Review: Light from Distant Stars

 

 

 

Synopsis:

When Cohen Marah steps over the body of his dead father on a cold spring morning, he steps into a labyrinth of memory. In the week that follows, he must confront his traumatic past, a violent present, and the most frightening question of all, did he kill his father?

Rating: 4-stars

Review:

Light from Distant Stars by Shawn Smucker is sad heartbreaking story. The main character is struggling with his emotions as nightmares from his past come to haunt him. Did he kill father? The son, Cohen Marah had a tough childhood. Expectations were rough. He had to behave a certain way. His mother was strict in his up raising. It felt like he was all alone. Neither of his parents smiled much. Then, they divorced. And that left Cohen feeling heavier with emotion. It swallowed me up, as I followed his past and present memories. I got lost along the way, not knowing where the story was leading. But eventually in the end, I understood it. The plot was driven by Cohen’s feelings and his memories more than by action or dialogue. It was like being trapped inside just his head. A bit confusing, a bit overwhelming, and a bit crazy. Shawn Smucker has a way of leading readers like me to feel sympathy for his characters. A once strong family, was now a broken one needing healing and forgiveness. Plus, Cohen needed to find the truth…