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Borrowed Light
Sixteen-year-old Callisto May feels a deep connection to astronomy, but feels completely alone on planet Earth. Now that she's pregnant, her loneliness is acute. She can't turn to her mother, her father, or even her surfer boyfriend. Only Callisto's little brother loves her unfailingly, but she can't be there for him right now. She's got to make a huge decision--and that means thinking of herself first. An ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
10 people are currently reading
526 people want to read
About the author
Anna Fienberg
109 books64 followersAnna Fienberg grew up in a house filled with books. Her mother was a teacher librarian who relished stories as much as chocolates. 'On Sunday mornings we'd all lie in bed with our books, lost in magical wardrobes, witches’ spells, genies’ magic… What we were going to read next was just as important in our family as what was for lunch!' says Anna.
Anna started writing stories when she was eight, but never imagined being an author. She studied psychology, fascinated by the dark world of dreams. She gave up counseling after an unfortunate incident with an enraged man and a chair (he missed!), began writing and scored the best job in the world. 'Working for School Magazine was a treat,' Anna says. 'I couldn't believe you could get paid for sitting back comfortably in your chair, cappuccino in hand, reading over a thousand books a year. Heaven!' Of course, as an editor she also had to write reviews and articles, stories and plays. One of those stories for School Magazine later became her first book.
Anna started writing stories when she was eight, but never imagined being an author. She studied psychology, fascinated by the dark world of dreams. She gave up counseling after an unfortunate incident with an enraged man and a chair (he missed!), began writing and scored the best job in the world. 'Working for School Magazine was a treat,' Anna says. 'I couldn't believe you could get paid for sitting back comfortably in your chair, cappuccino in hand, reading over a thousand books a year. Heaven!' Of course, as an editor she also had to write reviews and articles, stories and plays. One of those stories for School Magazine later became her first book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
August 24, 2017
2.5 stars. It was kind of good. It had some funny moments. At the end I didn't know if she was going to go through with it or not.. but it was a bit boring..
My favorite character was Jeremy ..
My favorite character was Jeremy ..
May 14, 2019
It's so funny that this book popped into my head in 2019. Actually, if I'm honest, it's been in and out of my head since I read it back in 2004 as a seventh grader (I always liked to read above my level...it made me feel cool. Shrug emoji).
I never thought it would have a lasting impact on me, but the author's way of dichotomizing people (into suns, who give off their own light, and moons, who soak up other people's) was and still is fascinating to me. I think I still believe that's true.
The fact that it's still a book I ponder 15 years later means it must've been pretty good. 4/5 stars.
I never thought it would have a lasting impact on me, but the author's way of dichotomizing people (into suns, who give off their own light, and moons, who soak up other people's) was and still is fascinating to me. I think I still believe that's true.
The fact that it's still a book I ponder 15 years later means it must've been pretty good. 4/5 stars.
March 23, 2010
I don't know why, I just didn't really like this book. I thought as I was reading it that it was going to get a lot better, but it never did. Seemed to get worse.
July 23, 2019
Imagine you suddenly have a problem that is bigger than anything you have ever experienced, or a decision that will affect you for the rest of your life. What would you do? Callisto May is forced into this situation when she becomes pregnant at the age of sixteen.
Borrowed Light tells the story of Callisto’s struggles, in the girl’s own words, as she tries to deal with this huge change in her life.
Fascinated with astronomy, Callisto measures her world in terms of the universe, and classifies the people in her life as stars, moons, and matter. She admires the “stars” that she sees around her— people who seem more confident, more self-assured, who give off their own special light. She feels she can only borrow light from those around her, reflecting it, the way real starlight is reflected on the moon.
When Callisto suddenly discovers she is pregnant, there is no one she can trust with the secret, not even her parents. She tells only her detached boyfriend Tim, who takes her to an herbalist and then leaves with his friends on a week-long surfing trip. Callisto is left on her own to figure out what to do, forced for the first time to think about what’s best for herself.
Borrowed Light is interesting because of the subject, but it still has its problems. The story is told from the viewpoints of three different characters, but mostly stays inside Callisto’s head, which is sometimes a little tough to take. The shifts in narration are abrupt, especially when Callisto suddenly starts to address you, the reader, in person. She gets whiny too, as she talks about how insecure she is, describing herself as “tail wagging, over-eager, estrogen-deficient old me.” Remember The Catcher in the Rye? It seems like Callisto says, “if you really want to know” on every other page, but it is so much more annoying than Holden Caulfield ever was.
Even so, the author breaks from Callisto’s thoughtful, sometimes irritating voice with beautifully descriptive prose when it is least expected. The top of the kitchen table in the morning “glowed in the melt of marmalade sunshine,” she says. “Under my hand, the wood was so warm I could almost imagine a pulse throbbing there.”
The author does not shy away from any of Callisto’s thoughts or feelings, no matter how intense and painful. When the story comes to a dramatic, unexpected climax, Callisto’s interactions with her family are all real, not fake or sugar-coated. Her decision has consequences, and she must face them, just like in real life.
There is no neat ending, no two-dimensional characters or easy solutions in this book. Despite its rocky start, Borrowed Light is worth reading through to the end.
Borrowed Light tells the story of Callisto’s struggles, in the girl’s own words, as she tries to deal with this huge change in her life.
Fascinated with astronomy, Callisto measures her world in terms of the universe, and classifies the people in her life as stars, moons, and matter. She admires the “stars” that she sees around her— people who seem more confident, more self-assured, who give off their own special light. She feels she can only borrow light from those around her, reflecting it, the way real starlight is reflected on the moon.
When Callisto suddenly discovers she is pregnant, there is no one she can trust with the secret, not even her parents. She tells only her detached boyfriend Tim, who takes her to an herbalist and then leaves with his friends on a week-long surfing trip. Callisto is left on her own to figure out what to do, forced for the first time to think about what’s best for herself.
Borrowed Light is interesting because of the subject, but it still has its problems. The story is told from the viewpoints of three different characters, but mostly stays inside Callisto’s head, which is sometimes a little tough to take. The shifts in narration are abrupt, especially when Callisto suddenly starts to address you, the reader, in person. She gets whiny too, as she talks about how insecure she is, describing herself as “tail wagging, over-eager, estrogen-deficient old me.” Remember The Catcher in the Rye? It seems like Callisto says, “if you really want to know” on every other page, but it is so much more annoying than Holden Caulfield ever was.
Even so, the author breaks from Callisto’s thoughtful, sometimes irritating voice with beautifully descriptive prose when it is least expected. The top of the kitchen table in the morning “glowed in the melt of marmalade sunshine,” she says. “Under my hand, the wood was so warm I could almost imagine a pulse throbbing there.”
The author does not shy away from any of Callisto’s thoughts or feelings, no matter how intense and painful. When the story comes to a dramatic, unexpected climax, Callisto’s interactions with her family are all real, not fake or sugar-coated. Her decision has consequences, and she must face them, just like in real life.
There is no neat ending, no two-dimensional characters or easy solutions in this book. Despite its rocky start, Borrowed Light is worth reading through to the end.
March 14, 2017
«Ho cominciato a dividere la razza umana in stelle e lune fin da quando ho cominciato a leggere il cielo. Io sono una luna. Se anche voi siete una luna come me, non produrrete mai una luce tutta vostra. La prenderete in prestito. Farete un sacco di gesti compiacenti, come sorridere troppo e scodinzolare. Ed è stato proprio il fatto di vivere di riflesso che mi ha messo in questo guaio.»
Di luce riflessa è la storia di Callisto May, una ragazzina che ha ereditato dalla nonna Ruth una grande passione per le scienze e per l'astronomia e che, a 16 anni, si ritrova a dover fare una scelta importante. Perché Cal, a 16 anni, resta incinta.
Attraverso ciò che scrive nel suo diario scopriamo perché si definisce una luna: perché Callisto - che porta il nome di uno dei più grandi satelliti, "lune", di Giove, scoperte da Galileo Galilei, non emette luce propria, ma vive della luce riflessa dalle stelle, e da tutti quelli che, al contrario di lei, non hanno bisogno di vivere di riflesso per assecondare e compiacere gli altri ad ogni costo.
«È una cosa terribile vedersi così. Chi vive di luce riflessa non ha limiti. Ci costringiamo a star male. Cominciai a chiedermi se vivere di luce riflessa fosse ereditario, come i capelli scuri o l'altezza. O forse è l'ambiente che decide. [...] Perché, anche a volerlo, non sapevo come fare a smettere di vivere di luce riflessa.»
Cal è timida, insicura, ma estremamente sensibile, intelligente e... ingenua. E si rende conto che se non avesse fatto di tutto per assecondare gli altri, tra cui Tim, la sua prima cotta, ora non si troverebbe a dover fare i conti con ciò che lei stessa definisce il disastro. Ma alla fine, non senza qualche imprevisto, dolorosa scoperta e molte difficoltà, Cal riuscirà a scegliere, e farà la scelta giusta per se stessa e per lei soltanto.
September 22, 2017
Rereading this after more than ten years. I was rather shocked at how dark and depressing it is for a really really long time. I didn't remember that at all, I remembered it reflecting me exactly then. Which just goes to show, I suppose, my mental health then and now. Or at least what I craved from reading then and what I want from reading now. But for all the unrelenting misery and pretty upsetting gender dynamics, this novel resolves with such strength and ferocity and hope that it lifts you right up out of all that pain. Which makes me love it now in a wholly different way.
I had such a crush on Anna Fienberg, and told her the first time I read it how much this book moved me. I'll never forget the way her face changed in response, how me saying that moved her in turn.
I had such a crush on Anna Fienberg, and told her the first time I read it how much this book moved me. I'll never forget the way her face changed in response, how me saying that moved her in turn.
January 13, 2022
I remember reading this when I was much younger and the book has had a profound effect on my entire life. The book has hidden strength and a grace that is rarely seen in this kind of story. It’s for sure a book I suggest any age reading but having read it as a teenager it’s a very useful coming of age book. I will always be thankful to the author for the effects this book has had on my life right into my 30’s now. I will always hold this book dear to my heart.
May 27, 2008
I really loved this book. The ending was what got me. I personally love books with minimal plot and alot of character development and that's exactly what this book had. There are some seriously brilliant points but there are some seriously dumb parts too. It wasn't amazing but I really did love it and I would recommend it
July 17, 2015
Thank you Flannery :D
August 11, 2014
Anna Fienberg’s 'Borrowed Light' is one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful books about teen pregnancy I’ve ever read.
January 9, 2022
El libro es bueno, tal vez mejor de lo que muestra la calificación que le doy, pero hay varios motivos que a mí no me han dejado disfrutarlo tanto. La temática, relacionando la vida y las relaciones personales con el funcionamiento de la galaxia, está muy bien construida, pero a mí es un tema que no ne interesa lo más mínimo. Algunos recursos literarios de la autora (la narración del hermano, los diarios de la madre) me han parecido bastante superfluos y algunas situaciones, grandes americanadas. Además, el libro lo he leído en esloveno y la traducción dejaba que desear en algunas partes.
"Neskončno težko je reševati te težave, če si sam. Glava je polna temine in valovja preplaha, ki zamegljuje dejstva. Kot bi bila na drogah, ki jih ne prenašam dobro".
"Samo zato, ker je bil človek rojen v neko družino, nek vzorec, še ni pomenilo, da mora tam ostati".
"Morda je takrat, ko na življenje gledaš s pečin razdejanja, vse videti bolj udobno, toplo, domače, kot je dejansko bilo".
"«Čas se vleče kot žvečilni gumi», je zaključil ob štirih popoldan. «Čedalje manj okusa ima in dolgočasen postaja»".
"Takšnih stvari ne vidiš, če ležiš v postelji. Samo kosmi vlaken se ti nabirajo v žepih pižame".
"Neskončno težko je reševati te težave, če si sam. Glava je polna temine in valovja preplaha, ki zamegljuje dejstva. Kot bi bila na drogah, ki jih ne prenašam dobro".
"Samo zato, ker je bil človek rojen v neko družino, nek vzorec, še ni pomenilo, da mora tam ostati".
"Morda je takrat, ko na življenje gledaš s pečin razdejanja, vse videti bolj udobno, toplo, domače, kot je dejansko bilo".
"«Čas se vleče kot žvečilni gumi», je zaključil ob štirih popoldan. «Čedalje manj okusa ima in dolgočasen postaja»".
"Takšnih stvari ne vidiš, če ležiš v postelji. Samo kosmi vlaken se ti nabirajo v žepih pižame".
September 29, 2018
Beautiful characterisation of the teen protagonist and her little brother. I liked the quirkiness, tenderness and vulnerability of both siblings, as well as their lovely sibling bond. The constant sprinkle of astronomy facts was enjoyable too. This is a character-driven book, as you spend the entire narrative brewing and stewing in the protagonist's mind. Luckily, it is a lively and imaginative one. Unfortunately, the other main characters (grandma, parents) were half-formed, two-dimensional, contrived, silly and cliched; and their interactions with each other were very stilted, forced and awkward, like a cheesy midday drama TV script.
August 12, 2020
Another book from my teenage years. (I just found out about Open library and their digital copies of books that don't have an ebook version, so there will be more)
This one is more recent than Trying Hard to Hear You, and you can tell. I really like Callisto as a main character, even with the ugly bits that were oh-so-relatable. I liked the story, the pace, the small inserts of different voices. I liked the big, ugly reckoning near the end, though it did feel a bit rushed.
It's a book with a heavy topic that manages to feel quite light most of the time, but never shallow. And so refreshingly not moralistic even when exploring moral issues.
A small, quiet gem.
This one is more recent than Trying Hard to Hear You, and you can tell. I really like Callisto as a main character, even with the ugly bits that were oh-so-relatable. I liked the story, the pace, the small inserts of different voices. I liked the big, ugly reckoning near the end, though it did feel a bit rushed.
It's a book with a heavy topic that manages to feel quite light most of the time, but never shallow. And so refreshingly not moralistic even when exploring moral issues.
A small, quiet gem.
November 13, 2025
Borrowed Light gives the reader an excellent glimpse into the psyche, emotions, and social challenges faced by 16-year-old Callisto May. She has gotten herself into an unforeseen situation and doesn't have anyone to turn to for support. She must weigh her options all by herself while grappling with her self-esteem, identity, and autonomy. This book, while it is rated at 14 & up/8th grade & above, contains some mature content (physicality, possible political bias, and controversial topics like abortion) that parents may not feel comfortable exposing their child to. I would use caution when making this book recommendation in a school setting. However, if a high school student was doing a project in, say, a Political Science or Family Consumer Science class, it would serve as an excellent resource for research and understanding a different perspective.
July 13, 2020
I read this in school after it was recommended by the school librarian. Very lyrical and poignant but it was a little depressing to be honest. Callisto is more or less an outcast who is unsure of her own identity and struggles with the revelation that she's pregnant. I found Callisto hard to take at times, she spends so much time in her head and she's a bit whiney. On the other hand she's pregnant by her jerk boyfriend. The romance was unnecessary. The outcome was pretty predictable. It wasn't as good as The Witch in the Lake another Fienberg novel but it was enjoyable.
did-not-finish
December 26, 2024I remember checking this out from the public library as a teen and not finishing it. I bought it on Kindle to see if the subject matter would interest me now that I have more life experience. Tragically, no luck. I'm just finding it to be slow and the narrative voice isn't working for me. Onwards and upwards, I suppose.
January 22, 2022
This book is perfectly written, especially on portrait-ing teen pregnancy.
It had everything - funny moments, heartbreaking moments, sad moments, love moments and I can’t even explain how much I liked it.
Definitely the book I will be thinking about for a long time. 10/10
It had everything - funny moments, heartbreaking moments, sad moments, love moments and I can’t even explain how much I liked it.
Definitely the book I will be thinking about for a long time. 10/10
January 28, 2023
My thoughts about this book can be found on my blog:
https://laceylouwagie.com/2023/01/14/...
https://laceylouwagie.com/2023/01/14/...
June 6, 2010
Callisto divides everyone into stars and moons. Stars are people who shine brightly and give off light, while moons are more reclusive and borrow light. She’s sixteen and in trouble. Her boyfriend, Tim, has gotten her pregnant and she’s not sure what to do about the baby. Her mother and father are both distant and more involved in their activities outside of the family then they are with their children. Callisto spends much of her time caring for her younger brother. Her high school years are some of the most difficult she’s had, and she hasn’t adjusted well to school or to her peers. She loses most of her friends when she’s put into accelerated classes, but finds that dropping down to be with her friends doesn’t solve her problems either – her old friends have made new friends and Callisto is alone.
She’s an odd dreamy sort, interested in astronomy...
And, apparently, that's all I wrote about this one. Didn't get around to actually reviewing it! HA. I wrote that description back in January of 2006, and I'm not really remembering my impressions of the book. So...from the above it sounds literary and depressing (and not something I'm going to go back and reread!). I shall award it 2 stars and move on!
She’s an odd dreamy sort, interested in astronomy...
And, apparently, that's all I wrote about this one. Didn't get around to actually reviewing it! HA. I wrote that description back in January of 2006, and I'm not really remembering my impressions of the book. So...from the above it sounds literary and depressing (and not something I'm going to go back and reread!). I shall award it 2 stars and move on!
September 6, 2015
I truly wish Goodreads let you used half stars I would bump this book up to ⭐️⭐️1/2 stars. It wasn't a bad book, the writing was good but there was so much talk about the moon, stars and constellations. I understand it's all used as an analogy but there were paragraphs and pages I only spot read because the author (in my opinion) went on ad nauseum. When it's Cally and another person having dialogue it's great. The other bit that was annoying is 90% of it is told in the first person by Cally but ever once in a while it's her younger brother Jeremy but there is no heading to let you know the POV is changing. The last third of the book was excellent and if I rated just on that I would easily give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
September 21, 2012
I read this book years ago, and it has stuck with me so much for reasons I cannot explain. Perhaps it's her brother, and that has always stuck with me, that image is always stuck in my mind because it is such a haunting thing to think about, with a kid that young. But I found this book realistic in it's portrayal of teen pregnancy, and the stars and moons metaphors were beautiful, I remember thinking very much in Callisto's star/moon mindset after reading it. Because it makes so much sense. This book is phenomenal, and I look forward to reading it again.
June 20, 2013
A refreshing read with a lyrical voice. Sweet and sometimes sad, this was a very truthful portrayal of teenage conflict. This girl could be any 16yr old girl, balancing on that precarious see-saw of identity and peer pressure. Wonderful and believable portrayal of family and the struggles that come from such strong ties.
My only problem with this story was that the flooding of mixed metaphors that started out quirky and original, began to become tiresome by the second half of the book. Perhaps if it were only the protagonist who weighed down every thought with multiple metaphors, but it seemed to be every character, merging their voices a little too much.
My only problem with this story was that the flooding of mixed metaphors that started out quirky and original, began to become tiresome by the second half of the book. Perhaps if it were only the protagonist who weighed down every thought with multiple metaphors, but it seemed to be every character, merging their voices a little too much.
October 10, 2015
When I first read this I was too young to understand its and at the time simply dismissed it. After keeping it at the back of my bookshelf for a couple of months I gave it away to a library swap.
A decision I regretted a few years later when I realised that the story/themes had become relevant, interesting and unconventional. But I could not for the life of me remember the name or author.
Now finally by chance I have come across it and am looking to re-read it hopefully with a mature analytical look this time.
A decision I regretted a few years later when I realised that the story/themes had become relevant, interesting and unconventional. But I could not for the life of me remember the name or author.
Now finally by chance I have come across it and am looking to re-read it hopefully with a mature analytical look this time.
March 30, 2012
Finally, a YA book about teen pregnancy that isn't stupid. This book was wonderful, and I'm thrilled to finally read about a teen who deals with the issue of abortion in a way that isn't awful. It's sad that my standards are that low. But I loved Callisto, and Jeremy times a million. I love that their family deals with hard things in a way that isn't wrapped up so easily, but doesn't leave you aching. Four and a half stars.
April 6, 2011
This book will never get tired. Yet, this is not a fictional help-book. This book is for everything. This isn't really for enjoyment, but this is for...learning about walking in somebody's shoes for a while, and to find out the "other side." If one would want to call it that. Just read this book. And maybe enjoy. ☺
June 15, 2017
Absolutely phenomenal! I have never encountered more human and 3-dimensional characters. I loved to death all of the symbolism and metaphors about people and stars and planets and the universe. The only downside to this story is that there was so much effort put into the characters that the main plot was severely neglected... but I don't mind that, I loved it anyways.
July 23, 2008
The story tells of a teen whose mother is so wrapped in her own life that she must arrange an abortion on her own. It's an interesting twist on the teen pregnancy storyline, although the overdone astronomy content turns teens off.
Read
July 16, 2008Such a beautiful story. I was given this book when I was about 14, and still love it.
December 2, 2009
Interesting book about teenage pregnancy.
September 27, 2010
i loved every minute of it. What did annoy me was how it doesnt tell you how it ends. .
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews