Scan barcode
A review by popthebutterfly
This Little Light by Lori Lansens
3.0
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: This Little Light
Author: Lori Lansens
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: dystopian, feminist, cults, like The Handmaid’s Tale
Publication Date: January 1, 2019
Genre: YA Dystopian/Feminist
Recommended Age: 16+ (rape TW, sexual content, sexism, violence, gore)
Publisher: Random House Canada
Pages: 257
Synopsis: Taking place over 48 hours in the year 2023, this is the story of Rory Ann Miller, on the run with her best friend because they are accused of bombing their posh Californian high school during an American Virtue Ball. There's a bounty on their heads, and a social media storm of trolls flying around them, not to mention a posse of law enforcement, attack helicopters and drones trying to track them down. Rory's mom, a social activist and lawyer, has been arrested and implicated in her daughter's "crimes" whereas her dad (who betrayed his wife and daughter in a nasty divorce) is cooperating with the authorities. The story exists in a universe of gated communities, born-again Christians, Probationary Citizens (once known as "Dreamers"), re-criminalized abortion and birth control, teenage virginity oaths and something called the Red Market, which is either a Conservative bogey-man created to further polarize the "base" or a criminal network making money from selling unwanted babies to whomever wants them and fetal tissue to cosmetics and drug companies.
Rory is cynical and scared, furious and scathing, betrayed and looking for something or someone to trust. What she has to say about the dads and bosses and politicians lining up to keep women in their place, and about the ways women collaborate in their own undermining, is fierce, and funny, and sad, and true.
Review: For the most part this was a good book. I liked the dystopian vibes and I liked how the book took inspiration from The Handmaid’s Tale. The book did well to talk about feminism, sexism, cults, and rape culture. The book was written well for the most part and the book kept me intrigued from beginning to end.
However, the book rambles on and on so much. It suffers a little from what I dubbed Stephen King syndrome (where you get stuck on a topic for a few pages). The book is very hard to make your way through it when the “rambles” happen and while it’s a great book with an interesting story, I wish that the rambles had been edited down a bit. It distracts from the rest of the story in my opinion, BUT it is very true to the voice of the character.
Verdict: It’s a good book, just a bit rambly.
Book: This Little Light
Author: Lori Lansens
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: dystopian, feminist, cults, like The Handmaid’s Tale
Publication Date: January 1, 2019
Genre: YA Dystopian/Feminist
Recommended Age: 16+ (rape TW, sexual content, sexism, violence, gore)
Publisher: Random House Canada
Pages: 257
Synopsis: Taking place over 48 hours in the year 2023, this is the story of Rory Ann Miller, on the run with her best friend because they are accused of bombing their posh Californian high school during an American Virtue Ball. There's a bounty on their heads, and a social media storm of trolls flying around them, not to mention a posse of law enforcement, attack helicopters and drones trying to track them down. Rory's mom, a social activist and lawyer, has been arrested and implicated in her daughter's "crimes" whereas her dad (who betrayed his wife and daughter in a nasty divorce) is cooperating with the authorities. The story exists in a universe of gated communities, born-again Christians, Probationary Citizens (once known as "Dreamers"), re-criminalized abortion and birth control, teenage virginity oaths and something called the Red Market, which is either a Conservative bogey-man created to further polarize the "base" or a criminal network making money from selling unwanted babies to whomever wants them and fetal tissue to cosmetics and drug companies.
Rory is cynical and scared, furious and scathing, betrayed and looking for something or someone to trust. What she has to say about the dads and bosses and politicians lining up to keep women in their place, and about the ways women collaborate in their own undermining, is fierce, and funny, and sad, and true.
Review: For the most part this was a good book. I liked the dystopian vibes and I liked how the book took inspiration from The Handmaid’s Tale. The book did well to talk about feminism, sexism, cults, and rape culture. The book was written well for the most part and the book kept me intrigued from beginning to end.
However, the book rambles on and on so much. It suffers a little from what I dubbed Stephen King syndrome (where you get stuck on a topic for a few pages). The book is very hard to make your way through it when the “rambles” happen and while it’s a great book with an interesting story, I wish that the rambles had been edited down a bit. It distracts from the rest of the story in my opinion, BUT it is very true to the voice of the character.
Verdict: It’s a good book, just a bit rambly.