Parents' Guide to

Starstruck

By Julie A. Carlson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Fun mix of teen actresses, mystery in Golden Age Hollywood.

Book Rachel Shukert Historical Fiction 2013
Starstruck Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 1 parent review

katieveronica
katieveronica Adult
April 15, 2013
age 13+

The Reviewer Here is Inaccurate

I loved this book. It's witty, glamorous, fun, and surprisingly poignant. I think it's absolutely appropriate for older teens. And I have to say, as a drama teacher and someone who went to film school, I totally disagree with the idea that Shukert's research is somehow inaccurate--it absolutely jives with what I know of this era. As for the homosexuality issue, while the characters themselves are relatively accepting of it, the studio system is not--a huge plot point revolves around covering up a star's homosexuality, and the anguish this causes him and others around him. So I don't know what this reviewer is talking about there!
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What's the Story?

When Margaret Frobisher, a 17-year-old Pasadena girl who dreams of being actress, gets a contract with the fictional Olympus Studios in 1938 Hollywood, her world changes forever. She makes friends with charming Gabby Preston and bad girl Amanda Farrady, and quickly discovers that while Hollywood is definitely the glamorous place she's read about in magazines, it's also where dreams can be made and destroyed in the blink of an eye. Told from alternating viewpoints of teen and adult characters, Starstruck follows the three teen girls as they encounter fame, fortune, love, and heartache.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Starstruck is good fun. It's quite charming and readers will quickly fall in love with main character Margaret, as well as Amanda, and Gabby. It's a coming-of-age story, but it also has romance, revenge, and a little bit of mystery. Historical fiction is all the rage now, so it's fun to see something set during the Golden Age of Hollywood. The writing is good and the story moves by quickly. However, the author's historical research could have been better, especially on items and terms used during the era and how the Hollywood studio system worked. And the way homosexuality is discussed is too progressive for the time. It would have been more accurate to show how much it was covered up and denied.

Author rachel Shukert obviously created backstories for her characters as homages to the lives of Lana Turner, Marilyn Monroe, Gypsy Rose Lee, and a little bit of Judy Garland thrown in for good measure, but she doesn't do it effectively. In any case, the allusions may be lost on today's teens who haven't heard those legendary Hollywood stories.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the Golden Age of Hollywood and classic film stars. Would you watch any movies from this era?

  • What do you think about how the movie studios in the 1920s exploited their stars, controlling every facet of their lives, including their private affairs -- covering up and making up stories, including fake romances? How would you deal with that?

  • Margaret struggles with choosing what she wants -- love or fame. Does she make the right choice? What would you choose?

Book Details

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