Drawing with Light

by Julia Green

Kat and Emily have grown up without their mother for almost as long as they can remember. And now Dad is with Cassy and they all muddle along together well enough - even though they are living in a cramped caravan while their new house is being renovated. Then Cassy and Dad tell them that Cassy is pregnant, and everything seems to shift. Emily feels a new urge to find her own mother. How could she have left them the way she did? Never writing to them? Not communicating with them? And as Emily begins her search, not knowing what she will find, she is at the same time embarking on a new relationship of her own, that of her romance with Seb . . . An evocative and finely drawn novel about family relationships, in particular that of mother and daughter, and the shifting emotions of a teenager trying to make sense of her family and her world.

Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance, Fiction

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2010

Reviews

[Vicki_cosy.books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up Drawing With Light after reading a very positive review and being intrigued by the blurb on Amazon. I'm very glad I did as from the gorgeous cover to the beautiful story inside, this book is an absolute joy.

Emily has been brought up by her father and stepmother Cassy, after her Mother, Francesca, left when she was a baby. She has no memories of her mother, but as her family changes from the one she is used to and a teacher compares her photography work to the mysterious Francesca, she starts to feel a desperate need to find her mother. With a first person narrative, Julia Green gets the voice of a confused 16 year old just right. For the most part Emily is shy and quiet and mature, but occasionally the feelings of jealousy and abandonment erupt, making her a very real but likable character.

The developing relationship with Seb is beautifully written, filled with all the anxieties and worries of first love. It has that heart pounding intensity that will surely have anyone sighing dreamily, but at the same time doesn't shy away from the painful and awkwardness of a brand new relationship. Both Seb and Emily are written with flaws, but it's these flaws that make them all the more appealing and believable.

The way Julia Green writes is almost poetic at times. The way she describes things, such as the trees Emily loves photographing for example, is wonderful. Drawing With Light is a reference to Emily's photography and I think it's a beautiful and clever way to think about it.

This is truly a lovely book. It isn't really the kind of book that will have you gripped. The blurb on the back of the book suggests there is more of a mystery surrounding Emily's mother than there really is. But it's not the mystery or secret that the book is about. It's about a young girl coming of age and needing to find herself. It's about family and first love and working out who you really are. I didn't find it to be a book I couldn't put down and raced towards the end, more a comfy and cosy read I looked forward to savouring.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The way that this book has been written is just so beautiful and truly convincing. After a few chapters I fell in love with the main character Emily, the narrator of the book. With all her struggles, Julia Green captured the voice of a teenage girl perfectly and made it one that is very easy to relate to. Emily could be quiet and a little awkward but at other times with her friends and family she is very loud, much like many other girls her age. Her feelings are very real and in depth, the way she bottles up her curiosity and pain about the mother she has never met, has to cope with living in a small vintage caravan with her Dad and step mum Cassy and her experience of first love is something that every teen girl can understand.

I loved her relationship with Seb, the handsome son of the builder of her Dad's dream house, it was wonderfully and sensitively written because it showed the anxieties as well as the magic of first love. The chemistry between the two of them jumped of the page and made my heart beat fast. You could tell that they really cared about each other and it was so touching and adorable. Seb was also the person who helped Emily with coming to terms with what has happened in her life and to do something about it and both of them helped each other develop in different ways.

Another aspect that I love about Emily is that she is a photographer, which gave the book its title as Emily says that taking the best photos is like 'drawing with light.' I imagine that the image on the cover us like one that she would take because of the careful set up of light, colour and angles that makes it so pretty.
It is also a remark by her photography teacher at school that sparks a fresh curiosity and longing to fill the void in her heart of her mother so it is very important in the story. Photography becomes a way of capturing emotion for Emily and the description of the light and angles in the scenery in the photos is lovely, It made me realise that contemporaries can have just as much intricate description at appropriate places as in historical fiction, which has made me want to read more of its genre.

The plot of this book is one that has been used many times before but what makes this story different is the characters, who are just normal people who are made believable because of their flaws. It is not a pacy action book that gets the pages turning but I couldn't stop reading because I was attached to the characters and wanted to find out what would happen to them. It is really a coming of age story that deals with raw human emotions and growing up to find out who you are.

The only weak part of the book was the ending, which I felt was slightly rushed because the whole book is leading up to it and it is quite short. I liked the way it was resolved and was left satisfied but it could have been developed more.

Verdict: Drawing With Light is a beautifully written and poignant coming of age story with believable characters and vibrant and colourful descriptions. It is a light read but deals with heavy subjects, perfect for curling up with in the Autumn and Winter months when the story is set!

[Ria [The Beaucoup Review] · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another book that Bloomsbury sent me- so thank you!


Out of the 4 books Bloomsbury sent me, Drawing with Light was definitely one of the best. It has such a good story line, and so many different problems and worries.


Emily's mum left her and her sister when she was 2. She doesn't remember her mum- Francesca- and she's always had Cassy as a mum. But while she's living in the tiny caravan ,whilst the house is being done up, she has time to think. And time to question. Question who her mum really is, and why she walked out on them.


During the long days at the caravan, Emily likes to visit the house and see what progress has been made. It's here that she meets wonderful and mysterious Seb who takes her breath away. Her sister Kat doesn't have much time for her anymore- so she's counting on Seb too spend her time with.


Rating:


Characters: 5/5
Story line: 5/5
Front cover: 4.5/5 I've actually got the uncorrected proof copy- that doesn't have the proper front cover on, so I've had to look on google images for the front cover!
Overall rating: 5/5 *****
This book has such emotion and depth it's really hard not to love it! The description, and idea's in it are great. My favourite bit is when Emily and Rachel get a job minding the market stall selling jewlerry, scarfs etc. I know it sounds like a silly part of a story to pick- but it does sound so cool! The market stall I mean.
'You wouldn't think, now what shall I do when I grow up? Oh yes: sell scarves'
'So I end up looking like a christmas parcel wrapped in orange and shocking pink'
(:




Main Characters:


Emily: An amazing photographer, and when a teacher makes a remark about how her pictures are a lot like Francesca's- it inspires her too look for her mum.
Seb: No job, romantic, loving Seb. He meets Emily whilst his father is building on Em's families house.
Kat: Em's older sister is at university now, and when she comes for a visit- Emily feels she's too busy for her.
Rachel: Emily's best friend. She urges Emily too look for her mum, and is pleased when Emily decides too.


This review is from my blog
www.thebeaucoupreview.blogspot.com

[Iffath]

Drawing With Light is an outstanding book. Seriously, I could just stop there becuase it was amazing! So many things to write about! :)

It was a fantastically told, Julia's writing style riveting, convincing and truly magical. Emily was fab! She was so reserved an quiet, but so LOUD!! A photographer. That's what she was. And, wow, I felt like I was there with her, looking at all the beautiful imagery! You don't get many cool photographers like this around the Teen/YA category, so this was just an added bonus!

Emily's emotions were really intense, like how she is quite upset about her step-mother being pregnant, I mean, who wouldn't? Especially since Francesca, her arty birth mother, ran away with a French (I think?) man when she was only two, and Cassy has always been like a Mum to her, but she wasn't her Mum really, and that's why things became so raw, and older sister, Kat made her realise that it wasn't all about them anymore. Their Dad and Cassy wanted their own family now. In their stupid little caravan in the middle of a field. (Well, the real house is being renovated, and will be gorgeous when it's finished!)

Through the days, Emily liked to go visit the house, and that's where she meets mysterious Seb. First when she went exploring with Kat before she went off to her university, and then again on her own.

The romance between the two was quite sweet, as he takes her breath away, literally! He likes to run! :D And I loved the whole tree connection with her Mother, trees were what they had both captured so intensely :)

So much passion and depth here, you need to go out and buy it! A fab novel which will leave you crying and displaying a huge cheesy grin on your face :) I think this is one of my favourite books of 2010, even though it's only March!

[Shelly Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by Julia Green and I have to say how much I enjoyed it. She writes with such imagery that she makes the whole book feel alive.




The book is centred around Emily whose life is going through some changes. Her big sister Kat is going away to University, her Dad and step mum Cassy are doing up his dream house which means the three of them have to live in a caravan in the middle of winter and best of all she meets a boy. On top of all these she starts to get curious about her Mum who left her when she was just two years old.

Emily is a photographer who likes to take photos of trees and this is where Julia Green’s imagery really opens up. When she describes how the trees look it is like you are standing in front of them about to take the photo yourself. In fact the way she captures Emily’s eye for details is wonderful and you really see and feel what the characters are feeling.

The story between Emily and Seb, the boy, is also heart warming as this is her first boyfriend and you really get the feel of some of the awkwardness that can happen with first loves. It is down to him and an argument that Emily starts to have the desire to look into her Mum and find out why she left her.

I got totally involved with all the characters in the book and found myself wanting just a little bit more about them especially Cassy and her relationship with the girls. I did feel that although this was a book about Emily and her growing up and finding herself it would have been nice to find out abit more about them.



As for my first Julia Green book I loved it and can hardly wait to delve into her world again especially if she brings the imagery of this one into her other books.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guest Review by Shelly

“Freya has come back to the remote island where her Grandparents live, and where last summer her brother Joe died in a boating accident. But what really happened that night? Freya is not convinced that it was an accident and feels as if Joe’s presence is still haunting her.”

This is my second Julia Green book and I really enjoy her descriptive way of writing. She really brings you into the story within a short space of time and you quickly grow to like the characters. Freya, the main character, is a young girl trying to get over the death of her brother and being back on the island where it all happened she wants to get to the bottom of the accident and understand what Joe was thinking at the time. I found myself really warming to her and to try and understand her grief and the impact it had had on her family. I think the poignant way that the author captures her grief is beautifully written and sometimes makes you think that Freya is older that her fourteen years.

Nothing much happens in the book but throughout it you get to understand how Freya copes with the loss and how much it takes her to be able to move on with her life. The rest of the characters are written exceptionally well and you really do get the feeling that you are sharing Freya’s summer experiences with her. Julia Green’s descriptive writing really comes alive when she is talking about the Island and some of the words and phrases she uses really captures summer evenings, picnics and being a teenager falling in love for the first time.

It says on the front of the book that Julia Green is a writer to watch and I for one will be looking forward to reading more of her work.

[TheBookAddictedGirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally I’m not into this kind of book; real-to-life girl problems, without a single supernatural thing in sight, but I absolutely loved this one. It drew me in from the beginning, the small memory of Emily’s from when she was a little girl, the family dynamics, the missing mother, the handsome boy... This story was just so beautiful, full of the wonders and horrors of life and the hard decisions that have to be made, the ones that change everything.
Emily was a wonderful lead girl, able to see all the beauty, but you can tell underneath all her strength she’s vulnerable and scared, especially when it comes to family and the feeling of abandonment. I love all the references to photographs as well, as Emily is a aspiring photographer, and it was really smart of Julia Green to describe the way Emily sees through her photos. All in all, a brilliant character who I found easy to love and I loved the way her story was told.
Seb is an incredible character, too, with his dislike of all tests, sweet, comforting nature and beautiful dark eyes. He’s the one who convinces Emily to try to find her mother, and the way he cared for how she felt was really touching, although they could both be a little stubborn at times. The relationship between the two of them is stunning and feels so real, so magical, and is one of my favourite both-human couples.
All in all, a magical book, filled with love, hard choices and the dilemmas you face growing up when everything is changing around you. I read this book so fast, it was mesmerising, and I recommend it. Just so beautiful!

[Jenny / Wondrous Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drawing with Light is a beautifully written story about a girl, a family and a first love. It's poignant and thought-provoking, and instantly captured my full attention.

Emily is still struggling to come to terms with the realisation that her mother left her, never once contacting her or visiting. Her dad and sister have seemingly moved on, and Emily faces change in every direction. Meeting local boy Seb is a turning point for her, and gives her the strength to make some important decisions for herself, ones that will change her life completely.

Green writes these characters as if she's writing a biography of her own family. Nothing seems too far-fetched, and she draws on emotions so deep I often wondered if she was writing from experience. By the end of the book, I really felt like I knew Emily and sister, Kat, inside out, and I didn't want to turn the final page. I do have one niggle though, and that's how quickly Emily and Seb's relationship progresses to love. I know it can happen in less than a year, but I would have preferred it to take longer for those three little words to come into the picture.

Green continues to remind me of Sarah Dessen which, to me, is the highest compliment I can think of. Her characters are layered, her stories are realistic, and she always leaves me with a feel-good feeling. I didn't think she could top her last novel, Breathing Underwater, but she has. I for one can't wait to see what she writes next!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never read anything from Julia Green before let alone even heard of her. But at the end of a boring Easter holidays, I picked it up in my local library. It was the most interesting looking book there that I hadn't read before.
When I started the book, the first thing I thought was 'There is entirely too many exclamation marks.' I'm not kidding, until about half way through, there are so many exclamation marks. I counted about 6 in one conversation, mostly coming down Cassy. Apart from the beginning part, it is a good book. You can sort of predict the ending. And the ending does just sort of finish and seems like it was rushed a little. I loved Seb. I wish he was a real person. It is a funny, gripping summer read. A good 2nd book from Julia Green. Could be better but good. I'll be looking out for her stuff again.

[Dion · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing book. Emily's life is pretty mixed up. As her father is an architect, she has moved home a lot. Her mother left her and her sister when she was 2 and her sister was 4. Then her dad married Cassy

Emily is currently living in a small caravan park with a few rooms, an outside loo and a separate shower block. Her sister, Kat, has gone off to university and she feels lonely. Then she meets Seb, an extremely attractive boy, who teaches her to love. As she meets Seb, she tries to look inside herself to find the courage to look for her mother after years of giving up hope.

A fabulous book for anyone in yr 7 and up. Julia Green has done an excellent job in portraying romance, loss, relationships, and your inner-self. She dives deep within her character and shows us things we never knew and can look for in our selves

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read of Green's, and I was really impressed. The storyline was great - it mainly focused on family, but it also had hints of romance, and was, in a way, a coming-of-age novel. Throughout the story, Green really delves into Emily's life, and combined with the memories and stories told, the reader really feels more like friends with Emily than just an observer. Green's writing really captures teenage readers attention, with a perfect balance between description and conversation. Also, the small hints about Emily's mother, Cassy, Bob and Seb throughout the novel keep the reader hooked, and the unfolding of the mystery right at the end really leaves the reader feeling satisfied. I honestly enjoyed it, and really want to reader another one of her books soon.
Rating:4/5

[Hana Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first picked up this book, I was really intrigued. The blurb looked interesting and the cover was really nice. I loved the book after I read a few chapters. I fell in love with the main character,Emily, immediately. She's very relatable and Julia Green captured the voice of a teenage girl perfectly. I loved every single thing about this book. There was nothing I didn't like about this book. I recommend it to all teenagers. It's an absolute page turner and amazing story about love, hope, and family.

[Helen Corcoran · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into this novel and I wasn't sure I would finish it, but I'm glad I stuck with it. This is a very British novel in both tone and atmosphere, and I soon found it difficult to put down. The romance between Emily and Seb is delicate and realistic; I really enjoyed it. I also liked the treatment of Emily's mother leaving, the ramifications of that, and how there were no easy answers.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting take on the effects of a mother leaving home, suffering from post-natal depression, leaving her two small daughters and loving husband, told as the youngest daughter reaches 16 and starts to question why she left. Emily is also missing elder sister, Kat, who is now at university and trying to deal with the fact that her dad and his partner are expecting their first child together, and her own first love - many emotions covered well by Julia Green.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Randomly picked this out of the school library. It was the first book i'd read by Julia Green, and since then i have also read Blue Moon, and hope to read many more in the future. I love Julia's writing style and how her books are filled with some of the most beautifully written and inspirational quotes.

[Hannah Symonds · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice, quick, easy read. I loved Emily the main character in this story and how her story was told. I am a keen photographer so felt myself warming to her. I loved reading about the blossoming romance between her and Seb, he seemed a really sweet guy and it reminded me of my youth. Young love hey!! Such a beautiful read that I would recommend it to anyone who has not read any of Julia Green's books.

[Aurora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ihave only been reading this book for 1 week and have enjoyed this book .It has so many twists and one of the biggest twists for me was when emily and kat found out that cassy was having a baby with their father (rob). I love this book so much it's just relaxing,amazing,diffrent to all the other books i have read . this is an amazing book written by Julia Green.

[Ursula · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't too bad. It was quite mundane and simple and in total actually only took me 5-6 hours. As the story went on I enjoyed it more and I like the style of writing and that it didn't drag. Though I did think it was quite sad the majority of the story and I found the ending unsatisfying. But really it was quite a nice book.

[Tasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. I liked Emily and Seb's relationship, but I found Seb's mother quite annoying (especially when she calls them 'lovebirds', I just thought it was weird and unromantic!) The ending was slightly predictable but I felt satisfied nevertheless.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice book with a unique, but slightly sad story. The author did a great job demonstrating how sometimes our imagination can make someone larger than life. However, with maturity and time we can over come our sadness and learn to forgive.

[ryannlababe · Rating 5 out of 5]

omg. i found this in my cupboard at home and liked the blurb enough to give it a go; beautiful book!!! i'll always love reading inner dialogue of a teenage girl moving through life. loved the goofy english words and phrases, loved the cute boy, loved the ending <3

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. A simple plot with wonderfully real characters. A real treat of a read.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is quite easy to read with simple vocabulary, but there are hidden emotions in it that should be reread to understand better. I enjoyed reading it.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really loved this book. I love the main character and the boy

[Meeta pro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book! Although i didnt like Emily's character much, like when she said she hated cassy for not adopting the dog? Ilike cassy!

[Erin Horner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book although the ending annoyed me and I also thought everything was really predictable

[Blue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good, easy book. lovely messages. very beautiful lyrical writing.

[CHAOS · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend good book

[Moon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yeah, it's alright. Nothing earth-shattering or groundbreaking. Quite the quick read, too.