When Light Left Us

by Leah Thomas

[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight

3.5*

This is a very... different sort of book. I mean, you see in the synopsis that Luz is an alien who is having an impact on this particular family. A huge impact, basically. But I'll let you read about that. Point is, an alien invading a family isn't your run of the mill story. Also, this alien is kind of an asshole. 

The book started off in a bit of a confusing way, and I wasn't wholly sure what I was even reading. Was this contemporary? Was it sci-fi? The story is told through several POVs- the three siblings and their mother (technically, a little from Luz, too). I didn't mind that part, actually. It's a very character driven story, so I liked the opportunity to get to know all the characters in depth. My real problem with the beginning was that there wasn't much happening, and I was confused, and it led to me not connecting immediately. 

But then, as the book went on (and it's a bit long for a contemporary, at over 400 pages), I really grew to care about this family. I needed to know their stories, I wanted them to be okay. Frankly, I wanted to know if Luz was even a real thing or a construct of their imagination, or something else entirely. I really had no idea where the story was headed, and I quite liked that! 

I was also mildly disappointed by the end; it wasn't quite as epic/surprising as I'd hoped. It wasn't terrible or anything, mind you, and it very well may just be my personal taste. Maybe you'll love it. But my investment in the characters outweighed my disappointments in this book. I loved watching them grow and develop, make friends and see their relationships change and evolve. I loved their interactions as a family, too. While they were often messy, they also seemed realistic. Their mother cared so much for them, but always felt overwhelmed and like she wasn't doing enough. In turn, each of the children had their own crosses to bear. It all felt incredibly honest. 

Bottom line: While the plot was on the slow side, and I had some moments of confusion, the characters and the love they shared made up for my dislikes, no question. 

*Copy provided for review