What do you think?
Rate this book
The Rise of Light
A powerful novel about the expectations of family—and the risks and liberation of defying them—by the Washington Post bestselling author of One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow.
1975. In the town of Rexburg, Idaho, aspiring artist Aran Rigby, his younger sister, Tamsin, and their two brothers are locked in orbit around their emotionally abusive father. Gad is the kind of man who soothes the failures of his own life by controlling the lives of others. But Aran and Tamsin are united in rebellion against their father. They understand each other. They have dreams beyond their small town.
Arriving in Rexburg is Linda Duff, an outsider from Seattle hoping to plant new roots far from the bitter ones of her childhood. She’s quickly taken with Aran, in no small part because of his talent. But when they fall in love, Linda is drawn into a family more damaged than the one she left behind. She also becomes privy to a secret Aran and Tamsin share that could dismantle everything everyone holds dear.
Upsetting the precarious balance in the Rigby home, Linda becomes an unwitting catalyst for the upheaval of Gad’s oppression. Now it’s time for them all to break free of the past, overcome the unforgivable, and find a new way forward—whatever the price.
1975. In the town of Rexburg, Idaho, aspiring artist Aran Rigby, his younger sister, Tamsin, and their two brothers are locked in orbit around their emotionally abusive father. Gad is the kind of man who soothes the failures of his own life by controlling the lives of others. But Aran and Tamsin are united in rebellion against their father. They understand each other. They have dreams beyond their small town.
Arriving in Rexburg is Linda Duff, an outsider from Seattle hoping to plant new roots far from the bitter ones of her childhood. She’s quickly taken with Aran, in no small part because of his talent. But when they fall in love, Linda is drawn into a family more damaged than the one she left behind. She also becomes privy to a secret Aran and Tamsin share that could dismantle everything everyone holds dear.
Upsetting the precarious balance in the Rigby home, Linda becomes an unwitting catalyst for the upheaval of Gad’s oppression. Now it’s time for them all to break free of the past, overcome the unforgivable, and find a new way forward—whatever the price.
428 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 17, 2021
2324 people are currently reading
4979 people want to read
About the author
Olivia Hawker
9 books1,108 followersAlso publishes under Libbie Hawker, Libbie Grant, and L.M. Ironside
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 304 reviews
September 22, 2022
4 " emotional, sensitive, at times off the mark" stars !!
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and Lake Union Publishing for providing me an e-copy. I am providing my honest review. This was released August 2021.
I want to start off with my one major criticism before I start to gush. The climax of the piece did not work for me for the most part. After creating such nuanced characters the climax felt overly dramatic and unbelievable to this reader. Normally this would have knocked the book down to three stars but because this book was so exquisite in so many ways I cannot rate it less than a four. This aside....
Ms. Hawker has a way with words with creating word paintings of landscapes that are breathtakingly sensual and visual that impart to the reader a sense of place in the here and now. You are not reading about 1975 but are living it. You feel immersed in the Mormon Community in Rexburg Idaho and are part of the community.
This is an amazingly poignant and resonant family drama that pulled at my heartstrings and caused me to weep several times...sometimes bitterly but more often sweetly. We are presented with characters that are complex and damaged and doing the best they can for the people they love.
Ms. Hawker has huge awareness of human emotion and the language to convey all the nuances to the reader. This is a story that is quiet but important. The good, the bad and the ugly.
A wonderful family drama and love story that with some editing could truly have achieved American literary greatness. I would definitely read more by Ms. Hawker !
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and Lake Union Publishing for providing me an e-copy. I am providing my honest review. This was released August 2021.
I want to start off with my one major criticism before I start to gush. The climax of the piece did not work for me for the most part. After creating such nuanced characters the climax felt overly dramatic and unbelievable to this reader. Normally this would have knocked the book down to three stars but because this book was so exquisite in so many ways I cannot rate it less than a four. This aside....
Ms. Hawker has a way with words with creating word paintings of landscapes that are breathtakingly sensual and visual that impart to the reader a sense of place in the here and now. You are not reading about 1975 but are living it. You feel immersed in the Mormon Community in Rexburg Idaho and are part of the community.
This is an amazingly poignant and resonant family drama that pulled at my heartstrings and caused me to weep several times...sometimes bitterly but more often sweetly. We are presented with characters that are complex and damaged and doing the best they can for the people they love.
Ms. Hawker has huge awareness of human emotion and the language to convey all the nuances to the reader. This is a story that is quiet but important. The good, the bad and the ugly.
A wonderful family drama and love story that with some editing could truly have achieved American literary greatness. I would definitely read more by Ms. Hawker !
July 17, 2021
4.5 stars
This book is perfect for those that love a good family drama. The Rigby family is hard core Mormon. Or at least the parents are. Two of the four kids, Aran and Tamsin, are trying to sort out what they believe.
The book covers expectations, obligations, obedience and how it all ties in with their religion. I loved how Hawker delves into the search for meaning, to finding a place where one belongs. Mormonism is one of those religions I’ve never truly understood. It doesn’t come off well in this book. The misogyny of the religion (at least as practiced in this town) is horrendous. I would have run screaming from that town never to return.
The characters are wonderfully in depth and nuanced. The father, Gad, has the same artistic talents as his son Aran but worries they are somehow wrong, too feminine. He would be an easy man to hate, which makes his children’s attempts to keep their love for him alive all the more heartrending. Both Tamsin and Aran want more in life than what is being offered to them. The chapters alternate between the characters, which worked well for me as we got to see what each of them were thinking. She uses Linda, a newcomer and true outsider to the community, as a way for the reader to see the community in an unbiased way, especially the way opinions are formed and never revised.
The writing is fantastic. I could picture the Idaho landscape, the flatness, the colors. Aran is an artist and Hawker does a great job talking about how he creates art and the pleasure it gives not just him, but several others.
Hawker knows of what she writes, as she grew up in a traditional Latter Day Saints family that had ties to Rexburg. And in a weird twist, the one thing in the book that I felt might be a tad unbelievable actually happened.
At times, I felt the book could have been pared down a little, that a better editing job could have made it more taut. For that reason, I can’t give it a full five stars. But it is definitely an interesting, well done story that I have no trouble heartily recommending. This is another book that would make a great book club selection.
My thanks to netgalley and Lake Union for an advance copy of this book.
This book is perfect for those that love a good family drama. The Rigby family is hard core Mormon. Or at least the parents are. Two of the four kids, Aran and Tamsin, are trying to sort out what they believe.
The book covers expectations, obligations, obedience and how it all ties in with their religion. I loved how Hawker delves into the search for meaning, to finding a place where one belongs. Mormonism is one of those religions I’ve never truly understood. It doesn’t come off well in this book. The misogyny of the religion (at least as practiced in this town) is horrendous. I would have run screaming from that town never to return.
The characters are wonderfully in depth and nuanced. The father, Gad, has the same artistic talents as his son Aran but worries they are somehow wrong, too feminine. He would be an easy man to hate, which makes his children’s attempts to keep their love for him alive all the more heartrending. Both Tamsin and Aran want more in life than what is being offered to them. The chapters alternate between the characters, which worked well for me as we got to see what each of them were thinking. She uses Linda, a newcomer and true outsider to the community, as a way for the reader to see the community in an unbiased way, especially the way opinions are formed and never revised.
The writing is fantastic. I could picture the Idaho landscape, the flatness, the colors. Aran is an artist and Hawker does a great job talking about how he creates art and the pleasure it gives not just him, but several others.
Hawker knows of what she writes, as she grew up in a traditional Latter Day Saints family that had ties to Rexburg. And in a weird twist, the one thing in the book that I felt might be a tad unbelievable actually happened.
At times, I felt the book could have been pared down a little, that a better editing job could have made it more taut. For that reason, I can’t give it a full five stars. But it is definitely an interesting, well done story that I have no trouble heartily recommending. This is another book that would make a great book club selection.
My thanks to netgalley and Lake Union for an advance copy of this book.
July 18, 2021
Another different kind of story from Hawker that has all the feels. I love her use of words for light and sounds and all the connections they make; and in this novel, she captures both but from a human point of view - the light and sounds of the heart, the mind, and how both affect the soul. I think most readers of faith will identify with the desperation in a man/woman to feel okay, to be enough, Most women always feel this way, but religion tends to amplify this need, because now not only do we "have to" be enough for other people; we also have to be enough for God.
What Hawker manages to do, though, is challenge that. She manages to strip away all of the formulas and rules we've made up along the way and pull us back to what matters, what's true - the heart of family for us all, and the heart of God rather than the unnecessary reach for him in others. Because what is faith if we cannot accept that everything has already been done for us? And all we can do is accept our own humanity, perhaps even laugh at it, and open our hearts and plug in to the silver cord of heart and light that is freely given.
That's what this book is. A grand reconnection to all we really long for so we can be whole.
What Hawker manages to do, though, is challenge that. She manages to strip away all of the formulas and rules we've made up along the way and pull us back to what matters, what's true - the heart of family for us all, and the heart of God rather than the unnecessary reach for him in others. Because what is faith if we cannot accept that everything has already been done for us? And all we can do is accept our own humanity, perhaps even laugh at it, and open our hearts and plug in to the silver cord of heart and light that is freely given.
That's what this book is. A grand reconnection to all we really long for so we can be whole.
May 8, 2024
lrregardless of the subject, Olivia Hawker never disappoints.
April 11, 2021
The author was raised in a Mormon community, and her knowledge of the religion and culture came through in this novel. The reader is really immersed in it, for better or worse. I like how the characters varied in their devotion to the church and in their reactions to the culture. (If you’re likely to be upset by a negative portrayal of Mormonism, then this is probably a book you won't enjoy!)
The relationship between brother and sister, Aran and Tamsin, was intriguing and beautifully handled. I also loved how Hawker described paintings throughout the novel. We could appreciate the art, even though we couldn’t see it. As in Hawker’s earlier book that I recently finished, One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow, her descriptions of the natural world are powerful. Hawker is skilled at painting pictures with words.
The multiple points of view was used to good effect too. It was good to see inside the mind of the controlling, abusive father, Gad, and to be able to contrast it with how his family saw him from the outside. It’s tragic how many men, throughout history, have denied themselves the full range of human emotions. How much suffering could have been avoided if men were allowed — by themselves, by their parents, by their cultures — to feel ‘soft’ or ‘feminine’ emotions?
As with Blackbird, I found the ending satisfying. And it will have you anxiously turning pages to find out how everything turns out.
The biggest negative for me was that I sometimes felt a little impatient with some of the characters. I wanted them to get their shit together already. But this is likely a problem only if you're afflicted with chronic impatience like me, haha!
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance reader copy.
The relationship between brother and sister, Aran and Tamsin, was intriguing and beautifully handled. I also loved how Hawker described paintings throughout the novel. We could appreciate the art, even though we couldn’t see it. As in Hawker’s earlier book that I recently finished, One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow, her descriptions of the natural world are powerful. Hawker is skilled at painting pictures with words.
The multiple points of view was used to good effect too. It was good to see inside the mind of the controlling, abusive father, Gad, and to be able to contrast it with how his family saw him from the outside. It’s tragic how many men, throughout history, have denied themselves the full range of human emotions. How much suffering could have been avoided if men were allowed — by themselves, by their parents, by their cultures — to feel ‘soft’ or ‘feminine’ emotions?
As with Blackbird, I found the ending satisfying. And it will have you anxiously turning pages to find out how everything turns out.
The biggest negative for me was that I sometimes felt a little impatient with some of the characters. I wanted them to get their shit together already. But this is likely a problem only if you're afflicted with chronic impatience like me, haha!
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance reader copy.
November 8, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley & Lake Union Publishing for an eARC of this book. The following review is my honest reflection on the text provided.
The Rise of Light is excellent for many reasons, but I especially appreciated the exploration of the inherent misogyny, abuse, and restrictions within Mormonism. Several storylines allow for a deep exploration of this and many other topics from different perspectives.
I found myself horrified several times by the use of religion to enable men to exert their control over not only their own families but the women who dare to act even slightly unexpectedly. And 'unexpectedly' is anything that isn't 100% subservient, demure, or apologetic, as is evident in Gad's interactions with his wife, daughter, and Linda before he even knows her. She is a stranger on the street, and he treats her with contempt solely because she doesn't immediately submit to his obvious male privilege and dominance.
"That was why her father feared and hated worldly things. Tamsin understood it all now. The world was much bigger than Rexburg. The world was nothing any man could control."
Gad is the head of the household, a prominent leader within the church, and riddled with issues. Some of these are generational, thanks to the abuse and ideals forced on him by his father. To smother his feelings and misgivings, he holds a tight, demanding control over his entire family. But, unfortunately, with human nature being what it is, it's only a matter of time before this control slips and everything starts to fall apart.
The Gad-Aran storyline was difficult to read because of the continuation of this generational abuse. Gad attempts to control how Aran spends his time by forcing him to work in the family business and abandon any dreams unrelated to the family or church. He tries to tell him first who he should be dating and then who he most definitely should not be dating once Linda enters the picture. It ramps up even further when he discovers Aran is finding success as a painter. Instead of being proud that Aran found a way to follow the dream Gad's father forced him to abandon, Gad becomes vindictive. He twists his beliefs to allow himself the ability to take revenge without guilt - instead, he feels it is his responsibility, maybe even his calling, to knock Aran down a peg and teach him a lesson. What makes this even more terrible is that while Gad is sure in his convictions, Aran spends the entire book worried that he is being tempted away from the 'truth' thanks to years of brainwashing.
Linda's story was very relatable. She's searching for a sense of family she's never felt, willing to go to extreme lengths to find it. She leaps into the unknown to find what she is looking for, and I found her incredibly strong and brave. Because even while she is willing to do a lot to create her own sense of family, she still has a strong sense of morality and doesn't give in to the brainwashing attempts by those around her. She's able to recognise something good in Aran, and she finds a way to make things work, even when confronted by the absolute craziness of Gad and the control he attempts (mostly successfully) to exert over his family.
"That was the funny part, the strange part: how they both just stayed. As if they expected that something would be different this month, this Sunday, this any-day-of-the-week. Nothing was ever different. Not here."
The most heartbreaking storyline is certainly Tamsin's. There is so little hope here at all times. She's the most intelligent person in this story, the most certain in her own beliefs. Where Aran questions the church and Gad's rules, Tamsin openly denies and defies them. Unfortunately, her age and her gender work severely against her ability to escape. Tamsin has the most basic dream to leave home and go to college. While this is almost a given for most teenagers in the United States, she knows that her father will never let her go.
"Amen, the congregation answered - even Tamsin. There were no bars on the cage, but a good girl always stayed."
I highly recommend The Rise of Light - what appears to be straightforward at first develops nuance and takes many directions I was not expecting. It stays true to human nature and its unpredictability while delving into religion, abuse, and complicated family dynamics. I felt immersed in this community, sometimes to a terrifying degree, and while the narrative did feel like it dragged on at times, it painted a vivid picture (no pun intended).
Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.
The Rise of Light is excellent for many reasons, but I especially appreciated the exploration of the inherent misogyny, abuse, and restrictions within Mormonism. Several storylines allow for a deep exploration of this and many other topics from different perspectives.
I found myself horrified several times by the use of religion to enable men to exert their control over not only their own families but the women who dare to act even slightly unexpectedly. And 'unexpectedly' is anything that isn't 100% subservient, demure, or apologetic, as is evident in Gad's interactions with his wife, daughter, and Linda before he even knows her. She is a stranger on the street, and he treats her with contempt solely because she doesn't immediately submit to his obvious male privilege and dominance.
"That was why her father feared and hated worldly things. Tamsin understood it all now. The world was much bigger than Rexburg. The world was nothing any man could control."
Gad is the head of the household, a prominent leader within the church, and riddled with issues. Some of these are generational, thanks to the abuse and ideals forced on him by his father. To smother his feelings and misgivings, he holds a tight, demanding control over his entire family. But, unfortunately, with human nature being what it is, it's only a matter of time before this control slips and everything starts to fall apart.
The Gad-Aran storyline was difficult to read because of the continuation of this generational abuse. Gad attempts to control how Aran spends his time by forcing him to work in the family business and abandon any dreams unrelated to the family or church. He tries to tell him first who he should be dating and then who he most definitely should not be dating once Linda enters the picture. It ramps up even further when he discovers Aran is finding success as a painter. Instead of being proud that Aran found a way to follow the dream Gad's father forced him to abandon, Gad becomes vindictive. He twists his beliefs to allow himself the ability to take revenge without guilt - instead, he feels it is his responsibility, maybe even his calling, to knock Aran down a peg and teach him a lesson. What makes this even more terrible is that while Gad is sure in his convictions, Aran spends the entire book worried that he is being tempted away from the 'truth' thanks to years of brainwashing.
Linda's story was very relatable. She's searching for a sense of family she's never felt, willing to go to extreme lengths to find it. She leaps into the unknown to find what she is looking for, and I found her incredibly strong and brave. Because even while she is willing to do a lot to create her own sense of family, she still has a strong sense of morality and doesn't give in to the brainwashing attempts by those around her. She's able to recognise something good in Aran, and she finds a way to make things work, even when confronted by the absolute craziness of Gad and the control he attempts (mostly successfully) to exert over his family.
"That was the funny part, the strange part: how they both just stayed. As if they expected that something would be different this month, this Sunday, this any-day-of-the-week. Nothing was ever different. Not here."
The most heartbreaking storyline is certainly Tamsin's. There is so little hope here at all times. She's the most intelligent person in this story, the most certain in her own beliefs. Where Aran questions the church and Gad's rules, Tamsin openly denies and defies them. Unfortunately, her age and her gender work severely against her ability to escape. Tamsin has the most basic dream to leave home and go to college. While this is almost a given for most teenagers in the United States, she knows that her father will never let her go.
"Amen, the congregation answered - even Tamsin. There were no bars on the cage, but a good girl always stayed."
I highly recommend The Rise of Light - what appears to be straightforward at first develops nuance and takes many directions I was not expecting. It stays true to human nature and its unpredictability while delving into religion, abuse, and complicated family dynamics. I felt immersed in this community, sometimes to a terrifying degree, and while the narrative did feel like it dragged on at times, it painted a vivid picture (no pun intended).
Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.
Blog | Bookstagram | Reddit | Twitter
Read
September 10, 2021This book was incredibly difficult for me to read; I had to parcel it out so I wouldn't get overwhelmed.
When I was seven years old, my family joined a conservative Mennonite church. We were part of it until I was 17. We were outsiders, and no matter what we did, how perfect we looked and acted, we were always The Outsiders and could never truly belong. I really, really vibed with Linda on that one, how her born-Mormon friend Sandy just couldn't understand how Linda felt like she didn't belong.
Despite my religious subculture experience not being Mormon, the similarities are profound and disturbing. Even if the details of belief differ, the culture of fear and control is the same. Genuine, wonderful people perpetuating a system that beats down where it means to build up. The desperate need to do things to be noticed, even if being noticed ends up your downfall, because doing things outside the box gives you power. At least for a time. Until the guilt sends you crashing back down.
Aran's art also STRONGLY reflected my longing for music. At the last Mennonite church my family was involved with, we weren't allowed musical instruments, and I lived and breathed music. Part of me died when I had to pack it up and shove it in the closet, and the PTSD still comes back to haunt me to this day. I want to make music, but I usually can't.
Still, the book manages to not be completely bleak. I appreciated the thin, shadowy thread of hope the ending holds out. I guess all of this haphazard rambling is just me responding to a story that was very relatable and visceral and I think the author did a fantastic job conveying the messy darkness of an inner circle in a way that even outsiders can understand.
When I was seven years old, my family joined a conservative Mennonite church. We were part of it until I was 17. We were outsiders, and no matter what we did, how perfect we looked and acted, we were always The Outsiders and could never truly belong. I really, really vibed with Linda on that one, how her born-Mormon friend Sandy just couldn't understand how Linda felt like she didn't belong.
Despite my religious subculture experience not being Mormon, the similarities are profound and disturbing. Even if the details of belief differ, the culture of fear and control is the same. Genuine, wonderful people perpetuating a system that beats down where it means to build up. The desperate need to do things to be noticed, even if being noticed ends up your downfall, because doing things outside the box gives you power. At least for a time. Until the guilt sends you crashing back down.
Aran's art also STRONGLY reflected my longing for music. At the last Mennonite church my family was involved with, we weren't allowed musical instruments, and I lived and breathed music. Part of me died when I had to pack it up and shove it in the closet, and the PTSD still comes back to haunt me to this day. I want to make music, but I usually can't.
Still, the book manages to not be completely bleak. I appreciated the thin, shadowy thread of hope the ending holds out. I guess all of this haphazard rambling is just me responding to a story that was very relatable and visceral and I think the author did a fantastic job conveying the messy darkness of an inner circle in a way that even outsiders can understand.
October 2, 2021
The Rise of Light examines family dynamics on a micro level. We are thrust into the everyday life of a reverent Morgan family in the 70’s. Religion could almost be a character-it has such a presence in the book. What I took away most from this novel is the behavioral change in the family patriarch. It was so pronounced and had such a strong impact on the balance of the characters it left me thinking long after the last page of the book. Hawker has such a skill with complex but flawed characters. They are not overdrawn and you begin to understand a bit of human behavior.
December 11, 2021
I kept reading because I couldn't give up on this author after I gave her other book I read five stars. Something HAD to get better here. Sadly, it didn't. I've been trying to figure out the difference between the writing in The Rise of Light and One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow. It honestly seemed like these two books would have been written by different people.
September 11, 2021
It bothers me when an author names the religion written about in their book, and then gets it all so wrong. Some readers (in the reviews) actually believe the exaggerations she put forth about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (sometimes nicknamed Mormons). She described them using all the descriptions and definitions of the overstrict, extreme Puritans. So readers beware, you’ll have to look elsewhere if you want the truth. And authors, don’t name a religion in your stories if you can’t get it right, or else declare that you are taking literary license for it in your fictional novel.
August 15, 2021
It's not often I find a book that moved me the way this one does. Hawker's ability to delve into the mind of characters I otherwise may have found despicable or pathetic is awe-inducing.
I love stories that throw out the concept of black and white, good and evil, and draw us instead into a world of greys by showing the complexities of human thought, feeling and motivation. This is definitely one of those books.
It reminded me of a painting: a work of art you can sit back and contemplate as you appreciate its beauty and complexity.
For my full thoughts, click here for my video book chat.
I love stories that throw out the concept of black and white, good and evil, and draw us instead into a world of greys by showing the complexities of human thought, feeling and motivation. This is definitely one of those books.
It reminded me of a painting: a work of art you can sit back and contemplate as you appreciate its beauty and complexity.
For my full thoughts, click here for my video book chat.
August 15, 2021
This is a beautifully written story by the author of One For the Blackbird, One for the Crow which I loved! I’m not one for family dramas but this family grabbed a hold of me and I wanted everyone to get along and just be happy! The story focuses on the Mormon religion and a controlling abusive father. Two of his children rebel while the other two follow their faith faithfully. Can dreams come true or will these children be forever under the thumb of their father and Mormon life. This story was an emotional ride and certainly an eye-opener into the Mormon life and beliefs. I received this book from the author for an honest review.
September 4, 2024
Gad, an emotionally abusive control freak, and his good Mormon family live in a small, mostly Mormon town in Idaho in the 1970’s. His wife is remote and almost robotic. The children, son Aran, daughter Tamsin, and twins sons are struggling with varying degrees of accepting their religious life.
Most of the story centered around Aran and Tamsin. Tamsin was the rebel, and Aran was a talented artist who was forced to keep his art a secret. There is some super cringy situations regarding this that alienated me from these two characters. Maybe that’s my personal problem, but it ruined the story for me, because I could not empathize. I think the author may even have wanted the reader to buy into the excuses for the situations (“it’s all for the sake of art”) but it’s a “no” for me.
I usually like family dramas, but this is more like a soap opera. The story is based on secrets and lies, and the goal for the reader is to feel satisfied when the truth hits the fan. The writing was sometimes repetitive, and there were lulls in the story that reminded me of the Friday soap opera cliffhanger that still isn’t resolved on Monday. The speedy resolution of all problems in the end was also more “TV land” to me.
The ‘70’s time period was poorly done. Other than a few pop culture references, there was nothing else that illustrated that decade. The ‘70’s lingo was all wrong. They spoke with today’s everyday language. These time period details are my pet peeve. Luckily most descriptions kept to the church teens, who were old fashioned and squeaky clean, which kept them out of typical behavior and speech. I did find the whole “grass” situation ludicrous, but again, no spoilers.
There was some really good writing here that when talking about art, painted a beautiful and vivid picture in my mind’s eye. For that, an extra star, but I can’t go higher than 2 stars because the beautiful writing needed a much better plot and pace to go with it. The only other thing this book has going for it (which unfortunately wouldn’t help the rating) is a gorgeous cover.
Most of the story centered around Aran and Tamsin. Tamsin was the rebel, and Aran was a talented artist who was forced to keep his art a secret. There is some super cringy situations regarding this that alienated me from these two characters. Maybe that’s my personal problem, but it ruined the story for me, because I could not empathize. I think the author may even have wanted the reader to buy into the excuses for the situations (“it’s all for the sake of art”) but it’s a “no” for me.
I usually like family dramas, but this is more like a soap opera. The story is based on secrets and lies, and the goal for the reader is to feel satisfied when the truth hits the fan. The writing was sometimes repetitive, and there were lulls in the story that reminded me of the Friday soap opera cliffhanger that still isn’t resolved on Monday. The speedy resolution of all problems in the end was also more “TV land” to me.
The ‘70’s time period was poorly done. Other than a few pop culture references, there was nothing else that illustrated that decade. The ‘70’s lingo was all wrong. They spoke with today’s everyday language. These time period details are my pet peeve. Luckily most descriptions kept to the church teens, who were old fashioned and squeaky clean, which kept them out of typical behavior and speech. I did find the whole “grass” situation ludicrous, but again, no spoilers.
There was some really good writing here that when talking about art, painted a beautiful and vivid picture in my mind’s eye. For that, an extra star, but I can’t go higher than 2 stars because the beautiful writing needed a much better plot and pace to go with it. The only other thing this book has going for it (which unfortunately wouldn’t help the rating) is a gorgeous cover.
March 8, 2021
A slow burn of a novel( in a good way) exploring the dynamics and tensions in a family where not only personalities are in play, but the expectations of the Mormon community. Everybody trying to live up what they think is expected of them - and woe betide you if you dare to be different. The book is very well-written. I could relate to all of the characters and their individual perspectives. I danced with joy and cried with sympathy as events unfolded. This is the first book I have read from this author, but her other two have been added to my TBR list. 5 stars from me. I was privileged to receive a free copy of the book and this my voluntary review.
August 30, 2021
I love this cover and think it's beautiful. But the story just wasn't for me. There were far too many POV. It kept the story jumbled and I felt like a lot of the conversations and thoughts were only halfway given through the story.
The father was awful and painful to read. The poor kids, especially Aran - it was good to read the story and watch them grow up. I'm not sure I believe there would be a testimony later with a lot of remorse and confessing but I was willing to set aside my doubt and roll with it. The flood sounded terrifying and I definitely think I'll look up more information about it.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
The father was awful and painful to read. The poor kids, especially Aran - it was good to read the story and watch them grow up. I'm not sure I believe there would be a testimony later with a lot of remorse and confessing but I was willing to set aside my doubt and roll with it. The flood sounded terrifying and I definitely think I'll look up more information about it.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
July 22, 2021
Peace within
A community , a religion, and a dysfunctional family living in denial. An abusive father, very controlling almost destroys the family.
A son tortured by his religious belief, or lack of, torn over his need for independence and his love for his father.
A daughter that learns the price of standing up to her father and disobeying him, and a wife that retreads further and further away into herself.
A young woman that moves to the small community to find peace and finds anything but. She is different and does not fit in or conform to the strict rules of the church and the community.
When she falls in love with the oldest son and he moves out of the family home the father becomes enraged and causes problems for his son’s art career. As he continues in his anger he loses his daughter as well.
It takes an act of God, a natural disaster to bring this family back together.
I like the way the children look to each other and how the community rallies around in time of need. This was a good lesson in faith and caring.
To let your children live a happy life you must let them make choices for themselves. The job of a parent is to guide their children in faith a teach them to make good choices, not to plan, organize or live their lives for them.
It was a good story, I would recommend it.
Thanks to Olivia Hawker, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy for my honest review.
A community , a religion, and a dysfunctional family living in denial. An abusive father, very controlling almost destroys the family.
A son tortured by his religious belief, or lack of, torn over his need for independence and his love for his father.
A daughter that learns the price of standing up to her father and disobeying him, and a wife that retreads further and further away into herself.
A young woman that moves to the small community to find peace and finds anything but. She is different and does not fit in or conform to the strict rules of the church and the community.
When she falls in love with the oldest son and he moves out of the family home the father becomes enraged and causes problems for his son’s art career. As he continues in his anger he loses his daughter as well.
It takes an act of God, a natural disaster to bring this family back together.
I like the way the children look to each other and how the community rallies around in time of need. This was a good lesson in faith and caring.
To let your children live a happy life you must let them make choices for themselves. The job of a parent is to guide their children in faith a teach them to make good choices, not to plan, organize or live their lives for them.
It was a good story, I would recommend it.
Thanks to Olivia Hawker, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy for my honest review.
August 17, 2021
The Rise of Light takes place in 1975 in Rexburg, Idaho. The Rigby family is made up of father, Gad, mother, son Aran, daughter Tamsin and twin boys. The parents are strict Mormons and the children vary in their degree of approval of the religion. The novel mainly focuses on Gad, Aran and Tamsin. Gad is an extremely psychologically abusive father who runs his family HIS way and refuses to let them make their own decisions.
Aran and Tamsin are rebelling against their father at every turn. Aran is an aspiring artist who has to hide his paintings and Tamsin is a rebellious girl who longs to leave Rexberg as soon as she graduates from high school. She knows that she can't continue to be part of her family or their religion. Aran and Tamsin are close to each other and rely on each other to express their rebellion. It all changes when Linda moves to town trying to escape her unhappy childhood and she and Aran fall in love. But Aran and Tamasin have a secret that they know will ruin their father and their family. Will that secret come to light now that Linda is part of their lives?
This is a beautifully written story. The author describes Aran's paintings so that the reader can almost see them. She describes the beautiful scenery so that we feel like we are there. Her characters are well written and very real. Her writing is exquisite in describing the beauty as well as the ugly dynamics of the Rigby family. The story progresses to a surprising but perfect ending.
This novel is a beautiful written novel about light - not just the light that is shown in paintings but the light that shines through everyone's lives and how people decide to use it or not. It's a book fill of family love and rebellion, small town secrets and an all encompassing religion that ultimately controls everyone's lives.
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
Aran and Tamsin are rebelling against their father at every turn. Aran is an aspiring artist who has to hide his paintings and Tamsin is a rebellious girl who longs to leave Rexberg as soon as she graduates from high school. She knows that she can't continue to be part of her family or their religion. Aran and Tamsin are close to each other and rely on each other to express their rebellion. It all changes when Linda moves to town trying to escape her unhappy childhood and she and Aran fall in love. But Aran and Tamasin have a secret that they know will ruin their father and their family. Will that secret come to light now that Linda is part of their lives?
This is a beautifully written story. The author describes Aran's paintings so that the reader can almost see them. She describes the beautiful scenery so that we feel like we are there. Her characters are well written and very real. Her writing is exquisite in describing the beauty as well as the ugly dynamics of the Rigby family. The story progresses to a surprising but perfect ending.
This novel is a beautiful written novel about light - not just the light that is shown in paintings but the light that shines through everyone's lives and how people decide to use it or not. It's a book fill of family love and rebellion, small town secrets and an all encompassing religion that ultimately controls everyone's lives.
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
May 19, 2021
Having previously enjoyed The Ragged Edge of Night by this author, I was excited to read this one. The author writes beautifully descriptive paragraphs about the landscape and her insights into the family relationships are insightful. Unfortunately, I just found it a repetitive slog and I never found myself immersed in the story.
Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union for the ARC. All opinions are mine.
Pub date: Aug 17, 2021
Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union for the ARC. All opinions are mine.
Pub date: Aug 17, 2021
November 22, 2021
1 star - didn't finish
Olivia Hawker's books are generally among my favourites but this one....I just....didn't care at all about the characters or who they were or what was happening to them. The weird sibling nudity was also quite offputting.
Olivia Hawker's books are generally among my favourites but this one....I just....didn't care at all about the characters or who they were or what was happening to them. The weird sibling nudity was also quite offputting.
March 18, 2021
The world was nothing any man can control
What did it mean if the world called to him with endless arrays of color and light?
For me, these two quotes sum up this marvellous novel.
Gad Rigby might not be able to control the world, but he will do everything he can to control his family. And added to his rigid expectations, his children - now young adults - must deal with the expectations and judgement of the staunchly Mormon town where they live.
Linda Duff actively seeks out the rigidity and order of the Mormon religion, believing that a faithful Mormon family of her own will give her stability lacking in her own upbringing. But her arrival upsets the balance, not only of the Rigby family, but of the town itself, which regards her with suspicion as an outsider and potential bad influence.
Aran, Gad's oldest son, is torn between his art and the expectations placed on him by his father and the church. He wants to paint, but he also clings to the security and safety his family and religion give him. His sister Tamsin, younger, maybe braver, or maybe just more aware that as a girl the constraints placed on her will be harsher than those placed on her brothers, is much more of a rebel.
And Linda's arrival acts as a catalyst, setting things in motion that will mean the family is never the same.
Descriptions of light run throughout the novel without being intrusive. The scenery and the town itself become as necessary as the characters, especially as the novel draws to its conclusion.
Olivia Hawker is a new author to me, but I will definitely be seeking out and reading her previous novels. This one was wonderful.
With thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced readers' copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
What did it mean if the world called to him with endless arrays of color and light?
For me, these two quotes sum up this marvellous novel.
Gad Rigby might not be able to control the world, but he will do everything he can to control his family. And added to his rigid expectations, his children - now young adults - must deal with the expectations and judgement of the staunchly Mormon town where they live.
Linda Duff actively seeks out the rigidity and order of the Mormon religion, believing that a faithful Mormon family of her own will give her stability lacking in her own upbringing. But her arrival upsets the balance, not only of the Rigby family, but of the town itself, which regards her with suspicion as an outsider and potential bad influence.
Aran, Gad's oldest son, is torn between his art and the expectations placed on him by his father and the church. He wants to paint, but he also clings to the security and safety his family and religion give him. His sister Tamsin, younger, maybe braver, or maybe just more aware that as a girl the constraints placed on her will be harsher than those placed on her brothers, is much more of a rebel.
And Linda's arrival acts as a catalyst, setting things in motion that will mean the family is never the same.
Descriptions of light run throughout the novel without being intrusive. The scenery and the town itself become as necessary as the characters, especially as the novel draws to its conclusion.
Olivia Hawker is a new author to me, but I will definitely be seeking out and reading her previous novels. This one was wonderful.
With thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced readers' copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
August 17, 2021
The story in this book is told from the perspective of multiple narrators, members of the Rigby family, and friends as well as newcomers to the family, and instead of the chapters having only numbers, the author has given the chapters titles as well.
This story explores our ability to forgive not only others, but ourselves and to move forward. There are metaphors present in this novel which for me added to the experience of reading. This novel also covers family obligation and the ties to family, friends, and community.
This novel is very well written and I felt almost as immersed in this story as I did when I read One For The Blackbird, One For The Crow, which remains my favorite of the two books I have read by this author and I highly recommend reading it.
This story explores our ability to forgive not only others, but ourselves and to move forward. There are metaphors present in this novel which for me added to the experience of reading. This novel also covers family obligation and the ties to family, friends, and community.
This novel is very well written and I felt almost as immersed in this story as I did when I read One For The Blackbird, One For The Crow, which remains my favorite of the two books I have read by this author and I highly recommend reading it.
March 14, 2021
This is a moving piece of historical fiction that tells the story of a Mormon family in rural Idaho in the the mid-1970’s. Told from multiple perspectives, the reader gradually gets to know each family member and in some cases, close friends. The characters are well developed and nuanced. The story weaves a realistic picture of what happens when traditions are blindly accepted, questioned, and rebelled against. Ultimately, the ending is both satisfying and redemptive. 9/10.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
September 5, 2021
A Revelation about the illusion of control...
Ms. Hawker is a master of the family struggle. She is also a master of lyric passages that connect the reader to her stories in very deep, personal ways. This book portrays the difficulty of adult children struggling to reveal their true adult selves when raised under a rigid system of beliefs. Having spent years growing up in Eastern Washington and Idaho, I found many narrative passages revived my own memories very faithfully. This read moved to a vet satisfying, moving redemptive conclusion that suggests that God may indeed move in very strange ways. Read this to bring a smile in these hard times.
Ms. Hawker is a master of the family struggle. She is also a master of lyric passages that connect the reader to her stories in very deep, personal ways. This book portrays the difficulty of adult children struggling to reveal their true adult selves when raised under a rigid system of beliefs. Having spent years growing up in Eastern Washington and Idaho, I found many narrative passages revived my own memories very faithfully. This read moved to a vet satisfying, moving redemptive conclusion that suggests that God may indeed move in very strange ways. Read this to bring a smile in these hard times.
October 10, 2021
“Hard Grim Drama”
These are words that Tamsin herself utters near the end of the book. Exactly my thoughts about the book! But also add beautifully written and completely compelling. I am a big fan of Ms Hawker from the days of her writing as “Libby” until now. We have family members on both sides of the family who are or were Mormon and so I was familiar with that element of the story, but the same themes of control and the lesser role of women can be found in many families who are not Mormon. I wasn’t at all sure I would finish when the “secret” was revealed, but trusting Ms Hawker, I read on. I’m so glad I did. Another great book.
These are words that Tamsin herself utters near the end of the book. Exactly my thoughts about the book! But also add beautifully written and completely compelling. I am a big fan of Ms Hawker from the days of her writing as “Libby” until now. We have family members on both sides of the family who are or were Mormon and so I was familiar with that element of the story, but the same themes of control and the lesser role of women can be found in many families who are not Mormon. I wasn’t at all sure I would finish when the “secret” was revealed, but trusting Ms Hawker, I read on. I’m so glad I did. Another great book.
December 16, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(Yes, that is six stars.)
If you like family drama, the 1970s, and an insight into the twisted culture of Mormonism, you’ve come to the right place. This book was insane. I devoured its 450 pages in a flash. It’s been a while since I read something so existential and thought provoking that it left me lying in my bed at midnight with a million questions and doubts running through my mind. It really made me question my own faith and beliefs, not in an unbelieving sense but in a way that left me feeling more confident than ever in the grace and steadfast love of Christ. And the characters. They are all so broken in their own ways, in ways that should make them unlovable, unredeemable, but you can’t help but sympathize with them. The layers of storyline and emotional depth and generational—cultural—curses really made this book unique and unlike anything I’ve ever read.
Please read it.
“Decide for yourself what you want to be. Go out and make the kind of life you want to live.”
(Yes, that is six stars.)
If you like family drama, the 1970s, and an insight into the twisted culture of Mormonism, you’ve come to the right place. This book was insane. I devoured its 450 pages in a flash. It’s been a while since I read something so existential and thought provoking that it left me lying in my bed at midnight with a million questions and doubts running through my mind. It really made me question my own faith and beliefs, not in an unbelieving sense but in a way that left me feeling more confident than ever in the grace and steadfast love of Christ. And the characters. They are all so broken in their own ways, in ways that should make them unlovable, unredeemable, but you can’t help but sympathize with them. The layers of storyline and emotional depth and generational—cultural—curses really made this book unique and unlike anything I’ve ever read.
Please read it.
“Decide for yourself what you want to be. Go out and make the kind of life you want to live.”
November 22, 2022
Enjoyed the writing, but not the story so much
May 21, 2021
Complicated Yet Beautiful. Hawker has a way of painting pictures with words that are utterly beautiful, and yet also utterly ugly at the same time. Ultimately, this book reads like a more evocative, more painting quality version of the somewhat similar story David Duchovny created in Truly Like Lightning, even as it seems that both authors were working on these works for quite a number of years. Particularly in their showing of the worse sides of Mormon life, complete with overbearing and hypocritical fathers, this reads almost like as much an attack on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as the character study that it is. And yet, again, the way Hawker executes it here is utterly beautiful in its prose and storytelling. Hawker sucks you in, weaving these plot threads near and around each other before bringing them all together to grand effect. Ultimately the biggest quibble with this entire effort isn't Hawker's writing, but the actual description of the book - which leads one to believe certain aspects arguably happen sooner than they do. Indeed, Linda becoming "privy to a secret Aran and Tamsin share that could dismantle everything everyone holds dear" happens quite late (later than 80%, maybe even closer to the 90% mark), though again, the actual execution here is quite solid and indeed allows the book to end in surprising ways that were only very subtly hinted at much earlier. Even Aran and Lucy getting together to begin with seems to happen much later in the tale than the description seems to indicate, though that relationship *is* particularly well developed. Ultimately this is a book that Mormons likely won't like, people with various misconceptions about Mormonism will probably tout, but one that tells a remarkable tale in the end. Recommended.
August 31, 2021
The rise of Light, is a story that follows the lives and struggles of Aran and Tamsin Rigby as they navigate the emotional abuse and temper of their father, Gad. Olivia Hawker delivers a peek into family life steeped in religion and the impact of community. This is an emotional journey that explores both the damage and redemption a family can experience.
Olivia Hawker has this incredible gift to describe scenes in such clear detail that it simply brings them to life in your imagination. Her writing is beautiful and once again she has delivered a novel absolutely worth reading!
Olivia Hawker has this incredible gift to describe scenes in such clear detail that it simply brings them to life in your imagination. Her writing is beautiful and once again she has delivered a novel absolutely worth reading!
December 1, 2021
This book is untimely about kids wanting to escape their parents. There is redundancy so as a reader we cannot help but hate Gad, and he really didn’t redeem himself for the time it took to get to that point in the book. There was much I don’t know about or understand with the LDS faith, and it wasn’t explained. I could figure out “wards” are different churches or church meetings times, but there must be one at the beginning and ending of each block. The story was okay, and kudos for originality.
How did I find this book? I won a Kindle copy through Goodreads Giveaways.
How did I find this book? I won a Kindle copy through Goodreads Giveaways.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 304 reviews