The Brightest Star in the Sky

Narrated by a disembodied entity of some benevolence, or at least neutrality, Irish writer Keyes' latest novel (after 'The Charming Man') provides a witty and captivating rummage through seven neighbors' lives, particularly their love lives. Though it's the sort of book that keeps the reader smiling, the characters are all pretty miserable, except for Jemima, the 88-year-old psychic do-gooder on the second floor whose beloved (and gorgeous) foster son is coming to stay for several weeks while he does a TV program. The neighbors inhabit a four story building in Dublin, one flat to a floor. At the top is Katie whose 40th birthday party is getting underway as the story opens. Actually it's a few days before her 40th but her type-A workaholic boyfriend Connall can't make the actual birthday - a meeting in Helsinki. The narrator (gender unspecified) doesn't know much to begin with; it captures vibrations, attitudes, trains of emotionally charged thought and observations. Surveying Katie's slightly tense party: "I'll tell you something else: this Connall doesn't live here. A man on a frequency as potent as his wouldn't stand for a television of such modest size. Or plant-watering." Down then, through the floor boards to the flat below, a pig sty where two Polish men are having an anguished conversation about their flat mate. "Luckily, I discover I am fluent in Polish...." "Into the kitchen comes the object of their earnest discussion and I can't see what they're so afraid of, two fine big lads like them, with their tattoos and slightly menacing buzz cuts." Lydia, a small, pretty Irish girl in her 20s, drives a taxi and takes guff from no one. The boys, it seems, want her to take her turn cleaning the place. " `Sometime,' she agrees....But sadly not in this lifetime. Now move.' " But "an unexpected pulse of emotion radiates from Lydia, black and bitter. Apparently she does clean. But not here? Where, then?" Below this unhappy trio live elderly Jemima and her big dog, Grudge, both of whom sense the new presence instantly. The dog is frightened. Jemima is not. On the ground floor are young marrieds Matt and Maeve, obviously very much in love. "Unexpectedly, I sense the presence of another man here." But there's no one else, just Matt and Maeve, who cleave to one another chastely on the couch then don sweats and climb chastely into bed. Weaving among characters, the narrator teases out back-stories and follows them as they go about their lives. "Maeve's journey to work was such a high-risk performance you could have sold tickets to it." Yet her work persona is reserved, her job boring, a contrast to her pre-Matt days when she soaked up knowledge like a sponge and effortlessly charmed everyone around her. Matt spends his drive to work trying to get the hated Act of Kindness out of the way and wracks his brains at night trying to think of the required Three Blessings of his day. He does this for Maeve, it goes without saying. Jemima takes calls o

Marian Keyes is one of my favorite writers and she does not disappoint with this complex tale of the residents of a Dublin apartment house. The premise of delving into the lives of strangers bound only by the fact they share the same address is always fascinating to me, so I was predisposed to love this book, and love it I did. I was a bit mystified at first by the spirit who introduced the story and hovered around the residents throughout. I will only say that I was completely shocked (and very happy, indeed) when the spirit was finally explained. Not what I expected, at all. The residents of the town house are all well-defined and have interesting back stories that explain their current circumstances. On the ground floor are Matt and Maeve, a young couple who seem to have the perfect marriage. It is only when we see them preparing for bed that we begin to realize a dark secret is destroying each of them. Maeve's wild bicycle riding and apparent death wish and Matt's increasing depression is a big hook that will keep the reader turning the pages. Lydia, the often abrasive taxi driver who shares a flat with two Polish men, Andrei and Jan, is the hardest to love. She is in relationships, mostly sexual, with men she hates or has no use for, yet has a mother in the outlying areas of Dublin who proves to be a major test of love and endurance for her. Jemima, the eighty-eight year old resident of the third floor, is the voice on a psychic hotline yet claims not to be psychic. She tells her callers she just has learned a lot by living a long time. Her handsome foster son, Fionn, comes to live with her while being groomed to have his own gardening show on television, and adds to the sexual entanglements running amuck at 66 Star Street. Katie, the just-turned-forty resident of the top floor, spends her days managing rock musicians and her nights being disappointed by her workaholic lover Conall. She's fond of four inch heels, trying to make Conall be the perfect boyfriend, and interested in grabbing a better life for herself before she is sent away to the ole folks home, single and senile. Partners will swap, allegiances will falter, and the thin line between hate and love will be smudged by more than one resident. But, a life-threatening crisis will bring all the residents out into the hallway and as they work together, passions will be reignited and hearts will align perfectly. A night of death leads to redemption and not one, but two, impish little spirits will make all right with the residents on Star Street.

Whenever I start one of Marian Keyes' books the very first thought that comes to my mind is always - "wow this book is huge...will I manage to read it all?" Thats a question soon answered because almost as soon as I start reading I get hooked and the next question in my mind is...."wow...will I ever manage to stop reading it so that I can continue the house chores or get on with my life in general??" Some books by Ms Keyes more than others manage to thouroughly grab my interest. At first with "Brightest Star" I was a bit perplexed...not in 1st person...ugh generally that's a no no for me as regards to chick flick...but I prodded on and realised it didnt matter any more after a while. At first the excerpts about the 7 neighbours confused me... I couldnt really bond with any one character...still I was interested in what was going to happen...so I continued. I so wanted to know who was that strange spirit thing talking and I wanted to know what was the terrible secret behind two of the protagonists as well as wanting to know who would end up with whom in the end. It's like chickflick - romance and thriller (a little) coupled with a bit of fantasy...a very good mixture. I absolutely recommend this book - not her best perhaps but only because its a bit different from what I am used to - some readers complained that the book is too long...I, on the other hand, was sad when I finished it...no book by Marian Keyes can be too long for me I guess.

An unnamed spirit tells the story of The Brightest Star in the Sky, someone flying around over Dublin and checking out the inhabitants of 66 Star Street. This is a four story apartment house where seven people live. The spirit tells the backgrounds of everyone living there. Matt and Maeve live on the first floor and appear to be possibly the most in love couple ever. Jemima is a lady in her 80's who works on a psychic phone line. She lives with her dog Grudge who adds his own thoughts to the story. Jemima's son Fionn is coming to visit soon. Lydia, a cab driver and possibly the most sarcastic and acidic character I've read in a long time, lives with Jan and Andrei, two young Polish men living in Ireland to go to school and to further themselves. On the top floor lives Katie who has just turned 40 and although she likes her job, she feels that perhaps there's something missing. Why is the spirit so interested in these people? I found this story just enchanting. The lives of all seven people were real and believable and kept me turning pages to find out just who this spirit is and what's going to happen next. I was reading this book while there was a lot of activity in the house, interrupting my reading time. But I could hardly wait to get back to the book. I absolutely love books by Marian Keyes; I've never read one I didn't like. The Brightest Star in the Sky is no exception. But let me say that when I started this one, I had some reservations. I'm not really someone who reads much fantasy, but I had to read for just a little bit before I got completely sucked into the story

Many characters, sometimes needing a chart to keep them all straight. It starts out with an unknown person, whom no one can see, and I assumed most of the book it was death. Could have been anything I suppose. Then we have all the characters. Lovable, different, quirky but highly entertaining and enjoyable for me. Everyone in 66 Star Street and those visiting are so different from each other, each with their own problems and that is what makes this book. Some you can't tell what is really going on, and then others, obviously like Katie, older with Conall --- well I won't go into it here. Better for you to read this wonderful book and find out for yourself! I love long books so I didn't feel bored at all. I am glad that I read this book, had been wanting to read it, and I know you will be glad you read it too!