Review Detail

4.6 25

A Certain Slant of Light (Light #1)

Young Adult Fiction 372

Dark, Enthralling, and Beautiful

August 19, 2012

Overall rating

5.0

Plot

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Characters

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Writing Style

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Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

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This book has a lot of mystery to it. As Helen struggles with being stuck on earth as a spirit or Light she will have you pondering questions about life, the afterlife and the meaning of it all. More so though, the book looks at grief and the power that tragic events can have on people even after death. This book starts out rather dark and oppressive, but the depressing moments are resolved in the end in a way that makes everything feel complete and right. The last few chapters will have you on edge, and it's not a happy, everything is fixed, this seems to easy kind of ending; it's one that when you read it you feel like it couldn't have ended any differently.

Good Points

-I loved the way this book made you think about life. The honesty in discussing adult themes, and the author's ability to make me think about life, religion, and the afterlife were all written beautifully.

-This book deals with real issues like violence, drug abuse, sex, death, depression, and it's character's handle them like real people. Laura Whitcomb has written these themes perfectly and is able to show them without glamorizing them or belittling their effect.

-I loved the relationship between Helen and James, but also between James and his brother Mitch, and between Carol and Dan. All of the characters are well written, and their relationships believeable.