Cosy read, great author. Always enjoy this writer's work. A good story, intertwined with emotion and mystery.

In the Little Stars by Linda
Marc:NetGalley
Publisher: Quercus Books, Quercus
Publication Date: 2nd February 2023
Genre:Women's Fiction

SYLVIE and Donna are both struggling to adjust to life after Brexit.
This book addresses many complex topics, including racism, Brexit, sexual equality, status and social standing, and family problems. Green is courageous in her discussion of the many issues that minority groups in the UK today face.

I liked how Rachid and Jodie's love story was at the core of all these problems. It was the ideal narrative for weaving together all the many topics.

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This is the first book by Linda Green that I've read and I loved it.

The way she brings the characters to life is exquisite!

This novel tackles a lot of hard subjects (racism, Brexit, sexual equality, status and social standing, family problems) & Green is brave in her confrontation of so many issues faced by minority groups living in the UK today. Being at the receiving end of some similarly racist comments myself, I could really relate to the characters.

I loved that, at the heart of all these issues, was the love story between Rachid and Jodie. It was the perfect plot against which to entwine all the various themes.

I also learnt a lot of things that I didn't know - for example, the rigorous processes that people are expected to go through to gain UK Citizenship.

As with all books that explore such controversial topics, there were a few things that I disagreed with however this didn't detract from my reading experience of the novel. I also got slightly confused when the character point of view swapped and occasionally had to double back on myself to see who was speaking.

Definitely worth a read!

Billed as the story of Romeo and Juliet during Brexit, In Little Stars explores two families who are very different yet whose paths cross. Told mainly through the voices of the two mothers, Sylvia and Donna, the dialogue conveys the tensions and divisions within families over the events of Brexit in 2019. The voices of the mothers was very authentic, showing how hard it is to deal with and understand headstrong teens.
The short chapters interspersed with the text messages between Rashid and Jodie, the teens who meet and fall in love make for an absorbing read and I found it to be a real page turner. As the story continues and the level of racism in the community rises, there is a sense of dread and the end was emotional. I haven’t read many books about Brexit and this story shows the side of Britain that people don’t like to talk about. A brave choice of story subject.

Oh this book is beautiful and will stay with me for a long time to come. I love it when a book gives you a book hangover and you can't read anything else for a little while afterwards because it was so good. Don't miss it I implore you.

It's rare that I don't write my review straight after finishing a book, as I like to get my thoughts out quickly and then move on to the next book.
However, this book needed some serious consideration.
I have loved Linda Green's book before, I don't even need to read the blurb. Her characters are wonderfully written, but she writes a compelling plot to combine them with.
That said, she has reached a whole new level in In Little Stars. I finished it on Friday night (early hours of Saturday) and still has me grabbed by the shoulders and consumed my waking thoughts ever since.
This has been dubbed a 'modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet', and whilst there are several similarities, this book deserves to be praised on its own merit. I did love the R and J names of Rachid and Jodie though. Cute.
The plot is so cleverly constructed- the families whose lives, unbeknownst to them, cross several times, and become forever linked. The reader has an incredible sense of foreboding and dread as the book progresses as it reaches the main event, and this is through the multiple POVs. The narrative and the text message conversations keep it flowing and keep the reader gripped and reading well into the night. I also loved the Yorkshire accents of the characters- made them so much more real.
The ending is incredible. I cried. No, I BAWLED. Whenever I stopped crying, the next page would set me off again. My heart has been blasted into a million pieces. The role of all the characters and the parts they play in the story shook me to my core. I was reading it in bed and had to leave the bedroom in case my sobs woke my sleeping fiance!
Aside from the wonderful characters and clever plot though, are the real themes addressed by Green. It is set in the time of Brexit in Britain, and the racism that runs on the undercurrent of the book is brutally conveyed. It is painful to read, written to shock readers and highlight the attitudes of some people in Britain today. Green messaged me herself to say it 'pretty much destroyed her while writing it', and I can see why.
I have not been this affected by a book in years. It is one of my books of the year and will be difficult to beat. I genuinely feel like it has changed me as a person.

A gripping read that I read in one sitting and really made me think. Loved the writing, the story was compelling and the characters were really well developed. I really enjoyed it

In Little Stars is a book about two families with slightly differing views. One is a french/muslim family who have brought their children up in the UK and the other is a 'typically' British family who are staunch supporters of Brexit. The two teenagers from the families embark on a relationship that they try to hide from their family. The story idea is great but the execution is a little clumsy. I normally find Linda Green's writing really gripping and didn't with this and thought some of the dialogue was a bit stilted. It's still worth a read and explores important themes.

I loved this book. I simply couldn’t put it down. Thought it was well written and moved well and really was time spent with another time and place which is what good reading should be. Linda Green writes so well.

A modern day Romeo and Juliet, set in West Yorkshire admist the backdrop of Brexit. This is a must read; it's real, and gritty and absolutely captivating.

This book isnt an easy read because it holds so many uncomfortable truths about the society that we exist in but it is an important one. One to experience the life experiences of others that we may have been privileged not to experience ourselves; one that brings every bit of 'prevent' training that I've ever done to the forefront of reality.


The author says in her notes that it is not a political book, it's a story about humanity. One I hope we learn from, because love is bigger than hate.