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kyrstin_p1989's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A story about life and death, love and loss, and the complications of familial relationships, this book is well-written and interesting. It took a few pages to get into the writing style but once I did I couldn’t put this one down. It made me laugh and cry in equal measure. The characters feelings are raw and real and the story is truthful and wise.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Bullying, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, Outing, and Sexual harassment
haileyhardcover's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Aria spends the summer before starting college discovering who she really is and who she wants to be.
I was so excited for this book. I read Last Night at the Telegraph Club earlier this year and was absolutely blown away by Lo’s writing, the history, and the characters she created. As a companion novel to Telegraph, I expected the same magical experience with A Scatter of Light. Sadly, I didn’t feel it.
The two main characters, Aria & Steph, felt so overly dramatic - especially considering they are older than the characters in Telegraph. I physically cringed multiple times at some of the things they said/ did. I didn’t find either of them very likable, and I couldn’t root for them.
Part of what made Telegraph so magical was the history. A Scatter of Light is also set in the past, but a much more recent past - 2013, right when Prop 8 was overturned, making gay marriage legal in California. This is mentioned a few times in the book, but I wish more attention had been given to everything going on at the time, rather than focusing so heavily (almost entirely) on the “relationship” between Aria and Steph.
There is also one scene in which Steph implies that she is struggling with her gender, but it is completely brushed over and never explored. It felt like a last-minute throw in for some additional diversity as there was no other trans/non-binary/gender queer rep in the book.
The best part of the book was the (very brief) glimpse we get into the lives of Lily and Kath (the main characters from Telegraph) in 2013. No spoilers, but I was glad to see where they had ended up, nearly 60 years later.
Maybe my expectations were too high, but overall I was just really disappointed with this book. Telegraph has a permanent home on my shelves, but A Scatter of Light is probably going to be one of those getting unhauled at the end of the year.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Biphobia, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Cancer, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, and Pandemic/Epidemic
emfass's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Infidelity, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Biphobia, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, and Lesbophobia
Before the beginning of the book (thought she recounts it in detail), main character has topless photos taken of her without her consent, and the boy who took them puts them online and everyone she knows sees them. Her mother also shames her for this.mooswandern's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.25
My feelings about this book are extremely complicated and I simultaneously hated and loved it. 🥲
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content and Medical content
Minor: Biphobia, Homophobia, and Sexual assault
danaslitlist's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Love a book that centers a bisexual character instigating an affair moments after coming out and then showing absolutely no remorse or growth and facing no consequences for her actions.
Just kidding, I hate that and I’m so upset that this book used the trope of a bisexual woman being incapable of being faithful or respectful of established relationships. I don’t think the author was intentionally trying to be biphobic but this book is hurtful.
On top of all of this the pacing was so off, the book didn’t need to be as long as it was and there is absolutely no character development. Also a lot of whiplash between serious and emotion moments to straight up sex scenes right after.
Just kidding, I hate that and I’m so upset that this book used the trope of a bisexual woman being incapable of being faithful or respectful of established relationships. I don’t think the author was intentionally trying to be biphobic but this book is hurtful.
On top of all of this the pacing was so off, the book didn’t need to be as long as it was and there is absolutely no character development. Also a lot of whiplash between serious and emotion moments to straight up sex scenes right after.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Death, and Infidelity
kaseybereading's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Death, and Dementia