Sister Stardust by Jane Green

Synopsis
From afar Talitha’s life seemed perfect. In her twenties, and already a famous model and actress, she moved from London to a palace in Marrakesh, with her husband Paul Getty, the famous oil heir. There she presided over a swirling ex-pat scene filled with music, art, free love and a counterculture taking root across the world.

When Claire arrives in London from her small town, she never expects to cross paths with a woman as magnetic as Talitha Getty. Yearning for the adventure and independence, she’s swept off to Marrakesh, where the two become kindred spirits. But beneath Talitha’s glamourous facade lurks a darkness few can understand. As their friendship blossoms and the two grow closer, the realities of Talitha’s precarious existence set off a chain of dangerous events that could alter Claire’s life forever.

Review
Jane Green is already a best selling author and one whose books I love to read. Sister Stardust is Jane Green’s first foray into historical fiction, and she has done it with the same wonderful style as that of her previous book. The Getty’s are a name assocoated with wealth, power, art and also with kidnapp and other unfortunate events, and in this book Jane focuses on Talitha Getty, wife to John Paul Getty Jr. Talitha is glamorous, vivacious, with a plethora of famous friends, and Jane reimagines this world through the eyes of Claire, a young woman who moved to London from a village in Dorset, who finds herself drawn into this world. But as Claire soon realises, all that glitters is not gold, and she finds herself in danger. Told through Claire’s eyes as she reminisces about her life in the 1960’s this is a vibrant and addictive read.

What can say about Sister Stardust apart from WOW!! Jane Green has moved to historical ficton with such huge success as if she has been writing it for years. Her research into Talitha Getty really shines through, I felt I knew Talitha personally by the end of this book, her quirks and personality. Drugs feature heavily in this book, and I saw Talitha like a drug in the effect she has on those around her. She has the ability to draw people with her ethereal beauty and vibrant personality, no matter who they are, and made them fell special and loved. Claire is the complete opposite to Talith, coming from a small villiage in Dorset and being naive in how the world works. Moving to London is shock to her system, the bright lights an opportunities the city offers her, so Marrakesh is a huge culture shock. I really enjoyed her story and how she matured throughout the book, and as time progresses being able to see through the sex, dugs and rock n roll lifestyle.

As well as the well drawn characters, Jane Green aslo captures the cultural and social history of the late 1960’s. This was a period of, as I mentioned previously, sex, drugs and rock n’ roll, of Carnaby Street and Biba fashion, of opportunity and free love. I love the vibrancy of Jane’s writing, the clothes, and especially the description of Marrakesh, the heat, the beautiful tiles used as decoraton in the houses, and the lush and beautiful flowers in gardens that are an oasis in the desert. I really felt I was there with the characters, and I wish I was especially as the famous designer Yves Saint Laurent is part of Talitha’a circle.

I adored reading Sister Stardust , it is truely an amazing read. The characters are fascinating and full of life, and the writing transported me to 1960’s London and Marrakesh. This a vibrant and colourful read in every sense of the word, with two wonderful female lead characters from completely different worlds but with a connection that draws them together. I can’t recommend this book highly enough, it truely is an evocative and stunning read.

I would like to thank Harper 360 and Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to be part of this wonderful blog tour in return for my honest review.