Sorta Like a Rock Star

Sorta Like a Rock Star - Matthew Quick Amber Appleton is definitely a rock star, no “sorta” about it. True? True. She’s incorrigibly optimistic and hopeful, despite the less than ideal circumstances that life has thrown at her. She cheers up the elderly, rescues stray dogs, helps Korean ladies learn English (and how to embrace their inner diva) through song, and befriends a war veteran who has little interest in socializing, all the while encouraging them with her seemingly endless stream of positivity.

The secondary characters are just as amazing, and I can’t decide which ones I liked the most: BBB, who is quite possibly the coolest dog ever; Joan of Old, whose goal in life is to make Amber cry; Private Jackson, a war veteran who expresses himself through haikus… they were all so wonderfully crafted and unlike any I’ve read before.

Most importantly, this book is honest in its portrayal of the world. Death and alcoholism are portrayed in such a real way, with no sugarcoating or softening of the blows that they inflict upon the characters (and the reader). It also raises some very interesting questions about life, faith, and hope. It questions why bad things happen to good people, while acknowledging the truth that we don’t know the answer to that question and that we probably never will. It affirms that one person can inspire others, and reminds us to have faith in the goodness of the world itself and the people inhabiting it.

This review can also be found at The In-Between Place.