I’ve read this year, so if this sounds like you’re kind of book, then I’d definitely recommend you give it a try.

What I Loved:
Trish Doller’s debut novel wasn’t one that I ordinarily would have picked out or been particularly interested in, but the reviews convinced me to give Something Like Normal a try. That was a wonderful bookish decision, because, though the topic itself didn’t appeal to me, Doller still managed to lure me into the book, a hold that didn’t release until the last page. In fact, the main character wasn’t someone I could relate to in the slightest, and the kind of person I would ordinarily loathe, but Doller made me care for him. This is I think the biggest strength of her writing, one she brings to bear in Where the Stars Still Shine as Well. Doller’s sophomore novel does not disappoint, covering similarly gritty subjects in an emotional and frank way.

As with Doller’s first novel, her sophomore effort once again centers around a main character very much unlike myself. Callie has lived the life of a migrant, following her itchy-footed mother from place to place. They barely have enough to make ends meet, often skipping town on overdue rent checks. Since childhood, Callie’s life has always been this way, and she’s not been to school since kindergarten. Her only education comes from books, scavenged from sales or libraries; reading is one of her only joys. Abused by one of her mother’s boyfriends, Callie’s view of sex and herself has been warped. She feels dirty, tainted, and throws herself into meaningless sexual encounters almost to prove her own opinion of herself. In pretty much every way, Callie’s life has been entirely unlike mine, and her decisions are ones that I would never personally make. And yet Doller works her author magic, making me feel for this girl and empathize with her in a way I ordinarily would not be able to do. Doller brings Callie to life and puts the reader into her mind so solidly that her flawed mental processes make sense.

When her mother is arrested, Callie’s world upends. Suddenly, her mother, her only family and sole companion for the last twelve years, is out of her life, and she’s to live with her father and his new family. Feeling oddly uprooted, Callie really has a chance to lay down roots for the first time, to make friends and have a family. Callie evolves slowly and believably. Even though her new family supports her and the community accepts her, the patterns of the previous decade are hard to break, and she continually makes decisions that push people away or that she knows to be unwise, like her hook ups with the hottest guy in town, Alex Kostas. As the book progresses, what I found most touching and powerful in Callie’s narration was the way it really opened up, the tone becoming cheerful and childlike as she feels settled and safe enough to really let go for the first time in years.

The familial relationships form the backbone of Where the Stars Still Shine. Though largely absent during the novel, Callie’s mother holds powerful sway over her. Even as the lies she’s been told surface, Callie cannot sever the ties to her mother, who was her whole world for so long. The power parents have over the emotions of their children is horrifying. Meanwhile, Callie’s father, Greg, is incredibly sweet but also awkward, trying to find the young child he lost in this distant seventeen-year-old. Basically Greg wins for planning to build Callie a library. Even Greg’s wife, who in many novels would be a villain, has a back story and depth to her, and helps Callie progress.

For the first time ever, Callie has the chance to make real friends. Initially, I was not a huge fan of Kat, Callie’s cousin, who barges into her life and claims best friend status. Kat comes across as pushy and selfish, forcing Callie into a set up with Connor, who really isn’t Callie’s type. Kat annoyed me and didn’t seem to be helping Callie much either. Towards the end of the book, though, Kat almost made me cry with her thoughtfulness, hidden under her rambunctious exterior. Though not a kindred spirit perhaps, she’s just the kind of person needed to help pull Callie out of her shell, emotional, open with her feelings, and understanding.

Where the Stars Still Shine does get fairly steamy, but not to a level that I find in any way inappropriate for a YA novel. Alex Kostas totally fooled me. I thought there was nothing to him but a guy looking to get laid, but he’s actually got his own reasons for being where he is. Actually, all people do, and that’s an easy thing to forget. I judged Alex off of that first moment he appeared, and that wasn’t all there was to him. I really like the way Doller handles the relationship between Callie and Alex. It hit just the right note and differed from so many YA romances.

Just last week, I visited Florida, and my friend, Kara, pointed out a heavily Greek neighborhood as she drove past while taking me to the airport. She even told me she’d bought her bath sponge there, which I thought was a really odd comment. Like, big whoop, it’s a sponge. However, I’m so glad she pointed these things out to me, because Where the Stars Still Shine takes place in Florida in a predominantly Greek community. Callie works in a shop that sells sponges to tourists and Kostas works on a sponging boat. The setting is a delight, the Greek characters shining with the same sort of close-knit community that I loved so much in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Perhaps my favorite thing about Where the Stars Still Shine, though, is that Doller doesn’t wrap everything up in a neat, shiny bow. Callie’s come a long way by the end, and so have some of the other characters, but there are still a lot of issues lingering. Though the ending is fairly happy, it’s not a happily ever after and it’s most definitely bittersweet. Real life doesn’t tend to get to complete perfection, and ending realistic fiction that way often seems misleading to me. Doller’s ending both satisfies and leaves room for a future with problems and changes.

The Final Verdict:
Much as I loved Something Like Normal, I may even have loved Where the Stars Still Shine even more. Either way, Doller has cemented herself as one of the finest contemporary YA novelists. Her novels draw the reader in and help create empathy for people in situations that might be radically different from one’s own.

LOVED.IT.SO.HARD!

What I Loved: Completely unputdownable, this was one of those stories that sucked me right in and didn't want to let me go until it broke my heart in the best way possible. Beautiful writing, endearing characters and a gripping story of family, forgiveness and love - what it is and what it isn't.

Callie struggles to find her place in the strange new world of Tarpon Springs, Florida with a family that is both foreign to her yet strangely familiar too. Old habits die hard and old wounds run deep, but Callie is surrounded by people who love and support her even when she doesn't make the best decisions. Her father Greg is one of those people and I absolutely loved him!

This was one of the best father-daughter relationships I've read in contemporary YA. It would've been so easy for him to add to the pain of Callie's new life whether by rejecting her or villainizing her mother, because he is hurting too, but he doesn't. Instead, Greg lovingly sets boundaries while also allowing Callie room to grow and heal. He doesn't give up when she closes herself off either, but makes sure she knows that she is loved and wanted.

Then there is...a guy. One who struggles between doing what's best and what's expected. One who extends a gentleness and patience toward Callie that left me clutching my chest, fanning my face and wiping my eyes.

The ending left me in tears but with a smile on my face.

What Left Me Wanting More: Nothing. However, I could read an entire book devoted to sponge diving, especially if it were a picture book. ;)

Final Verdict: Another fantastic story from an equally fantastic author! READ.IT.