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A review by karenleagermain
Bright Before Us by Katie Arnold-Ratliff
4.0
As usual, another book from Tin House Publishing that is a winner. "Bright Before Us" is a very, very dark book. The protagonist is hard to like, as he openly admits to being cruel and manipulative. However, he did garner some sympathy from me, as he is in constant conflict and knows his faults, in particular his anger and resentment issues.
The subject matter hit a little too close to home with the subjects of mourning and parents dying. I could completely relate to the falling apart that happens during grief, as it often happens in unexpected and unpredictable ways. Much like the characters in the book, grief does not always manifest in ways that people generalize. I think that although it's possible to have compassion for people going through loss, it is impossible to really understand it, unless you are experiencing it. I think the author captivated these emotions too precise to have not experience them herself. I felt like those parts of the books left me feeling raw and exposed.
My only problem with the book was the way it flipped around from different time periods and characters. On one had, this was part of what made the book so unique and from a narrative perspective, it set the tone for the story and gave it an air of mystery. On the other hand, there were several moments that I had to stop and think about where the story was currently. It worked for the most part, but without remembering specifics, there were moment where the narrative style didn't quite gel. That aside, it was a fantastic, compelling read. I would recommend it to anyone ready to take a dark ride!
The subject matter hit a little too close to home with the subjects of mourning and parents dying. I could completely relate to the falling apart that happens during grief, as it often happens in unexpected and unpredictable ways. Much like the characters in the book, grief does not always manifest in ways that people generalize. I think that although it's possible to have compassion for people going through loss, it is impossible to really understand it, unless you are experiencing it. I think the author captivated these emotions too precise to have not experience them herself. I felt like those parts of the books left me feeling raw and exposed.
My only problem with the book was the way it flipped around from different time periods and characters. On one had, this was part of what made the book so unique and from a narrative perspective, it set the tone for the story and gave it an air of mystery. On the other hand, there were several moments that I had to stop and think about where the story was currently. It worked for the most part, but without remembering specifics, there were moment where the narrative style didn't quite gel. That aside, it was a fantastic, compelling read. I would recommend it to anyone ready to take a dark ride!