Light From Distant Stars
Shawn Smucker

Thank you Revell publishing for the review copy provided through NetGalley.

Premise: As Cohen’s father wrestles imminent death after a severe injury, Cohen begins to reflect back on some of the most haunting memories of his childhood as he struggles to come to terms with old resentments he’s held against his dad after all of these years.

This story started out strong but I suppose they often do. Unfortunately, the spark of suspense the author initially ignited fizzled out for a good portion of the story. The first half was mainly family drama and there wasn’t anything particularly unique or shocking within that drama.

My biggest disappointment was that the synopsis notes that Cohen is the primary suspect in his dad’s death. This, as well as the beginning of the book, are very misleading. I thought I was entering into something much different. There was barely any focus on Cohen’s involvement in his father’s life-threatening injury and the investigation surrounding the incident was an incredibly muted part of the story.

The book eventually took a rather unexpected turn, at least when reflecting on childhood memories, and it created slight intrigue for me. Unfortunately, it was not enough to keep me actively engaged for the first half. I felt it began to get more interesting around the 60% mark, which was a relief as I kept pushing myself along. Another unforeseen twist closer to the end also created a more satisfying read. The author redeemed the tale a bit as it reached its momentum building conclusion.

Additionally, the author’s vivid descriptions, haunting phrases, and lovely, poetic flow did help pull me through some of the slower, less engaging parts.

But I must note that I feel a certain responsibility was dodged in never properly offering closure in how the book began. I feel like the author wanted to tell a much different story than the one he started with, which is fine, but I feel there was a level of deception with the beginning’s pull. I don’t think that’s a fair path to lay out for the reader. I felt it was one of many pieces in the book that lacked proper development and I found that to be incredibly frustrating.

I liked Smucker’s book and I think that if you enter in with the right expectations, you might enjoy it more than I did.

I wasn't sure what to expect, as this was my first time reading something from Shawn Smucker, but I had heard good things about the book and was intrigued by the cover. There are essentially two storylines going on the entire time, back and forth from chapter to chapter. Although there's a rhythm, it's a bit disorienting. The entire storyline feels like you're inside the main character's head as he lives in the moment and reflects on the past - and yet the reader must agree to believe in things without shape or form, things that even the reader knows are not real. While the writing is good and the descriptions great, some characters felt underdeveloped (Ava, his mother, etc) and multiple storylines never wrap up. You'll have to suspend disbelief for this one, that's for sure, but I read to the end not only hoping Smucker would tie up at least a few loose strings (of which there are many) but because the writing itself pulled me in.

The book opens on the main character, Cohen, finding his father dead in the basement of the funeral home where Cohen works with his father. In the ensuing difficulties that come from such an event, Cohen finds himself beset with memories of his childhood and adolescent, split definitively by an event that basically destroyed his family. The story seems to a bit of an examination of father-son relationships.

As you can see by my rating, I did not care for this book. For one thing, I was expecting more of an investigation into how the father died than was presented, especially considering that most summaries I read ended with, "Did he kill his father?" As it turns out, it was more introspection and reminiscing.

Even as I started to realize that this book was more drama than mystery, it still presented me with little of interest. There are two threads followed--Cohen in present time dealing with what happened to his father (I won't spoil it, but there's something in the summary that is very misleading in this regard, and maybe I'm the only one, but I felt a bit lied to) and his memories of significant events of his past. The present-time storyline is fairly uneventful, filled with light conversations with his pregnant sister, confessions to a retired priest, and then sudden action near the end of the book that I didn't really understand the point of. The past-time storyline has a lot more going on, though it drags a bit here and there too.

There are 2 more significant events in his past, one of which led to the split that broke up his family, and the other of which comes across as a supernatural element, which is maybe a bit confusing in this book. After some time, I came to suspect what was really going on, and turned out to be correct. However, it is severely lacking in explanation--not about how this supernatural memory came to be, but about how it actually made sense even in context.

Building from that, because of the supernatural element, as well as a particular scene in the present-day storyline, I had a very difficult time knowing what was real later in the book, and I am not sure that was meant to be the case. It led me to be fairly unimpressed by the sort-of twisty action scene that happened near the end. Also, there was one huge plot thread just left hanging...something that happened during Cohen's adolescence that came to light near the end that should have had repercussions, and instead, somehow just became a catalyst for Cohen's realization (or reminder) that his father was not quite how he'd always seen him.

I wanted to like this book. I read a couple of reviews by others that were glowing, and the premise sounded interesting. However, by the time I was 75% through, I felt like nothing had happened, and I just wasn't getting the point of it. There is also quite a bit of description and figurative language, which bogged down the story for me. By the last half of the book, I had started to skim the descriptions, especially every time the narrator, whether a child, teenager, or adult, stared at the sky or the city. This happened often. It let me to wonder if there was some sort of symbolism I was simply missing.

Final thoughts: The book is labeled as Christian, though if I'd not seen that label on it, I never would have guessed it was meant to be Christian. The main character does visit a church and confess several times through the book, and there is a bit of a heart change near the end, but to me, it was fairly shallow. This book is simply not my taste, but for those who enjoy descriptive and figurative writing styles and drama and introspection, it may be a great read for you.

This story takes place over 6 days but covers years of Cohen’s life. During the last 6 days of his fathers life, Cohen remembers much of his childhood. He remembers things that he had forgotten about. Everything that he remembers helps to lead him to being a better person. I really enjoyed every bit of this story. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

“Her hands gripped the back of the seat on either side of her chin, and she raised the fingers of one hand, only her fingers, in a sort of wave. They drifted in a sad rhythm like seaweed in a current.”

It is hard writing a review for a book that brings back difficult memories from my own past. Especially when the story is deeply introspective. There were times when whiffs of hospital chemicals still permeated my nostrils and I heard the machines rhythmic movements keeping my dad alive. Given all that, by the ending words, I simply loved this unforgettable story.

Light from Distant Stars is a story that defies the genres of being a straight forward fiction book with a tinge of a fantasy element. The core element of this story kept me guessing until my suspicions were confirmed. The story skillfully weaves around the present and the past of Cohen, his dad, and the Beast. It is a foreboding story skillfully told where Cohen is dealing with the present-day while confronting his memories around his father.

Shawn Smucker has a way of crafting his stories with an alchemy of words that makes you feel every moment of a character’s world. In Light from Distant Stars, readers will understand that the monsters we often need to fear are the humankind not the monsters of make-believe.

This is a book that should be savored in large passages of time. I highly recommend this book if you love a good story about all facets of life changes. I can only hope that a future book will be in the works with Cohen and Thatcher.

At first I could not get into this book, maybe too descriptive without knowing where it was going? I put it down and picked it up a week later and was able to get into it enough to want to know more. It is actually 2 stories in 1.

Cohen as a child and Cohen as an adult are the 2 main characters and the story is how they tie together.

Was it truly a beast that he saw as a child? Than and Hippie- who are they and why are they in his life or is he really a part of their lives, needed to help find and kill the beast?

Did Cohen have a hand in his father's death or was it an accident? Ava from his childhood is now a detective looking into the circumstances. In the end, I cared enough to finish the story and am glad I did.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

This was my second book from Shawn Smucker, and I have to say it is a vast improvement over the first one! There are still some awkward things that I believe experience will work out (such as jumping from first person to third person narrative and back again), but they don't make the book un-readable, or un-enjoyable.

I liked the storyline of the book, even though there isn't anything major driving the plot, such as a kidnapping or some cataclysmic event. It's just a story about a guy trying to work through an experience in his past that seems to collide with his present.

I found it interesting how the author chose to portray the incident from the past, and I'm not really sure what to make of it after finishing the book, as it seems very science-fictionish. We don't get an explanation of how Cohen meets Than and Hippie (even after we understand what the beast really is) so there is definitely a supernatural element to this book. I can live without the explanation.

What I don't understand is how Cohen came to choose a church that is completely different from what he grew up in to restore his faith. A little more info about his journey there would've been good. I mean, did he just want to go to confession? Did the author just want to use that as a metaphor throughout the story, or was there a meaningful reason for the change? Did other people know his mother wrote his father's sermons?

These are questions that most other people probably don't care about, and I only think of them because I really like Cohen as a character and wonder things about those details of his life.

If you are a person who likes religious fiction with a bit of supernatural thrown in, this book will interest you. I was so happy to see the leaps and bounds of improvement in writing from the first book by this author, and I would definitely read another.

Light from Distant Stars will latch onto your heart like a magnet and take your emotions on a trip to infinity and back. I will remember this story by Shawn Smucker for the rest of my life. Maybe longer.

If you’ve ever lost someone very close to you, such as a parent, then you already know there’s a place in your heart that just aches. It may lessen in time, but it never really goes away. That’s the place this story touches! Yet it does it in an utterly subtle and tender way. I’m not sure if that’s what Shawn Smucker intended, but there it is.

For the record, this is not a story about outer space. The title has to do with our young protagonist’s astonishment at the concept of a light year: the amount of time it takes light to travel in the time span of one year. He learns that some of the stars we see in the sky are from planets that have died, but because they’re so far away, we still see the light. If you don’t know, a light year is almost six trillion miles.

**How Light from Distant Stars Rolls**

The story surrounds Cohen, our protagonist, a middle-aged man who works in a local funeral home. As the story opens, something tragic just happened to Cohen’s father. We don’t know if it’s an accident or something more sinister.

Cohen begins reflecting back to earlier times, and the man his father used to be. Through flashback segments, we discover how Cohen and his father became the people they are today.

After his unconscious father is admitted to the hospital, we hear that the prognosis is not good. Nothing more can be done for him. Although Cohen spends most of his time at his father’s bedside, he begins making daily trips to a church a few blocks away. He has a need to confess his sins - daily. He is shrouded in guilt. Why?

I do not want to reveal any more of the plot, but I will say that Smucker did an excellent job of tackling some harsh subjects. This was a very dysfunctional family!

**Technically Speaking**

I’m at a loss on how to communicate to you just how wonderful this story is. When I first started reading, it seemed good, but not anything special. However, then Smucker turns the key on the emotion generators, and you’re just . . . transfixed, for lack of a better word.

One thing that this author does better than most is description. His description is smooth! Here’s an example: “She let go of his hand, not in the way you drop something but in the way a boat drifts from the dock.” Shawn Smucker continually lulls us with his words. He makes it easy for us to feel the emotions.

The pacing was right on the money. It’s not fast, but it’s constant. As such, we begin to formulate an opinion on what really happened. When the climax arrives, regardless of whether your opinion was correct, you just feel a sense of peace. I did. I don’t really know why, but it was very profound.

My mother passed away about 18 months ago. During the last ten days of her life, I kept vigil by her bedside. I felt many of the same emotions as Cohen did. There was love, there was guilt, there was futility.

This story touched me on a very deep level. I can’t recommend it enough.

Light from Distant Stars by Shawn Smucker is more than a tale of a grown man coming to terms with events from his childhood and his rocky relationship with his father, all with a hefty dose of Christianity. Cohen Marah's adolescence consisted of baseball and lying under the pew each Sunday listening to his father's sermon, but a spontaneous decision based on jealousy and confusion sets life-altering changes in motion for both Cohen and his family.

The overall story seamlessly flows between Cohen's present at age 40 and his past when his childhood took a heart-wrenching turn. In the present, Cohen confronts his feelings of responsibility for his father's impending death through the sacramental act of reconciliation and through the swirling memories of when his family splintered beyond repair. Shawn Smucker profoundly presents a story that on the surface is about a son remembering his childhood and a far-fetched, mystical memory of  when he meets two children and together they confront an unknown Beast. But on a deeper level, this story reveals universal truths about family, childhood, and relationships. Families are never perfect, parents are fallible, and children sometimes become confused between reality and fantasy as a form of self-preservation.

What is this Beast from Cohen's past? While that mystery is eventually revealed, the symbolism of the Beast gives this story an interesting depth. What if the Beast represents the struggle of adolescence and the coming of age in a household that is anything but stable? Or perhaps the Beast represents betrayal and the inability to forgive oneself and others. Maybe the Beast is a stand in for loneliness or sadness when a child must navigate into adulthood alone. Parents who hurt their children are also Beasts. Each reader will see this frightening shadow differently, and that is what makes this novel so fantastic.

Light from Distant Stars explores many emotions and often travels down dark and threatening paths, both real and imaginary. Just as the light is forever linked to its distant star, so is our past forever linked to our present as we traverse through life. The hospital is an interesting setting as Cohen and his sister, Kaye, who is pregnant with twins, watch their father's life slowly slip away. Death and life are engaged in a slow and heartbreaking dance here, and the author beautifully presents the two with dignity and wonder, mixed with a little bit of terror.

Shawn Smucker's writing is excellent, and he skillfully paints characters, scenes, emotions, and actions with a tantalizing literary brush. His ability to combine drama, horror, and magical realism and still maintain an air of credibility firmly positions him high on the list of authors to follow, to read, and to wait anxiously for that next book.

I’m not exactly sure what the novel “Light From Distant Stars” by Shawn Smucker was about. I read almost half of the book but just could not keep my interest in reading to the end. Cohen Marah is an undertaker’s son who has just discovered the body of his father in the funeral home. For some reason, Cohen isn’t sure whether or not he killed his father. He goes to the retired parish priest to confess to whatever, the priest absolves him and Cohen continues to doubt himself. There is a touch of the supernatural about this story which I was never able to understand.

I felt that this book was terribly disjointed and very hard to read, thus my stopping in the middle of the book. I don’t think I am the right reading audience for this type of story as I’m sure by other reviews that it has been well received in the literary world. My apologies.

This book was a slow starter for me, but I found myself reading rapidly once I truly got into it. The first chapter finds Cohen Marah in the basement of his father's funeral home, stepping over his father's dead body. Instead of calling for help or telling anyone, Cohen goes about his normal routine.

One thing that I didn't like about the book was the switching between the adult Cohen's story and the story about what happened to him the year he was 14. I found it a little confusing with all of the constant switching.

That being said, Shawn Smucker is a wonderful storyteller and his descriptive prose really paints a picture for the reader. The story unfolds slowly, but keeps the reader engaged throughout. Cohen feels at least partially responsible for his father's death due to a heated argument between them the day before his "accident".

Cohen's guilt drives him to his church frequently to confess his sins. "The more often I come to confession, the more I have to confess." No matter what the priest tells him, he still feels like he has more to confess. But, I also have to say that after several of his trips to confession, I began to feel weary of their repetitive nature. The author repeated the confession ritual each and every time, which I thought was a little much.

This book is also a bit of a conundrum because of Cohen's encounter with "The Beast" when he was 14 years old. During this part of the story, I was reminded of books like "It" and "Stand by Me". A bit of a supernatural feel or is it just evil that Cohen is fighting?

Cohen's family falls apart when his father, who is a pastor, is found to be having an affair with a young woman in his church. At that time, Cohen's strict mother leaves, taking Cohen's older sister, Kaye, to live in another city. Cohen's feelings toward his mother shape much of his life and his father's downward spiral into alcoholism adds to his problems.

As Cohen faces his demons, both real and imagined, he also learns a lot about himself, finds forgiveness and grows closer to those around him. He finally finds peace with his feelings toward his father when the priest tells him, "The one who came to you in the dark and comforted you, held you up, loved you, that was your true father."

There is a lot of Biblical and Christian references in this book, but the author works it into the story seamlessly. In my opinion, one thing that makes a book memorable is the fact that it gets you thinking about things in a different way and sticks in your mind for a long, long time. This book definitely fits that in a big way.

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group through Interviews & Reviews

Spanning two timelines, one in the present as a man and the other in the past as a child, we follow Cohen in his journey to figure out what happened to his father. Very early on, it becomes known that Cohen's relationship with his father was strained, and by alternating between the past and present, the author's deft storytelling created not just an unsettling and suspenseful read, but a masterful character study on family dysfunction. Events that occurred during Cohen's childhood shaped the dynamics of this entire family, and in order to somehow cope in such a devastating predicament, an element of magical realism is introduced to help Cohen work through and process his emotions. Because Cohen is reflecting on this period of his life as a now grown man, this becomes not only a beautiful exploration of memory, but also on the idea of whether Cohen himself can be a completely reliable narrator.

"He was fourteen and finding things out, fourteen and seeing his father for the first time, or a kind of father he had never known before: a human father, a failing father, a rock-bottom father."

Even though it's my job to do so, I can't even begin to do justice to how amazing the author's writing style truly is! This story is so emotionally riveting and incredibly thought provoking. I found it difficult to put down and have thought about it long after I turned the final page. Whatever your relationship with your own parents or whether you are a parent yourself, the story really opens readers up to really looking at the legacy we leave behind.

"Cohen wonders how other children and parents go on through their lives, choosing what to forgive, what to ignore, what to become embittered by."

For all of his father's failures, Cohen still holds high some very esteemed moments that ultimately provide just enough stability to keep their relationship steady. And yet despite everything, Cohen becomes a father figure along the way to several young boys in desperate need of guidance and a feeling of security.

The book is woven with enthralling lines that speak so much truth to the roles, and sometimes the reversals of those roles, that exist between children and their parents. In much the same way as a parable, this story is one that I will definitely return to time and again to learn new spiritual lessons, while also always having those learned previously at the forefront of my contemplation.

"Everything he hated stood there in front of him in the form of that darkness, and he sprinted toward it."

The use of light as a metaphor for truth was absolutely stunning and so well done! Despite the somber tone, the story is laced throughout with the sense of hope, grace, and redemption that leads to a touching and satisfying feeling of closure for not only Cohen, his father, and their family, but also for the reader as well.

Every now and then a book comes along and stamps itself on your heart, and with this story, I found exactly what I needed at this moment in my life as I continue with my own grief from my father's death. If you read nothing else this year, do yourself a favor and read this book.

First of all I want to praise Shawn Smucker's writing style.

The story deals with a multitude of issues like difficult father-son relationships, divorce, guilt, forgotten childhood memories, confession and redemption.

In the beginning some fantasy elements are confusing and it seems as if the author couldn't decide if he wanted to write a fantasy novel or a crime thriller, in the end it's neither.

Light from Distant Stars is my first introduction to Shawn Smucker's writing. I have not read anything by him before and that will now change. I thought this one was a beautiful story. I was not sure at first what to expect but I was quickly captivated. I did not want to put the book down until I was done.
I give Light from Distant Stars five stars. I can not wait to read more by this author in the future.
I received this book from the publisher, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

A well told and captivating story. It was hard to put down once I had actually started it. This is a story of family, friendships, and redemption. A must read for anyone who enjoys a deep and powerful story.

I had mixed feelings about this book. It alternated between the present and the past. Parts of it was really interesting but parts were really confusing to me.

The books starts out where Cohen Marah finds his father's body in the family's funeral home. Since he was the last one to see his father, all fingers point to him for being the primary suspect. The story jumps back to Cohen's childhood and some darkness he encountered while he was a child. He starts questioning if maybe he could have killed his dad?

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

Compelling story! Wonderfully written. This is my first book by this author and I will be reading more by him.
The story goes back in time and then returns to present day. Try thought provoking book. It is one you have to sit with for a while and process. I throughly enjoyed this book.
I received an advanced ARC from the publisher and NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.

This is a very confusing book to me. I had a hard time sorting out what exactly was going on with the shadow beast. The story was dark with many questions unanswered. Just not what I expected.

This is such a deep story, and filled with emotions, and aching for a child/man, and all the while wondering if he did kill his father?
It did take me a bit to get into this book, but I’m sure glad that I did, a read that soon had me page-turning.
The main character Cohen deals with the ultimate child abuse, his to some extent, but others that his heart cannot take, and we relive this with him.
A book that you need to take your time with, there is death and rebirth here, and salvation. A story that will give you chills, and keep you warm at the same time, and at the end, you know that life continues.

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review

Light from Distant Stars is an amazing and masterfully told story! There are so many layers and so much mystery. It tells of the journey for the understanding and for the peace which has eluded Cohen for decades. Assaulted by feelings of guilt, he explores memories long buried.

The writing is beautiful in a melancholy way; prose turned to poetry. The imagery created by the words is haunting and poignant and was not overdone or tiresome. I found myself caught between wanting to luxuriate in reading, to slowly savor each word and wanting to hurry through to find out what happened next.

The subject matter was rather weighty and the overall tone was somber. At one point, I told my husband that it was interestingly creepy. Not because I like creepy – I don’t. While there were suspenseful elements to it, I don’t consider it to be a suspense story. While there was a mystery, that wasn’t the point of the book. The mystery was merely a vessel to transport the reader through the story.

If I was to pick an overarching theme, it would be one of redemption. As Cohen searched the archives of his mind for comfort and for answers, he was seeking absolution. I appreciated how the author demonstrated that by bringing our sins to the light takes away the power they have over us. How it is through confession fellowship is restored with God.

As a side note, the story is written in the third person present tense, except the portions where Cohen is examining his memories. This was surprisingly effective. If you’ve read many of my reviews, you may recall that I do not like present tense much. This was done so well, I didn’t even realize this until I was at least halfway through. It was a great way to separate the memory portions from the events of the “current” time (which was actually 2015).

I am looking forward to reading more books by Shawn Smucker.