Light from Distant Stars

Wow! Where to start? These characters and this story is one that I will come back to over and over. It's the kind of story that will pop back into my head when I'm washing dishes or commuting to work or other random times. I can see pieces of myself in Cohen and Kaye. I want to be a friend like Ava.

The prose is beautiful. The characters are realistic. The story is compelling. And the relationships are the heart of the book.

If you don't read much, take the time to read this one. If you like a plot that takes you along, you will like this one. If you like memorable characters, read this one. If you like relationship stories, you want to read this one. This has something for everyone.

I received an ARC from the publisher and this is my honest review.

Cohen Marah finds his father Calvin, nearly dead, in the embalming room of the family's funeral home. Is Cohen responsible? If so, in what way? As he waits in the hospital for his father to die, Cohen must deal with a rush of emotions and memories brought to the surface by this traumatic experience.

Shawn Smucker takes us back to Cohen's childhood to explore a son's relationship with his father, first as a child, then as a man who sees his father's flaws. Life has happened, often in unpleasant ways, and as Calvin lingers on the threshold between life and death, Cohen feels terribly distant from him. The story of Cohen's past comes forth in memories and emotions, interwoven with his present.

This was not a quick read, nor was it always an easy read. But once I was drawn into it, it was hard to put down. Cohen struggles with questions of faith, of feeling like God is distant from him or even gone, while he tries to resolve his complicated feelings for his father. While I'm not a son working through a complex relationship with my father, I have had my own difficult times of wondering why God doesn't seem to be present anymore. That's heavy stuff.

“Maybe that's the problem with fathers and sons - they lose each other.”

The tale told here is one of struggle, loss, and ultimately redemption. Light will find its way to us through the darkness, and so it is with Cohen.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. All opinions expressed here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't like.