Stella Maris, by Jeffrey Matucha, is not in my genre wheelhouse, and it took me by surprise. It follows the life Skye Wright, a crust punker facing her 30th birthday while still navigating the world of Punk/Metal/New Wave/My-God-what-did-we-do-last-night? and all that goes with it. Matucha does an excellent job of painting a vivid picture of this world while making you care about Skye even when she’s making bad choices. The plot includes fallout from her wild past, the struggles of the present, including the emotional toll of losing people, her addictions, her closest friend has gone missing, and, in general, wondering what life is all about.
Matucha does a great job of creating a deeply layered female protagonist. She loves cats, is friends with the older lady in the apartment next door, but is also a former gang member of the Crusties who still flies into a hot-headed rage. Her drinking doesn’t help anything. This book offers a look into the world of addiction and the heartbreak it brings as it follows Skye into biker bars, raves, and hanging out with people traveling the same path to nowhere. The plot feels like a mindless (but not boring) wandering through life consistent with those living with addictions, but Matucha fits the pieces together to form a complete picture by the end of the book.
The one thing I didn’t love about the book is the language, but it fits the culture. Many of the characters can’t formulate a sentence without using the F-bomb. On the plus side, while sex is often talked about and even put into practice, it takes place “off-camera.” Overall, I give the book a solid 4-stars and think anyone who has someone they care about living with addiction or those who have come out of that trap would probably enjoy reading this character-driven story of love, loss, struggle, and hope.
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