tiffyofthemonts's review against another edition
5.0
Many thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for sending me this electronic copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
How do you talk about a book that strikes you like lightning? It takes away all of your words and you're just left with marks across your skin. But they stay there on you, and maybe eventually you stop noticing them – maybe they become par for the course – but still you know that something about you has changed forever.
That's what this book felt like to me. A story filled with heart and attitude and sass. One minute, the writing is wild and heavy enough to smother you – the next, we're slinging yo mama jokes and mooning over gangly boys with sharp green eyes.
This Raging Light is a story that reminds us that the secrets we carry are sometimes better off shared; that relationships are only as broken as you allow them to be; that we are far less alone than we think, and stronger than we give ourselves credit for. It's about learning to let go, to trust. It's realizing that family comes in all shapes and sizes, and it's not limited to whose blood runs through your veins. It's about people who are flawed, who are doing the best they can, and sometimes they mess up and they hurt you without even trying – but it's about understanding that life is messy and thrilling and always filled with hope, or at least the vaguely bright possibility of tomorrow.
Oh, this book is not perfect by any means. It leaves a lot of questions unanswered (what about Lucille's mom!) and could stand to be fifty pages longer (tell me more about Eden!, tell me more about Fred's!). But I loved this book in a way I haven't loved a book in a long, long time, and I will sing praises of it – and Estelle Laure – to anyone who asks (and also to anyone who doesn't). I will show them all my underlined passages on every other page. I will tell them about this girl, Lucille, and her crazybrains voice and how she is realer than most people are, and how her sister Wren is what all adults should aspire to be, and I will even point to Digby as a shining – or at least semi-luminous – beacon of boyhood.
I will shout from the rooftops:
"This is what all books should be!"
"I can't believe this is a debut novel!"
"What hope do the rest of us have!"
This is a story I want to read again and again. Loud and quiet, intricate and simple, big enough to swallow you whole.
More reviews, including this one, on my blog: Bookplates for Brunch.
How do you talk about a book that strikes you like lightning? It takes away all of your words and you're just left with marks across your skin. But they stay there on you, and maybe eventually you stop noticing them – maybe they become par for the course – but still you know that something about you has changed forever.
That's what this book felt like to me. A story filled with heart and attitude and sass. One minute, the writing is wild and heavy enough to smother you – the next, we're slinging yo mama jokes and mooning over gangly boys with sharp green eyes.
This Raging Light is a story that reminds us that the secrets we carry are sometimes better off shared; that relationships are only as broken as you allow them to be; that we are far less alone than we think, and stronger than we give ourselves credit for. It's about learning to let go, to trust. It's realizing that family comes in all shapes and sizes, and it's not limited to whose blood runs through your veins. It's about people who are flawed, who are doing the best they can, and sometimes they mess up and they hurt you without even trying – but it's about understanding that life is messy and thrilling and always filled with hope, or at least the vaguely bright possibility of tomorrow.
Oh, this book is not perfect by any means. It leaves a lot of questions unanswered (what about Lucille's mom!) and could stand to be fifty pages longer (tell me more about Eden!, tell me more about Fred's!). But I loved this book in a way I haven't loved a book in a long, long time, and I will sing praises of it – and Estelle Laure – to anyone who asks (and also to anyone who doesn't). I will show them all my underlined passages on every other page. I will tell them about this girl, Lucille, and her crazybrains voice and how she is realer than most people are, and how her sister Wren is what all adults should aspire to be, and I will even point to Digby as a shining – or at least semi-luminous – beacon of boyhood.
I will shout from the rooftops:
"This is what all books should be!"
"I can't believe this is a debut novel!"
"What hope do the rest of us have!"
This is a story I want to read again and again. Loud and quiet, intricate and simple, big enough to swallow you whole.
More reviews, including this one, on my blog: Bookplates for Brunch.
allthebrightpages's review against another edition
4.0
This book was light, airy, like magic in a way. I finished it in one sitting. I love the characters, the way they talk and think, and the storyline was well developed but vague enough to peak your interest. It's a beautiful story about change, loss, and love.
khairun_atika's review against another edition
4.0
I absolutely loved Estelle Laure's writing style. The story is bittersweet yet hopeful at the same time, a story about finding strength, hope and trust in trying times. Lucille finds herself being the breadwinner of her little family when her father was sent away, and her mum deserted her and her sister, Wren. Suddenly, Lucille has to pay the bills, run the house, care for her sister, all while going through high school and dealing with the grief of two absentee parents. The situation is sympathetic, but I admired Lucille's level-headedness and strong desire to keep everything together despite her confusion and heartbreak. She finds a job, looks for ways to care for Wren and tries her best to make the most out of all she has got at home. It is an inspiring, beautiful story.
blakehalsey's review against another edition
5.0
Every now and then you come across a book that is JUST. SO. FREAKING. GORGEOUS. IN. EVERY. WAY. It's rare. But it happens. And it happened for me with this book. Subtle and powerful, poetic and heartbreaking, open and honest, Laure created a world here that I'll never forget.
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars.
Estelle Laure's debut, This Raging Light, is a fast paced young adult novel with a marvelous cast of appealing characters and an engaging storyline.
Lucille Bennett is surviving her family's implosion as best she can but with school about to start, she is definitely feeling the pressure. Desperate to ensure she and her younger sister, Wren, stay together, she has not told anyone but her best friend, Eden Jones, about her plight. The last of her money is gone, the bills are piling up and Lucille is running out of options when she lands a job at a local restaurant. When Eden can no longer babysit Wren, her twin brother (and Lucille's secret crush) Digby steps in to help, but complications ensue when he begins to fall for her as well.
Lucille has managed to keep it together pretty well in the months after her family fell apart. However, stress is definitely taking its toll on both her and Wren, but for her sister's sake, Lucille maintains tight control of her emotions. Although well out of her comfort zone initially, her new job turns into a surprising source of comfort as she lets go of worries during her shifts. But she trades one concern for another after a blow up with Eden puts them at odds. Lucille is grateful for Digby's offer to help her but she cannot help but feel guilty when they begin sneaking around behind his girlfriend's back.
Ahh, Digby. A genuinely nice guy who is torn between his commitment to his longtime girlfriend and his newly awakened feelings for Lucille. This situation is surprisingly sympathetic but this does not negate the fact that both he and Lucille were wrong to begin acting on their feelings before his other relationship is resolved. Despite his indecision, Digby is there for Lucille and this definitely counts in his favor.
Which brings us to Eden, Lucille's best friend forever who, for inexplicable reasons, abandons Lucille when she needs her most. Unsure exactly what caused the rift between them, Lucille nonetheless reaches out to her but sadly, Eden rebuffs her overtures. While her co-workers fill some the gaps left by Eden's absence, Lucille is not willing to lose her best friend too and she keeps trying to repair their tattered friendship. Eden's reasons for staying away are a little weak, but Lucille is more than willing to forgive and forget.
Despite its slightly unrealistic storyline, This Raging Light by Estelle Laure is a well-written young adult story that is remarkably free from angst. The characters are likable and sympathetic despite their flaws and the emotions they experience ring true. The plot is engrossing and although not everything is neatly wrapped up, the novel's conclusion is uplifting. All in all, an enjoyable debut that will appeal to readers of all ages.
Estelle Laure's debut, This Raging Light, is a fast paced young adult novel with a marvelous cast of appealing characters and an engaging storyline.
Lucille Bennett is surviving her family's implosion as best she can but with school about to start, she is definitely feeling the pressure. Desperate to ensure she and her younger sister, Wren, stay together, she has not told anyone but her best friend, Eden Jones, about her plight. The last of her money is gone, the bills are piling up and Lucille is running out of options when she lands a job at a local restaurant. When Eden can no longer babysit Wren, her twin brother (and Lucille's secret crush) Digby steps in to help, but complications ensue when he begins to fall for her as well.
Lucille has managed to keep it together pretty well in the months after her family fell apart. However, stress is definitely taking its toll on both her and Wren, but for her sister's sake, Lucille maintains tight control of her emotions. Although well out of her comfort zone initially, her new job turns into a surprising source of comfort as she lets go of worries during her shifts. But she trades one concern for another after a blow up with Eden puts them at odds. Lucille is grateful for Digby's offer to help her but she cannot help but feel guilty when they begin sneaking around behind his girlfriend's back.
Ahh, Digby. A genuinely nice guy who is torn between his commitment to his longtime girlfriend and his newly awakened feelings for Lucille. This situation is surprisingly sympathetic but this does not negate the fact that both he and Lucille were wrong to begin acting on their feelings before his other relationship is resolved. Despite his indecision, Digby is there for Lucille and this definitely counts in his favor.
Which brings us to Eden, Lucille's best friend forever who, for inexplicable reasons, abandons Lucille when she needs her most. Unsure exactly what caused the rift between them, Lucille nonetheless reaches out to her but sadly, Eden rebuffs her overtures. While her co-workers fill some the gaps left by Eden's absence, Lucille is not willing to lose her best friend too and she keeps trying to repair their tattered friendship. Eden's reasons for staying away are a little weak, but Lucille is more than willing to forgive and forget.
Despite its slightly unrealistic storyline, This Raging Light by Estelle Laure is a well-written young adult story that is remarkably free from angst. The characters are likable and sympathetic despite their flaws and the emotions they experience ring true. The plot is engrossing and although not everything is neatly wrapped up, the novel's conclusion is uplifting. All in all, an enjoyable debut that will appeal to readers of all ages.
rosie722's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
cookiemic's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
gardngoyle's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
sc104906's review against another edition
4.0
Lucille is forced to take care of her younger sister, Wren, when her mother leaves them. Their father has been missing since an incident a few months ago and wants no contact with the family. Her mother simply couldn't handle being left. Lucille gets a job at a local restaurant to pay the bills. She relies heavily on her best friend Eden and her twin brother Digby, who she happens to have a massive crush on. Wren is holding up well enough, but issues start to boil to the surface and adults begin to question the girls. How long can the girls live like this? Can Lucille stop them from being separated? And what about this love story?
I really like this book. I liked the characters. Many of the aspects seemed over the top and unbelievable, but I totally went with it because it was a good story.
I really like this book. I liked the characters. Many of the aspects seemed over the top and unbelievable, but I totally went with it because it was a good story.