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This Impossible Brightness
Taking refuge on a remote island, a grieving woman develops unlikely connections with the community and the wild in this haunting novel of hope and perseverance from debut author Jessica Bryant Klagmann.
After the mysterious disappearance of her fiancé, Alma Hughes moves to a remote island in the North Atlantic, where she hopes to weather her grief and nurture her ailing dog. But the strange town of Violette has mysteries as well.
Townsfolk say that the radio tower overlooking their town broadcasts messages through their home appliances, their dreams, even the sea itself. When lightning strikes the tower, illuminating the sky in a brilliant flash, Alma finds herself caught in the unexplainable aftermath of one of Violette’s deadliest storms.
As the sea consumes the island, threatening its very existence, the deaths and lost memories of the recently departed also devastate the community. Alma, with a unique link to the lost, may be the only one who can help them move on. But to do so, she must confront a tragic loss of her own.
On this doomed island haunted by echoes of the departed, Alma searches for meaning in her future—and dares to discover the power of hope among the living.
After the mysterious disappearance of her fiancé, Alma Hughes moves to a remote island in the North Atlantic, where she hopes to weather her grief and nurture her ailing dog. But the strange town of Violette has mysteries as well.
Townsfolk say that the radio tower overlooking their town broadcasts messages through their home appliances, their dreams, even the sea itself. When lightning strikes the tower, illuminating the sky in a brilliant flash, Alma finds herself caught in the unexplainable aftermath of one of Violette’s deadliest storms.
As the sea consumes the island, threatening its very existence, the deaths and lost memories of the recently departed also devastate the community. Alma, with a unique link to the lost, may be the only one who can help them move on. But to do so, she must confront a tragic loss of her own.
On this doomed island haunted by echoes of the departed, Alma searches for meaning in her future—and dares to discover the power of hope among the living.
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2024
6156 people are currently reading
8975 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Bryant Klagmann
2 books105 followersJessica Bryant Klagmann grew up in New England and studied writing in Fairbanks, Alaska. Her short fiction and nonfiction have appeared in environmental journals like Whitefish Review and Terrain.org, among others. She is the author of the novels This Impossible Brightness (2024) and North of the Sunlit River (2025).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 695 reviews
January 7, 2024
Interesting topics
For me, this book was hard to read. Verbose with descriptions and swirling thoughts quickly became boring to read.
I began to skim for the meat of the story...which I began to realize was trying for a grander end.
The book needed to be centered more on one story...and there needed to be a truer conclusion, because truly, the main character, Alma, seemed to me to have wasted her life for naught. The premise of helping the departed to find recompense in their reason for being born was interesting...but the rest of the book was like a lot of loose threads and actually uninteresting.
For me, this book was hard to read. Verbose with descriptions and swirling thoughts quickly became boring to read.
I began to skim for the meat of the story...which I began to realize was trying for a grander end.
The book needed to be centered more on one story...and there needed to be a truer conclusion, because truly, the main character, Alma, seemed to me to have wasted her life for naught. The premise of helping the departed to find recompense in their reason for being born was interesting...but the rest of the book was like a lot of loose threads and actually uninteresting.
January 3, 2024
There is an episode of Doctor Who…The Doctor gives all his stories to the star/planet and they aren’t enough. But then Clara offers a leaf to the star…all the untold stories….this book felt like that. It’s a slow read. It feels like you’re waiting with her. Time slows down, but it doesn’t feel like it’s dragging. It feels like everything else was moving too fast and now you’ve slowed down to the natural pace of the world. It’s full of grief and hope and longing. We’re all stories in the end.
January 3, 2024
I downloaded this book for free from Amazon First Reads and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. This is a strange book, but I really liked it. The writing is beautiful and really transports you to the location and time. The characters draw you into the story. It's weird, but a good weird. I also really liked the pacing of the story.
January 16, 2024
I just don’t get it? I was super into this for 90% of the book. It was weird and interesting and I had no idea where it was going. Then I finished it and I still have no idea where it went? I want to know what happened to Alex I kind of thought that was the whole point but I guess not 🤷🏻♀️
January 17, 2024
One of the strangest books I've ever read. I didn't hate it, but I don't think I really understood it either. Other reviews have mentioned metaphors and deep meanings; maybe my brain is just too literal to grasp it. I have so many unanswered questions.
January 13, 2024
This book has left me breathless
Oh my!! THIS is the most beautiful book I've read in years. I'm having a hard time getting words to describe the narrative. Anyone who has a the tendency to describe themselves as an empath will feel "seen" by reading this dynamic tome. Almost anything I could say would be a spoiler. Buy the book and read. Its a feast of love and heartbreak.
Oh my!! THIS is the most beautiful book I've read in years. I'm having a hard time getting words to describe the narrative. Anyone who has a the tendency to describe themselves as an empath will feel "seen" by reading this dynamic tome. Almost anything I could say would be a spoiler. Buy the book and read. Its a feast of love and heartbreak.
January 8, 2024
This is a hard book to categorize, it's very strange, and though I get why some readers won't like it, I thought it was very good. It'll stay with me for awhile, particularly that ending.
It's a book about grief and loss, it's a ghost story, it's a story about climate change. It's a story about introverts and social anxiety, and a little bit about magic.
There's a lot of ground covered here, as the story takes place over decades. As heartbreaking as it was, I enjoyed the journey with Alma.
It's a book about grief and loss, it's a ghost story, it's a story about climate change. It's a story about introverts and social anxiety, and a little bit about magic.
There's a lot of ground covered here, as the story takes place over decades. As heartbreaking as it was, I enjoyed the journey with Alma.
January 14, 2024
I just found it weird. I could not relate to Alma and really just wanted to shake her
January 19, 2024
Interesting premise, sloppy execution, unresolved ending
This book has so much to say, and I was really excited about hearing it. Somewhere along the line though, things went right off the rails. We never found out why the world was ending, only that it had to do nebulously with climate change.
The main mystery of the book ended up being completely unresolved at the rather abrupt ending. WHAT HAPPENED to Alex? We spent the entire book waiting to see if she connected with him and nothing. Did Alma really waste her entire life on this?
The addition of more characters at the very end of the book seemed rushed and sloppy, and it seems like they were there to accomplish just two small plot devices. 2/3 of this book is a good read but that last 1/3 is really terrible. Disappointing.
This book has so much to say, and I was really excited about hearing it. Somewhere along the line though, things went right off the rails. We never found out why the world was ending, only that it had to do nebulously with climate change.
The main mystery of the book ended up being completely unresolved at the rather abrupt ending. WHAT HAPPENED to Alex? We spent the entire book waiting to see if she connected with him and nothing. Did Alma really waste her entire life on this?
The addition of more characters at the very end of the book seemed rushed and sloppy, and it seems like they were there to accomplish just two small plot devices. 2/3 of this book is a good read but that last 1/3 is really terrible. Disappointing.
January 9, 2024
haunting
Haunting, brilliant, devastating…. This book hooked me. I was truly disappointed in the lack of a resolution for the main “mysteries” of the storyline- the main characters missing memories, what happened to Alex, why the radio tower sent out its emissions and whether there was a broadcast that was “important”. But the ending held true to the whole book- filled with a poignant dismay and eternal questions.
Really a book that makes you think!!! Very very well written…. doesn’t fit itself into any true category of novel.
I deeply enjoyed this, and as a fellow woman who was impacted by her time in Fairbanks- I could feel the depth of the emotion that a land…. A place… can have on your soul.
Haunting, brilliant, devastating…. This book hooked me. I was truly disappointed in the lack of a resolution for the main “mysteries” of the storyline- the main characters missing memories, what happened to Alex, why the radio tower sent out its emissions and whether there was a broadcast that was “important”. But the ending held true to the whole book- filled with a poignant dismay and eternal questions.
Really a book that makes you think!!! Very very well written…. doesn’t fit itself into any true category of novel.
I deeply enjoyed this, and as a fellow woman who was impacted by her time in Fairbanks- I could feel the depth of the emotion that a land…. A place… can have on your soul.
February 12, 2024
This book takes place on an east Canadian island that has some strange properties. It receives mysterious radio broadcasts that sometimes sound through random metallic objects. Even stranger, some seem to be out of time. Another strange thing on the island is that there are ghosts that only Alma can see, but they're more real to her than anyone else on the island.
I remember pondering the idea of echoes of the past back when I was younger, imagining that past sounds or people were accessible if I just knew how to tune into them. This book explores that theory in an interesting way.
The author's writing felt cozy, so I found myself looking forward to reading it, although it slows a little toward the end. I also wish that there had been more answers in the book, but I guess that's not always how life works. That which is lost is not always found.
I remember pondering the idea of echoes of the past back when I was younger, imagining that past sounds or people were accessible if I just knew how to tune into them. This book explores that theory in an interesting way.
The author's writing felt cozy, so I found myself looking forward to reading it, although it slows a little toward the end. I also wish that there had been more answers in the book, but I guess that's not always how life works. That which is lost is not always found.
January 4, 2024
Oh wow!
I don't know where to begin with this incredible story. A young girl who is an empath needs to find comfort and closure. She travels to a long lost island to begin healing. The things that happen to her there are quite the journey! I could not stop reading. Great story!
I don't know where to begin with this incredible story. A young girl who is an empath needs to find comfort and closure. She travels to a long lost island to begin healing. The things that happen to her there are quite the journey! I could not stop reading. Great story!
February 8, 2024
First of all, let me say that the writing was good. I just didn't really like the story, and I especially didn't like the ending....which it sort of never had. Did Alma really spend her entire life waiting for a message from beyond from the guy she loved? And if so, and because that's what the book was about, why wasn't there a resolution of this plot?
There were also two characters who hopped into the book very close to the end, and I never did really see why their presence in the story was helpful.
Just not my kind of book. I know others loved it, so to each his own!
Read on, people! Read on! There are books for all of us!
There were also two characters who hopped into the book very close to the end, and I never did really see why their presence in the story was helpful.
Just not my kind of book. I know others loved it, so to each his own!
Read on, people! Read on! There are books for all of us!
January 31, 2024
Wow. Just wow. If you do anything in 2024 please do yourselves a favour and pick up this novel. What a beautiful and inspiring story of grief, love, and the enduring light of hope. This novel made me stop on more than one occasion to think about the themes and emotions explored, just to really absorb the beauty of what the author presents.
I cried several times as the story allowed me to explore some of my own relatable experiences in a new light, connecting deeply with the cast of well-developed, loveable characters and being absorbed in their stories.
This is also a beautiful ode to nature, the landscape and setting written in such a way it felt like a character in itself, presenting the planet with such gentle reverence and respect that it brought me to tears. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time, and one that I will keep coming back to over the years, mining new depths to the story and enjoying different elements with each read. I really can’t wait to read more of this author’s work.
Thank you to the author for an ARC copy.
I cried several times as the story allowed me to explore some of my own relatable experiences in a new light, connecting deeply with the cast of well-developed, loveable characters and being absorbed in their stories.
This is also a beautiful ode to nature, the landscape and setting written in such a way it felt like a character in itself, presenting the planet with such gentle reverence and respect that it brought me to tears. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time, and one that I will keep coming back to over the years, mining new depths to the story and enjoying different elements with each read. I really can’t wait to read more of this author’s work.
Thank you to the author for an ARC copy.
January 6, 2024
Well this was an unexpected delight and likely will end up as one of my favorite reads of 2024. It is that good. It had it all- well developed characters, descriptive language, amazing setting, a bit of science, and a bit of magic.
February 4, 2024
4.5 stars (Kindle). I love a book that integrates science to explain the mysteries of life + death. The story started out slow...more in the sense of "where is this going + why"...but picked up around 1/3 into the story. The pacing + "every day-ness" of the writing reminds me of "Tom Lake", by Patchett. Futurism, climate change, neuro-divergency, science, family, echoes, this packed a lot in, but did it well!
January 12, 2024
Loved the story but not the read
Oh how I tried to love this book! I really liked the story and was captured by the heart of it but, at the same time, it felt sooo long! And…. Boring. I considered not finishing but liked the idea of the book enough to finish. It just felt disjointed and rambling a lot of the time. Just when I started to connect to one character, it skipped to another and those threads unraveled. I’m not mad that I finished it but I’m not going to recommending it to others.
Oh how I tried to love this book! I really liked the story and was captured by the heart of it but, at the same time, it felt sooo long! And…. Boring. I considered not finishing but liked the idea of the book enough to finish. It just felt disjointed and rambling a lot of the time. Just when I started to connect to one character, it skipped to another and those threads unraveled. I’m not mad that I finished it but I’m not going to recommending it to others.
January 9, 2024
Memorable book
What a debut! This story is magical. The writing flows and drags hold of you and carries you along. It was different from anything I've ever read but it touched me like something so familiar. It reminded me of Ray Bradbury, the story casts a spell and you believe in echoes or ghosts and a world that is shrinking whilst the ocean is growing. I will not forget this book.
What a debut! This story is magical. The writing flows and drags hold of you and carries you along. It was different from anything I've ever read but it touched me like something so familiar. It reminded me of Ray Bradbury, the story casts a spell and you believe in echoes or ghosts and a world that is shrinking whilst the ocean is growing. I will not forget this book.
January 8, 2024
Spellbinding. Completely believable in its magic. Full of inconsolable grief, love and deep tolerance for our subtle differences as humans. Apocalyptic, yet full of a delicate hope. A great read! Will follow this new author.
January 14, 2024
This is a semi-apocalyptic environmental novel with some science fiction overtones. Not anything I especially enjoyed but it was free on Prime downloads so no harm.
January 28, 2024
My goodness, what a unique book! This Impossible Brightness by Jessica Bryant Klagmann definitely gets some major bonus points for originality. I went in completely blind, so I had no clue what to expect from this story. I was immediately intrigued by the mysterious and unusual plot, and was instantly drawn to Alma, the quiet and introverted main character. I’m not quite sure how to properly describe this novel, so I’ll just say that’s it’s a beautiful story about loss, grief, ghosts, magic, nature, found family, climate change, and empathy. The writing is very impressive, atmospheric, and even haunting at times. Sometimes, the story felt disjointed to me as it weaved between multiple characters, and was a tad heavy on scientific information. I must admit that a lot of the science stuff went WAY over my head, unfortunately. My eyes definitely glazed over, and I was guilty of skimming over some parts. Oops. I think some readers may find this book a little strange, but will ultimately appreciate its uniqueness. Overall, I enjoyed this book for the most part, and really appreciated the author’s writing style, but must admit that I did experience periods of boredom. With that said, I think 3.5/5 stars is fair for This Impossible Brightness! It’s out on February 1st!
January 14, 2024
Did not deliver as described for me.
February 7, 2024
3.5 ⭐️…with the possibility of increase to 4 with time.
The ending felt rushed. I feel like there was a lot left unanswered, and the outcome for the main character left me feeling sad… But maybe that was the point.
It was very different. Beautiful parts, sad and disheartening parts. It’s a story, well stories, that happen over decades. It’s about grief and loss, life, love, climate change, family, magic, our stories - as individuals and as a whole, the earth, nature, the supernatural, the ordinary… This is the 2nd book I’ve read this year that I’m not sure I really liked, but that has felt important, that has made me think differently, and who’s characters will stick with me.
Actually…yea, let’s make it 4 ⭐️
The ending felt rushed. I feel like there was a lot left unanswered, and the outcome for the main character left me feeling sad… But maybe that was the point.
It was very different. Beautiful parts, sad and disheartening parts. It’s a story, well stories, that happen over decades. It’s about grief and loss, life, love, climate change, family, magic, our stories - as individuals and as a whole, the earth, nature, the supernatural, the ordinary… This is the 2nd book I’ve read this year that I’m not sure I really liked, but that has felt important, that has made me think differently, and who’s characters will stick with me.
Actually…yea, let’s make it 4 ⭐️
January 21, 2024
Slow moving
I kept feeling like the book was setting the stage for something that never happened. By the time I realized the story was never going anywhere, I was halfway through so I went ahead and finished it.
The book tells the story of a girl who arrives in a dying town and is eventually the last one left. She never really achieves the goal that she made her main focus in life. She doesn't really accomplish anything during the course of the book. The is just there. It is kind of like reading a Seinfeld episode.
I guess the main point ot the book is to push the talking point that the world is going g to be dead in 30 years because of global warming. I didn't need to invest that much time to hear the point.
Sorry to say, but I can't really recommend.
I kept feeling like the book was setting the stage for something that never happened. By the time I realized the story was never going anywhere, I was halfway through so I went ahead and finished it.
The book tells the story of a girl who arrives in a dying town and is eventually the last one left. She never really achieves the goal that she made her main focus in life. She doesn't really accomplish anything during the course of the book. The is just there. It is kind of like reading a Seinfeld episode.
I guess the main point ot the book is to push the talking point that the world is going g to be dead in 30 years because of global warming. I didn't need to invest that much time to hear the point.
Sorry to say, but I can't really recommend.
January 12, 2024
Wow. Just wow.
Ok so I read a lot. A LOT. This book is special. It has the feeling of being important. I’ll admit, it took a concerted effort and a little bit of faith for me to push through at first. It was kind of confusing but I could feel that it was going to be worth it. It was. It’s exciting to learn that this is the author’s first book. I’ll be watching her career closely, eagerly anticipating what she does next. I’m not necessarily a huge fan of magical realism but this was grounded enough that it didn’t feel like too much of a stretch. It was just lovely. Thank you to the author for this brilliant piece of work!
Ok so I read a lot. A LOT. This book is special. It has the feeling of being important. I’ll admit, it took a concerted effort and a little bit of faith for me to push through at first. It was kind of confusing but I could feel that it was going to be worth it. It was. It’s exciting to learn that this is the author’s first book. I’ll be watching her career closely, eagerly anticipating what she does next. I’m not necessarily a huge fan of magical realism but this was grounded enough that it didn’t feel like too much of a stretch. It was just lovely. Thank you to the author for this brilliant piece of work!
January 10, 2024
Pass
There was nothing in this book I liked. I did not connect with any of the characters. The story was pretty out there. I could not wait for it to end. Right on the edge of boring.
I would not recommend this book.
There was nothing in this book I liked. I did not connect with any of the characters. The story was pretty out there. I could not wait for it to end. Right on the edge of boring.
I would not recommend this book.
February 11, 2024
I enjoyed the beginning of this book and even the middle when Alma is on the island and trying to connect with the people there. It was a little weird and magical and usually I enjoy that (see Alice Hoffman). But the ending was unsatisfying and very disappointing. We should have found out what happened to Alex. We should have seen more of Alma as an adult and even seen her resolve some of her questions. Great start, terrible ending.
January 22, 2024
I found this book to be incredibly sad and depressing. It didn’t flow well and I found at some points I was re-reading passages to make sure I hadn’t missed something because I found myself saying “what the hell is going on here ?” Maybe that was intended by the author, but I didn’t love this one.
January 9, 2024
What did I just read?
January 3, 2024
At last! My favorite writer has a book out!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 695 reviews