Lorna Landvik is a name that always catches this reader's
attention. Whenever she has a new book out, it automatically is on
the must-read list. While OH MY STARS is quite different from PATTY
JANE'S HOUSE OF CURL and her more recent ANGRY HOUSEWIVES EATING
BON BONS, Landvik's latest does not disappoint.

This is the story of Violet Mathers, a woman who started out in
life unloved and unwanted. She was made fun of by her peers and by
her family, and when she is left with only one arm following a
horrific accident in a sewing factory, she knows that her only
choice is to end her life. At the age of 18, she leaves her father,
gets on a bus bound for San Francisco, and patiently waits for the
bus to end its journey. Her plan is to be the second person to end
their life by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge.

But fate has something else in store for Violet. The bus never
makes it to the West Coast. An accident that leaves the bus
stranded in North Dakota becomes the turning point in her life. A
family kindly takes her in. One of the family members, a handsome
young man named Kjel (pronounced "Shell"), patiently and lovingly
helps change Violet from a very depressed and insecure teenager to
a confident and happy woman. To say it simply, Kjel gives Violet a
reason to live.

Soon after, Kjel and his good friend Austin, a black man for whom
Violet feels repulsion in the beginning, decide they want to travel
around the country. Their story takes place in the late 1930s, and
she has been taught that white and black people do not mix. Kjel,
however, never sees a color difference, and the two men are best
friends. Kjel convinces Austin and Violet that they are going with
him on this trip. They leave North Dakota and take off for parts
unknown, with no plans except to travel.

What happens next is the adventure of a lifetime. With the help of
Austin's brother Dallas, and Violet as their manager, they form a
musical band called the Pearltones, in tribute to their hometown of
Pearl, North Dakota. Their lives take on the form of a dream. Kjel
becomes an Elvis-like heartthrob, and they help break color
barriers with their music. Fans crowd into clubs and bars to hear
them perform, with women young and old swooning at their feet. They
encounter racism along the way, as well as lasting friendships,
loyalty, and not least of all, love.

Although the story is difficult to follow at times due to the
jumping back and forth between time sequences, OH MY STARS is a
wonderful novel. While the story is rooted in history, in
particular the segregation of whites and blacks, it also takes on a
fantastical dreamy type of fable. The story of Violet's early life
is a downer, but this is the type of book that, when the last page
is turned, makes you feel good all over, and you will remember the
characters for a very long time afterward.

The story is told through Violet's eyes as an elderly woman
reminiscing about a life that could have ended too soon. The book
concludes with Violet's narration, remarking, "Who'd have ever
thought a shunned, husky-voiced, one armed, big-chinned girl with a
hive of bees in her head could live a life so full of miracles?"
It's nice to know that some books do have happy endings.