Feminism is...
BOOKS: MR STARLIGHT
Title: Mr Starlight
Author: Laurie Graham
Reviewer: Amanda Prouten
Laurie Graham has an incredible talent for writing in the first person, capturing regional dialect and dialogue, creating characters so precise and real that you assume she must be a fellow countryman. No so, as many of her books attest (The Unfortunates - Priviliged Jewish heiress in 1930s New York, The Future Homemakers of America - Post war America Air Force wives posted in Britain).
Mr Starlight begins life as Sel Boff, a working class Northern lad living with his 'Mam' and brother Cled, a pianist and partner in the working man's clubs and local cabaret haunts. With a penchant for glitzy, smarmy showmanship from an early age, Sel makes his way from the clubs of the North to Vegas and stardom of Liberace proportions, always wooing the ladies onstage and secretly hiding his liasons with the sailors and handsome young pool boys of his private life from his family and fans.
The story is told through the voice of Mr Starlight's brother and showbiz partner, Cled, the rather dim pianist. Sel 'Starlight' always seems glamourous and charming, the favourite of the two brothers, and apple of their mother's eye. However, despite all the clues, Cled never seems to twig that his brother is gay, although his outrageous dress sense, charming manners and lack of overnight girlfriends would appear to give the game away. However, things are not quite what they seem on many levels and it's not until Mr Starlight's on his death-bed that the whole picture becomes clear.
The subject matter may not appear to have typical chick lit appeal, but the author's wit and observation of the characters moves the book with humour and a rare charm and proves to be thoroughly entertaining.
Sample extract: 'Anyway', she said, 'I could never imagine him looking right on the telly. The screen's too small. I don't see how you could get a proper feel for his costumes. He belongs on the stage. He's the kind of star you have to see in the flesh'.
