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kelly_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Author: Matthew Quick
Genre: Magical Realism
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: November 1, 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Powerful • Challenging • Haunting
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Lucas Goodgame lives in Majestic, Pennsylvania, a quaint suburb that has been torn apart by a recent tragedy. Everyone in Majestic sees Lucas as a hero—everyone, that is, except Lucas himself. Insisting that his deceased wife, Darcy, visits him every night in the form of an angel, Lucas spends his time writing letters to his former Jungian analyst, Karl. It is only when Eli, an eighteen-year-old young man whom the community has ostracized, begins camping out in Lucas’s backyard that an unlikely alliance takes shape and the two embark on a journey to heal their neighbors and, most importantly, themselves.
💭 T H O U G H T S
The premise, including themes of grief and the magical realism aspects, were what drew me to pick up We Are the Light. I also never realized it was written by the same author as The Silver Linings Playbook until I was finished.
Told through a series of letters from the main character to his therapist, Matthew Quick employs a clever writing style to explore grief, mental health, tragedy and the trauma that follows, community and hope. The letters are at times endearing, other times comical, and often sad. Lucas' character is easy to connect and relate to - some of his inner thoughts and dialogue were all too real, especially the idea of survivour's guilt.
What I appreciated most is the open dialogue on therapy and struggle in the face of the unthinkable. The narrative took me on an emotional roller coaster. While there was room for more depth and the epistolary style could be confusing to come readers, it is the ending alone that made this a 4-star read. It is an ending for the age, the type that makes you believe in humanity and tears were shed.
We Are the Light certainly treads into heavy content, but more specifically the aftermath of an unthinkable tragedy and coming out the other side as best you can. It does a fantastic job presenting human fragility, yet I was left feeling hopeful when I turned the final page. I will definitely be reading more from Matthew Quick.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• unlikely friendships
• mental illness representation
• epistolary novels
⚠️ CW: death, partner death, gun violence, murder, mass/school shooting, suicide, suicidal thoughts, grief, mental illness, depression, panic attacks/disorders, self harm, child abuse
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"And there is perhaps no greater pain than the suffering that comes from speaking plainly but failing to make any sort of meaningful connection with the people who care about you."
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, Grief, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
partner death, depressionlisettemarie's review
2.0
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Murder
kimnerdybird's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness and Grief
Moderate: Death and Mass/school shootings
cmklaft's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Murder
ulviyyask's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Murder
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Suicide
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, and Stalking
nbaker83's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Murder
brynpemery's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Forced institutionalization
laheath's review against another edition
- 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
Strong trigger warning for this book but worth it if you can get through the difficult material.
Graphic: Death, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide
Minor: Sexual content
chelle22's review
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Stalking, and Murder
wanderinginreads's review
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Suicide