A review by reflectiverambling_nalana
A Scatter of Light by Malinda Lo

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

3.5

While there are many familiar milestones to a coming of age novel here, "A Scatter of Light" feels like it particularly caught the age of the characters well. They have a solid sense of concerns and priorities, view of the world, and self that matches that messy transitional 'new adult' feeling. They are messy-young. They are still in touch with hopes and memories of childhood. And not every story of discovery is a fairy tale. That doesn't make it less significant, formative, or touching. 

Enjoyable characters, a great capture of the recent past, and a really great casual commentary on how the scientific and artistic aren't as separate was we frame them to be.