The Brightest Star by Gail Tsukiyama (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

 

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @harperviabooks for the review copy of The Brightest Star by Gail Tsukiyama.

Do you like classic movies?  I love classic movies.  The only regret I had about cutting the cable cord ten years ago was losing Turner Classic Movies, my favorite channel.  Luckily, I’m able to stream a lot of classic movies.  One star of the golden age of Hollywood that fascinates me is Anna May Wong.

I first learned of Anna May Wong when I was reading The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck for my classics book club.  We read the novel as a club and then watched the classic 1937 movie.  Luise Rainer won the Oscar for the main role of O-Lan.  Anna May Wong was the most famous Chinese actress of the day and actively tried to win the role of O-Lan.  Instead, the role went to a Caucasian actress, Luise Rainer.  The Hayes rules of the day prevented the Caucasian lead, Paul Muni from being able to kiss and have a relationship with a non-Caucasian lead.  Even though it was a novel about Chinese characters and author Pearl S. Buck wanted Chinese actors to play the characters, the main characters were all played by Caucasian actors in yellow face.

The Brightest Star is the story of Anna May Wong’s life from her start in her family’s laundry to her too early death at age fifty-six.  The story starts with Anna May Wong at the end of her life taking a train journey across America after finally getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  As she journeys across America, she thinks back on the incredible journey of her life and her constant struggle to make it as a Chinese American actress.  She was born in America, but her native country thought of her as a foreigner and wouldn’t let her have main roles that were not stereotyped.  Will she be able to break through and become a star?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I didn’t know much about Anna May Wong before I read this novel, and I learned a lot.  It made me dig more into the real history of Anna May Wong and this book follows her real history very well.

·       I liked Anna May Wong’s “spunk.”  Her family did not approve of her acting, but she kept at it anyway.  She was constantly striving for something better.  She went to Europe looking for the roles that alluded her in America.  Her fame in Europe made it so that Hollywood wanted her even more.

·       I thought it was interesting that she was a fashion icon.  The photos taken of her, and unique dress blending Chinese and American fashion also helped to create her a star and for studios to want her in a film.

·       Love alluded Anna May Wong.  Or should I say, a lasting love?  She found different partners and love throughout her life but didn’t find one partner that lasted a lifetime.  It was also mostly because of prejudice at that time that did not allow her to be with who she loved.

·       When Anna May Wong did not get the role of O-Lan in The Good Earth, she decided to go to China and visit her parents’ homeland.  While she found some support in China, there were others who said she was not a “real Chinese” person.  Anna May Wong did not have anywhere where she belonged.

·       This book was told through Anna May Wong’s first-person narration.

·       I did feel that the novel raced through Anna May Wong’s life and didn’t spend enough time for me to really feel and know the inner depths of her character.

Overall, The Brightest Star is an interesting historical fiction story of trailblazer Anna May Wong.  I learned a lot!