You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Scan barcode
myinfinitetbr's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.5
Lucas lives in Majestic, PA, a town recovering from a recent tragedy. Townspeople call Lucas a hero, but he doesn't see it that way.
Everyone's healing (or not) in different ways. Lucas looks forward to nightly visits from his deceased wife, and writes letters to his Jungian analyst Karl.
I wasn't expecting this small book to pack such an emotional punch. I loved that it was written in the form of unanswered letters from Lucas to Karl in the wake of this town tragedy, slowly unveiling the tragedy itself and its aftermath.
It was such a timely story, and exemplified an alternate way to heal through grief and come together in situations that are often divisive.
Everyone's healing (or not) in different ways. Lucas looks forward to nightly visits from his deceased wife, and writes letters to his Jungian analyst Karl.
I wasn't expecting this small book to pack such an emotional punch. I loved that it was written in the form of unanswered letters from Lucas to Karl in the wake of this town tragedy, slowly unveiling the tragedy itself and its aftermath.
It was such a timely story, and exemplified an alternate way to heal through grief and come together in situations that are often divisive.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicide, Mass/school shootings, and Murder
katergirl12's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Despite difficult circumstances described in the book, the real heart of the story is about recovery and hope. That art, kindness, connection with others can heal us from even the deepest wounds.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Mass/school shootings
bookshelf_al's review
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Mass/school shootings
jacklynmichele's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Gun violence and Mass/school shootings
sydna_lowe's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Written entirely in letter format. A sweet, sentimental story about a mass shooting, the victims' recoveries, mental health, and healing. I was rooting for the main character the whole time and was very endeared to him. The ending was touching.
The audio narration was excellent.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book but not one that is going to stick with me long term.
The audio narration was excellent.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book but not one that is going to stick with me long term.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence and Mental illness
Minor: Suicide
rachelleahdorn's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Beautiful but too sad for me
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicide, and Mass/school shootings
starswallowingsea's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Grief, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicide, and Forced institutionalization
nina_av's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
The best-selling author of Silver Linings Playbook, and a host of other novels, Matthew Quick released his first book in five years earlier this month. We Are the Light is a relatively short novel with a powerful message — our relationships are medicine.
The novel is written in the form of 18 letters addressed to Karl Johnson, a local Jungian psychoanalyst, from his “most loyal analysand” Lucas Goodgame. Lucas writes in the wake of a movie theater shooting that has impacted him, Karl, and the whole community of Majestic, Pennsylvania, for the worst. As Lucas embarks to heal through the creation of an indie film with teenage outcast Eli, he also grapples with the loss of his wife and mental health.
This is a moving and emotional piece, and the unique style of narration is a refreshing change from the omnipresent and detached narrator I often find myself reading. You can sense Lucas’ ups and downs, his deteriorations, his fears and anxieties, and what he’s holding back. For me, the desire to learn what he leaves unsaid from letter to letter is what compelled me to keep reading. The riveting prose was just a plus.
We Are the Light is an easy 5/5 stars for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Mental illness, and Murder
Moderate: Self harm
oceanwriter's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
3.5
I wasn't sure what to expect going into this. I loved the notion of a book that included the presence of guardian angels, so I took the chance.
After a tragic incident in town, Lucas is grieving the death of his wife and battling the survivor's guilt that goes along with it. The way he copes is by writing a series of letters to his former analyst. These letters go unreplied, but he persists. In the meantime, he befriends Eli, a young man Lucas finds camping in his yard. They forge a friendship and begin a project together that further helps the healing process.
I enjoyed the structure of the book as well as the psychology involved. It was also an interesting interpretation of angels and how so often when we lose someone close to us there's a part of them that we hang on to. It manifests itself in different ways for each of us. As for the story itself, something was lacking for me. I didn't remain invested all the way through. Still, I enjoyed it perhaps more than I thought I would.
After a tragic incident in town, Lucas is grieving the death of his wife and battling the survivor's guilt that goes along with it. The way he copes is by writing a series of letters to his former analyst. These letters go unreplied, but he persists. In the meantime, he befriends Eli, a young man Lucas finds camping in his yard. They forge a friendship and begin a project together that further helps the healing process.
I enjoyed the structure of the book as well as the psychology involved. It was also an interesting interpretation of angels and how so often when we lose someone close to us there's a part of them that we hang on to. It manifests itself in different ways for each of us. As for the story itself, something was lacking for me. I didn't remain invested all the way through. Still, I enjoyed it perhaps more than I thought I would.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Suicide, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Self harm
readingwithtrey's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
After an act of gun violence upends his small town and takes the life of his wife, Lucas Goodgame is struggling to put the pieces back together. Those in the town of Majestic, PA tell Lucas that he’s a hero, though he’s unable to see it. It takes the development of an unlikely relationship that puts in motion something that will change the grief and healing process not only for Lucas, but also for everyone in the town.
Written as an epistolary novel, we get an in depth view of Lucas’s mental state through letters he is writing to his former psychoanalyst following the tragedy. Although it’s not actually said, the reader can get the sense from very early on that, understandably, Lucas is not okay. The letters take the reader through so many emotions. They are utterly heartbreaking, but they also hold a sense of hope and challenge the reader to think deeply about their understanding of grief, healing, love, and resilience.
It’s difficult to put my feelings regarding this book into words that I know would do this book justice. This is not one to go into lightly but is one that is very, very important. I am going to be completely honest with you, it took me a few hours to read the last 25% of the book because it is incredibly devastating (might want to have tissues close by). You will certainly want to be mentally prepared going into this one, but I do highly recommend it.
5/5 Stars
Written as an epistolary novel, we get an in depth view of Lucas’s mental state through letters he is writing to his former psychoanalyst following the tragedy. Although it’s not actually said, the reader can get the sense from very early on that, understandably, Lucas is not okay. The letters take the reader through so many emotions. They are utterly heartbreaking, but they also hold a sense of hope and challenge the reader to think deeply about their understanding of grief, healing, love, and resilience.
It’s difficult to put my feelings regarding this book into words that I know would do this book justice. This is not one to go into lightly but is one that is very, very important. I am going to be completely honest with you, it took me a few hours to read the last 25% of the book because it is incredibly devastating (might want to have tissues close by). You will certainly want to be mentally prepared going into this one, but I do highly recommend it.
5/5 Stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Murder
Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence