Reviews

Wow! I mean… WOOOOOW! I don’t know if it’s a flaw within me that makes me so incredibly fascinated by cults, but I can’t help it. I know that I could very easily be talked into devoting everything to a really charismatic man. So maybe that’s why I’m so intrigued by the thought of how so many people get trapped by nothing more than an idea. Now mix into that what very clearly feels like conversion therapy without calling it that and you get Into the Light.

Manny is a queer homeless teenager, having spent the last year on the streets after being kicked out of his home. It takes a large portion of the book to find out exactly why, but when you do, it’s mind blowing! When he sees the news reporting that a body has been found near his old “home,” he realizes it’s time to go back.

Eli and his sister (Elena) were adopted into a family that lives in the middle of nowhere. They have a very strict set of rules and if they aren’t followed, they’re sent to a school for problematic cases. Elena is the golden child who only wants to find happiness in her new surroundings and family. Where as Eli has forgotten his past completely, but begins questioning his new home… and they really don’t like being questioned.

We’re taken back and forth from both character’s POV, giving us the complete picture of what’s happening. Little by little, we piece together the mystery surrounding what can only be described as a cult and the school for problematic cases is their version of conversion therapy. It’s disturbing, because you can literally see the story being ripped from the headlines even though this is fiction.

I really loved the family that took Manny in, the Varela’s, especially their son, Carlos. We definitely needed a cute love interest for him that had his best interest at heart. They were there to help him find what he was looking for without forcing him to do or talk about something he wasn’t comfortable with. Seeing as how a lot of the book deals with the effects of the things he’s forced to endure and his mental health resulting from that, we really needed that loving character to be his rock.

4.5 ⭐️

beccalove's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

4.5

kayalilyhayes's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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

jdgammons's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

I got this book from the library because I've loved all of Oshiro's previous books and I definitely will say that the plot, characters, and background really got me interested at the beginning of the book. In Anger is a Gift I thought that the plot twists were remarkably predictable (which it was written for a different, ie younger audience) but that even though I saw the plot twists coming the way that Oshiro writes those twists when they come up makes it feel like a fresh wound or understanding. I sobbed when I read Anger is a Gift. With Each of us a Desert I didn't find the plot predictable and thought that the nonlinear writing was really interesting and harder to follow. In this book I again liked the nonlinear writing and I completely didn't predict the plot twist. That being said I walking into this book expecting realistic fiction especially with how in the authors note Oshiro outlines his research. In the end it is not realistic fiction. I found the

whole splitting into two different beings completely lost me.

As I said I was expecting realistic fiction and that is not it lol. However,

I did love at the end that things were left open. It wasn't wrapped up with a neat little bow. Manny acknowledges that his life will change with Carlos is unknown. I also loved that it had to be Elena's choice to leave the cult. I found that very impowering and important to both Manny's and Elena's charater development.

Also as always with Oshiro's writing love the way he writes young gay relationships and love! Gave this book a low rating but I will totally read another of Oshiro's books when next published. The plot twist just ruined this book for me.

Content Warnings

mdelao630's review

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challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-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

thehawk72's review against another edition

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5.0

Actual 4.5

So unsettling and uncomfortable the whole time, just like a religious cult in real life!

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