Book Review: Fading Starlight by Kathryn Cushman

I was really excited to receive the book Fading Starlight by Kathryn Cushman in the mail this week. Believe it or not, I was actually out of books and it arrived at the perfect time. This book is realistic fiction, which is a little different than what I typically read, but it was a nice change of pace. Lauren is an up and coming fashion designer, fresh out of design school. She's been given an opportunity to have one of her designs on the red carpet at a major awards ceremony, but when there's a serious "wardrobe malfunction" at the event, Lauren believes her career is over before it's even started. She finds herself needing to find an out of the way place to live until the whole mess settles down. She gets a low paying job with a local high school costume department, but the unexpected perk is a free place to live. The cottage needs some work, but it puts her smack dab in the middle of Charlotte Montgomery's world. Miss Montgomery is a former Hollywood starlet that's been a recluse for years. Miss Montgomery is so secretive that she is extremely abrasive and unkind at first meeting. Lauren learns that there is much more to Charlotte Montgomery's story than meets the eye.

This was an excellent book! I have always loved reading about clothing in books (maybe that is strange, but it's the truth!), so I liked the way couture gowns were worked into the story. I also did some musical theatre and costuming for shows, so that part was fun as well. I found all the characters in the book likable, including Miss Montgomery (eventually). The one valuable lesson I learned is that in life we often think things are going to go one way, but God sometimes has other plans for us and His plans are better than we could have dreamed. Lauren struggles throughout the novel to actively live her faith through her interactions with Miss Montgomery. She also wants to "fix" her situation by taking matters into her own hands instead of doing what God wants her to do. I could definitely relate to her feelings. I'd recommend this book to those that enjoy realistic Christian fiction with minimal romance, no violence, etc. It was a very pleasant enjoyable read.

I received a copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for this review; all opinions are my own.

Comments

Linda said…
It sounds like a very good book. Thank you so much for sharing this review. You have a lovely blog.