I’m a classic movie fan and have watched a few movies with Anna May Wong so this book intrigued me and I couldn’t wait to read it. And don’t you just love this cover!

Born in LA at the turn of the century, Anna grew up wanting to be in the movies. She would skip school to go to Chinatown to watch movies being filmed but became dismayed to find that Chinese parts in these movies were performed by Caucasians with yellow paint on their faces. As she began to get roles hoping to change this, she discovered that because of the miscegenation laws and disapproval from her own father, her options were limited and she had an uphill fight.

Despite this, Anna persevered and she became the first Asian American to become an international star and receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She also became the first Asian American to be celebrated by the US Currency when her likeness was put on a Women of Distinction quarter.

Anna May Wong’s life wasn’t easy but she broke barriers for women and Chinese Americans and has left a lasting legacy. The Brightest Star really brought Anna May to life and the author’s research is impressive. I didn’t know that Anna May started out in silent films and then went on to be in so many movies. I am going to look for more of her movies.

The Brightest Star will be published June 20, 2023. Thanks to Harper Via and NetGalley for the advanced reading copy of The Brightest Star.

Another fabulous book by Gail Tsukiyama. As always, the topic is well researched, and then handled beautifully with wonderful writing and lyrical prose. While difficult at times to read, the book gave a realistic portrayal of the struggle Asian actors in Hollywood at the time had to endure, as well as in the country in general. Thanks for this opportunity, Net Galley!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

A story of Anna May Wong, the first Chinese American actress in Hollywood. A story that should be told.

I have read nearly all of Gail Tsukiyamas books. I really struggled with this one. I didn’t care for the writing in first person. It read really flat to me. I wanted more. I wanted to feel her personality jump out of the pages. For someone who had such an interesting life, I felt the writing confined her to brief journal bits. An example without quoting. She looked out a window, she sipped scotch. She went for a walk. She came back to a note from this guy who asked for to dinner. She thought that sounded like something she wanted to do.
I spent 10 minutes reflecting on the paragraph. Who is this guy? How is he going to be important to her? What happened at dinner? And nothing more is said about the dinner.
Sorry I do love the other tsukiyama books and was just so excited to learn about Anna May Wong. I’ll go watch Shanghai express now.
2*

The Brightest Star was an excellent look into not only the life of Anna May Wong, but the lives of Chinese-Americans living in the United States during her lifetime. It was inspiring to read about how Anna May Wong broke barriers in the film industry and carved her own path, while navigating the difficulties of being a woman in the industry and not being taken seriously. My only feedback is that the book was pretty hard to follow at times with the jumps in setting and timeline, and it was a little long for my taste, but overall, I would highly recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperVia for the copy of The Brightest Star. I was interested to read about Anna May Wong’s life and who doesn’t love a Hollywood story? I had no idea what to expect when I started this book because this was a new author for me. Now I have to go find other books by Gail Tsukiyama because I loved the writing style. Talk about a book I couldn't put down! When I wasn’t reading I was thinking about the story, and wondering what was going to happen next. Anna May was a powerful character, and I loved her tenacity in the face of racism and how she never lost her love for her family. She came alive on the pages of this book. I hope more people learn about Wong and her trailblazing contributions to the entertainment industry. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

This author has brought to life a trailblazer in movie history with Anna Wong. I had never heard of this actress and was given a great picture of what her life was like and how she broke down barriers to help end the use of yellowface white actors in the industry. The research was well done, however there were many times that the events of her life became a lists as opposed to an actual experience from the actor's viewpoint. I really ended up enjoying this book and found it to be great historical fiction. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley. I will be recommending others to read this book.

Gail Tsukiyama is a must read author for me and although this work of historical fiction is a departure from her other books, it highlights her ability to engage the reader in a range of genres. Although I had heard of Anna May Wong, I knew little of her life or the bravery and determination she showed by blazing a trail for Chinese-American actresses. Wong's strength and complexity is fully explored and I can see this book appealing to a wide range of readers.

I’ve always been curious about the life of Anna May Wong and saddened how erased she’s been from history books. She must have been an incredibly strong and talented woman, to have lived and worked in Hollywood during a time when Asian women were so belittled, a problem Hollywood continues to have. This novel. Though fiction, is based on her life. It’s lush, easy to settle into, and simply remarkable. While fiction, I can only imagine that the author did her research and based much on Wong’s real experience. A pleasure to read, while infuriating to observe the crap she dealt with. Read this novel, so very good.

The Brightest Star by Gail Tsukiyama is a great historical fiction that highlights the talented trailblazer Anna May Wong.

Born Wong Liu Tsong, Anna May Wong, as she came to be known, became one of the first well-known and internationally recognized Chinese-American actresses. Born in LA at the beginning of the 20th century, Anna experienced every mountain, battle, critique, challenge, and roadblock one can personally experience during her rise and time.

It was fascinating, and frustrating and disheartening at times, to read of her fictionalized life and career. I honestly knew nothing about her before reading this book, and I am glad that I did.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and HarperVia for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 06/20/2023.

Gail Tsukiyama did an amazing job with "The Brightest Star". While this is a work of fiction, Tsukiyama did a lot of research and followed the life of actress Amma May Wong as best she could.

I loved the tales of old Hollywood, while also saddened by its prejudice and miscengenation laws that made it difficult for Ms. Wong to portrayed the way she wanted to in films. I look forward to finding and watching some of her films.