Lucas Goodgame is being hailed a hero in quaint, suburban Majestic, Pennsylvania. With the help of his Jungian analyst Karl and his deceased-but-now-in-angel-form wife Darcy, Lucas is perhaps more untouched by the tragedy that struck Majestic than he should be.
As life in Majestic attempts to clunk forward, a most unexpected visitor arrives in Lucas' backyard: eighteen year-old Eli, whom the town has shunned for reasons that make no sense to Lucas. Together, they decide to embark on an artistic venture to make a movie and reunite Majestic in the name of healing. Little does Lucas know, there's healing to be done in every corner of Majestic, especially within himself.
There's little I can say, readers, that'll truly do this book justice. Like "Silver Linings Playbook," it's offbeat, quirky, and has an uncanny knack for evoking laughs in the most inappropriate of points. In "We Are the Light" Matthew Light, dare I say, goes quite a bit deeper and darker, into territory that not every reader will be ready to venture into. Please, read the content warnings before you start this book; it is a heavy read. But more notably, this book is also an important story about grief, healing, and mental health--the dark underbellies and imperfect truths of them all.
About three quarters through this story, I found myself thinking "I love this, but I've read stories like this before." And then I got to the end. Quick packs an existential, emotional punch in how he transforms Lucas' character throughout the story, and through my streaming tears at the end, I was in awe. This is a beautiful story about healing through tragedy and the people who help us get there.
Rating: 5 Stars
Publication Details: Out Now, Avid Reader Press
*Huge thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing my review copy!*
