‘A gorgeous novel about passing and performance' Jonathan Safran Foer
‘A debut novel of astonishing ambition and charm’ Joyce Carol Oates
Perfect for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and The Vanishing Half, Starlet is the mesmerising true story of Merle Oberon, the first South Asian actress to conquer Hollywood, and a heartbreaking tale of the lengths one mother will go to protect her daughter.
Bombay, 1929. In Estelle Thompson’s dreams, she’s the darling of the silver screen, a household name to rival Joan Crawford and Greta Garbo. In reality, she’s a half-Indian woman passing as white, who scrapes by dancing onstage at a nightclub in the city and spends her days watching all her favourite movie stars live the life she never could.
When Estelle’s fiancé breaks off their engagement after discovering the truth of her heritage, she decides there’s nothing left to lose. She sets sail from Bombay with her mother, determined to make a go of it as a film star. Estelle Thompson recedes into the background. Out from the shadows emerges the elusive and vampy Merle Oberon. Spells in France and England follow and before long, Hollywood beckons. Long days under studio lights and longer nights on the red carpet cement Merle’s status as a household name.
But Merle sees hazards everywhere she looks: Hollywood is governed by the repressive Hays Code, which forbids, amongst other things, interracial relationships on film. Only Merle’s mother – disguised as her maid and harbouring secrets of her own – knows the real cost of all Merle’s success, and just how much she could lose if the truth ever came to light.
‘Much more than a compelling story about the early days of Hollywood, Starlet is a fascinating examination of a life caught between what the public wants and what the heart needs to survive’ Patrick Ryan