Chocolate Star [Hardcover]

Sheila Copeland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1997

A first novel about young African-Americans in search of celebrity focuses on model-turned-singer Topaz Black, talented film director Gunther Lawrence, and top-notch basketball player Sean Ross as they each struggle with the price of success. 25,000 first printing."

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Copeland's publicists are promoting her as a "young black Jackie Collins," and this first novel may well reach the best-seller ranks. The three main characters, Topaz Black, Gunther Lawrence, and Sean Ross, all have one thing in common--they strive to be "stars." Topaz Black, a stunning young model, becomes a recording artist and tries to live the good life. Gunther Lawrence, a nerd from South Central Los Angeles, becomes a talented film director and is determined to distance himself from everything black. Sean "Sylk" Ross, an extremely handsome college basketball star, turns pro and simply wants to live life as upstandingly as he can. Topaz's romantic relationships with these men are based on the fact that they are both wealthy and smitten with her beauty and success. The characters all "make it" and join the ranks of the rich and famous, yet each must deal with their membership in unique ways based on their backgrounds and self-perceptions. A captivating story with the makings for a great made-for-TV movie. Lillian Lewis

From Kirkus Reviews

Copeland debuts with three rags-to-riches journeys that even when combined make up little more than a Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous episode. All three of the African-American protagonists here are flawed. Singer Topaz Black, who began as a model, is vain, rude, and greedy--not to mention having abandoned a hardworking husband and infant son in the blink of an eye for Hollywood and the high life. Film director Gunther Lawrence started out as a self-loathing black kid in a lily-white prep school; when he strikes it rich in Hollywood, he immediately makes a point of forgetting everyone who helped him along the way. NBA star Sean ``Sylk'' Ross, meanwhile, is meant to be the good guy, but his constant praying, do-gooding, and holier-than-thou moralizing make him, if anything, even less palatable than his co-stars, who are at least frank about their selfish and ruthless behavior. Eventually, the three come together. Topaz ends up married to Gunther (who's become involved with a heavy drug scene). Before marrying, though, she'd dated Sean, whom she had hoped would introduce her to the ``right people'' (read: celebrities). Of the three, one finally dies, another is miserable and alone, the third is happier than most people have a right to be. It's all too easy, in accordance with Copeland's moral scale, to guess the outcomes--more suspense and less predictability could have offered the novel some much needed energy. The story is lacking, too, in good old-fashioned campy fun--the most important factor, after all, in any sort of Jackie Collins page-turner. The mean-spirited Topaz and Gunther are unpleasant, but not even the goody-goody Sean is appealing: in all, just plenty of glitz and three rich, unlikable people. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 422 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr; 1st edition (August 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312154933
• ISBN-13: 978-0312154936
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (76 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #613,949 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Just awful, March 15, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Chocolate Star (Mass Market Paperback)

Like Kimberla Lawson Roby, Ms. Copeland is a good storyteller with poor writing skills. Much of this book read like a list. Every time food was served, and this was often, the entire menu was listed. One well-known name could never be mentioned; there always had to be one of those doggone lists. "The Arsenio Hall Show, The Tonight Show, Oprah." Or "Jheryl Busby, Quincy Jones, Eddie Murphy, Al B. Sure, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Jam and Lewis, L.A. and Babyface." Or "Chanel, Saint Laurent, Chloe, Christian Dior, Hermes, Givenchy."

The name dropping got old real fast. Every time luggage or a wallet was mentioned it was preceded by the words "Louis Vuitton." (I think this designer is one of the author's personal favorites; a trivia game could be established counting the number of times she mentions it.) Ms. Copeland obviously was hoping her readers would drool over the descriptions of Italian furniture, Chinese rugs, pink marbled bathrooms, ad nauseam, or else she believes her readers are as shallow as Gunther and Topaz. Lines like "They pulled up in front of a four-bedroom house," or "Don't you think it's time we started getting ready for the Natalie Cole concert at the Bowl?" are showing off merely for the reader's benefit. It is impossible for someone to drive up to a house and know how many bedrooms it has. And anyone who was asking their spouse to get ready would simply say, "for the concert," because the spouse would already know who is performing and where. I haven't seen anything so blatant since the Huxtable family had that Princeton fixation (it was never "school," always "Princeton.")

The writing is extremely amateurish. There is nothing creative about not using, "he/she said." But no one "said" anything in this book. They barked, yelled, repeated, suggested, sang softly (?!), commented, joined in, protested, scolded, replied, questioned, asked, shouted, squealed, mumbled, admonished, heard voices proclaim (?!), laughed, giggled, promised, offered, commanded, rattled off...but never SAID.

Cliches were rampant, another mark of the amateur. Pleased as Punch, cool as ice, like a kid in a candy store, sugary sweet. How did this get published?

The point of view bounced back and forth like a tennis ball. Dialogue was usually accompanied with empty descriptions of emotions, i.e. "She couldn't believe it." "She was sincere." "She was livid." If Ms. Copeland knew anything about writing she would know that the first rule of writing is show, don't tell! But yet every time a character was introduced their complexion was described, even people who were just passing through, like customer service clerks. What's up with that?

The use of "Dang" REALLY got on my nerves. In the end I found myself skipping through the endless lists and empty emotions just to see Gunther and Topaz get their comeuppance.

But, hey, considering all the readers who thought this book was fabulous, maybe I'm just being too picky to expect good writing.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bold, Black and Beautiful!, September 5, 2000

By 

Yasmin Coleman (PENNSYLVANIA, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Chocolate Star (Mass Market Paperback)

I've had Chocolate Star since it was first released but never got around to reading it until now...and gosh was I pleasantly surprised. Ms. Copeland's debut novel was very well written with in-depth characters and a plausible storyline. Once I started reading Chocolate Star it was definitely a page-turner and a book that was hard to put down. Ms. Copeland took us into the lives of four rags to riches characters whose lives were all intertwined as the result of Topaz the female character. Topaz...what a character! This chile' worked it and could have any man she wanted and definitely was an attraction for Germaine, Sean, and Gunther. Each of these men would either break her heart, steal her heart or never leave her heart. Chocolate Star allowed one to escape into the world of the rich and famous...albeit while money provided access to gourmet foods, travel to exotic locations, all the drugs you wanted when you wanted them and shopping, shopping, shopping, shopping and more ...it definitely didn't provide happiness. Each chapter was devoted to a different character and I liked reading the in-depth characteristics of each individual. I felt like a fly on the wall eavesdropping on the lives of some of Hollywood's greatest stars. Okay...you knew some "buts" were coming.... My biggest pet peeve with the book was the constant reference to skin color. Why did EVERY character have to be described in detail according to their skin color (mocha brown; deep, deep chocolate; vanilla almond)? After awhile it became a big nuisance. I can imagine what people look like I don't necessarily have to know what shade of black they are since we all come in so many color variations anyway. Additionally the inference that you couldn't be a star unless you were into drugs was annoying as well as the frequent mention of brand names. Also, I couldn't believe that once Topaz became a big star that the tabloids/media never discovered her secret past. This alone is unbelievable in today's world. Fortunately, the pet peeves were neutralized a little by accepting that Chocolate Star was a portrayal of life in Hollywood where folks aren't always real and tend to be a little superficial. Aside from the "stuff that was unbelievable or that I could live without" the book was good and held my interest to the very end. If you're looking to escape with a book this summer then check out this one...I believe you will be pleasantly surprised. I know I was.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blazin page turner.....!!, January 4, 2002

By 

sherylle (inglewood, ca United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chocolate Star (Mass Market Paperback)

A friend of mine bought the book to me and told me "girl this book is the bomb", page after page I found myself craving for more chocolate. Each character was given a teaspoon of life and I must admit I am totally impressed with Sheila Copeland's wonderful style of writing. I loved Sean Ross and respected his stand on "no sex before marraige", he had a beautiful relationship with God and his parents. No matter how many woman threw themselves at his feet he was able to go to his mother and find out how he could determine real love from love because of success. Topaz, being a beautiful sista with talent did not appreciate the only people that would ever love her, how can you give up a marraige and a child in a finger snap and not feel guilty about it when you lay your head down to sleep at night, most women crave a good man to come along, she only wanted the fame. And last but not least Gunther, he was a straight trip-he did not appreciate where he came from only cared when he got to the top and looked down on people. I was surprised that he and Topaz were married at all. Thank goodness Sean did not fall into her "things to do list". I will definitly buy part 2 and enjoy the pages that make me want to read it over and over. This book is a must, pick it up you won't be disappointed.