Elissa's Reviews > Sister Stardust

** spoiler alert ** Ok, I know I will probably be in the minority with this one. I'll start by saying I normally love Jane Green and was excited for this book. I googled a lot of interesting people from the 60s as a result of this novel and it was great seeing photographs and reading up on them a bit.

But, I just couldn't stand the main character. Even when Claire becomes Cece, a girl who became stick thin by eating only yogurt to feel pretty, grown up and accepted (and in just a few weeks lost so much weight and kept it off) she's just so boring. And it's just completely unrealistic that she jumped in the car with strangers, happened to have her passport, and took off on a jaunt to another country. I understand the 60s were different (the author tells us again and again), but come on.

Anyhow, she spends merely 3 weeks in a palace with famous people, does a lot of drugs, has a sort of threesome, OD's and witnesses a murder.

After 3 weeks, the "country mouse" from I believe Dorset went back to London because she couldn't handle the lifestyle. IMO, she kept repeatedly letting it be known that she was not secure and not cool yet she seemed to judge everyone she came into contact with, even though they all accepted her as a total stranger.

But she really wasn't part of this lifestyle. She was a hanger on for 3 weeks even though Paul kept telling her she wasn't, yet she stayed for free, wore free glamorous clothing from Talitha and then we find out at the end brought enough things back from Marakesh to practically redecorate her home, despite going there with no money.

And of course, she ironically had her self described, "best day ever," on the day Talitha died in Rome, after refusing to go on a free trip with Talitha to Rome for the weekend when she knew that Talitha, who she claims was the most amazing person she had ever known, told her she was not feeling well and also Cece had not responded to Talitha's letters for years because she was establishing her own life 🙄🙄

This book is a great idea but it just fell flat. I think it needed a different POV, perhaps someone who really was a part of the group. I also don't understand why a book touted as being about Talitha wouldn't even introduce her until halfway through the story.

Anyhow, Cece was just so unlikeable, it annoys me so much that Talitha would consider her to be like a sister. Unless your sister was self centered and hated you.

And don't even get me started as to why Benji would follow Cece anywhere and propose every month for four years while she "built her life," while living rent free at Benji's flat and worked in a job that he got for her...why these rock stars ever let Cece into their lives, however temporarily, is just beyond me.