Book Review: Waking Up in the Land of Glitter

**This book review is purely my opinion of the book after having read it. I would love to start some discussions about other readers opinions. Thanks.**

This is a review of Waking Up in the Land of Glitter, by Kathy Cano-Murillo. Copyright © 2010; fiction. List price: $13.99. ISBN 978-04465-09-24-4.

Synopsis:

Star’s family-owned restaurant is known for its food and promotion of local artists. Having been raised somewhat unconventionally by her hippie parents, Star is a free spirit, flitting from one idea to the next, and lacking in follow-through. One fateful night, Star’s inability to settle down sparks a chain of events that turn her life upside down. In addition to several ultimatums delivered by her father, Star is required to chair a committee charged with creating a centerpiece for an upcoming nationally-renowned and highly attended craft show call the Craft Olympics…then, duplicate the centerpiece for each table. The committee consists of Star, her best friend and crafting addict Ofie, teen handbag designer Benecio, and local television celebrity Crafty Chloe. Therapy and self-discovery comes unexpectedly to each member through the centerpiece committee.

Analysis:

The beginning of the novel is a little tough to follow and somewhat confusing, but once more of the details are revealed, it makes sense. The characters are funny and tragic, and full of life – from Star’s hippie parents and their eccentricities, to Ofie’s husband and daughter’s unconditional love for Ofie. The shenanigans the characters get into make the reader both laugh and cringe. We feel sorry for Ofie, and guilty, because we’ve all had that moment where we realize we haven’t been a good friend to a good friend. We want to shake Star, and tell her it’s time to become a mature adult, and we cheer when she finally “gets” herself. We mentally cover our eyes at Chloe’s Janus act, and brace ourselves for the impact from her inevitable crash and burn – and grin when she picks herself back up.

Throughout the novel, the strength, dreams, fears, insecurities and skills of each character emerge; the characters learn that each has a place in the three-sided friendship. Together, the group accomplishes more than any of them thought they could, and more than each might accomplish on her own. I liked the underlying thread of the story – that friends need to lean on one another, and to love each other for who each one is as an individual and for what she brings to the group as a whole.

This novel is a fun, fast read; anyone who has any experience with making crafts will appreciate the journey that Star, Chloe and Ofie make, and the bumps they encounter along the way. I appreciated being included in a culture that is completely different from my own, yet shares some similarities. Most of all, I loved that glitter was sprinkled throughout the entire book.