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neenor's review
4.0
This is the first book I have read of Green's, and I was really impressed. The storyline was great - it mainly focused on family, but it also had hints of romance, and was, in a way, a coming-of-age novel. Throughout the story, Green really delves into Emily's life, and combined with the memories and stories told, the reader really feels more like friends with Emily than just an observer. Green's writing really captures teenage readers attention, with a perfect balance between description and conversation. Also, the small hints about Emily's mother, Cassy, Bob and Seb throughout the novel keep the reader hooked, and the unfolding of the mystery right at the end really leaves the reader feeling satisfied. I honestly enjoyed it, and really want to reader another one of her books soon.
Rating:4/5
Rating:4/5
my_booklove's review
4.0
An amazing book. Emily's life is pretty mixed up. As her father is an architect, she has moved home a lot. Her mother left her and her sister when she was 2 and her sister was 4. Then her dad married Cassy
Emily is currently living in a small caravan park with a few rooms, an outside loo and a separate shower block. Her sister, Kat, has gone off to university and she feels lonely. Then she meets Seb, an extremely attractive boy, who teaches her to love. As she meets Seb, she tries to look inside herself to find the courage to look for her mother after years of giving up hope.
A fabulous book for anyone in yr 7 and up. Julia Green has done an excellent job in portraying romance, loss, relationships, and your inner-self. She dives deep within her character and shows us things we never knew and can look for in our selves
Emily is currently living in a small caravan park with a few rooms, an outside loo and a separate shower block. Her sister, Kat, has gone off to university and she feels lonely. Then she meets Seb, an extremely attractive boy, who teaches her to love. As she meets Seb, she tries to look inside herself to find the courage to look for her mother after years of giving up hope.
A fabulous book for anyone in yr 7 and up. Julia Green has done an excellent job in portraying romance, loss, relationships, and your inner-self. She dives deep within her character and shows us things we never knew and can look for in our selves
thebookaddictedgirl's review
4.0
Normally I’m not into this kind of book; real-to-life girl problems, without a single supernatural thing in sight, but I absolutely loved this one. It drew me in from the beginning, the small memory of Emily’s from when she was a little girl, the family dynamics, the missing mother, the handsome boy... This story was just so beautiful, full of the wonders and horrors of life and the hard decisions that have to be made, the ones that change everything.
Emily was a wonderful lead girl, able to see all the beauty, but you can tell underneath all her strength she’s vulnerable and scared, especially when it comes to family and the feeling of abandonment. I love all the references to photographs as well, as Emily is a aspiring photographer, and it was really smart of Julia Green to describe the way Emily sees through her photos. All in all, a brilliant character who I found easy to love and I loved the way her story was told.
Seb is an incredible character, too, with his dislike of all tests, sweet, comforting nature and beautiful dark eyes. He’s the one who convinces Emily to try to find her mother, and the way he cared for how she felt was really touching, although they could both be a little stubborn at times. The relationship between the two of them is stunning and feels so real, so magical, and is one of my favourite both-human couples.
All in all, a magical book, filled with love, hard choices and the dilemmas you face growing up when everything is changing around you. I read this book so fast, it was mesmerising, and I recommend it. Just so beautiful!
Emily was a wonderful lead girl, able to see all the beauty, but you can tell underneath all her strength she’s vulnerable and scared, especially when it comes to family and the feeling of abandonment. I love all the references to photographs as well, as Emily is a aspiring photographer, and it was really smart of Julia Green to describe the way Emily sees through her photos. All in all, a brilliant character who I found easy to love and I loved the way her story was told.
Seb is an incredible character, too, with his dislike of all tests, sweet, comforting nature and beautiful dark eyes. He’s the one who convinces Emily to try to find her mother, and the way he cared for how she felt was really touching, although they could both be a little stubborn at times. The relationship between the two of them is stunning and feels so real, so magical, and is one of my favourite both-human couples.
All in all, a magical book, filled with love, hard choices and the dilemmas you face growing up when everything is changing around you. I read this book so fast, it was mesmerising, and I recommend it. Just so beautiful!
vicki_cosy_books's review
4.0
I picked up Drawing With Light after reading a very positive review and being intrigued by the blurb on Amazon. I'm very glad I did as from the gorgeous cover to the beautiful story inside, this book is an absolute joy.
Emily has been brought up by her father and stepmother Cassy, after her Mother, Francesca, left when she was a baby. She has no memories of her mother, but as her family changes from the one she is used to and a teacher compares her photography work to the mysterious Francesca, she starts to feel a desperate need to find her mother. With a first person narrative, Julia Green gets the voice of a confused 16 year old just right. For the most part Emily is shy and quiet and mature, but occasionally the feelings of jealousy and abandonment erupt, making her a very real but likable character.
The developing relationship with Seb is beautifully written, filled with all the anxieties and worries of first love. It has that heart pounding intensity that will surely have anyone sighing dreamily, but at the same time doesn't shy away from the painful and awkwardness of a brand new relationship. Both Seb and Emily are written with flaws, but it's these flaws that make them all the more appealing and believable.
The way Julia Green writes is almost poetic at times. The way she describes things, such as the trees Emily loves photographing for example, is wonderful. Drawing With Light is a reference to Emily's photography and I think it's a beautiful and clever way to think about it.
This is truly a lovely book. It isn't really the kind of book that will have you gripped. The blurb on the back of the book suggests there is more of a mystery surrounding Emily's mother than there really is. But it's not the mystery or secret that the book is about. It's about a young girl coming of age and needing to find herself. It's about family and first love and working out who you really are. I didn't find it to be a book I couldn't put down and raced towards the end, more a comfy and cosy read I looked forward to savouring.
Emily has been brought up by her father and stepmother Cassy, after her Mother, Francesca, left when she was a baby. She has no memories of her mother, but as her family changes from the one she is used to and a teacher compares her photography work to the mysterious Francesca, she starts to feel a desperate need to find her mother. With a first person narrative, Julia Green gets the voice of a confused 16 year old just right. For the most part Emily is shy and quiet and mature, but occasionally the feelings of jealousy and abandonment erupt, making her a very real but likable character.
The developing relationship with Seb is beautifully written, filled with all the anxieties and worries of first love. It has that heart pounding intensity that will surely have anyone sighing dreamily, but at the same time doesn't shy away from the painful and awkwardness of a brand new relationship. Both Seb and Emily are written with flaws, but it's these flaws that make them all the more appealing and believable.
The way Julia Green writes is almost poetic at times. The way she describes things, such as the trees Emily loves photographing for example, is wonderful. Drawing With Light is a reference to Emily's photography and I think it's a beautiful and clever way to think about it.
This is truly a lovely book. It isn't really the kind of book that will have you gripped. The blurb on the back of the book suggests there is more of a mystery surrounding Emily's mother than there really is. But it's not the mystery or secret that the book is about. It's about a young girl coming of age and needing to find herself. It's about family and first love and working out who you really are. I didn't find it to be a book I couldn't put down and raced towards the end, more a comfy and cosy read I looked forward to savouring.
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