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imstephtacular's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Religious bigotry, Emotional abuse, Violence, Gaslighting, and Cursing
Moderate: Racism, Toxic relationship, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Trafficking, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Bullying, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Homophobia, Body horror, Xenophobia, and Blood
Minor: Physical abuse, Vomit, Drug use, Sexual violence, Child death, Death, Grief, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and War
mellowreading's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
What thefuck
-I really liked this book until like 350 pages in. I liked the characters, I liked the themes and real-world commentary explored. I’m a sucker for anything found-family. I had a hard time putting it down, and felt it was really well paced. I was very engaged and on the edge of my seat waiting to see how things turned out
And then the twist happened
I still really liked the book, but the twist was a bit too far out of left field for me. It went from a thriller/drama to a sci fi/horror super quick? With no build up? And all of the characters just. Accepted it. The randomness and unbelievability of it + the unfazed reaction of the characters really soured it for me. I don’t even necessarily think this book would’ve needed a twist - the anticipation of finding the body was nail-biting enough alone. I think Oshiro was going for shocking and accidentally fell into the realm of ridiculous/unbelievable. I think that the book, with its themes of the foster system and religious trauma, would’ve been more impactful had it NOT been for the twist. The end of the book also felt a bit rushed to me in comparison with the rest, because the weird new plot point needed to be explained and addressed as quickly as possible for the conclusion. There were also a couple of plot points (Carlos’ adoption and just. Rakeem.) that seemed resolved extremely conveniently and frankly just didn’t make sense (I did read an ARC copy though, so maybe this was resolved in the final!). TLDR; a plot twist being shocking and completely unpredictable doesn’t necessarily make it good.
Despite all of my problems with the ending of this book, I still really enjoyed the majority of my time with it and it helped me get out of a reading slump. A book that I couldn’t put down.
-I really liked this book until like 350 pages in. I liked the characters, I liked the themes and real-world commentary explored. I’m a sucker for anything found-family. I had a hard time putting it down, and felt it was really well paced. I was very engaged and on the edge of my seat waiting to see how things turned out
And then the twist happened
I still really liked the book, but the twist was a bit too far out of left field for me. It went from a thriller/drama to a sci fi/horror super quick? With no build up? And all of the characters just. Accepted it. The randomness and unbelievability of it + the unfazed reaction of the characters really soured it for me. I don’t even necessarily think this book would’ve needed a twist - the anticipation of finding the body was nail-biting enough alone. I think Oshiro was going for shocking and accidentally fell into the realm of ridiculous/unbelievable. I think that the book, with its themes of the foster system and religious trauma, would’ve been more impactful had it NOT been for the twist. The end of the book also felt a bit rushed to me in comparison with the rest, because the weird new plot point needed to be explained and addressed as quickly as possible for the conclusion. There were also a couple of plot points (Carlos’ adoption and just. Rakeem.) that seemed resolved extremely conveniently and frankly just didn’t make sense (I did read an ARC copy though, so maybe this was resolved in the final!). TLDR; a plot twist being shocking and completely unpredictable doesn’t necessarily make it good.
Despite all of my problems with the ending of this book, I still really enjoyed the majority of my time with it and it helped me get out of a reading slump. A book that I couldn’t put down.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Violence, Mental illness, Confinement, Child abuse, Racism, Child death, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Abortion, Incest, Pedophilia, and Body horror
mothumn's review against another edition
3.5
Into The Light
by Mark Oshiro
YA, contemporary, thriller
Thank you Tor Teen for the arc copy in return for my honest review.
Into the Light follows Manny, a homeless queer teen who has spent his entire life in and out of foster homes and group homes. His whole life he has only ever had one thing that stuck with him, his sister Elena, until a year earlier when they were separated and now Manny is on a mission to find his sister. Throughout the book you slowly unravel the mystery of how they were separated and where she might be now, if she is even alive.
For a YA book, it did not shy away from difficult topics, Into the Light explores teen homelessness, the flawed foster and adoption systems, racism, homophobia, religious trauma, how religion is often used to manipulate the vulnerable, among just a few. These issues affect young people but I rarely or never read them in YA and I felt that the author did a good job of touching on them.
I liked the book, I thought it did a good job of exploring the themes and slowly revealing the mystery. Until the last 100 or so pages however, the twist felt like it came out of nowhere, changing the genre of the book completely, and was in my opinion kind of confusing as to what actually happened. There was practically no build up prior to the twist or foreshadowing. Aside from the ending though, I thought it was a good YA book with a bit of a mystery side plot but ultimately was a queer coming of age that I think a lot of young adult readers would really benefit from reading.
Also! I want to bring up another thing, it does kind of spoil a relationship, but there’s a scene where two of the characters get together, both of whom are minors so I don’t know, but reading it just felt kind of uncomfortable. It’s very brief but it didn’t feel necessary and for a YA book, it could have just cut to black. It’s a normal thing for teens to be getting together but in my opinion it just didn’t need to be described in a book. It just felt weird but I don’t know, it’s up to your decision I guess.
by Mark Oshiro
YA, contemporary, thriller
Thank you Tor Teen for the arc copy in return for my honest review.
Into the Light follows Manny, a homeless queer teen who has spent his entire life in and out of foster homes and group homes. His whole life he has only ever had one thing that stuck with him, his sister Elena, until a year earlier when they were separated and now Manny is on a mission to find his sister. Throughout the book you slowly unravel the mystery of how they were separated and where she might be now, if she is even alive.
For a YA book, it did not shy away from difficult topics, Into the Light explores teen homelessness, the flawed foster and adoption systems, racism, homophobia, religious trauma, how religion is often used to manipulate the vulnerable, among just a few. These issues affect young people but I rarely or never read them in YA and I felt that the author did a good job of touching on them.
I liked the book, I thought it did a good job of exploring the themes and slowly revealing the mystery. Until the last 100 or so pages however, the twist felt like it came out of nowhere, changing the genre of the book completely, and was in my opinion kind of confusing as to what actually happened. There was practically no build up prior to the twist or foreshadowing. Aside from the ending though, I thought it was a good YA book with a bit of a mystery side plot but ultimately was a queer coming of age that I think a lot of young adult readers would really benefit from reading.
Also! I want to bring up another thing, it does kind of spoil a relationship, but there’s a scene where two of the characters get together, both of whom are minors so I don’t know, but reading it just felt kind of uncomfortable. It’s very brief but it didn’t feel necessary and for a YA book, it could have just cut to black. It’s a normal thing for teens to be getting together but in my opinion it just didn’t need to be described in a book. It just felt weird but I don’t know, it’s up to your decision I guess.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Religious bigotry, and Child abuse
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Pedophilia, and Violence
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual content
daniellestarredpages's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Into The Light hooked me from the very beginning and kept my attention until the very end. I really enjoyed Into The Light but I must say that it is not a happy story. In Mark Oshiro's own words, Into The Light is a story that tackles the experience of Christian Nationalism and Adoption in the US.
While this book has two POVs -Manny, a homeless boy trying o save his sister from a Christian Cult and Eli, a boy who is currently the star child of thick very same cult- Into The Light is really Manny's story. We get about 5 chapters from Manny's POV to every 1 from Eli's and I can't say I minded. Oshiro writes Manny's experiences on the road, before and with the Varela's very well. The slightly non-linear timeline of the book, while it takes a bit to get used to, really adds to the atmosphere of this novel. The formatting of Manny's thought process felt slightly stilted but unlike in other stories, this felt very purposeful and added to the atmosphere of this book as well.
The character work in this book was also a standout in the reading experience. Manny and Eli, while they don't have universal experiences, they are very easy to connect to and care for. The other characters in this book were just as fleshed out as Manny and Eli they all contributed to the story.
I really loved Into The Light and highly recommend it. Be sure to look into the trigger warnings before reading.
While this book has two POVs -Manny, a homeless boy trying o save his sister from a Christian Cult and Eli, a boy who is currently the star child of thick very same cult- Into The Light is really Manny's story. We get about 5 chapters from Manny's POV to every 1 from Eli's and I can't say I minded. Oshiro writes Manny's experiences on the road, before and with the Varela's very well. The slightly non-linear timeline of the book, while it takes a bit to get used to, really adds to the atmosphere of this novel. The formatting of Manny's thought process felt slightly stilted but unlike in other stories, this felt very purposeful and added to the atmosphere of this book as well.
The character work in this book was also a standout in the reading experience. Manny and Eli, while they don't have universal experiences, they are very easy to connect to and care for. The other characters in this book were just as fleshed out as Manny and Eli they all contributed to the story.
I really loved Into The Light and highly recommend it. Be sure to look into the trigger warnings before reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Grief, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Abortion
fadingapple's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Thanks so much to NetGalley for this ARC!
3.5/5 stars
I had to take some time and process this one - it has an exhaustive list of trigger warnings and deals with some extremally heavy topics and I needed time to make sure I wasn't just gut reacting, either giving it a higher rating to support what I believe the intent was or a lower rating because it was uncomfortable.
In the end I can't say I loved it, completely outside how important I think stories like this are. It was an unexpected blend of magical realism (I think? I'm honestly still a bit unclear) and therapeutic/traumatic realism. It discusses extremely important yet under-realized topics like religious trauma, child abuse/neglect/sexual assault, foster care/adoption, child death/murder, homophobia/conversion camps, racism....but the author keeps the reader in the dark by deliberately withholding the timing of the 2 POVs and mixing up the trauma of a child with a completely unexplained "miracle". I struggle to describe it without spoilers, though I'm honestly not sure I could even with them.
In the end, I think this is an incredibly important story but the execution wasn't for me - I don't mind being confused if the writing is well done and the author brings it to a satisfying ending - that, I think, is what was missing for me here. I didn't truly feel satisfied with the ending and it felt rushed and too unrefined - I spent more time confused and saying "well this already odd book just got super weird" than I did really feeling the impact of the story, which in my opinion took away from the power of the book.
I would still recommend this book, but only to people I know very well and would trust could handle the subject matter.
3.5/5 stars
I had to take some time and process this one - it has an exhaustive list of trigger warnings and deals with some extremally heavy topics and I needed time to make sure I wasn't just gut reacting, either giving it a higher rating to support what I believe the intent was or a lower rating because it was uncomfortable.
In the end I can't say I loved it, completely outside how important I think stories like this are. It was an unexpected blend of magical realism (I think? I'm honestly still a bit unclear) and therapeutic/traumatic realism. It discusses extremely important yet under-realized topics like religious trauma, child abuse/neglect/sexual assault, foster care/adoption, child death/murder, homophobia/conversion camps, racism....but the author keeps the reader in the dark by deliberately withholding the timing of the 2 POVs and mixing up the trauma of a child with a completely unexplained "miracle". I struggle to describe it without spoilers, though I'm honestly not sure I could even with them.
In the end, I think this is an incredibly important story but the execution wasn't for me - I don't mind being confused if the writing is well done and the author brings it to a satisfying ending - that, I think, is what was missing for me here. I didn't truly feel satisfied with the ending and it felt rushed and too unrefined - I spent more time confused and saying "well this already odd book just got super weird" than I did really feeling the impact of the story, which in my opinion took away from the power of the book.
I would still recommend this book, but only to people I know very well and would trust could handle the subject matter.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Racism, Child death, Mental illness, Abandonment, Bullying, Homophobia, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia
obscurepages's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Goosebumps. Goosebumps all over. This book is a dark and haunting journey into light of a boy broken and betrayed by the very people who claim they give love and healing. This speaks so much of what queer trans people (especially QTPOC) go through in real life, and how dangerous/destructive others' religious bigotry and dogma can be. I think I'm going to need a few days to process all of this tbh.
Also, I have to commend Mark Oshiro once again. If there's one thing they can do, it's to pull you in with masterful storytelling and riveting perspectives. This book did just that and more.
Full review on my blog soon.
CW: religious bigotry, religious abuse, conversion therapy camps, techniques and forms of conversion therapy, parental abuse (especially from adoptive parents), predatory adults, mentions of sexual assault/harassment, homophobia
Also, I have to commend Mark Oshiro once again. If there's one thing they can do, it's to pull you in with masterful storytelling and riveting perspectives. This book did just that and more.
Full review on my blog soon.
CW: religious bigotry, religious abuse, conversion therapy camps, techniques and forms of conversion therapy, parental abuse (especially from adoptive parents), predatory adults, mentions of sexual assault/harassment, homophobia
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Child abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Violence
Minor: Racism
conversion therapy camp, techniques in conversion therapybooksmellers's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
One of my favorite subgenres that's gained traction in the past few years is queer genre YA that tackles difficult topics such as religious trauma and colonialism head on---books like H. E. Edgmon's The Witch King, Andrew Joseph White's Hell Followed With Us, Vincent Tirado's Burn Down, Rise Up, etc. Into the Light is a wonderful new addition to this category.
I fully believe that the most difficult books are some of the most worthwhile ones, and this is especially true of this book. Oshiro does not shy away from showing the traumatic elements of Manny's life (please check content warnings) and they do it in the most heart-wrenching but beautifully healing way. The writing is beautiful and really relatable, even though the characters are in situations I've never been in. It's clear that this is an issue close to Oshiro's heart and they write about it with such compassion. Manny is a complicated character but it's hard not to fall in love with him.
There are some supernatural/fantasyesque aspects to this novel but I don't think it takes away from the realism the story presents. The supernatural elements serve as an interesting form of symbolism that I think is unique and weird in a really cool way. It definitely kept me on my toes.
I devoured this story, and it's an absolutely important one so I highly recommend.
Thank you, NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I fully believe that the most difficult books are some of the most worthwhile ones, and this is especially true of this book. Oshiro does not shy away from showing the traumatic elements of Manny's life (please check content warnings) and they do it in the most heart-wrenching but beautifully healing way. The writing is beautiful and really relatable, even though the characters are in situations I've never been in. It's clear that this is an issue close to Oshiro's heart and they write about it with such compassion. Manny is a complicated character but it's hard not to fall in love with him.
There are some supernatural/fantasyesque aspects to this novel but I don't think it takes away from the realism the story presents. The supernatural elements serve as an interesting form of symbolism that I think is unique and weird in a really cool way. It definitely kept me on my toes.
I devoured this story, and it's an absolutely important one so I highly recommend.
Thank you, NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Racism, Murder, Death, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Colonisation, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Mental illness, Abortion, and Deportation
caseythereader's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Thanks to Tor Teen for the free advance copy of this book.
- Wow, fans of teen thrillers, you must get your hands on INTO THE LIGHT. This book is heart pounding, page turning, gut punching.
- The subject matter of the book is very difficult, but the light supernatural element here is a fantastic way to address how queer kids and kids of color are often quickly cast aside in the real world.
- Amid the mystery, Oshiro also builds a beautiful found family story. None of them are perfect people, and yet they are committed to doing better and to helping each other survive and grow.
- Wow, fans of teen thrillers, you must get your hands on INTO THE LIGHT. This book is heart pounding, page turning, gut punching.
- The subject matter of the book is very difficult, but the light supernatural element here is a fantastic way to address how queer kids and kids of color are often quickly cast aside in the real world.
- Amid the mystery, Oshiro also builds a beautiful found family story. None of them are perfect people, and yet they are committed to doing better and to helping each other survive and grow.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Abandonment, Child death, Death, Murder, Religious bigotry, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Abortion, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
emmaito's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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
Thank you to NetGalley & Tor Publishing for an early ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
Into the Light by Mark Oshiro is gut-wrenching and heart-breaking in all the best ways. I started this book around midnight and couldn't stop reading until I finished. I was so drawn in to learning more about Manny, a queer Latinx teen adoptee, and his story that I kept reading, page after page, until the sun came up. The story begins with Manny on the road, surviving and living off of gas station kindness and his own street smarts. As the story unfolds, we learn more about why Manny is living on his own on the road and how he was kicked out of a religious cult that changed his relationship with his sister, Elena. Manny tries to find his way back to his sister, who stayed by his side through many foster families, but the journey -- realistic, frustrating, and emotional -- is so much more than one could imagine.
Please, please check content warnings for this book. There's much to dwell on in this book: racism, the foster system, neglect, adoption, homophobia. Into the Light will draw all feelings out of you. It can be incredibly heavy at times, but the book itself is impactful and ultimately, beautiful, as Oshiro shows us that although a path towards the light often seems impossible, through self and found family, we can find hope.
Into the Light by Mark Oshiro is gut-wrenching and heart-breaking in all the best ways. I started this book around midnight and couldn't stop reading until I finished. I was so drawn in to learning more about Manny, a queer Latinx teen adoptee, and his story that I kept reading, page after page, until the sun came up. The story begins with Manny on the road, surviving and living off of gas station kindness and his own street smarts. As the story unfolds, we learn more about why Manny is living on his own on the road and how he was kicked out of a religious cult that changed his relationship with his sister, Elena. Manny tries to find his way back to his sister, who stayed by his side through many foster families, but the journey -- realistic, frustrating, and emotional -- is so much more than one could imagine.
Please, please check content warnings for this book. There's much to dwell on in this book: racism, the foster system, neglect, adoption, homophobia. Into the Light will draw all feelings out of you. It can be incredibly heavy at times, but the book itself is impactful and ultimately, beautiful, as Oshiro shows us that although a path towards the light often seems impossible, through self and found family, we can find hope.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Racism, and Homophobia
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