The Light of Falling Stars

There are some books that beg to be read. You're standing in the bookstore or the library, scanning titles and one catches your eye. You pick it up, hold it in your hands and flip open the front cover to scan the synopsis. You think, "Well, maybe." You open it up, check out the font, the spaces between the lines, the way the pages look and think, "Possibly." You turn to the first page and begin to read, "A plane crashed. It was August, a hot, dry day." And you continue reading as you head to the check out counter (or click your mouse to add it to your shopping cart). THE LIGHT OF FALLING STARS is one of those books for me. A first novel for J. Robert Lennon, I first read it three years ago, just before my first trip to Montana where this book just happens to take place. The book carries you through the aftermath of the plane crash and its effects on the people in Marshall, Montana. You come to know them on a level that is both intimate and real through Lennon's descriptive and easy-flowing prose and dialogue. This is a book you'll be glad you found.

I'm not a sentimental person, yet this book made me cry. Anyone who has ever lost someone in any way can relate to this book and mourn with the characters. What's so touching is how each character copes with their loss and strives to overcome it. A must-read. Absolutely captivating.

I was completely caught up in this book the minute I opened it. It took me one weekend to read it, and even though I was initially put off by the subject matter (plane crash), I'm so glad I stuck with the book. I thought the characters were so well-written, especially Lars, and the stories were nicely intertwined. The only thing that prevented me from giving this book a 10 was the fact that I was a little confused and unconvinced about how quickly some of the characters were able to "move on" after the plane crash. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone--it's a great read.