Reviews

In Perfect Light by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

ethanjackson's review against another edition

3.0

dnf it, not bad but not interesting and not enough queer

lucygoosey522's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, and Rape

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Animal death, Cancer, Deadnaming, Drug use, Excrement, Medical content, Miscarriage, and Misogyny

sarahoza's review against another edition

5.0

I haven't cried in months. Thank you Mr. Alire Sáenz

freddybingsu's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Murder, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Alcohol, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Cancer

nivv342's review against another edition

5.0

More ppl should read this book ITS AMAZING!

jasminepatel003's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

5.0

This book isn’t something I would necessarily recommend because of the themes it covers but I thought it was beautifully written and a really interesting reflective perspective was taken throughout the novel. I loved the part that ethnicity, culture and language played in it. It explored a lot of social problems in depth through the eyes of a character who had experienced a lot of hardship and also the lasting mental impact they can leave on a person.

I was really pleased that the ending was so positive especially after such an emotionally turbulent book and I found it fit the pace and style of the writing well

I wish i could read spanish so I could have understood the few fragments of it that were written in it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Death

Moderate: Violence and Drug abuse

jellolord's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

5.0

mynmyn525's review against another edition

4.0

Excellent writing but the saddest effing story ever.

naomiharrison25's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

this book is beautiful. As much ugliness it contains it is still so beautiful. As Sáenz reader, his work never ceases to show the depths of the human heart with so much clarity. He is probably the only writer that makes me pray for his characters. I pray for their healing with tears streaming down my face, praying to a god Im not so sure I believe. But I pray for them and everyone who is like them, people with all that pain and all that love. I’d like to not as well that this is my third Sáenz novel and it is so interesting to see what matters to him through his themes. Thunderstorms, light, angry boys who are beautiful, men named sam who are also beautiful, hurting and healing and the world in between. And it is all beautiful. And it is all so real that it hurts me sometimes. Please read this man’s work. It might change your life. It changed mine. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gun violence, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence

mikolee's review against another edition

3.0

Another lovely book by Saenz. Told through several different lenses of people impacted by a horrible drunk driving fatal crash - the white Yale law student, the boy of the crash victims, and the caring and wise therapist who deals with them all. Each set of stories is wrought with hardship and some joy and are independent and yet wound together.

The “light” in the title is a metaphor for letting go.

Surprise ending that had me weeping.