Review: Wish Upon a Star by Martina Reilly

Title: Wish Upon a Star

Author: Martina Reilly

Publication Year: 2006

Genre: Chick lit

It's hard for Lucy, being the sister of supermodel Tracy Gleeson. It's hard because Tracy is gorgeous and Lucy feels distinctly average; Tracy is famous and Lucy works as a receptionist in a vet's clinic; Tracy has just landed a part in a major Hollywood movie and all Lucy has ever wanted to do is act. Worse than that, Lucy's daughter wants to get to know her father - only Lucy never told him she was pregnant. So, against the advice of her best friends and her doom-laden mother, Lucy begins the search to trace the boy she has tried so hard to forget...

My two cents: This is the first book from Martina Reilly that I read. At first, I was a bit hesitant to read this. I rarely read chick lit and I didn't know what to expect from the author. I just bought the book because it was on a good bargain. Anyway, I decided to give it a try and I'm delighted that I did.

It's a really fun read and a quick one too. I finished this in 5 days. It's funny, witty, sad and eye-opening all in one. Credit has to be given to the author for combining all these without losing the pace and manage to keep things interesting.

The book follows the main character, Lucy as she deals with her day-to-day life and regrets of the past. The story of the past is told in the format of Lucy's diary and the present is told from Lucy's POV. To be honest, I don't really know how to describe Lucy. She's sometimes funny and witty and sometimes passionate and emotional. For most part of the story, I felt sorry for her and kept hoping that she would have a happy ending. But, she did become a bit of a bitch towards the end. Maybe it was necessary since it was this occasion that finally opened her eyes. Before, she never really knew what she wanted, except that she wanted to be an actress. However, a little taste of popularity changed that. She finally realized that everything she ever wanted and wished for, she already had.

I found the portrayal of the characters to be really believable. The vet Lucy works for portrays everything wrong with stereotyping. There is no rich vet with fabulous sense of fashion in this book. Lucy's best friends, both Gray and Maddie, are very likable. Lucy's parents are hilarious, especially her mum with her remarks. Lucy's daughter, Fainne is very clever and has some of the best lines. The story might be about Lucy's search for the father of her daughter. But, there are so much more than that. It is also about sibling rivalry between Lucy and Tracy. And also the self-discovery and self-realization by Lucy following the search.

One thing I don't really like is that there are too much usage of the 'f' word. I can't help but feel that the book can do without so much of it. But halfway through, it seemed to tone down a bit.

I'm hoping that this won't be the first and the last time I read something from Martina Reilly. I'm already eyeing 'Something Borrowed' and 'Wedded Blitz' from her. I'm really glad that I discovered this book.

My verdict: 4/5