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Reviewed by Rachel Inbar for Readers' Favorite
In Connie Wesala's A Far Away Star, Sarah and Maggie are best friends. They're about to graduate from high school and already have their college plans made, sharing a dorm room and all. Sarah’s blue-eyed boyfriend from out-of-town flies in for the prom, and everything's perfect--until tragedy strikes. The blow is huge, causing Sarah's path to take an unexpected detour, one Maggie has difficulty accepting. Sarah, haunted by memories of the evening that changed her life, fears going back to Ohio and finds comfort by staying near her Aunt Karen in San Francisco. Even her cousin, Jeff, surprises her by being a good friend. As time passes, we follow Sarah's education and relationships, her continuous connection with Maggie, her desire to form her own happy family, and her loneliness. Her relationships never seem to work out so well--except for her friendship with Maggie. Maggie and Sarah appear to be able to weather any disappointment or sorrow, of which there are plenty.
Connie Wesala's writing is a pleasure to read, and A Far Away Star was realistic in a way that captured my interest as few books have recently. The dialog is natural and flowing, and the characters are well-described and relatable. It was easy to visualize the scenes based on the written imagery. A Far Away Star tells the story of overcoming hardships, true friendship, trust, and disappointment, all while providing an excellent look into Sarah's life and her flaws and how those flaws affect her choices. It also emphasizes that no matter how much control we believe we may have, unexpected things happen, and all we can do is find ways to cope.
