People Like Stars

In People Like Stars we hear the stories of three very different children. Ayrton is moving to a new town and a new school with all that entails – and his life is still completely overshadowed by something that happened to him as a baby. He meets Stanley who has an annoying twin brother and a whole lot of family secrets he wants to know more about. In another part of town and after years of temporary accommodation, Sen and her mum may have finally found a permanent home in the house of a mysterious and secretive artist. The plot is centred around the children’s intertwined stories and how they eventually untangle the truth of their histories and their present, creating a future that’s full of hope and friendship.

This book is a brilliant and real portrayal of modern families in all their forms and shows the complexity of familial relationships and the difficulties that occur when secrets become lies. It also addresses real issues faced by children in today’s school system where they face poverty prejudice and discrimination from the very place that should be opening up their lives and their futures. Lawrence’s skill though is in weaving these issues and reality through a fabulous mystery plot where the clues, the discoveries and the action drive the story forward. We are aware of the difficulties and the unjustness, and they are fully explored but the rounded characters and the central mystery make this an exciting adventure. The story is told from the point of view of each of the children in turn – each chapter is Ayrton, Stanley or Sen – which gives the whole novel a very filmic quality as you cut from scene to scene and are immersed in the different worlds of each of the children.

Lawrence has a skill for creating interesting and three-dimensional characters that defy the norms of literature and in this novel there are so many. I particularly liked the artist, Vixen, who is most definitely a departure from the usual depictions of older women characters, but whose work, actions and tattoos are the key to the whole mystery!

This is a compelling and wholly enjoyable read with so much depth and interest for modern children.