A review by ladygetslit
Into the Light by Mark Oshiro
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Into the Light is a story about Manny, a teen who's living on the streets after his adoptive parents kick him out. As he travels with the Varelas, a family who takes him along on their van ride around California, Manny reveals his story of growing up in foster care, being adopted into a religious cult, and escaping to wander the streets for the last year.
The story itself, about a kid who's struggling to trust again after all the abuse he went through, is incredible. I was fully bought in with Manny's fear and his determination to go back for his sister, Elena. The more he revealed about his past, the more heartbroken for him I felt. No one should feel unwanted, passed along from one placement to the next, but this is the reality for so many children in America. This book really sheds light on how broken our foster care and adoption system is, along with the disturbing truths about powerful religious organizations that do more harm than good.
My issue with this book, as other reviewers have stated, is the supernatural twist that comes at around 80% of the way in. I knew on some level that it was coming, but it just didn't sit well. And sure, maybe it's a powerful metaphor, but what threw me off and ultimately made the book less powerful, in my opinion, was the fact that this supernatural element is never explained. The characters just accept it as truth, despite its impossibility in the real world, and it's never explained how it happens. I think there could have been a way to connect the dots of the story without the twist, and as it stands, this aspect of the story really takes away from the powerful narrative about religious abuse, trauma, and the life of a kid who goes from foster care to being unhoused.
The story itself, about a kid who's struggling to trust again after all the abuse he went through, is incredible. I was fully bought in with Manny's fear and his determination to go back for his sister, Elena. The more he revealed about his past, the more heartbroken for him I felt. No one should feel unwanted, passed along from one placement to the next, but this is the reality for so many children in America. This book really sheds light on how broken our foster care and adoption system is, along with the disturbing truths about powerful religious organizations that do more harm than good.
My issue with this book, as other reviewers have stated, is the supernatural twist that comes at around 80% of the way in. I knew on some level that it was coming, but it just didn't sit well.
Spoiler
Throughout the book, Manny's past and present narratives are woven with the story of Eli, the golden child within the cult community Manny left behind. When a body is found, Manny goes to identify it, thinking that it's his sister, and it turns out to be...Manny himself? Which we then find out is Eli. Because Manny's self was miraculously split into two halves, the one that wanted to belong in the cult, and the one that rejected their lies and abuse.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Abandonment, and Religious bigotry