Stars are Stars

by Kevin Sampson

A dazzling new novel about the impact of Thatcherism on a generation — from the author of Awaydays and Powder .

At the age of fifteen Danny May has just one to be an artist and to go — like John Lennon before him — to Liverpool Art School. Living in Toxteth with his mother and five sisters, Danny meets Nicole and falls in love. She’s clever, politically aware, and astonished at how unworldly an inner-city kid can be.

In the autumn of 1980, Danny receives the devastating news that the Art School’s funding has been withdrawn by the new Tory government. He slides into apathy, robbing and drug dependency. Nicole stands by him, trying desperately to break his depression, but when he burgles her parents’ house, she abandons him and leaves for Paris. Their love affair, played out to a soundtrack of Bowie and Joy Division, is grand, romantic and doomed.
Then, in July 1981, he finds himself sucked into the longest, most exhilarating and frightening day of his life. Set on fire by rioters, Toxteth is ablaze. Danny, transfixed, starts to paint versions of the same picture, over and over again. His subject is Toxteth in flames.

He writes to Nicole, a cry for help. She hears him and tracks him down.

Genres: Contemporary

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Kevin Sampson is the author of seven novels - Awaydays, Powder, Leisure, Outlaws, Clubland, Freshers and most recently, Stars are Stars - and a work of non-fiction, Extra Time. He lives and works in Liverpool.

Reviews

[Nick Upton]

I might have taken one hell of a long break between reading each half of this book, but that was more of a reflection on how I felt about reading in general as opposed to the story.

Hope, dreams, bands, travels, deceit, abhorrent behaviour, smack, new beginnings, and by far and away the best description of a sequence of riot scenes I've ever come across. The two main characters are both rich with personality and are deeply complex individuals, you can't help but want to know more about them. Danny May is up there with my favourite characters from any book, which is probably down to the fact that he reminds me so much of fellow Scouser Michael Head.

Wonderfully written.

[Ross Henderson]

I love Liverpool and I'm preoccupied by what Thatcherism did to this country so this was more or less the perfect book for me.

[Paul Barnsley]

A brilliant book. Captures perfectly the music, fashion and politics of the eighties. The middle class lefts, lack of a, response is particularly effective.

The story centres on a lad full of ideas, naivety, energy and hope. Through Danny, Sampson evokes the beginning of the end as Liverpool de-industrialises and narrates the shattered hopes and dreams it caused. The book stunningly describes the Toxteth riots at its conclusion.

Finally and ultimately though this is a love story and also a love letter to Liverpool.

Highly recommended.

[Martin]

Pretty good, but not his best.