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The lives of movie stars can be glamorous or dramatic or turbulent—or sometimes a mix of the three. And in Night of a Thousand Darlas by author Brooke Abrams, the daughter of a former Hollywood icon finds herself caught up in all of it—and more—when her mother decides to throw herself a party.
The story begins as drama teacher Liza Day and her siblings, Kat and Miles, receive invitations to a lavish event at their former movie star mother’s California ranch. It isn’t the usual kind of Hollywood event, though: it’s their mother’s funeral. After confirming that their mother is, in fact, still alive, Liza begins planning to fly in from Colorado with her teenage daughter, Avery. But when she arrives at Day Ranch, she’s greeted by chaos in the form of an army of the party planner’s staff, her mother’s pet white rabbits, and Avery’s action hero father, Scotty.
Darla Day’s living funeral celebration promises to be every bit as over-the-top as the actress herself—complete with a giant pink elephant in the pool, a Darla cake, and guests dressed as Darla’s characters through the years. It’s all big and crazy and surreal—but it’s also full of less-than-fun surprises that Liza didn’t see coming. And as she and her siblings reminisce about their past—the good memories and the bad—and brace themselves for the festivities, Liza is also forced to deal with her sudden unemployment, her tenuous relationship with Avery, and her unwelcome feelings for Scotty.
Though it features plenty of tabloid-worthy antics and some glimpses of the Hollywood lifestyle, that’s just a part of the story for the Day family. As Darla looks back on her life, her career, and her relationships, her thirty-something children struggle to figure out where their own lives are heading. At times, it feels a little unfocused—jumping from the present day at the ranch to Liza’s memories of filming a soap opera with her mom and Scotty during the early 2000s—and it seems to take its foot off the brakes a bit when it comes time for the party. But it still makes for a charming story about three generations of women trying to navigate the latest stage in their lives.
With its combination of classic Hollywood glamour, some wildly funny adventures, and plenty of family drama, Night of a Thousand Darlas is a little bit dishy but also sometimes surprisingly moving. It’s an honest look at the messiness of life and love and family.
Listen to the review on Shelf Discovery:
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