Saturday, April 6, 2013

The Promise of Stardust

The Promise of Stardust
by Priscille Sibley


Genre: Fiction

Synopsis: Matt Beaulieu was two years old the first time he held Elle McClure in his arms, seventeen when he first kissed her under a sky filled with shooting stars, and thirty-three when he convinced her to marry him. Now in their late 30s, the deeply devoted couple has everything—except the baby they’ve always wanted.
When an accident leaves Elle brain dead, Matt is devastated. Though he cannot bear the thought of life without her, he knows Elle was afraid of only one thing—a slow death. And so, Matt resolves to take her off life support.
But Matt changes his mind when they discover Elle’s pregnant. While there are no certainties, the baby might survive if Elle remains on life support. Matt’s mother, Linney, disagrees with his decision. She loves Elle, too, and insists that Elle would never want to be kept alive on machines. Linney is prepared to fight her son in court—armed with Elle’s living will.
Divided by the love they share, Matt and Linney will be pitted against each other, fighting for what they believe is right, and what they think Elle would have wanted resulting in a controversial legal battle that will ultimately go beyond one family . . . and one single life.
From the author's website
Becky's Review: I found this book on the recommended book club books on the Target shelves and I knew from the description that I wanted to read it.  It seemed like it was going to be an incredibly tragic book and a tear jerker but I was surprised that I didn't cry until the end (that is not giving away anything).  I was in the mood for another very emotional book (after finishing The Fault in Our Stars).  I wanted to have more of an emotional connection to the book from the get go but Elle's accident happens at the start of the book.  There is a trial about whether Matt should be allowed to keep Elle on life support or not.  During the trial there are flash backs when you learn more about Elle's life and Elle and Matt together and that's when you form more of a bond with the characters.  You want everything to work out for the characters and you keep hoping as the book goes on that Matt is allowed to keep Elle on life support.  I found many similarities with this book and those written by Jodi Picoult, so if you like Picoult's books, you most likely will like this book.  I definitely recommend it!

Marcie's Review:  I also thoroughly enjoyed this book, and found that I could not put it down while I was reading it - I needed to know what happened to the characters.  Becky commented that she wanted to get to know the characters prior to Elle's accident, and so she found the beginning a little abrupt, but that didn't bother me.  What did bother me was that right after Elle's accident, the story focused primarily on the legal battle, and it wasn't until later that we started to see Matt's reaction to his wife being in a coma.  I enjoyed getting to know both Matt and Elle through letters and flashbacks, and while I was sad about Elle's future and cried a few times while reading, at least you know what's coming since her accident happens on the first page.
Becky's Rating: 4 stars
 Marcie's Rating: 5 stars

2 comments:

  1. Since this sounds like a really positive review, I'm curious why you didn't give it 5 stars?

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  2. Because I didn't get emotionally involved until later in the story when I got to know the characters better. Within the first pages you know that Elle has been in an accident and is brain dead. I didn't feel for the characters yet because I didn't know them. I'm not sure exactly how the author could have changed that but perhaps it could have started with a sweet memory told by Matt.

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