Review: Light from Distant Stars by Shawn Smucker

Light from Distant Stars is written by Shawn Smucker who I was introduced to a while back. I read Once we Were Strangers and thought it was one of the most amazing books I had ever read. I was really excited to read Light from Distant Stars. As I started the book I realized right away that it wasn't anything like the previous book I had enjoyed. That's ok because I still love a good book! As the book starts Cohen Marah arrives at the funeral home he and his father run to find his father on the floor deceased. Cohen isn't sure what to do or how to react. He chooses to leave and pretend like he never was there. As he tries to go about his daily routine he waits to get the call he knows is coming. Can he pretend that it's news to him? As he and his sister learn of his father fate and learn that he will most likely pass quickly Cohen wonders if HE was the cause of his father's death. Not in a physical way, but in an emotional way. Cohen and his father were close when he was younger, but as he got older the family dynamics changed. Ultimately Cohen and his father lived in the same house, but really had no relationship. As Cohen tries to deal with his thoughts regarding his father he starts reliving memories from his childhood. He struggles between knowing what was reality and what he might have dreamed. While Cohen's father hangs on longer than they expected Cohen seeks absolution from his pain through his priest.

I have to admit that the book was a pretty easy read, but I struggled to really understand what was going on throughout most of the book. It flipped back and forth between Cohen's current life and that as a child. There was lots of darkness in his childhood that he was dealing with and I just felt it was confusing to understand how it all related together. I did finish the book and felt the ending was good, but just didn't love this style of writing as much as I had hoped.

**I received this book free from Revell Books for my honest review.**