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The Dark Light
'Ten minutes to midnight!' Jonathan shouts over the sound of the blazing fire. Sparks rise into the sky and mingle with the stars. 'Only ten minutes!' Bevins says, falling down on his knees. 'So it begins.'
Rebekah has lived on the island her whole life, and it's only now that she's starting to wonder what she might experience outside her strict religious community. Alex has been sent to the island to escape her dark past, and through her eyes it's a dark and sinister place. Thrown together by chance, Rebekah and Alex strike up an unlikely friendship and it's together that they attempt to break free of their worlds and make a world of their own. But when a kiss between the girls is witnessed by an islander there is no escape they can make - the Rapture is coming for them all.
Rebekah has lived on the island her whole life, and it's only now that she's starting to wonder what she might experience outside her strict religious community. Alex has been sent to the island to escape her dark past, and through her eyes it's a dark and sinister place. Thrown together by chance, Rebekah and Alex strike up an unlikely friendship and it's together that they attempt to break free of their worlds and make a world of their own. But when a kiss between the girls is witnessed by an islander there is no escape they can make - the Rapture is coming for them all.
256 pages, Paperback
First published July 16, 2015
8 people are currently reading
554 people want to read
About the author
Julia Bell
57 books60 followersLibrarian note: there are multiple authors with this name on Goodreads.
I was born in Bristol but raised in Wales (I can speak Welsh!) and have published two novels for young adults - Massive and Dirty Work, both published by Macmillan in the UK. In the US Massive is published by Simon and Schuster and Dirty Work by Walker Books. Massive has also been translated into ten languages, including Thai! I also wrote and co-edited the bestselling Creative Writing Coursebook while I was working at the University of East Anglia, which is also published by Macmillan.
I am a Senior Lecturer at Birkbeck, University College of London where I teach on the MA Creative Writing and co-ordinate the annual publication The Mechanics' Institute Review and the new web portal The Birkbeck Writers' Hub.
I am currently working on my fourth novel - Bad Faith - and collaborating on work for the screen.
I was born in Bristol but raised in Wales (I can speak Welsh!) and have published two novels for young adults - Massive and Dirty Work, both published by Macmillan in the UK. In the US Massive is published by Simon and Schuster and Dirty Work by Walker Books. Massive has also been translated into ten languages, including Thai! I also wrote and co-edited the bestselling Creative Writing Coursebook while I was working at the University of East Anglia, which is also published by Macmillan.
I am a Senior Lecturer at Birkbeck, University College of London where I teach on the MA Creative Writing and co-ordinate the annual publication The Mechanics' Institute Review and the new web portal The Birkbeck Writers' Hub.
I am currently working on my fourth novel - Bad Faith - and collaborating on work for the screen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
September 7, 2015
This actually started off quite promising, considering I find books about cults so interesting I thought this would be a great one. I hate writing such negative reviews because I know authors put EVERYTHING into their books. I'm so sorryyyyyyy I have to be honest so here we go...
This book was just a jumbled mess. The character arcs were weak, the romance lacked any kind of development, and the characters themselves lacked personality, believability, depth, anything. The plot was all over the place, I'm not quite sure what the aim was with this book, I just have no idea about anything. I felt like I was walking around a pitch black room with my arms out reading this - I had NO idea what was going on or why, and where the hell it was going. And it just got worse and worse.
On the plus side, I was engaged and I was curious to get to the end and see the outcome. It was a 2 star book most of the way through. But the ending was so poorly executed and made so little sense I genuinely threw the book across my room. I NEVER do that. I'm not kidding. I have absolutely no idea what the point of this book was, other than to frustrate and traumatise?
This book was just a jumbled mess. The character arcs were weak, the romance lacked any kind of development, and the characters themselves lacked personality, believability, depth, anything. The plot was all over the place, I'm not quite sure what the aim was with this book, I just have no idea about anything. I felt like I was walking around a pitch black room with my arms out reading this - I had NO idea what was going on or why, and where the hell it was going. And it just got worse and worse.
On the plus side, I was engaged and I was curious to get to the end and see the outcome. It was a 2 star book most of the way through. But the ending was so poorly executed and made so little sense I genuinely threw the book across my room. I NEVER do that. I'm not kidding. I have absolutely no idea what the point of this book was, other than to frustrate and traumatise?
June 14, 2015
This made me feel uncomfortable, I didn't like any of the characters, and it made me very frustrated. Sadly, I had to DNF!
June 8, 2018
Well, that was fucked.
November 6, 2015
The premise to this book is pretty gnarly, don’t you think? I mean, anything that involves an extreme religious sect/cult/circle is going to get heavy. I was looking forward to seeing how it all panned out and more than anything I wanted them all to get off that damn island! *inappropriate flashbacks to Battle Royale*
Also there were some scenes that made my skin crawl. The quote ‘the evil that men do’ springs to mind. I thought those scenes really brought the story to life. However, they were few and far between and I found the lulls difficult to get through. Some of the male characters were terrifying!
This story is told from a dual POV. I’m not a fan of this device, but I can be swayed. But not here. I found Alex to be weak as a character, and I don’t mean her personality, I mean her representation on the page. Something just failed to click into place for me to really sympathise with her.
I think by the end I was starting to really get on board with this book. The action, the pace, Rebekah being a badass… I was glued! And then everything goes to shit and I’m left with a clammy message about life? Nope. Not buying it. I might have, if a certain something had not happened. But it did. So…
All in all I found this book easy to read. There were highs and lows, but I found Rebekah’s journey made it worth it. My main reasons behind the rating are to do with the characterisation of Alex, and the ending. I felt betrayed, and not in a good way. Sometimes a book can smack you in the face and leave you mouth agog.. but still exhilarated. Here, I was just annoyed. Nice cover though.
Also there were some scenes that made my skin crawl. The quote ‘the evil that men do’ springs to mind. I thought those scenes really brought the story to life. However, they were few and far between and I found the lulls difficult to get through. Some of the male characters were terrifying!
This story is told from a dual POV. I’m not a fan of this device, but I can be swayed. But not here. I found Alex to be weak as a character, and I don’t mean her personality, I mean her representation on the page. Something just failed to click into place for me to really sympathise with her.
I think by the end I was starting to really get on board with this book. The action, the pace, Rebekah being a badass… I was glued! And then everything goes to shit and I’m left with a clammy message about life? Nope. Not buying it. I might have, if a certain something had not happened. But it did. So…
All in all I found this book easy to read. There were highs and lows, but I found Rebekah’s journey made it worth it. My main reasons behind the rating are to do with the characterisation of Alex, and the ending. I felt betrayed, and not in a good way. Sometimes a book can smack you in the face and leave you mouth agog.. but still exhilarated. Here, I was just annoyed. Nice cover though.
December 17, 2019
Easy to read, saddened by the ending although I was able to predict it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2015
Third and final book for the #LGBTReadathon.
Originally published at: http://solittletimeforbooks.blogspot....
I had hear very little about The Dark Light before I started reading; I had based my expectations on a recollection of enjoying Julia Bell’s novel, Massive, years ago. Sadly, I doubt I’ll remember this one.
Religion is one of those topics that I really struggle to read about. I have no religion inclinations myself, but I find it an infuriating topic to talk and read about, but luckily the religious aspect of this novel was bound up in a cult which is a topic that I found fascinating. I did still find the religious spouting of the Bevins and the rest of the people of New Canaan irritating, having it balanced out by Alex’s shock and horror made it bearable. It’s mostly the disregard for science, the inferior treatment and position of women and the fanaticism of the whole thing that I don’t get!
The skewed views of the people on the island are the basis of the novel. Alex is thrown there as an ultimatum: turn over a new leaf or go through the legal process for committing arson. It seemed like an obvious choice. Alex has been adopted by a very religious couple so it was obvious solution for them, but she’s openly gay and that doesn’t always go down very well. Alex’s sexuality was definitely a sideline in The Dark Light. It came up in the island’s leader’s sermons, a few catty comments from the older members of the church and in flickers of attraction between Alex and Rebekah but it was definitely a minor role in the novel which I liked: it’s just part of Alex’s character.
Unfortunately, I really didn’t feel anything for The Dark Light other than irritation at the cult.
Originally published at: http://solittletimeforbooks.blogspot....
I had hear very little about The Dark Light before I started reading; I had based my expectations on a recollection of enjoying Julia Bell’s novel, Massive, years ago. Sadly, I doubt I’ll remember this one.
Religion is one of those topics that I really struggle to read about. I have no religion inclinations myself, but I find it an infuriating topic to talk and read about, but luckily the religious aspect of this novel was bound up in a cult which is a topic that I found fascinating. I did still find the religious spouting of the Bevins and the rest of the people of New Canaan irritating, having it balanced out by Alex’s shock and horror made it bearable. It’s mostly the disregard for science, the inferior treatment and position of women and the fanaticism of the whole thing that I don’t get!
The skewed views of the people on the island are the basis of the novel. Alex is thrown there as an ultimatum: turn over a new leaf or go through the legal process for committing arson. It seemed like an obvious choice. Alex has been adopted by a very religious couple so it was obvious solution for them, but she’s openly gay and that doesn’t always go down very well. Alex’s sexuality was definitely a sideline in The Dark Light. It came up in the island’s leader’s sermons, a few catty comments from the older members of the church and in flickers of attraction between Alex and Rebekah but it was definitely a minor role in the novel which I liked: it’s just part of Alex’s character.
Unfortunately, I really didn’t feel anything for The Dark Light other than irritation at the cult.
July 12, 2015
Whew. I have read some amazing YA this year. The Alex Crow by Jack Smith and Glory O' Brien's History of the Future by A.S King were outstanding but I'd been neglecting my UKYA until I read this little gem.
Two girls.
Alex is miserable, queer and developing a propensity for minor acts of arson when she is sent, seething with anger at her neglectful birth mother, hopeless foster parents and the world, to a religious 'community' on an island off the Welsh coast,
Rebekah has been raised on New Canaan by her father, in a community led by a charismatic preacher figure who believes that The Rapture is imminent.
When Alex arrives and The Rapture doesn't, events take a sinister turn.
The people of New Canaan, in thrall to their insane leader, huddle like frightened sheep. But friendship, stolen kisses and the promise of love galvanise Rebekah into hoping a life outside the island might just be possible.
Told in alternate first person, tension builds to an utterly devastating climax in this outstanding LGBT-themed novel from acclaimed YA writer Julia Bell.
Two girls.
Alex is miserable, queer and developing a propensity for minor acts of arson when she is sent, seething with anger at her neglectful birth mother, hopeless foster parents and the world, to a religious 'community' on an island off the Welsh coast,
Rebekah has been raised on New Canaan by her father, in a community led by a charismatic preacher figure who believes that The Rapture is imminent.
When Alex arrives and The Rapture doesn't, events take a sinister turn.
The people of New Canaan, in thrall to their insane leader, huddle like frightened sheep. But friendship, stolen kisses and the promise of love galvanise Rebekah into hoping a life outside the island might just be possible.
Told in alternate first person, tension builds to an utterly devastating climax in this outstanding LGBT-themed novel from acclaimed YA writer Julia Bell.
May 28, 2015
I loved this! I read it in one big bite on a train journey, and I was so engrossed I barely looked out of the window. It's atmospheric, fast-paced and emotionally engaging. I really felt for the two girls and ached for everything to work out for them.
Want to read
July 1, 2015my mate Julia's third book..
April 30, 2018
So I’m actually shocked with myself that I’m giving this book 4 stars.
I borrowed this from the library, got it out because of the first page being about a teenage girl named Alex setting fires. It intrigued me, ok? I wasn’t expecting much out of it other than a quick read. Fast forward a lil bit and I decided to read a few pages of it because I like to tease myself when I know I have books I need to read BEFORE reading anything else such as this book. The impression I got from those few pages was that it’ll be a f/f romance-y sort of religious camp type where Rebekah explores her sexuality and it be cheesy and the relationship be frowned upon etc etc
WELL WASN’T I WRONG.
The relationship between the girls was rather rocky, and to my surprise it was just a side plot (which I didn’t mind!). As I very much expected there was a fair bit of homophobia, so I do suggest not reading if that will affect you. This is also why I spent a while debating with myself about how many stars to give, but based on what the book is about it wasn’t something that surprised me, though it of course it wasn’t nice to read.
What was the main plot? A CULT. The Dark Light made me SO uncomfortable and it was incredibly disturbing to read, and yet I LOVED it. In short, Alex had been adopted when younger by a very religious couple, and basically because of her distructive tendencies she has no choice but to be shimmied away to New Canaan to reform.
It’s told from two POVs: Alex and Rebekah. Now Rebekah has lived there all of her life, she believes everything leader Bevins says, and is horribly unaware of life outside of New Canaan. Alex’s presence causes her to question everything she’s ever known.
I reaaally didn’t like this book initially. I didn’t like Alex, she was one of those who acts egdy and rebellious, and she came across very rude, and Rebekah was beyond naïve and preachy. The whole situation was just strange. I thought it was going to continue like this but then it starts revealing the cult aspect, which explained Rebekah being oblivious and way too loyal to Bevins.
Example of R being naïve:
Alex: “I should have known people like you wouldn’t be on facebook.”
Rebekah: “Is that a religious book?”
See what I mean???
Content warning (I guess?) for: a very intimidating part between some men and Alex, in which it *seemed* like something bad was going to happen to her, and Bevins said something awful about women. There’s a scene where a ladys twin boys were locked in a basement and drugged so the adults could pray without being disturbed. There is also self harm nentions.
Although this book grew on me rather quickly, I think both its short length & the fact I read it during a readathon is why I continued reading it. It did remain very bizarre but I got used to it (for the most part anyway) and ended up quite enjoying it. There was a lot of times I felt uncomfortable, but I’m not mad at it!
Cute line: “Something in me gives, and I know then that I’d do anything for her.”
I borrowed this from the library, got it out because of the first page being about a teenage girl named Alex setting fires. It intrigued me, ok? I wasn’t expecting much out of it other than a quick read. Fast forward a lil bit and I decided to read a few pages of it because I like to tease myself when I know I have books I need to read BEFORE reading anything else such as this book. The impression I got from those few pages was that it’ll be a f/f romance-y sort of religious camp type where Rebekah explores her sexuality and it be cheesy and the relationship be frowned upon etc etc
WELL WASN’T I WRONG.
The relationship between the girls was rather rocky, and to my surprise it was just a side plot (which I didn’t mind!). As I very much expected there was a fair bit of homophobia, so I do suggest not reading if that will affect you. This is also why I spent a while debating with myself about how many stars to give, but based on what the book is about it wasn’t something that surprised me, though it of course it wasn’t nice to read.
What was the main plot? A CULT. The Dark Light made me SO uncomfortable and it was incredibly disturbing to read, and yet I LOVED it. In short, Alex had been adopted when younger by a very religious couple, and basically because of her distructive tendencies she has no choice but to be shimmied away to New Canaan to reform.
It’s told from two POVs: Alex and Rebekah. Now Rebekah has lived there all of her life, she believes everything leader Bevins says, and is horribly unaware of life outside of New Canaan. Alex’s presence causes her to question everything she’s ever known.
I reaaally didn’t like this book initially. I didn’t like Alex, she was one of those who acts egdy and rebellious, and she came across very rude, and Rebekah was beyond naïve and preachy. The whole situation was just strange. I thought it was going to continue like this but then it starts revealing the cult aspect, which explained Rebekah being oblivious and way too loyal to Bevins.
Example of R being naïve:
Alex: “I should have known people like you wouldn’t be on facebook.”
Rebekah: “Is that a religious book?”
See what I mean???
Content warning (I guess?) for: a very intimidating part between some men and Alex, in which it *seemed* like something bad was going to happen to her, and Bevins said something awful about women. There’s a scene where a ladys twin boys were locked in a basement and drugged so the adults could pray without being disturbed. There is also self harm nentions.
Although this book grew on me rather quickly, I think both its short length & the fact I read it during a readathon is why I continued reading it. It did remain very bizarre but I got used to it (for the most part anyway) and ended up quite enjoying it. There was a lot of times I felt uncomfortable, but I’m not mad at it!
Cute line: “Something in me gives, and I know then that I’d do anything for her.”
June 26, 2015
Thank you to the publisher for this eARC.
I was excited to read this book and found that the blurb was very interesting.
Alex has been through foster care and is a troubled teenager. After getting into trouble with the law she is sent off to an island to avoid jail time. There she meets Rebecca and things change for both of them.
This book was sadly a DNF for me. I found Alex to be very rude and a "in your face" character. I did not like how she treated people. Yes she had a horrible upbringing and most of the time I can sympathise with a character. But I found Alex to be downright rude with everyone.
Another thing that I did not like about this book was the Christians on the island. It just freaked me out! It seemed like some cult. In the beginning you constantly read about this island and what they get up to and how they try their best to get people to listen to their message.
Sadly this book creeped me out and I really did not care about Alex at all. When you don't care about the main character then clearly you aren't going to like the book too.
I was excited to read this book and found that the blurb was very interesting.
Alex has been through foster care and is a troubled teenager. After getting into trouble with the law she is sent off to an island to avoid jail time. There she meets Rebecca and things change for both of them.
This book was sadly a DNF for me. I found Alex to be very rude and a "in your face" character. I did not like how she treated people. Yes she had a horrible upbringing and most of the time I can sympathise with a character. But I found Alex to be downright rude with everyone.
Another thing that I did not like about this book was the Christians on the island. It just freaked me out! It seemed like some cult. In the beginning you constantly read about this island and what they get up to and how they try their best to get people to listen to their message.
Sadly this book creeped me out and I really did not care about Alex at all. When you don't care about the main character then clearly you aren't going to like the book too.
July 26, 2017
Really interesting subject matter (scary how real it is considering some groups) and really interesting plot. I think that the protagonists (and narrators) could have been written better and more believably, I didn't connect with either of them. Would be interesting to read more books covering the idea of cults
Read
June 17, 2015I couldn't get on with this one. Tried picking it up a couple of times but I didn't like any of the characters or the subject matter of the story. Not for me I'm afraid.
January 18, 2016
I was gonna give this a three because it was trashy aaf, but in a way I guiltily enjoy but THAT MF ENDING?! I read cheesy crap for the cheese, man, and this was like, cheese cheese cheese CHALK. No.
January 20, 2016
review to come closer to the publication day...
July 1, 2020
this was just.... very disappointing in pretty much every aspect. the ending was rushed and unsatisfying, Alex as a character was impossible to connect with as they gave up on developing her character about halfway through, the writing left much to be desired, and the COVER is pissing me off so badly because 1. Alex has SHORT hair, Rebekah thinks she is a boy when they first meet, and 2. They would never both be wearing jeans\pants, Rebekah never wears pants other than the coverups on the boat ride in the very beginning. So uh, it's a no from me, unfortunately.
August 20, 2024
I would have given this three stars, because it was okay and kept me turning the pages. I didn't even mind the dual POV in first person (an odd choice, but it's no worse than a certain [i]very[/i] popular book's second person POV).
But I had to take one star off for that ending.
But I had to take one star off for that ending.
April 10, 2019
Started so well. Loved the concept and writing style. Ended fine. Disappointing.
May 21, 2023
the ending let the book down so badly. it basically made the whole rest of the book redundant by (SPOLIER) killing rebekah. what was the point of half the story being about her character development just to kill her in such a shit way?
first section of the book was enjoyable but the end left me shocked and not in a good way
first section of the book was enjoyable but the end left me shocked and not in a good way
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2024
Story was good but end the ending was really abrupt
February 2, 2025
3.5⭐️
Not all books have a happy ending and that’s okay.
Not all books have a happy ending and that’s okay.
Read
March 17, 2020The ending was just bad...
November 8, 2020
I was planning on reading The Dark Light in a couple of months as part of a ‘reading the ten lowest books on my TBR’ challenge, but alas, I pulled it out of the jar and had no choice but to read it in September.
The Dark Light is a dual perspective story following Alex and Rebekah. Alex is a rebellious girl who is in trouble with the police after setting fire to the home of a girl who had been bullying her. Alex’s foster parents agree that she needs to be rehabilitated, so they send her to a religious community on an island, where Alex meets Rebekah, who has lived on the island for her entire life. Rebekah soon finds herself developing feelings for Alex, and she begins to wonder if there’s more to life than the little community she is a part of.
When the leader of the group starts claiming that the rapture is coming soon both girls become desperate to escape and to live their lives to the fullest before moving on to Heaven, but things don’t go smoothly.
I was apprehensive about reading The Dark Light after reading Julia Bell’s other novel, Massive. I ranted about it at length and pretty much decided I’d never read another one of her books, completely forgetting that I had The Dark Light on my NetGalley already. Oops.
Somehow, this book is even worse than Bell’s debut.
The main problem with it is its length. Coming in at under 300 pages, it’s impossible to emotionally connect to the characters because they are severely underdeveloped. If the story had only been told from one of their viewpoints it may have been more impactful, but the dual narrative was wholly unnecessary.
All of the events are rushed, even from the first page. Alex committing arson takes place in the space of a couple of paragraphs, and what could have been a really powerful opening is instead totally confusing (and not in an intriguing, unputdownable kind of way…). The same thing happens at the end of the novel: all of the dramatic, cataclysmic events happen in one or two chapters, and it leaves you feeling completely unsatisfied.
On top of the rushing, the character development is unrealistic. Rebekah has lived her entire life surrounded by this community, believing that the rapture is real and its coming will be the best day of her life, so for her to abandon all of her beliefs for a girl she has literally just met makes no sense.
The relationship between Rebekah and Alex is also very frustrating: they develop feelings for each other as soon as they meet, despite the fact that they’ve hardly spoken, and their feelings cause them both to morph into entirely different people which couldn’t happen that quickly. The events of The Dark Light only seemed to take a week at most, but opening your mind to religious ideas when you’ve always been an atheist – or turning your back on the beliefs that you’ve had ingrained in you since the day you were born – just would not happen that fast.
Don’t even get me started on the ending. Man, it had me raging. If I’d been reading a physical copy of the book I would have thrown it across the room, no question. I’d definitely recommend skipping this one.
This review was originally posted on The Bumbling Blogger.
The Dark Light is a dual perspective story following Alex and Rebekah. Alex is a rebellious girl who is in trouble with the police after setting fire to the home of a girl who had been bullying her. Alex’s foster parents agree that she needs to be rehabilitated, so they send her to a religious community on an island, where Alex meets Rebekah, who has lived on the island for her entire life. Rebekah soon finds herself developing feelings for Alex, and she begins to wonder if there’s more to life than the little community she is a part of.
When the leader of the group starts claiming that the rapture is coming soon both girls become desperate to escape and to live their lives to the fullest before moving on to Heaven, but things don’t go smoothly.
I was apprehensive about reading The Dark Light after reading Julia Bell’s other novel, Massive. I ranted about it at length and pretty much decided I’d never read another one of her books, completely forgetting that I had The Dark Light on my NetGalley already. Oops.
Somehow, this book is even worse than Bell’s debut.
The main problem with it is its length. Coming in at under 300 pages, it’s impossible to emotionally connect to the characters because they are severely underdeveloped. If the story had only been told from one of their viewpoints it may have been more impactful, but the dual narrative was wholly unnecessary.
All of the events are rushed, even from the first page. Alex committing arson takes place in the space of a couple of paragraphs, and what could have been a really powerful opening is instead totally confusing (and not in an intriguing, unputdownable kind of way…). The same thing happens at the end of the novel: all of the dramatic, cataclysmic events happen in one or two chapters, and it leaves you feeling completely unsatisfied.
On top of the rushing, the character development is unrealistic. Rebekah has lived her entire life surrounded by this community, believing that the rapture is real and its coming will be the best day of her life, so for her to abandon all of her beliefs for a girl she has literally just met makes no sense.
The relationship between Rebekah and Alex is also very frustrating: they develop feelings for each other as soon as they meet, despite the fact that they’ve hardly spoken, and their feelings cause them both to morph into entirely different people which couldn’t happen that quickly. The events of The Dark Light only seemed to take a week at most, but opening your mind to religious ideas when you’ve always been an atheist – or turning your back on the beliefs that you’ve had ingrained in you since the day you were born – just would not happen that fast.
Don’t even get me started on the ending. Man, it had me raging. If I’d been reading a physical copy of the book I would have thrown it across the room, no question. I’d definitely recommend skipping this one.
This review was originally posted on The Bumbling Blogger.
January 8, 2017
There was no way that I couldn't not read The Dark Light. Rapture? Girls kissing? Weird island? Yes, please! However, I was expecting a Romance, and if that's what you're looking for, then this is not it. I was quite disappointed on that front, but I did really enjoy the story for what it was. Alex has just gotten into the biggest trouble of her life. She can either go to court and have her fate determined by the law, or she can agree to live at New Canaan for the summer. Rebekah was raised in this religious community and is preparing to be whisked away to Heaven, but then she meets Alex, and realizes that her life isn't at all what it seems.
The Dark Light was actually quite frightening. Not in the Horror novel sense, but in the way these people go along with whatever Mr. Bevins says. He's their leader and the one who is blessed with being able to hear the word of God and gives them the date and time of the Rapture. His behavior is quite frantic at times, and yet, the community listens to him. Other times, he's very calm and reasonable and the things he says almost make perfect sense, which I think is even scarier. The New Canaan way of life seems peaceful, if a little backward, on the surface, but there's an underlying terror there.
As for the romantic aspect, I did enjoy what little there was. The Dark Light is definitely focused on the suspense of the upcoming Rapture. Is it really coming? What will Bevins do in either scenario? I was furiously flipping pages to find out! But Alex and Rebekah do develop feelings for each other in all of this chaos. Alex is introduced to us as a lesbian, but Rebekah has no knowledge of anything in the ways of romantic love. She just knows that she's drawn to Alex and wants to be with her. Of course, that's unacceptable in this community and Bevins manages to twist it into something ugly. The ending is something that I totally did not see coming, and it will upset readers who are looking for a more Happily Ever After F/F story.
The Dark Light was great. I love these types of stories about people who are so removed from central society and the effect they have on those around them. It certainly kept me hooked from the moment Alex arrives at the island. It's obvious that something is wrong there other than us just knowing that Bevins is a control freak rather than a prophet. I do wish there had been a happy ending, or at least a bittersweet one. As it is, it's quite abrupt and tragic.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
The Dark Light was actually quite frightening. Not in the Horror novel sense, but in the way these people go along with whatever Mr. Bevins says. He's their leader and the one who is blessed with being able to hear the word of God and gives them the date and time of the Rapture. His behavior is quite frantic at times, and yet, the community listens to him. Other times, he's very calm and reasonable and the things he says almost make perfect sense, which I think is even scarier. The New Canaan way of life seems peaceful, if a little backward, on the surface, but there's an underlying terror there.
As for the romantic aspect, I did enjoy what little there was. The Dark Light is definitely focused on the suspense of the upcoming Rapture. Is it really coming? What will Bevins do in either scenario? I was furiously flipping pages to find out! But Alex and Rebekah do develop feelings for each other in all of this chaos. Alex is introduced to us as a lesbian, but Rebekah has no knowledge of anything in the ways of romantic love. She just knows that she's drawn to Alex and wants to be with her. Of course, that's unacceptable in this community and Bevins manages to twist it into something ugly. The ending is something that I totally did not see coming, and it will upset readers who are looking for a more Happily Ever After F/F story.
The Dark Light was great. I love these types of stories about people who are so removed from central society and the effect they have on those around them. It certainly kept me hooked from the moment Alex arrives at the island. It's obvious that something is wrong there other than us just knowing that Bevins is a control freak rather than a prophet. I do wish there had been a happy ending, or at least a bittersweet one. As it is, it's quite abrupt and tragic.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
October 25, 2015
I really enjoyed this YA novel. There's scope for a much bigger novel in the story, but it focuses in on the core of what the author has to show/say (which is quite refreshing after all that recent Booker reading I've undertaken).
The story centres around two young adults, Alex and Rebekah. Alex is troubled, she lost her mum as a child and ended up in the care system. Then her new parents took her on, but she keeps getting into trouble and so her parents arrange, via their church, to send Alex to a small isolated Christian island community lead by a Pastor named Mr Bevins.
The community is made up of fanatics, the vulnerable, those that want/need a simple life. The problem lies in that it is more of a cult, dominated by the enigmatic Mr Bevins, than a community lead by differing voices.
The novel looks at ideas of identity, how these can be formed, negotiated and quashed by those around us. It explores how a group of many individuals might be coerced and dominated into submission and into turning a blind eye out of fear/desire/lack of self awareness/worth/confidence. These themes are not just applicable to cults, they show how things can become hidden and covered up and ignored by communities in the wider world.
Also, I really liked the ending (I see from other reviews that some really do not like the ending). I did start to worry as it approached, but I needn't have.
The story centres around two young adults, Alex and Rebekah. Alex is troubled, she lost her mum as a child and ended up in the care system. Then her new parents took her on, but she keeps getting into trouble and so her parents arrange, via their church, to send Alex to a small isolated Christian island community lead by a Pastor named Mr Bevins.
The community is made up of fanatics, the vulnerable, those that want/need a simple life. The problem lies in that it is more of a cult, dominated by the enigmatic Mr Bevins, than a community lead by differing voices.
The novel looks at ideas of identity, how these can be formed, negotiated and quashed by those around us. It explores how a group of many individuals might be coerced and dominated into submission and into turning a blind eye out of fear/desire/lack of self awareness/worth/confidence. These themes are not just applicable to cults, they show how things can become hidden and covered up and ignored by communities in the wider world.
Also, I really liked the ending (I see from other reviews that some really do not like the ending). I did start to worry as it approached, but I needn't have.
September 3, 2015
Just finished reading The Dark Light and wanted to write this review before the WOW factor dissipated.
This is one of those YA books that just hooked me from the first page even though the topic (religious cults) is not my usual cup of tea. The isolated, oppressive and threatening life that Julia Bells portrays in the religious community feels alive, real and very possible; the religious fanaticism expertly depicted. The story holds back enough to make it suitable for a YA audience but, that said, it is still a brutal insight into the menace of total obedience.
There is a touching and poignant relationship that blossoms between Alex and Rebekah as Alex has to come to terms with being sent to the island community and then being prepared for ‘the Rapture’ by Bevin. Though the book only lightly dusts the surface of homosexuality, Rebekah’s sheltered life and total innocence shows us that sexual orientation could be a construct and that there are more lies in the world than those that the Bible might tell. It also shows how fear is a key to obedience, how ignorance (lack of education) can lead to fanaticism and how belief systems can be corrupted.
This would be a useful book in schools needing to teach extremism and the power of belief systems (older years only). It is a story that does not take sides but merely lays open a situation that could happen. It is expertly written, full of tension and atmosphere and am sure will blow your mind when you read it!
This is one of those YA books that just hooked me from the first page even though the topic (religious cults) is not my usual cup of tea. The isolated, oppressive and threatening life that Julia Bells portrays in the religious community feels alive, real and very possible; the religious fanaticism expertly depicted. The story holds back enough to make it suitable for a YA audience but, that said, it is still a brutal insight into the menace of total obedience.
There is a touching and poignant relationship that blossoms between Alex and Rebekah as Alex has to come to terms with being sent to the island community and then being prepared for ‘the Rapture’ by Bevin. Though the book only lightly dusts the surface of homosexuality, Rebekah’s sheltered life and total innocence shows us that sexual orientation could be a construct and that there are more lies in the world than those that the Bible might tell. It also shows how fear is a key to obedience, how ignorance (lack of education) can lead to fanaticism and how belief systems can be corrupted.
This would be a useful book in schools needing to teach extremism and the power of belief systems (older years only). It is a story that does not take sides but merely lays open a situation that could happen. It is expertly written, full of tension and atmosphere and am sure will blow your mind when you read it!
February 22, 2017
This dark story of a religious cult on a Scottish island had me gripped throughout. The magnetic personality of the cult leader and twisted logic of the fanatics was sinister, feeding the suspense in this YA Gothic novel.
The story is told through dual first-person, with both characters likeable and with different voices. Their personalities worked well together, with Rebekah’s naivety contrasting with Alex’s cynicism. It was interesting to see the two girls grow, although some of the character development was weak.
The romance was sweet, with the characters growing to know and like each other. I liked how it wasn’t the main focus of the story, supporting but not competing with the Gothic element.
There is a lot of religious preaching and quoting from the Bible, but that is not surprising considering the setting. It also has a few instances of homophobia – again, to be expected – but that wasn’t the main point of the story.
I don’t like to give spoilers, but this book requires a warning. The ending lets down the rest of the story, and nearly caused me to throw the book across the room. You have been warned!
The story is told through dual first-person, with both characters likeable and with different voices. Their personalities worked well together, with Rebekah’s naivety contrasting with Alex’s cynicism. It was interesting to see the two girls grow, although some of the character development was weak.
The romance was sweet, with the characters growing to know and like each other. I liked how it wasn’t the main focus of the story, supporting but not competing with the Gothic element.
There is a lot of religious preaching and quoting from the Bible, but that is not surprising considering the setting. It also has a few instances of homophobia – again, to be expected – but that wasn’t the main point of the story.
I don’t like to give spoilers, but this book requires a warning. The ending lets down the rest of the story, and nearly caused me to throw the book across the room. You have been warned!
April 2, 2016
This book was a little bit odd and love odd books but I felt this was just a bit poorly written. Looking back on when I read this book, I remember being very intrigued as to what was going to happen - it's definitely a page-turner and I loved the unusual premise (I don't get to read many books about twisted religious cults with a slight sub-plot of lesbian romance) but for me, the story felt like it needed bulked out and it needed a better standard of writing to make it a great book. The potential was definitely there but the plot twists where predictable and the storyline seemed a little too simple for me. Also (and this is a key factor), there was definitely not enough romance. I don't remember exactly but there was something like one mediocre kiss in the entire book. This felt like a great idea left unfinished and under-explored. I probably would recommend it just for the unusual premise but it would need a lot of work for me to consider an extra star.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2015
This book started out pretty intriguing, but I soon found it to be so bogged down with descriptions of the island (just how many varieties of sea birds, grasses, and scraggly plants can you use in one book?) and the stark-raving-mad utterings of the cult members (can someone please hurry up and Rapture Mr. Bevins and Hannah RIGHT NOW??) that the development of the romance between Alex and Rebekah suffered. I found the character development overall to be lacking. For example, I didn't quite understand why Rebekah changed her mind so suddenly about the world view she grew up to believe in. All in all, I think this would have worked better as a short story or maybe as a novel told from just one point of view. It was interesting, but it could have been better IMHO.
June 6, 2016
Cannot believe I paid 7 pounds for this.
I picked up this book because it looked promising: teen lesbians trapped on an island by a cult with bad intentions. Doesn't that sound interesting?
But, alas. Alex is boring and generic, and I felt like I never got to know her because there is nothing to know. I only ever gave a shit about Rebekah like halfway into the book, only for her to die in a shit way that made literally the entire book unnecessary. I mean, what the fuck was the point of it all if she was just gonna die anyway? What little development she went through just went up in flames. Completely fucking unnecessary.
Bury your gays, indeed.
What the fuck was the point?
I picked up this book because it looked promising: teen lesbians trapped on an island by a cult with bad intentions. Doesn't that sound interesting?
But, alas. Alex is boring and generic, and I felt like I never got to know her because there is nothing to know. I only ever gave a shit about Rebekah like halfway into the book, only for her to die in a shit way that made literally the entire book unnecessary. I mean, what the fuck was the point of it all if she was just gonna die anyway? What little development she went through just went up in flames. Completely fucking unnecessary.
Bury your gays, indeed.
What the fuck was the point?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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