Follow The Stars Home, Book/DVD Reviews

There are many reasons for which we choose to read a novel, all of them perfectly reasonable depending on whom we are, our location perhaps such as a holiday, daily commuting for some or just simple curiosity.

A few years back I happened to see a Hallmark movie called Follow the Stars Home and due to undeniable curiosity about the author herself, I added this particular title to my "wish list"...This wish list is in fact a little notebook I keep with me always listing all the goodies I hope to acquire somehow later, all items to be strictly purchased at one or another Charity shoppes!

Not all wishes come true of course (I am still hoping for an old convertible VW with automatic drive...) but when my husband found this book on some obscure shelf and waved it from afar, I just crossed it off the list! One down, a million more to go...

Luanne Rice published this particular novel in 2000 and has since written many more stories, all absolutely worth reading if they are anything like this one! The movie came out I believe in 2001 with the DVD release in 2002 and yes, I also own a copy of it!

What makes this story special for me were the feelings I experienced when I first saw the part played in the movie by Blair Brown. This was the perfect Mum and the ultimate GrandMother! Quiet, faithful, courageous, solid, funny, tender, feminin... I just had to read Follow the Stars Home and find out more. 

I was not disappointed! The introduction would have been enough! Somewhere I simply lost myself and felt a myriad of emotions that could only be inspired from someone as caring as Luanne Rice.

This is a story of love, courage, endurance, broken dreams but also wonderful and unexpected gifts! This is the story of a young mother who chooses to keep the baby she carries after being told of her little girl's birth defects. Despite her husband's careless rejection of this baby she already loves so much and his subsequent abandon, Dianne learns to survive with the help of Lucinda her mother and Alan, a faithful friend and pediatrician. Alan is also the child's uncle and he is in love with Dianne. Theirs is an unusual but incredible family who together meets every challenge and crisis resulting from this lovely little girl's declining health. 

Julia is not going to get better and time is so precious!

Luanne Rice's does not shy from recounting the daily struggles this young mother faces whilst caring for her beautiful little girl who comes to mean so much to everyone who loves her including Amy, her newfound friend. 

Amy is a lonely little girl who just wants to be loved. Her father died at sea, her mother suffers of deep depression and lives with her abusive boyfriend. Amy reaches out to Julia and forges a special bond with the little girl. Theirs is a friendship that knows no boundaries.

Throughout the story you will find yourself rethinking many emotions. This is not just a story about love and romance or wishful dreams, nothing is perfect and each character is aptly developed to remind you life is not a destination but a journey!

The movie adaption called for different locales and a change of names for certains characters but the overall effect does not change its haunting appeal.

On a final note, whilst reading the book I discovered Blair Brown's rendition of Lucinda is absolutely perfect and I think every mother's heart could identify at some point with her! 

The script for the movie itself was also co-written with the author and merits a round of applause! I found the actors selection to be grand and their performance flawless. Campbell Scott never disappoints!

I give 5 stars to the book and 4 1/2 stars to the movie!

Note: I was not asked to review this Book/DVD and therefore all opinions expressed are solely my own!