The Star Society by Gabriella SaabMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review
That was before she learned what war is. What it does. War takes and takes and so rarely returns.
The Star Society was the story of two sisters who lost each other in the survival of WW ll only to be put in an impossible situation as they tried to regain their relationship. We're first introduced to Ada in 1943 New York City as she arrives in the United States after escaping from the Netherlands. We get a vague idea of why she left her homeland before the story jumps to 1946 Hollywood and Ada's on the way to becoming a famous actress. If you know your history, this is the time period where the Red Scare, the US government ramping up their searching out and condemning Communists, is happening, which brings in Ingrid, Ada's twin sister that she never knew the fate of.
“None of this will settle down as easily as I hoped, will it?”
Ingrid left the Netherlands before Ada with her fiance and ended up in Washington D.C., working for the government. When she recognizes Ada from a picture being passed around as the next target to investigate in Hollywood, she jumps at the chance to lead it. When the sisters reunite there's some distrust, Ingrid not knowing if Ada is a Communist, Ada wondering why Ingrid never wrote to her to tell her she was alive but the bond between the two is still there. As the story dances around in Hollywood we get some actors and celebrities mentioned and brought into the picture from the time and as Ingrid's investigation gets deeper and twisted as some players have their own agenda, we get a look at some historical re-imaginings/enactments of what trials and commissions were like for the people being branded Communists at this time.
“All we can do is defend ourselves, even when it isn't enough.”
Along with the sisters relationship being entangled with the Red Scare plot, there's some past players hiding in the wings as Ada finds the strength to try and get a case worked up on an SS officer from her past. The time jumps in the beginning felt a little confusing with the not being settled into the who's and what's of the characters and their relationships; keeping the past purposefully clouded for shock impact had me struggling with some aspects. It's a little over halfway into the story when the timeline finally stayed in the present (1946-7) and I felt settled into the story with following along with two characters who have entwined stories. If you're looking for a little historical fiction with WWII that leads into a Red Scare Hollywood, some mystery with past events creeping up, a little bit of romance, and a sister's relationship that goes through it, this had all those elements.