When Cohen Marah steps over his father’s body in the basement embalming room of the family’s funeral home, he has no idea that he is stepping into a labyrinth of memory. As the last one to see his father, Cohen is the primary suspect.
Over the next week, Cohen’s childhood memories come back in living color. The dramatic events that led to his father being asked to leave his pastoral position. The game of baseball that somehow kept them together. And the two children in the forest who became his friends–and enlisted him in a dark and dangerous undertaking. As the lines blur between what was real and what was imaginary, Cohen is faced with the question he’s been avoiding: Did he kill his father?
In Light from Distant Stars, master story weaver Shawn Smucker relays a tale both eerie and enchanting, one that will have you questioning reality and reaching out for what is true, good, and genuine.
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Sexual Content - 0/5
0/5
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Violence - 2/5
2/5
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Language - 0/5
0/5
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Drugs and Alcohol - 2/5
2/5
Summary
Light from Distant Stars is my first book by Shawn Smucker. The opening scene definitely gets your attention and you are not sure what to think of Cohen at first.
From there the story goes back and forth between the current time and Cohen’s childhood. This was a little slow at first but picks up. His childhood was very unusual. His father goes from getting kick out of his church to being a funeral director. His parents also divorce over this issue. Cohen indirectly plays a role in the revealing. Cohen has many things in his childhood that he never dealt with. He father was so wrapped up in his own misery that he didn’t help Cohen deal with his.
The story is of Cohen dealing with his issues and his childhood. Its more drama than a mystery or romance.
Violence - in his father's job as a funeral director he sees to charred remains of children, then there is the beast,
Drinking - his father drinks every night and falls asleep on the couch
I received this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review.
You can see my full review at More Than a Review dot com where I rate the level of sex, violence, language and drug/alcohol use in books.