What do readers think of The Stars Are Fire by Anita Shreve? Write your own review.

I became engrossed in this novel and read it in two days. I wonder what would have happened to this women and her children if she hadn't had the advantage of her mother-in-law's house to live in and her mother to babysit while she got a job? Would she have appeared to be so strong? I thought her husband's character was one-dimensional, pure evil, and the ending was a bit fanciful for me, but it was a good read.

Anita Shreve is a good storyteller who develops her characters well. I found myself very sympathetic to Grace and her mother Marjorie.
The story is set in the time frame of my parents and myself as a child so I related to many details. The terrible fire is a documented event so makes the story very believable.The plot is a bit predictable but I was left satisfied with the ending.
I usually read historical fiction and this one was easy to read and did not require remembering a lot of details. It would be a good choice for someone who wants a fast read and a fairly uncomplicated story. Might be a good book club selection.

Three and a half stars.

It was fascinating to read a fictional account of a major historic event in my home state. My familiarity with the area (coastal Maine) brought this book to life and added to the intensity and immediacy of the story. I knew nothing of this devastating fire but it was easy to imagine being forced towards the ocean for refuge. Shreve does a fantastic job of creating a sense of the time (late 1940s) and many of her characters jump off the page. The first third of the book in particular creates a "slow burn" (pun intended) that made this quite a page-turner.

Where the book lacked a bit for me was in some of the plot points following the fire. Just as Grace is gaining independence and individual strength, somewhat trite romantic encounters and muddled subplots diminish both her independence and the story line. Some of these later characters feel somewhat contrived, and the end of the book does devolve a bit into a thriller rather than the beautiful fiction it starts out as. Still, it was difficult to put this book down and Grace is an easy character to root for.

This is a lovely book abut a woman who discovers, during a time of tragedy and sorrow, who she really is and the extent of her inner strength. Set in Maine after WWII, Grace Holland is left alone with her small children following a natural disaster. She must figure out a way to survive and, in doing so, she begins to really live and feel alive. I enjoyed this book immensely, although found the ending a little too pat. But Grace is an interesting character and enjoyable to get to know over the course of the book.

I was born in 1946, so this book was a fond trip down memory lane for me. I loved reading about the wringer washing machine, and ironing leaves placed between sheets of waxed paper. I think the author did a good job in portraying that time period with only a few exceptions in the dialogue of her characters. For example, on page 161 when Marjorie tells Grace that all used car salesman are crooks, she replies, "And you know this how?" That phrase is very contemporary, as is "Good luck with that," Grace's reply to Amy on page 198.

But these are minor issues. I couldn't give a five star rating because I had a hard time accepting the ending. It was just too pat and did not seem credible to the time period. Still, it is a dramatic story, with the extreme weather and runaway fire a metaphor for what is going on in Grace's life.

I know that Ms. Shreve has just passed away and I have enjoyed other books she has written in the past. This book left me wanting much more. Perhaps she was not well when she wrote it. The first nearly 50 pages were about her sex life- or lack there of- with no reason for her husband to treat her so poorly. The fire shows up, and in less than a chapter, its over! An entire state is devastated yet the reader is not allowed to see the fire as the monster it is. Grace finally grows up as she is forced to. As historical fiction, the fire was barely a spark.

I picked up this book because I thought it was historical fiction about the devastating fire in the Northeast during October of 1947. It is, but first you have to get through the bad sex (there is more bad sex later in the book, too). The fire is only peripheral to the book. It is really about a young mother finding herself, standing up for herself and her children and finally finding her true love. If that is the book you want to read, this one is well written, the characters are interesting and speak and act like real people. There is a bit about the fire that is quite terrifying and a bit about the damage fire can cause to a human being.
The psychology part is also well written. I’m not quite sure about how the title fits the story. I’m still disappointed there is not more about the fire. Oh well, it was a decent read.

Anita Shreve first entranced me with The Pilot's Wife and I have eagerly awaited the publication of her latest books since that first great read. However, The Stars Are Fire truly disappointed me. I could feel no empathy for any of the characters and the plot felt predictable and formulaic. Not only did I feel not empathy, I just didn't like them. I kept hoping the story would get better for me if I were in a different frame of mind. As such I'd put the book down and come back to it. It truly took me 3 weeks to read. The best of Anita Shreve such as Fortune's Rock's, Sea Glass or Wedding in December transport me to another place and time so that I can't put the book down until I've reached the last word. That is what I expect from one of my favorite authors.