Time 2 Read: Review: All The Stars In The Heavens

All The Stars In The Heavens

by Adriana Trigiani

Why I chose this book? a story about the Golden Age of Hollywood by Adriana Trigiani

When I read this book? October 2015

Who should read this book? readers of historical fiction and fans of Adriana Trigiani

Source: TLC Book Tours

Here is a synopsis of All The Stars In The Heavens from Goodreads

Adriana Trigiani, the New York Times bestselling author of the blockbuster epic The Shoemaker’s Wife, returns with her biggest and boldest novel yet—a hypnotic tale, based on a true story—that dazzles with the signature elements of her previous work—family ties, artistry, romance, adventure—and introduces an unforgettable new heroine: Loretta Young, an ambitious starlet struggling to survive in Hollywood’s dream factory

In this spectacular saga as radiant, thrilling, and beguiling as Hollywood itself, Adriana Trigiani takes us back to Tinsel Town’s golden age—an era as brutal as it was resplendent—and into the complex and glamorous world of a young actress hungry for fame and success. With meticulous, beautiful detail, Trigiani paints a rich, historical landscape of 1930s Los Angeles, where European and American artisans flocked to pursue the ultimate dream: to tell stories on the silver screen.

The movie business is booming in 1935 when twenty-one-year-old Loretta Young meets thirty-four-year-old Clark Gable on the set of The Call of the Wild. Though he’s already married, Gable falls for the stunning and vivacious young actress instantly.

Far from the glittering lights of Hollywood, Sister Alda Ducci has been forced to leave her convent and begin a new journey that leads her to Loretta. Becoming Miss Young’s assistant, the innocent and pious young Alda must navigate the wild terrain of Hollywood with fierce determination and a moral code that derives from her Italian roots. Over the course of decades, she and Loretta encounter scandal and adventure, choose love and passion, and forge an enduring bond of love and loyalty that will be put to the test when they eventually face the greatest obstacle of their lives.

Anchored by Trigiani’s masterful storytelling that takes you on a worldwide ride of adventure from Hollywood to the shores of southern Italy, this mesmerizing epic is, at its heart, a luminous tale of the most cherished ties that bind. Brimming with larger-than-life characters both real and fictional—including stars Spencer Tracy, Myrna Loy, David Niven, Hattie McDaniel and more—it is it is the unforgettable story of one of cinema’s greatest love affairs during the golden age of American movie making.

My Review

I’d read The Shoemaker’s Wife by Adriana Trigiani and loved it. I’ve also read her Valentine series, and while I enjoyed it, I didn’t love it as much. But when I saw this book is historical fiction set in the Golden Age of Hollywood, I knew I would read it. And again, I loved it.

This is a fictional account of the Clark Gable - Loretta Young story, with a lot of big Hollywood names appearing throughout the book. To be honest, while I know who Clark Gable is (who among us has watched Gone With The Wind and NOT noticed Clark Gable?) I really only knew him from his appearance in Gone With the Wind, and it turns out that was not only not the only movie he ever made, but not even one he was particularly proud of. I also had not known of his military service or his multiple marriages; I only knew of his marriage to Carol Lombard.

I knew even less about Loretta Young! I don’t even have an image of her in my mind. I do vaguely remember as a young child hearing a story of an actress that had a child, put it up for adoption and then adopted it so no one would know it was hers, but the story was told in hushed tones not meant for me to hear, and I had no idea who the actress was (or why she would do something like that!), let alone who the father of the child was!

I was torn reading this book. Because I didn’t really know these stories, I wanted to read the book and have their stories revealed in context. However, I also really, really wanted to Google there people and learn more, so I couldn’t wait to finish the book! If you imagine I had a Wikipedia marathon after I finished, you are correct!

One other thing I really enjoyed was reading about the time Loretta spent in Italy. As always, the author paints a vivid picture of Italy for us.

I know some reviewers have an issue with the story because they feel that facts are covered up and circumstances glorified. I did not have this issue however, possibly because I didn’t know some of these things until I read other reviews. But even if I had, I’m not sure how credible they were, and this IS a story about Hollywood in the Golden Age, when image was everything and illusion was common. I enjoyed it as a story of Hollywood magic.

If you enjoy Adriani Trigiani’s work or are a fan of the Golden Age and big name Hollywood stars, you will definitely want to pick this one up! Then visit her webpage for some great photos!

About Adriana Trigiani

Adriana Trigiani is an award-winning playwright, television writer, and documentary filmmaker. Her books include the New York Times bestseller The Shoemaker’s Wife; the Big Stone Gap series; Very Valentine; Brava, Valentine; Lucia, Lucia; and the bestselling memoir Don’t Sing at the Table, as well as the young adult novels Viola in Reel Life and Viola in the Spotlight. She wrote the screenplay for Big Stone Gap, which she also directed. She lives in New York City with her husband and daughter.

Visit Adriana at her website: www.adrianatrigiani.com, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

My Rating: ★★★★ 4 Stars