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Light #2
Under the Light
Helen needed a body to be with her beloved and Jenny needed to escape from hers before her spirit was broken. It was wicked, borrowing it, but love drives even the gentlest soul to desperate acts.
When Jenny returns to her body, she finds that someone has been living her life while she was away. She doesn’t remember being Billy’s lover or defying her family. But now she is faced with the consequences. And Helen, who has returned to warn Jenny—to help her—finds herself trapped, haunting the girl she wished to save.
In this captivating companion novel to A Certain Slant of Light, the love story between Jenny and Billy begins out-of-body—where they can fly and move the stars--and continues into the tumultuous realm of the living, where they are torn away from each other even as they slowly remember their spirits falling in love.
When Jenny returns to her body, she finds that someone has been living her life while she was away. She doesn’t remember being Billy’s lover or defying her family. But now she is faced with the consequences. And Helen, who has returned to warn Jenny—to help her—finds herself trapped, haunting the girl she wished to save.
In this captivating companion novel to A Certain Slant of Light, the love story between Jenny and Billy begins out-of-body—where they can fly and move the stars--and continues into the tumultuous realm of the living, where they are torn away from each other even as they slowly remember their spirits falling in love.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published May 14, 2013
40 people are currently reading
4030 people want to read
About the author
Laura Whitcomb
8 books510 followersLaura Whitcomb grew up in Pasadena, California in a mildly haunted house. She received her English degree at California State University at Northridge in 1993. She has taught Language Arts in California and Hawaii. She has won three Kay Snow Awards and was once runner up in the Bulwer-Lytton writing contest for the best first sentence of the worst Science Fiction novel never written. In her spare time she sings madrigals with the Sherwood Renaissance Singers and is the props mistress for the Portland Christmas Revels. She lives in Wilsonville, Oregon, with her son Robinson.
The movie rights for A Certain Slant of Light sold to Kristin Hahn, producer of The Departed. ACSOL will be published in Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, German, Polish, and Turkish. The audio book is published by Listening Library. In 2005 ACSOL was also chosen for the "Discover Great New Writers" program at Barnes & Noble bookstores.
The Fetch was #5 in the top ten of Children's Indie Next List 2009 and was published as an audio book by Recorded Books. The paperback will be available in fall 2010.
The movie rights for A Certain Slant of Light sold to Kristin Hahn, producer of The Departed. ACSOL will be published in Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, German, Polish, and Turkish. The audio book is published by Listening Library. In 2005 ACSOL was also chosen for the "Discover Great New Writers" program at Barnes & Noble bookstores.
The Fetch was #5 in the top ten of Children's Indie Next List 2009 and was published as an audio book by Recorded Books. The paperback will be available in fall 2010.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews
May 15, 2013
This is the story of two girls: Helen, a spirit who inhabited a body and regretted the consequences of her actions, and Jenny, the girl who doesn't remember what happened during the time that she was gone.
Going into this story, I was pretty anxious. A Certain Slant of Light was one of my favorite reads in recent memory, a slow, sad ghost story with a literary style and questionable ethics. Helen's choices left Jenny in an unimaginably difficult situation, however, and I wasn't sure whether the author could convince me that this wrong could be righted without losing the integrity of the first book.
I'm happy to say that I needn't have worried. This sequel is astonishingly complete and wholly satisfying in how it resolves both Jenny and Helen's journeys, and in the way it gives us a truly transportive experience in Jenny and Billy's tentative relationship. I wasn't sure I would be swayed by a pairing that started under such unusual circumstances, but the yearning, uncertain romance made me thrill with their connection and wish fervently for their happiness.
I don't want to say too much about the specifics of this story, because the less you know about it, the better. But Under the Light is full of love and beauty, as well as a deep and tender spiritualism that outshines even its predecessor. The writing is the kind that I live and breathe for--it takes you out of your body because it's so utterly gorgeous.
The night was deep, the stars had risen, a faint glow defined every blade of grass. Wasn't it strange that the stars sparkled in his eyes even though he would not cast an image in a mirror himself?
This two-book series isn't for everyone, because while the stories are short, they are densely fitted with words and mature themes. But if you're someone who appreciates literary YA, I'd strongly recommend this series. Just know you'll need to keep an open mind...but also know that it may lift your heart and imagination to places that you would never have expected.
5 shining stars. Love love love love love.
This review also appears in The Midnight Garden. An advance copy was provided by the publisher.
Stay tuned for our interview with author Laura Whitcomb, which will appear on the blog later this month!
Going into this story, I was pretty anxious. A Certain Slant of Light was one of my favorite reads in recent memory, a slow, sad ghost story with a literary style and questionable ethics. Helen's choices left Jenny in an unimaginably difficult situation, however, and I wasn't sure whether the author could convince me that this wrong could be righted without losing the integrity of the first book.
I'm happy to say that I needn't have worried. This sequel is astonishingly complete and wholly satisfying in how it resolves both Jenny and Helen's journeys, and in the way it gives us a truly transportive experience in Jenny and Billy's tentative relationship. I wasn't sure I would be swayed by a pairing that started under such unusual circumstances, but the yearning, uncertain romance made me thrill with their connection and wish fervently for their happiness.
I don't want to say too much about the specifics of this story, because the less you know about it, the better. But Under the Light is full of love and beauty, as well as a deep and tender spiritualism that outshines even its predecessor. The writing is the kind that I live and breathe for--it takes you out of your body because it's so utterly gorgeous.
The night was deep, the stars had risen, a faint glow defined every blade of grass. Wasn't it strange that the stars sparkled in his eyes even though he would not cast an image in a mirror himself?
This two-book series isn't for everyone, because while the stories are short, they are densely fitted with words and mature themes. But if you're someone who appreciates literary YA, I'd strongly recommend this series. Just know you'll need to keep an open mind...but also know that it may lift your heart and imagination to places that you would never have expected.
5 shining stars. Love love love love love.
This review also appears in The Midnight Garden. An advance copy was provided by the publisher.
Stay tuned for our interview with author Laura Whitcomb, which will appear on the blog later this month!
April 14, 2013
How much recapping do you like in your sequels/companion novels? It appears that even I, a reader with a very short memory for details, have my limits. If a sequel verges on being 50% recap of its preceding story, then what's the point of its existence, really?
I remember A Certain Slant of Light to be a lovely, elegant, sensual and gently unsettling ghost story. (It's been years since I read it though, in fact, it was one of my first YA reads after, naturally, Twilight, so I can't be held fully accountable for my memories of it until I reread it, ok?) Under the Light is equally elegantly written. Laura Whitcomb published books on writing and indeed she knows what she is talking about, her prose is lovely, in my opinion. The last chapter is just gorgeous. But the plot, the plot! Where art thou?
The premise of Under the Light is that we follow up on Jenny and Billy once their bodies, previously possessed by Helen and James, are returned to them. A Certain Slant of Light left Jenny and Billy in quite a bind (possibly a pregnancy? ooh-la-la!), so I see how it would be interesting to see how they deal with their difficulties and with the realization that their bodies were inhabited and used by ghostly lovers. But so much of this new novel is taken up by Helen, who in this book returns to see Jenny through her ordeal, and Helen's recapping of what she and James did in the previous book, that there is hardly any space in this rather slight tome left to develop Jenny and Billy's story. This book thoroughly lacks in new material and good conflict. There are almost no new revelations or new developments. Jenny and Billy finding out what happened to their bodies? But WE already know! Any new stories with Jenny's parents? Hardly! Getting to know Billy a bit better? Eh, a bit. It seems, everything exciting happened in the first book, and this follow-up just ties some loose ends, and barely offers anything more. We do learn about Billy's reasons for abandoning his body, however this plot line is fairly insignificant and short. The way I see it, the novel would have been better if Helen weren't in it at all. She is fairly useless as a helper anyway.
In the end, the only thing that Under the Light achieves is make you want to reread A Certain Slant of Light. I recommend you all do the same and don't bother with this companion. I feel that A Certain Slant of Light is a better book if it is experienced as a standalone.
I remember A Certain Slant of Light to be a lovely, elegant, sensual and gently unsettling ghost story. (It's been years since I read it though, in fact, it was one of my first YA reads after, naturally, Twilight, so I can't be held fully accountable for my memories of it until I reread it, ok?) Under the Light is equally elegantly written. Laura Whitcomb published books on writing and indeed she knows what she is talking about, her prose is lovely, in my opinion. The last chapter is just gorgeous. But the plot, the plot! Where art thou?
The premise of Under the Light is that we follow up on Jenny and Billy once their bodies, previously possessed by Helen and James, are returned to them. A Certain Slant of Light left Jenny and Billy in quite a bind (possibly a pregnancy? ooh-la-la!), so I see how it would be interesting to see how they deal with their difficulties and with the realization that their bodies were inhabited and used by ghostly lovers. But so much of this new novel is taken up by Helen, who in this book returns to see Jenny through her ordeal, and Helen's recapping of what she and James did in the previous book, that there is hardly any space in this rather slight tome left to develop Jenny and Billy's story. This book thoroughly lacks in new material and good conflict. There are almost no new revelations or new developments. Jenny and Billy finding out what happened to their bodies? But WE already know! Any new stories with Jenny's parents? Hardly! Getting to know Billy a bit better? Eh, a bit. It seems, everything exciting happened in the first book, and this follow-up just ties some loose ends, and barely offers anything more. We do learn about Billy's reasons for abandoning his body, however this plot line is fairly insignificant and short. The way I see it, the novel would have been better if Helen weren't in it at all. She is fairly useless as a helper anyway.
In the end, the only thing that Under the Light achieves is make you want to reread A Certain Slant of Light. I recommend you all do the same and don't bother with this companion. I feel that A Certain Slant of Light is a better book if it is experienced as a standalone.
wish-list
March 7, 2013Woaaaah. I was so not expecting a sequel to A Certain Slant of Light.
Want to read
November 17, 2012OMG there's a second one! Holy bajeezus I am floored. SO EXCITED because she LEFT IT AT A CLIFFHANGER. WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO JENNY? WHAT ABOUT HELEN? AND BILLY? AHHH (sorry for the majority of this being in caps but just omg)
April 18, 2011
Under the Light (Light #2) is the sequel to A Certain Slant of Light, and one I’ve been waiting for since 2005 for. A Certain Slant of Light is one of my all time favorite books, as well as one of my most beloved Young Adult reads. This is a book you find yourself re-reading time and again, and will want to pass it along to anyone you know. The story is so beautiful, the writing poetic. This is a book that makes you cry because of the message about love and life and death. Under the Light should impressed fans of A Certain Slant of Light, but it didn’t pack as much of a punch like A Certain Slant of Light, although the writing is still rich and full or prose.
Under the Light begins right after A Certain Slant of Light ends. Helen, the spirit who possessed Jenny's body, the depressed and sad girl, for a week has left and found peace in what looks to be Heaven. While in Jenny’s body, Helen met another spirit James, who possessed Billy’s body. Jenny comes from a very strict, religious household, while Billy lives with his older brother and gets in trouble with the law. Over a course of a week, Helen and James connected and fell in love. Unfortunately when they left the bodies they took over, both Jenny and Billy are then clueless as to what happened during that week their souls were away. Their souls were on another plane where they met and also connected, much like Helen and James did. Now that Jenny and Billy have returned, they must figure out what they missed and the consequences, if any, of Helen and James’s actions.
Jenny finds out her father has been cheating on her mother and left for his mistress. This comes as complete shock because Jenny’s father is very a bible thumping, religious fanatic who ruled his household with an iron fist. Jenny is very confused and scared. But she’s not alone. Helen has come back to Jenny to help her find peace, much like she has found. Then there’s Billy, who wants to stay friends with Jenny. Both team up and investigate the time they’ve lost. Helen is there the entire time to guide Jenny, who feels Helen is helping her, especially when it comes to her father and those at the church who believe Jenny was possessed by a demon.
Laura Whitcomb has a lovely way with words. Under the Light is a precious tale about forgiveness and acceptance. Jenny and Billy are total opposites but have a bond now because of Helen and James. Under the Light is also very sweet and tender and suited for all ages. It’s the perfect book for teens feeling lost or uncertain about their own lives. Under the Light gives you a sense of hope. The ending will make you smile and possibly shed a tear.
I loved reading about Helen again, although I wish James was by her side as she helped Jenny. I’m hoping there will be one final book showing Helen and James together in their paradise they have made for themselves. Under the Light was like coming home to old friends.
Do yourself a favor and pick up A Certain Slant of Light and Under the Light. You won’t regret it.
Under the Light begins right after A Certain Slant of Light ends. Helen, the spirit who possessed Jenny's body, the depressed and sad girl, for a week has left and found peace in what looks to be Heaven. While in Jenny’s body, Helen met another spirit James, who possessed Billy’s body. Jenny comes from a very strict, religious household, while Billy lives with his older brother and gets in trouble with the law. Over a course of a week, Helen and James connected and fell in love. Unfortunately when they left the bodies they took over, both Jenny and Billy are then clueless as to what happened during that week their souls were away. Their souls were on another plane where they met and also connected, much like Helen and James did. Now that Jenny and Billy have returned, they must figure out what they missed and the consequences, if any, of Helen and James’s actions.
Jenny finds out her father has been cheating on her mother and left for his mistress. This comes as complete shock because Jenny’s father is very a bible thumping, religious fanatic who ruled his household with an iron fist. Jenny is very confused and scared. But she’s not alone. Helen has come back to Jenny to help her find peace, much like she has found. Then there’s Billy, who wants to stay friends with Jenny. Both team up and investigate the time they’ve lost. Helen is there the entire time to guide Jenny, who feels Helen is helping her, especially when it comes to her father and those at the church who believe Jenny was possessed by a demon.
Laura Whitcomb has a lovely way with words. Under the Light is a precious tale about forgiveness and acceptance. Jenny and Billy are total opposites but have a bond now because of Helen and James. Under the Light is also very sweet and tender and suited for all ages. It’s the perfect book for teens feeling lost or uncertain about their own lives. Under the Light gives you a sense of hope. The ending will make you smile and possibly shed a tear.
I loved reading about Helen again, although I wish James was by her side as she helped Jenny. I’m hoping there will be one final book showing Helen and James together in their paradise they have made for themselves. Under the Light was like coming home to old friends.
Do yourself a favor and pick up A Certain Slant of Light and Under the Light. You won’t regret it.
May 14, 2013
My review can also be found on my blog Collections.
I remember adoring A Certain Slant of Light and loving the way it ended. However, I did have some lingering questions: What exactly were Jenny and Billy up to while they were away from their bodies? Was Jenny really pregnant? And most importantly, what happened to Jenny and Billy afterwards? When I heard the author was writing a novel about them I was ecstatic! At the same time, I wondered if these questions would be answered at all and if the story would even be as amazing as the first book. Having read it now, though, I realize I had nothing to worry about.
Laura Whitcomb truly delivered beyond anything I could have ever hoped for in this follow up to A Certain Slant of Light. Under the Light was a dream come true for me. The entire book was just as mesmerizing and breathtaking as its predecessor, if not more. It flowed so well and gave me the same wonderful feelings I had while reading the first book. These were my thoughts as soon as I finished: 'Wow. Could a sequel be any more perfect?' I really couldn't have asked for a better outcome for Jenny and Billy and Helen.
Although this novel focused on Jenny and her relationship with Billy and her family, Helen was also an integral character. She might have had her happy ending, but she ended up coming back to Jenny's world out of guilt. She wanted to make sure Jenny didn't suffer the consequences of her actions while she was in Jenny's body, so protecting and looking after Jenny until her life got back on track became Helen's main goal in the book. It wasn't always easy for Helen to communicate with Jenny though. Some moments I wished she could get through to Jenny quickly, other moments I was relieved she couldn't interfere. Overall, I was just glad Helen was there by Jenny's side to guide her and to witness everything Jenny had to go through to reach her own happy ending.
For me, Jenny and Billy were the stars of Under the Light. Whenever they had moments together, I smiled like crazy. Their interactions with each other were done so perfectly. Once they figured out ghosts had inhabited their bodies, they retraced the steps the ghosts had taken in their bodies. It was great because there was a sweet awkwardness between them. They knew something special had happened, but it was hard for them to understand why they were important to each other. It was very adorable to read. I couldn't get enough.
The questions I mentioned before about Jenny and Billy were addressed, of course, and the answers were unexpected and surprising in a really good way. I loved learning more about their lives, especially Billy's, even though his story broke my heart to pieces. It made me even more thankful that they found each other because the bond they shared kept them both anchored during the hardships they faced. I just LOVED how their relationship developed. It was such a beautiful thing. There's so much more I could say, really. I can't quite find the words, though, to describe how amazing it was to read about them. But I will say that I don't think Jenny and Billy fans will be disappointed at all.
Under the Light was a highly satisfying and emotional conclusion to the stories of Helen, Jenny, and Billy, all of which began in A Certain Slant of Light. It left me feeling happy and content, the way I love to feel when I finish a novel. I honestly wish it never had to end. Not because I thought it needed more, but because I couldn't quite bring myself to let these characters go. I hope fans of A Certain Slant of Light love Under the Light as much as I did. It's a worthy sequel and deserving of all the praise it will no doubt receive.
P.S. A song that reminded me of this book and that I listened to nonstop while writing this review: Look at the Light by Sin Fang ♥ ♫
September 8, 2023
you know god? he can be a real piece of work sometimes with a lot of mood swings.
or to borrow richard dawkins words: "is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully."
.. if he exists that is and not some figment of my imagination. praying is supposed to be this meaningful experience filling you with faith in the spirit's power and wisdom and whatnot. instead it makes one (well, me) feel stupid, as if i am talking to myself in a conversation that is supposed to be two-sided. i can constantly hear from relatives and family members that it can make you happy and give you strength and so on and so forth. the great thing about belief and faith is that it can take shape in different ways. if i wanted to i could choose to believe in the magical power of chocolate chip cookies and that they bring together people with their chocolate-y awesomeness. maybe big brother is watching. maybe not. while i may not like being forced to pray with my family every day and dedicate sunday mornings to going to church, it cannot be denied that for better or worse it is part of me and my life.
as a consequence i like reading novels that reflect these topics through thoughtful, critical or original lenses and authors who write these stories without coming off as pretentious. like whitcomb's previous work, this too, deals with death, faith and the afterlife. but in a non preachy and accessible way. i always come back for more.
who hasn't seen the sixth sense ? ghost ? casper ? the others ? what about the awakening ? the gift ? the woman in black ? an american haunting ? the timeless crow ? constantine ? gothika ?do you like watching alison dubois talk to ghosts and solve gory cases?
whitcomb has a way with words, it trickles into you, lulls you in with its dreamlike sequences and quiet, unassuming writing. there is something to be said about authors who seemingly write without knowing what a thing of beauty they have created, but making it seem so effortless.
"under the light" is a companion novel to "a certain slant of light". in a certain slant of light two spirits who were stuck between the netherworld and the living world and per chance come to inhabit two teenagers bodies and their respective problems. under the light continues right where the acsol left of. utl is split into three parts. part 1 is told from jenny's pov, part 2 from helen's and the last part switches back and forth between the both of them.
jenny is in a place where she tries to separate fantasy or perhaps dreams from reality. she has lost about a week worth of memories about things that supposedly happened and people tell her she has said stuff that were totally out of character. instead jenny remember magical occurences where she was a spirit without an actual body, meets another spirit she clicks with and they do fun stuff. like . but when jenny's spirit is placed back into her physical form she cries for the loss of something she doesn't quite remember anymore. the broken pieces of the past eventually come back, one by one to slowly, but surely fall into place. she tries to reconnect with her mother and reconstruct her past history with billy. as a reader of course, particularly those who have read a certain slant of light it comes as no surprise that , but is all the more beautiful to watch as we get to experience their journey towards coming to terms about what happened and finding a way to move on with life and stick up for yourself and your beliefs.
whitcomb successfully captured the universally familiar feeling of dread of not being understood and highlights what a world of difference it makes when you find someone who makes the effort of doing so. some readers may find it too slow moving, which is probably true, because under the light is not a plot driven but a character driven novel.
but me? ♥♥♥
suit yourself.
bonus material:
* 10 great sci-fi and fantasy stories that deal with death
note: arc copy kindly provided by the author through a giveaway on her website. be sure to check out her website!
or to borrow richard dawkins words: "is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully."
.. if he exists that is and not some figment of my imagination. praying is supposed to be this meaningful experience filling you with faith in the spirit's power and wisdom and whatnot. instead it makes one (well, me) feel stupid, as if i am talking to myself in a conversation that is supposed to be two-sided. i can constantly hear from relatives and family members that it can make you happy and give you strength and so on and so forth. the great thing about belief and faith is that it can take shape in different ways. if i wanted to i could choose to believe in the magical power of chocolate chip cookies and that they bring together people with their chocolate-y awesomeness. maybe big brother is watching. maybe not. while i may not like being forced to pray with my family every day and dedicate sunday mornings to going to church, it cannot be denied that for better or worse it is part of me and my life.
as a consequence i like reading novels that reflect these topics through thoughtful, critical or original lenses and authors who write these stories without coming off as pretentious. like whitcomb's previous work, this too, deals with death, faith and the afterlife. but in a non preachy and accessible way. i always come back for more.
who hasn't seen the sixth sense ? ghost ? casper ? the others ? what about the awakening ? the gift ? the woman in black ? an american haunting ? the timeless crow ? constantine ? gothika ?do you like watching alison dubois talk to ghosts and solve gory cases?
whitcomb has a way with words, it trickles into you, lulls you in with its dreamlike sequences and quiet, unassuming writing. there is something to be said about authors who seemingly write without knowing what a thing of beauty they have created, but making it seem so effortless.
"under the light" is a companion novel to "a certain slant of light". in a certain slant of light two spirits who were stuck between the netherworld and the living world and per chance come to inhabit two teenagers bodies and their respective problems. under the light continues right where the acsol left of. utl is split into three parts. part 1 is told from jenny's pov, part 2 from helen's and the last part switches back and forth between the both of them.
jenny is in a place where she tries to separate fantasy or perhaps dreams from reality. she has lost about a week worth of memories about things that supposedly happened and people tell her she has said stuff that were totally out of character. instead jenny remember magical occurences where she was a spirit without an actual body, meets another spirit she clicks with and they do fun stuff. like . but when jenny's spirit is placed back into her physical form she cries for the loss of something she doesn't quite remember anymore. the broken pieces of the past eventually come back, one by one to slowly, but surely fall into place. she tries to reconnect with her mother and reconstruct her past history with billy. as a reader of course, particularly those who have read a certain slant of light it comes as no surprise that , but is all the more beautiful to watch as we get to experience their journey towards coming to terms about what happened and finding a way to move on with life and stick up for yourself and your beliefs.
whitcomb successfully captured the universally familiar feeling of dread of not being understood and highlights what a world of difference it makes when you find someone who makes the effort of doing so. some readers may find it too slow moving, which is probably true, because under the light is not a plot driven but a character driven novel.
but me? ♥♥♥
suit yourself.
bonus material:
* 10 great sci-fi and fantasy stories that deal with death
note: arc copy kindly provided by the author through a giveaway on her website. be sure to check out her website!
Want to read
August 12, 2011What the crap?! Why does every book have to have a sequel?!?
Want to read
November 15, 2010Seriously? A sequel? So unexpected...
Want to read
January 18, 2011YES! I'm soo thrilled that there's going to be another book! :D
May 28, 2017
I finally got around to reading the sequel, but I wish I had "A Certain Slant of Light" fresh in my head before taking on this book. There was some overlap and I had trouble recalling what was going on before.
For the sequel, we got to know what happened to Billy and Jenny after they get their bodies back. But also, we got to know where they've been while outside of their bodies. The duel narration between Jenny and Helen was annoying. I would have preferred it be just Jenny's story like the first book was just Helen's story. Helen was just trying to help Jenny after making a disaster of Jenny's life. But honestly, Helen was not helping. I did not love this, like I remember loving ACSoL, but it has prompted me to pick it up again. And I love it!
The moral of this story, you can overcome your shitty parenting? Uh, not sure of the moral. But it is certainly true for a Billy and Jenny.
For the sequel, we got to know what happened to Billy and Jenny after they get their bodies back. But also, we got to know where they've been while outside of their bodies. The duel narration between Jenny and Helen was annoying. I would have preferred it be just Jenny's story like the first book was just Helen's story. Helen was just trying to help Jenny after making a disaster of Jenny's life. But honestly, Helen was not helping. I did not love this, like I remember loving ACSoL, but it has prompted me to pick it up again. And I love it!
The moral of this story, you can overcome your shitty parenting? Uh, not sure of the moral. But it is certainly true for a Billy and Jenny.
Want to read
April 7, 2012Wow...I had no idea that there was a sequel to the first book. Jenny and Billy, how awesome is this going to be?!
July 9, 2024
2.5 but rounded up for Goodreads
Way too much Helen for me :/
I can see where the author was going with it, and why Helen was necessary, but I just wanted more Jenny and Billy. This could have gone in a drastically different (and more interesting) direction without Helen’s constant interference.
Way too much Helen for me :/
I can see where the author was going with it, and why Helen was necessary, but I just wanted more Jenny and Billy. This could have gone in a drastically different (and more interesting) direction without Helen’s constant interference.
November 1, 2014
Laura Whitcomb es una poeta que se hace pasar por novelista para jóvenes adultos .
Es capaz de escribir frases como ...
Declaraciones de amor que pelean :
Y tristezas que lloran...
Y todo eso sin dejar la trama de lado .
Jenny y Billy se vuelven a conocer sin acordarse haberse conocido jamás . Todo a causa de una foto de los dos juntos , hombro desnudo contra hombro desnudo en una cama desordenada y la felicidad exorcizando ambas caras ; el amor anduvo de paso y ello nunca estuvieron cerca para darle la bienvenida .
La novela empieza más o menos por ahí - los dos adolescentes de vidas dispares tratando de encontrarle un sentido a dos semanas que ninguno de los dos recuerda pero que una foto comprueba . Al empezar el reconociento y la claridad en la confusión , empieza esta novela simple , sin las boludeces habituales del género pero tampoco con la superacción de otras novelas paranormales .
Los primeros capitulos son pura fantasía , un viaje de colores e imágenes tan bien descriptos como soñados . La historia se desarrola lentamente y poco se va desentrañando lo que , a los ojos de los protagonistas es misterio pero para nosotros es la primera parte de esa saga , la historia de Helen y James .
Lo disfruté muchísimo . No soy creyente en absoluto y , sin embargo , me emocioné y me dejé llevar por esta historia . Es muy fácil sentirse amiga de Jenny , Billy y Helen , muy facil agarrar el libro y no soltarlo hasta terminarlo . Casi como si fueras Helen , LUZ y siguieras de cerca la vida de los vivos .
Pura poesía . Eso es Under the Light .
Es capaz de escribir frases como ...
The breeze danced my hair around, tickling my face. The sky was a watercolor of grays and whites and lavenders.
"Somewhere, I thought, there’s a place where this sky touches down to the ground in every direction instead of going behind houses and trees and power lines. And somewhere the grass grows long with no lawn mowers cutting it and it gets dry and brown without sprinklers, and the land is so flat, you can almost see the curve of the earth if you try. (...)
A drop of rain, invisible until just before it hit my throat, startled me. I have no idea why, but I thought it should have passed through me instead of tapping a wet spot on my skin. As another drop struck my cheek and another my wrist, I lifted my arms and stretched my fingers toward the sky. I tried to move that gray cloud out of the way, but I had no power over it. Of course. If I’d ever had powers, I’d lost them. Another drop hit the corner of my eye like a cold tear.".
Declaraciones de amor que pelean :
Y tristezas que lloran...
I sang a folk song I’d sung to my own little girl a hundred times—the one about the rolling river. Soon Jenny’s eyes were closed and her breaths came smooth and far between. Tears had dried on her face in delicate salt lines. Her hair fanned out on one side of the pillow.
“Why are you sad?” I asked her.
I didn’t expect her to answer, but from her throat came the faintest sound of question, as if she hadn’t understood me properly. It gave me a thrill to think she might have actually heard my question in her sleep.
“Why were you crying?” I asked.
Then the faintest sound of regret from deep in her dream. And four words, “I used to fly.”.
Y todo eso sin dejar la trama de lado .
Jenny y Billy se vuelven a conocer sin acordarse haberse conocido jamás . Todo a causa de una foto de los dos juntos , hombro desnudo contra hombro desnudo en una cama desordenada y la felicidad exorcizando ambas caras ; el amor anduvo de paso y ello nunca estuvieron cerca para darle la bienvenida .
La novela empieza más o menos por ahí - los dos adolescentes de vidas dispares tratando de encontrarle un sentido a dos semanas que ninguno de los dos recuerda pero que una foto comprueba . Al empezar el reconociento y la claridad en la confusión , empieza esta novela simple , sin las boludeces habituales del género pero tampoco con la superacción de otras novelas paranormales .
Los primeros capitulos son pura fantasía , un viaje de colores e imágenes tan bien descriptos como soñados . La historia se desarrola lentamente y poco se va desentrañando lo que , a los ojos de los protagonistas es misterio pero para nosotros es la primera parte de esa saga , la historia de Helen y James .
Lo disfruté muchísimo . No soy creyente en absoluto y , sin embargo , me emocioné y me dejé llevar por esta historia . Es muy fácil sentirse amiga de Jenny , Billy y Helen , muy facil agarrar el libro y no soltarlo hasta terminarlo . Casi como si fueras Helen , LUZ y siguieras de cerca la vida de los vivos .
Pura poesía . Eso es Under the Light .
May 31, 2013
4.5 stars
I so anticipated this book. After reading A Certain Slant of Light and like so many others, wondering what will happen to Julie and Billy. Well, the answers are here.
I was surprised at first that the voices were Helen and Julie. I anticipated the second voice would be Billy's, but should have known better as Whitcomb is smarter than that. She doesn't do the expected, not in her writing or in her storytelling.
Julie and Billy both have large gaps in their memories from their spirits leaving their bodies and those bodies then being temporarily taken over by Helen and James, two ghosts.
While I would strongly suggest you read ACSoL prior to reading this one, you can enjoy it even without doing so. But, again, I'd recommend reading it because it will make this one a bit easier to read, more understandable and most importantly, it is one fabulous read.
What I loved best about this book is the growth of the characters. Both Billy and Julie are confused by the fact that they know each other, but don't remember each other. And their actions prior to leaving their bodies and the actions of their bodies while they were gone, could have lasting consequences for their lives.
My one small complaint and the reason this one is a four and a half stars instead of five is the very last chapter with Helen's thoughts. It is either so esoteric or metaphysical that it was too whack-a-doodle for me. What if this hadn't happened or time can be spooled up and re-arranged. Truly so far over my head that my reaction was, huh? And I don't feel it adding anything and was just plain weird. I wish it had ended with her reunion with James, her knowing the future of Billy and Julie and that's all.
I so anticipated this book. After reading A Certain Slant of Light and like so many others, wondering what will happen to Julie and Billy. Well, the answers are here.
I was surprised at first that the voices were Helen and Julie. I anticipated the second voice would be Billy's, but should have known better as Whitcomb is smarter than that. She doesn't do the expected, not in her writing or in her storytelling.
Julie and Billy both have large gaps in their memories from their spirits leaving their bodies and those bodies then being temporarily taken over by Helen and James, two ghosts.
While I would strongly suggest you read ACSoL prior to reading this one, you can enjoy it even without doing so. But, again, I'd recommend reading it because it will make this one a bit easier to read, more understandable and most importantly, it is one fabulous read.
What I loved best about this book is the growth of the characters. Both Billy and Julie are confused by the fact that they know each other, but don't remember each other. And their actions prior to leaving their bodies and the actions of their bodies while they were gone, could have lasting consequences for their lives.
My one small complaint and the reason this one is a four and a half stars instead of five is the very last chapter with Helen's thoughts. It is either so esoteric or metaphysical that it was too whack-a-doodle for me. What if this hadn't happened or time can be spooled up and re-arranged. Truly so far over my head that my reaction was, huh? And I don't feel it adding anything and was just plain weird. I wish it had ended with her reunion with James, her knowing the future of Billy and Julie and that's all.
June 10, 2013
I read A Certain Slant of Light back when it came out in 2005. That would have made me about fifteen and probably in no adequate psychological or emotional to understand and appreciate this novel. I was very disturbed by what happens in that particular novel, and that made it really hard for me to look past it and enjoy the beauty of the writing and the heartbreaking story. Now, a good 8 years later, I like to think that I am because I really enjoyed Under the Light. Same breathtakingly gorgeous writing, same aching emotion to every aspect of the plot, but now a lot more emphasis on the character development than on the romance, which was still beautiful anyway. I am really glad I decided to give this story a second try and I'll probably be re-reading A Certain Slant of Light soon to give it the appreciation it deserves.
Want to read
September 28, 2012OH MY LORD I AM SO EXCITED! I never thought I'd see a sequel for "A Certain Slant of Light", one of my all-time favorite books, and now my dream has come true. I can die happy. :S SO excited!
July 22, 2018
It's been YEARS since I read the first one but this one was good too.
March 29, 2013
I remember liking, but not loving, A Certain Slant of Light. As I didn't reread the previous installment prior to jumping into this one, I was confused from the start about what was happening. (I mean, eight years between books? Eight years?)
I'll need to think on this more. Right now, my thoughts are that I really liked the beginning and ending (and I mean literally the last two pages), but parts in the middle alternately bored/angered/confused/disturbed me. But the writing style was pretty?
--
My review:
As I started reading this book, I realized perhaps ACSoL wasn't as conclusive as I had remembered. As I kept reading, I grew to love the premise behind this book, because it asked the important question, what happened to Jenny? Poor Jenny, who had been abused by her parents, then used by Helen, and ultimately left to pick up the tatters of her life--with only the barest hint of an optimistic future at the end of the last book.
Another high point of the book from the very start is the writing. Those who have read ACSoL will probably remember with fondness, as I do, the absolute brilliance of Laura Whitcomb's descriptions. This woman can breathe beauty into the most mundane of descriptions. Everything--characters, suburban lawns, ash-stained ceilings of former prayer corners--takes on an ethereal quality. Several scenes made me pause, rereading and reliving the most gorgeously crafted lines. I promise that if you love the style of this book's predecessor, you will not be disappointed by the writing in this one.
So, why three stars? I grappled with the rating for this one for a long time. First, I'll talk about my more general issues of the book, then some more specific problems.
First, Helen. Oh, Helen. To be honest, I can't quite remember my feelings about her as a character from the first book; I certainly don't remember disliking her. But there's a certain forgiveness attached to reading a book from first-person; we understood her motives, her sad history, and the path that took her to taking Jenny's body. In the first book, Jenny was a character we got to know through Helen's assumption of her life; we learned her secrets and story through the breadcrumbs her absentee spirit left behind.
Usually, I resist a change of narrator for a series. Why invest in a new character after already becoming attached to the first? In this case, however, Jenny was the perfect person to tell this story. The telling is split into two points-of-view: for the first chunk, told during Jenny's departure from her physical self, Jenny is the narrator. For the remaining parts, the chapters alternate between Jenny and Helen.
Helen returns out of a desire to make amends. After using Jenny's body and leaving her in the chaos wrought by Helen's actions, Helen descends from her blissful stay in heaven to "help" (and appease her growing sense of guilt). And throughout the book, the main relationship seems to be between Jenny and Helen as Jenny tries to find out what has happened in the eventful days she left her body. I found this difficult to swallow. It is stressed throughout that Helen feels motherly affection for Jenny--actually, it's stated outright several times. (Subtle, this book is not.)
To be honest, my main wish for this story is that Helen hadn't been a central part of it. I don't say this because I disliked Helen's story in ACSoL--quite the opposite. But from the beginning, it is clear that this is going to be Jenny's story. There were several parts in which Helen's voice felt intrusive, overly judgmental, and falsely noble to me. It's not the way I wanted to remember her character or ACSoL, and it ultimately tainted the rest of the story for me.
Much of Helen's commentary in the beginning centers on judging Jenny's mother, OVER AND OVER. I don't know that I've ever felt so browbeaten to accept the inadequacy of a character. Yes, Jenny's mother is often cold and spineless in her care of Jenny--but I got this before Helen started ranting at me. The parents (in particular the father) are already so exaggeratedly bad that Helen's preachy ranting felt tiresome and way over-the-top. (Not to mention a bit hypocritical, considering what she herself did to Jenny, but I won't go there.)
**SPOILERS FOLLOW**
Honestly, not all that much that happens in the book is too surprising, but if you dislike spoilers, please don't read further.
I can't say that I regret reading Under the Light, for the writing if nothing else. Although Helen played a big part of the story, and her relationship with Jenny was growing on me towards the end, I can't help but think this would have been a stronger story--Jenny's story--if she had been left out of it. I think a large part of Under the Light was Jenny coming into her own, and taking back her life after so many people had tried to control and manipulate her into becoming someone she wasn't. Although I really enjoyed the last two pages of the book--you'll understand what I mean if you read them--I don't feel that the alternating points-of-view lent to Jenny's growth as a character. I think I'll remember this book for the beauty of the first part, and try to separate the Helen of this story from the Helen of ACSoL.
I'll need to think on this more. Right now, my thoughts are that I really liked the beginning and ending (and I mean literally the last two pages), but parts in the middle alternately bored/angered/confused/disturbed me. But the writing style was pretty?
--
My review:
As I started reading this book, I realized perhaps ACSoL wasn't as conclusive as I had remembered. As I kept reading, I grew to love the premise behind this book, because it asked the important question, what happened to Jenny? Poor Jenny, who had been abused by her parents, then used by Helen, and ultimately left to pick up the tatters of her life--with only the barest hint of an optimistic future at the end of the last book.
Another high point of the book from the very start is the writing. Those who have read ACSoL will probably remember with fondness, as I do, the absolute brilliance of Laura Whitcomb's descriptions. This woman can breathe beauty into the most mundane of descriptions. Everything--characters, suburban lawns, ash-stained ceilings of former prayer corners--takes on an ethereal quality. Several scenes made me pause, rereading and reliving the most gorgeously crafted lines. I promise that if you love the style of this book's predecessor, you will not be disappointed by the writing in this one.
So, why three stars? I grappled with the rating for this one for a long time. First, I'll talk about my more general issues of the book, then some more specific problems.
First, Helen. Oh, Helen. To be honest, I can't quite remember my feelings about her as a character from the first book; I certainly don't remember disliking her. But there's a certain forgiveness attached to reading a book from first-person; we understood her motives, her sad history, and the path that took her to taking Jenny's body. In the first book, Jenny was a character we got to know through Helen's assumption of her life; we learned her secrets and story through the breadcrumbs her absentee spirit left behind.
Usually, I resist a change of narrator for a series. Why invest in a new character after already becoming attached to the first? In this case, however, Jenny was the perfect person to tell this story. The telling is split into two points-of-view: for the first chunk, told during Jenny's departure from her physical self, Jenny is the narrator. For the remaining parts, the chapters alternate between Jenny and Helen.
Helen returns out of a desire to make amends. After using Jenny's body and leaving her in the chaos wrought by Helen's actions, Helen descends from her blissful stay in heaven to "help" (and appease her growing sense of guilt). And throughout the book, the main relationship seems to be between Jenny and Helen as Jenny tries to find out what has happened in the eventful days she left her body. I found this difficult to swallow. It is stressed throughout that Helen feels motherly affection for Jenny--actually, it's stated outright several times. (Subtle, this book is not.)
To be honest, my main wish for this story is that Helen hadn't been a central part of it. I don't say this because I disliked Helen's story in ACSoL--quite the opposite. But from the beginning, it is clear that this is going to be Jenny's story. There were several parts in which Helen's voice felt intrusive, overly judgmental, and falsely noble to me. It's not the way I wanted to remember her character or ACSoL, and it ultimately tainted the rest of the story for me.
Much of Helen's commentary in the beginning centers on judging Jenny's mother, OVER AND OVER. I don't know that I've ever felt so browbeaten to accept the inadequacy of a character. Yes, Jenny's mother is often cold and spineless in her care of Jenny--but I got this before Helen started ranting at me. The parents (in particular the father) are already so exaggeratedly bad that Helen's preachy ranting felt tiresome and way over-the-top. (Not to mention a bit hypocritical, considering what she herself did to Jenny, but I won't go there.)
**SPOILERS FOLLOW**
Honestly, not all that much that happens in the book is too surprising, but if you dislike spoilers, please don't read further.
I can't say that I regret reading Under the Light, for the writing if nothing else. Although Helen played a big part of the story, and her relationship with Jenny was growing on me towards the end, I can't help but think this would have been a stronger story--Jenny's story--if she had been left out of it. I think a large part of Under the Light was Jenny coming into her own, and taking back her life after so many people had tried to control and manipulate her into becoming someone she wasn't. Although I really enjoyed the last two pages of the book--you'll understand what I mean if you read them--I don't feel that the alternating points-of-view lent to Jenny's growth as a character. I think I'll remember this book for the beauty of the first part, and try to separate the Helen of this story from the Helen of ACSoL.
May 21, 2013
Originally reviewed here @ Angieville
It doesn't happen very often in life, that utterly unexpected sequel that drops in your lap years after the original book came out. Most of the time, you discover series you love and blow through them at lightning speed and then are left to pick up the shattered pieces of yourself when the whole glorious thing is over. Or you stumble across gold with the very first book and are forced to not-so-patiently wait one year (or more) for each new installment. But occasionally an author hits you with one out of left field. I first read and adored A Certain Slant of Light not too long after it was published in 2006. It felt like a perfectly contained standalone novel to me at the time. And it still is. If you only read that one, you will be left content. But there are a couple of . . . I hesitate to call them side characters . . . that you certainly would not object to spending more time with, if you know what I mean (series addicts: I know you know what I mean.) So when I discovered that Laura Whitcomb was writing a companion novel (sequel of sorts) told from one of those character's perspectives, well. I was more than okay with it.
Jenny is not okay. Having returned to her body after unexpectedly vacating it for a period of time, she has no real recollection of what happened in the interim. All she knows is that she was . . . gone . . . for awhile. And when she came back, there was a boy who seemed to know her but not know her. Billy held in his hand a Polaroid of the two of them together. They looked happy. They looked like they belonged together. And yet Jenny and Billy do not know each other. They don't have the kind of shared memories that the photograph suggests. Instead, what they have is a disturbingly similar (if different in the details) history of shame, painful family issues, and a longing for escape. And, as it turns out, Billy was gone for awhile, too. What they begin to discover is that a fair bit happened while they were away. And one of the presences involved is not through involving herself in their lives. Meanwhile, real life has gone on around them. Jenny's father has moved out and is threatening (as he always has) to control everything about her life. Billy's brother is suspicious (as he always is) of his little brother's activities. The two lost teens attempt to get to know one another and, perhaps, puzzle out their bizarre connection. But it seems the ramifications of the events they have no memory of will impede their fledgling attempts and impact their presents in very real and unsettling ways.
Laura Whitcomb uses all her words and that is all there is to it. It was so comforting (and not a little emotional) to be back inside the beautiful canopy of language she creates. Somehow she manages to return us to that absolutely unique atmosphere evoked in A Certain Slant of Light, and it is as though we were never away. Helen is a point of view character this time around as well, and it was easy to fall back into the cadence of her thoughts. But since I felt her story resolved nicely in the last book, Jenny was the one I really wanted to be with. So it proved to be somewhat of a distraction when Helen's presence in the story occasionally threatened to overwhelm Jenny's. I fully understood her preoccupation with Jenny's fate, but I could have done with a little less from her directly. Because when Helen fades into the background and allows us an unfettered view of Jenny and Billy together . . . it is magnetic. As in the final chapter of A Certain Slant of Light, the bond between these two is breathtakingly tentative. I would have followed them anywhere they wanted to go. And Whitcomb does take them places, beyond the boundaries of time and space, in fact. A favorite passage that takes place fairly early on and far, far away:
And so while the story spends a rather unnecessary amount of time detailing Helen's anxieties and desires for her former host, it redeems itself by winding its way around again to the heart of this sequel--two shell-shocked and lonely young people who find each other and, in each other, hope.
It doesn't happen very often in life, that utterly unexpected sequel that drops in your lap years after the original book came out. Most of the time, you discover series you love and blow through them at lightning speed and then are left to pick up the shattered pieces of yourself when the whole glorious thing is over. Or you stumble across gold with the very first book and are forced to not-so-patiently wait one year (or more) for each new installment. But occasionally an author hits you with one out of left field. I first read and adored A Certain Slant of Light not too long after it was published in 2006. It felt like a perfectly contained standalone novel to me at the time. And it still is. If you only read that one, you will be left content. But there are a couple of . . . I hesitate to call them side characters . . . that you certainly would not object to spending more time with, if you know what I mean (series addicts: I know you know what I mean.) So when I discovered that Laura Whitcomb was writing a companion novel (sequel of sorts) told from one of those character's perspectives, well. I was more than okay with it.
Jenny is not okay. Having returned to her body after unexpectedly vacating it for a period of time, she has no real recollection of what happened in the interim. All she knows is that she was . . . gone . . . for awhile. And when she came back, there was a boy who seemed to know her but not know her. Billy held in his hand a Polaroid of the two of them together. They looked happy. They looked like they belonged together. And yet Jenny and Billy do not know each other. They don't have the kind of shared memories that the photograph suggests. Instead, what they have is a disturbingly similar (if different in the details) history of shame, painful family issues, and a longing for escape. And, as it turns out, Billy was gone for awhile, too. What they begin to discover is that a fair bit happened while they were away. And one of the presences involved is not through involving herself in their lives. Meanwhile, real life has gone on around them. Jenny's father has moved out and is threatening (as he always has) to control everything about her life. Billy's brother is suspicious (as he always is) of his little brother's activities. The two lost teens attempt to get to know one another and, perhaps, puzzle out their bizarre connection. But it seems the ramifications of the events they have no memory of will impede their fledgling attempts and impact their presents in very real and unsettling ways.
And that's where every ghost story begins, with a death.
Laura Whitcomb uses all her words and that is all there is to it. It was so comforting (and not a little emotional) to be back inside the beautiful canopy of language she creates. Somehow she manages to return us to that absolutely unique atmosphere evoked in A Certain Slant of Light, and it is as though we were never away. Helen is a point of view character this time around as well, and it was easy to fall back into the cadence of her thoughts. But since I felt her story resolved nicely in the last book, Jenny was the one I really wanted to be with. So it proved to be somewhat of a distraction when Helen's presence in the story occasionally threatened to overwhelm Jenny's. I fully understood her preoccupation with Jenny's fate, but I could have done with a little less from her directly. Because when Helen fades into the background and allows us an unfettered view of Jenny and Billy together . . . it is magnetic. As in the final chapter of A Certain Slant of Light, the bond between these two is breathtakingly tentative. I would have followed them anywhere they wanted to go. And Whitcomb does take them places, beyond the boundaries of time and space, in fact. A favorite passage that takes place fairly early on and far, far away:
He lifted his foot and rested it over my ankle, gently pinning me down.
Then he pointed into the heavens. "Want to go there?"
"Where?"
"That star." He gave his finger an extra stretch toward the dozens of stars in that general direction. "The one by those other two stars."
"What do you mean?" I lifted my arm so it was touching his, our hands and fingers aligned, and pointed. "That one?"
"No," he complained. Then he swiped his fingers across our view of the sky, like he was flicking away a speck of dust or a drop of water, and the night surged forward. The stars, staying perfectly aligned, curved across the sky--time had sped into the future an hour.
I gasped at this and grabbed his hand, pulling it back toward our bodies as if he might accidentally throw the earth off its rotation. The stars slowed again, appearing to have stopped.
"How did you do that?" I whispered.
"I took us somewhere we hadn't been yet," he said. "Forward in time."
He said it so matter-of-factly, but the idea made me shiver on the inside.
"Just a little," he reassured me.
"Thats . . . so cool." I pointed at one particularly bright star and gave it a push with my fingertip in the air. The map of stars glided forward again, constellations staying aligned as they gracefully passed over us, not a long way, just a bit into the tail of the night, an hour or two closer to morning.
He made a sound of alarm, a fake cry, and then laughed, "Here." He lifted his arm to mind, our hands together, our index fingers pointing up. As one, without saying aloud what we would do, we moved the stars a few minutes westward, then froze. "Look what we can do together," he said.
And so while the story spends a rather unnecessary amount of time detailing Helen's anxieties and desires for her former host, it redeems itself by winding its way around again to the heart of this sequel--two shell-shocked and lonely young people who find each other and, in each other, hope.
October 27, 2024
DESERVED TO BE AT LEAST 350 PAGES!!!!
May 16, 2013
It's been years since I read A Certain Slant of Light and I found myself being concerned about whether I would be confused with this book. I remember only a few things about it, but as I read Under the Light I began to remember A Certain Slant of Light and it all came back to me. Initially I didn't remember who Jenny was, but she's the one who's body Helen took in A Certain Slant of Light. So it's more her story, but Helen is still present and tells a bit from her side as well.
Jenny's family is super religious and her spirit was being broken by her father. He read her diary and then took everything important to her away. This is where Helen comes in. So we see where Jenny went when out of her body but a good portion of the story is when she comes back and how things play out with Jenny and Billy (who was Helen's lover but whose body was taken by another ghost) and how they have this thing that connects them but they don't remember each other. It's also about Jenny and her family. Her super religious and over the top father and the mother who is lost herself but only knows one thing, religion.
I liked Jenny a lot and really felt bad for her. I wanted her to stand up for herself and find her way and we got to see that happen. It was slow, she didn't change over night, but she found her footing and found her voice. She ended up being very strong. We also get to know Helen's past and how she died, which was very interesting and I was glad to know more about her.
I really love the concept of ghosts in these books and think that the author did a great job of making it all very believable. I believe in ghosts and have interacted with them myself, so this was something I did connect with.
Laura Whitcomb has a very lyrical writing style. It's more along the literary lines of things, which I don't usually like, but quite liked in this book. The story was easy to read and once I got into the rhythm of it I didn't put it down once. I read nearly the entire thing before bed and didn't stop reading until I finished.
While this is a companion novel and you don't have to read the first book, I do encourage you to do so. You'll understand things much better and you'll enjoy it more as things regarding Helen will make much more sense. I very highly recommend this series to fans of YA books with ghosts (not scary) and contemporary since the contemporary theme was very important in this one.
You can find this review and others like it on my blog at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
Jenny's family is super religious and her spirit was being broken by her father. He read her diary and then took everything important to her away. This is where Helen comes in. So we see where Jenny went when out of her body but a good portion of the story is when she comes back and how things play out with Jenny and Billy (who was Helen's lover but whose body was taken by another ghost) and how they have this thing that connects them but they don't remember each other. It's also about Jenny and her family. Her super religious and over the top father and the mother who is lost herself but only knows one thing, religion.
I liked Jenny a lot and really felt bad for her. I wanted her to stand up for herself and find her way and we got to see that happen. It was slow, she didn't change over night, but she found her footing and found her voice. She ended up being very strong. We also get to know Helen's past and how she died, which was very interesting and I was glad to know more about her.
I really love the concept of ghosts in these books and think that the author did a great job of making it all very believable. I believe in ghosts and have interacted with them myself, so this was something I did connect with.
Laura Whitcomb has a very lyrical writing style. It's more along the literary lines of things, which I don't usually like, but quite liked in this book. The story was easy to read and once I got into the rhythm of it I didn't put it down once. I read nearly the entire thing before bed and didn't stop reading until I finished.
While this is a companion novel and you don't have to read the first book, I do encourage you to do so. You'll understand things much better and you'll enjoy it more as things regarding Helen will make much more sense. I very highly recommend this series to fans of YA books with ghosts (not scary) and contemporary since the contemporary theme was very important in this one.
You can find this review and others like it on my blog at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
May 2, 2014
So, I love A Certain Slant of Light. It's one of my favorite YA fantasy reads ever. In fact, that's the one YA paranormal/fantasy book that I measure all of the other YA paranormal romance books to. I found it beautifully written and completely captivating. While I did like Under the Light, I sort of feel as though it falls a bit short of the wonderfulness that is A Certain Slant of Light.
A Certain Slant of Light is Helen's story. And I really loved Helen. However, Under the Light is more Jenny's story. And while I found Jenny's backstory satisfying considering that I have a thing for angst, I wasn't much enchanted by Jenny as I was by Helen. While I didn't find Under the Light to be slow-going at all, I never found myself entirely engrossed in the chapters that were told from Jenny's point of view...at least not the way I was when I was reading the chapters narrated by Helen. Again, I love Helen. Loved her in A Certain Slant of Light and found that even though, she was more supporting character this time around, she was still eternally complex. Her struggles for wanting to do right by Jenny and yet be with James was what ultimately had me hooked.
Oh, and what was up with that ending? I won't spoil it here...mostly because I have no idea what the hell happened. I don't get it. I'm tempted to just pretend that it didn't happen because I don't understand it.
Overall, I found Under the Light to be a pretty okay read. It's as beautifully written as A Certain Slant of Light is, it's just that when you put those two side by side, A Certain Slant of Light leaves Under the Light in the dust. I agree with the reviewer who said that what Under the Light does is give you this intense urge to reread A Certain Slant of Light. I say, if anything, read it just to give you more "I want to give Helen a big ole' hug" feels.
A Certain Slant of Light is Helen's story. And I really loved Helen. However, Under the Light is more Jenny's story. And while I found Jenny's backstory satisfying considering that I have a thing for angst, I wasn't much enchanted by Jenny as I was by Helen. While I didn't find Under the Light to be slow-going at all, I never found myself entirely engrossed in the chapters that were told from Jenny's point of view...at least not the way I was when I was reading the chapters narrated by Helen. Again, I love Helen. Loved her in A Certain Slant of Light and found that even though, she was more supporting character this time around, she was still eternally complex. Her struggles for wanting to do right by Jenny and yet be with James was what ultimately had me hooked.
Oh, and what was up with that ending? I won't spoil it here...mostly because I have no idea what the hell happened. I don't get it. I'm tempted to just pretend that it didn't happen because I don't understand it.
Overall, I found Under the Light to be a pretty okay read. It's as beautifully written as A Certain Slant of Light is, it's just that when you put those two side by side, A Certain Slant of Light leaves Under the Light in the dust. I agree with the reviewer who said that what Under the Light does is give you this intense urge to reread A Certain Slant of Light. I say, if anything, read it just to give you more "I want to give Helen a big ole' hug" feels.
September 5, 2013
Probably 3.5. I really liked the Jenny and Billy parts, but I was rather confused by some of the Helen parts--particularly the ending with Helen (). I thought the last chapter was very weird, though I did like that it gave . I was really worried about Jenny and Billy at the end of A CERTAIN SLANT OF LIGHT, so I was glad we got some resolution here, though some parts seemed a bit . I did like the twists and turns the story took, though, and I LOVED the growth of the characters (Jenny and Billy anyway) and the resolution of their story. I also loved that Jenny and Billy had met when they were out of their bodies, too--their love story was really sweet and wonderful! I liked this book a lot--I just wished we had gotten ! Bizarre!
May 23, 2018
I read A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb last year on March...so when i start read this book yesterday, im having problem to recall all of it back.
What i remember is James and Helen was a light that took over Billy and Jenny body, like possesed thing. So in the end of the book 1, they leave the Jenny and Billy body. This book tell us what exactly happen to Jenny and Billy right after James and Helen leave. I was worry how Jenny and Billy going to cope of everything they(Helen and James) have done and how they are going to build the feeling and continue the relationship that they dont remember(this happen while Helen and James in their body). And Helen stay with Jenny because she feel guilty to what they have done to Jenny and she want to help her until she already sure that Jenny doesnt have problem anymore, consequences from what they have start. While Jenny and Billy discover later that they already meet and fall in love while their spirit was away from their body.
Another book to add to favourite shelf 😄
What i remember is James and Helen was a light that took over Billy and Jenny body, like possesed thing. So in the end of the book 1, they leave the Jenny and Billy body. This book tell us what exactly happen to Jenny and Billy right after James and Helen leave. I was worry how Jenny and Billy going to cope of everything they(Helen and James) have done and how they are going to build the feeling and continue the relationship that they dont remember(this happen while Helen and James in their body). And Helen stay with Jenny because she feel guilty to what they have done to Jenny and she want to help her until she already sure that Jenny doesnt have problem anymore, consequences from what they have start. While Jenny and Billy discover later that they already meet and fall in love while their spirit was away from their body.
Another book to add to favourite shelf 😄
May 17, 2013
When I first read A Certain Slant of Light I didn't know how quickly entangled and invested I would become in the afterlives of Helen and James in such a short amount of time and pages and the same goes for this book.
Upon learning that there would be a sequel to one of my favorite books, I was definitely skeptical, but when I found that we were going to be delving into the aftermath of Billy's and Jenny's lives, I was much more excited; Whitcomb didn't disappoint. I adored each word, just as I did with its predecessor.
My only complaint was that Helen's involvement was irrational and discomforting. I felt as if her story was tied up in a perfect, neat red bow, leaving A Certain Slant of Light a gift for any reader. If Whitcomb had stayed only with Jenny's point of view for this book, I feel like I would have enjoyed the story a lot more.
However, I still adored the whole book. The writing was lovely and lilting and the end left me craving slice after slice after slice of this beautiful, complicated, realistic, heartbreaking, perfect story. It's stories like this that make me happy to be alive, to be a human, to be a person.
Upon learning that there would be a sequel to one of my favorite books, I was definitely skeptical, but when I found that we were going to be delving into the aftermath of Billy's and Jenny's lives, I was much more excited; Whitcomb didn't disappoint. I adored each word, just as I did with its predecessor.
My only complaint was that Helen's involvement was irrational and discomforting. I felt as if her story was tied up in a perfect, neat red bow, leaving A Certain Slant of Light a gift for any reader. If Whitcomb had stayed only with Jenny's point of view for this book, I feel like I would have enjoyed the story a lot more.
However, I still adored the whole book. The writing was lovely and lilting and the end left me craving slice after slice after slice of this beautiful, complicated, realistic, heartbreaking, perfect story. It's stories like this that make me happy to be alive, to be a human, to be a person.
February 26, 2015
The first book didn't need a sequel, but Whitcomb's writing is lovely so I read this anyway.
It was boring. There was none of the tension or passion from the first book. And the turnaround of Billy to a sweetheart just to further the plot and make Helen feel better was pretty nauseating. None of the unanswered questions from the first book (did Jenny get an STD from Billy because of Helen and James, for example) get answered in this one, so most of it is a lot of navel-gazing.
Whitcomb is still a lovely writer. This just felt forced.
It was boring. There was none of the tension or passion from the first book. And the turnaround of Billy to a sweetheart just to further the plot and make Helen feel better was pretty nauseating. None of the unanswered questions from the first book (did Jenny get an STD from Billy because of Helen and James, for example) get answered in this one, so most of it is a lot of navel-gazing.
Whitcomb is still a lovely writer. This just felt forced.
June 26, 2013
WOW!!!
Read this after winning it and "A Certain Slant of Light." Finished both within a couple days. I couldn't put them down. After reading the twist at the end, I am eagerly waiting for the next one in the series.
I will also be going back and reading the other books that this author has written.
(fyi... this book was won in a goodreads giveaway)
Read this after winning it and "A Certain Slant of Light." Finished both within a couple days. I couldn't put them down. After reading the twist at the end, I am eagerly waiting for the next one in the series.
I will also be going back and reading the other books that this author has written.
(fyi... this book was won in a goodreads giveaway)
March 8, 2014
This book redeemed some of the issues I had with A Certain Slant of Light. Namely, the way Helen took control over Jenny's body without any thought to the consequences of being in someone else's body. Like the first book, Under the Light is a beautifully told story that will hold a special place in my thoughts.
July 1, 2014
I read this a month ago, and only remember one scene: Wherein the good church-going women are revealed to be hypocritical bitches. That's kind of cool. But the rest of the novel is apparently forgettable to my eejit memory.
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