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Being Light
When her husband doesn't come home, Sheila Travers hires a private detective to find him. But Being Light is no ordinary detective story. The sharp observations on the lives of modern women will have you laughing out loud as you follow the surreal adventures of the ensemble cast. Meet Taron, with her one-woman plan to improve the world. Meet Mrs. Fitzgerald, the boss of the all-female Fitzgerald's Bureau of Investigation in Brixton, as she struggles to overcome fanciful thoughts on the 159 bus. Meet Alison, juggling the demands of looking after a young child with her duties as a detective. Take in circus performers, animal rights activists, philosophers, dreamers and a new kind of dating agency in this joyfully funny book. And find out what happened to Roy.
- GenresFictionContemporaryHumor
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 5, 2000
20 people are currently reading
683 people want to read
About the author
Helen Smith
153 books27 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
May 7, 2011
Roy Travers is helping a friend set up a bouncy castle when the unthinkable happens; Roy is taken into the sky by a gust of wind and he floats away on the castle. His friend finds that hilarious, and it is. Hilarious ...until Roy disappears and never comes back. Roy's wife, Sheila, will stop at nothing to get her husband back, and that includes wearing a tinfoil hat and using pebbles to communicate with the aliens who have (obviously) taken him. How far will Sheila go to get her husband back?
Written by Helen Smith, this is somewhat of a sequel to "Alison Wonderland," a story that really highlighted Alison's journey to self-discovery. Although Alison is part of "Being Light," she is merely one small member of the ensemble cast, and the story is about so much more than Alison's life. Each character is connected in some way to every other member, and it is Roy's disappearance and Sheila's search for him that forms the tie between them. Each character has his or her own story and motivations, but the search for Roy eventually brings the characters together in a satisfying ending that answers most of the questions that cropped up along the way, while still leaving an opening for the imagination.
With the author's gift for cunning prose that manages to point out the absurdities of life while mixing in bizarre (yet somehow believable) situations, this book is a treat. From the attention-grabbing first scene (and creative way to create the conflict), to the compelling final culmination (the last words in the book imply the perfect image), I was engaged every step of the way. Several of the characters had similar enough names that I had to concentrate to be sure I was thinking of the proper character (Jeremy-Joey, Sheila- Sylvia), and there were enough characters that it was sometimes a bit difficult to keep track of all the characters and their connections. But the well-planned pacing of the book brought those connections together in an utterly entertaining fashion, and everything made sense after all.
The author has a way of normalizing the offbeat, and wrapping it in a tight package that encourages the reader to look at life through a slightly different lens. Fascinating and delightful, this will appeal to those who like quirky romps.
4.5 /5 stars @ MotherLode blog
Written by Helen Smith, this is somewhat of a sequel to "Alison Wonderland," a story that really highlighted Alison's journey to self-discovery. Although Alison is part of "Being Light," she is merely one small member of the ensemble cast, and the story is about so much more than Alison's life. Each character is connected in some way to every other member, and it is Roy's disappearance and Sheila's search for him that forms the tie between them. Each character has his or her own story and motivations, but the search for Roy eventually brings the characters together in a satisfying ending that answers most of the questions that cropped up along the way, while still leaving an opening for the imagination.
With the author's gift for cunning prose that manages to point out the absurdities of life while mixing in bizarre (yet somehow believable) situations, this book is a treat. From the attention-grabbing first scene (and creative way to create the conflict), to the compelling final culmination (the last words in the book imply the perfect image), I was engaged every step of the way. Several of the characters had similar enough names that I had to concentrate to be sure I was thinking of the proper character (Jeremy-Joey, Sheila- Sylvia), and there were enough characters that it was sometimes a bit difficult to keep track of all the characters and their connections. But the well-planned pacing of the book brought those connections together in an utterly entertaining fashion, and everything made sense after all.
The author has a way of normalizing the offbeat, and wrapping it in a tight package that encourages the reader to look at life through a slightly different lens. Fascinating and delightful, this will appeal to those who like quirky romps.
4.5 /5 stars @ MotherLode blog
November 23, 2010
Being Light by Helen Smith
Helen's writing is not for everyone, her style is kind of like sushi. An Acquired taste. I think people will either get it or not.
Told in present tense, this novel does not lack for anything as many novels do with authors attempting present tense. The flow still feels natural. A clever twist of characters whose lives intersect.
With Roy disappearing, Sheila, and Ella Fitzgerald and more, we meet some of the old characters from Allison Wonderland (Book one) and a few new ones. The author, Helen Smith, cleverly wraps up each chapter with delicious details about the vital characters to the story, one by one -chapter by chapter, so as a reader we can easily digest the plot and intregal people in the story.
Carried from "Heaven to Earth" and back again, we get to know Roy, Sheila, Ella and others better. She also includes a nice poem called Colours and Cherry Lip Gloss in the chapters: Colours, and Cherry Lip Gloss.
For those of you Savage Fans you will love the thirteenth chapter entitled: Truly, Madly, Deeply:) She even includes some cool and humorous drawings in the following chapter.
Helen has a very interesting voice and one not to be missed. Her prose are cleverly woven interlocking the characters, for example with the way she incorporates the Cherry Lip Gloss poetry within the prose and as part of one of the characters details as well as bringing all the characters to the final culminating end.
Finding Roy was central to the plot, but in the journey we get to meet many different and quirky people.
She shows us how all of our lives intersect with wit, humor and a unique voice. It is a very different book from others out there. Just give it a go and see for yourself!
I enjoyed this read and recommend this to young and adult readers.
Reviewed by Ami Blackwelder
Author of The Shifters of 2040
Helen's writing is not for everyone, her style is kind of like sushi. An Acquired taste. I think people will either get it or not.
Told in present tense, this novel does not lack for anything as many novels do with authors attempting present tense. The flow still feels natural. A clever twist of characters whose lives intersect.
With Roy disappearing, Sheila, and Ella Fitzgerald and more, we meet some of the old characters from Allison Wonderland (Book one) and a few new ones. The author, Helen Smith, cleverly wraps up each chapter with delicious details about the vital characters to the story, one by one -chapter by chapter, so as a reader we can easily digest the plot and intregal people in the story.
Carried from "Heaven to Earth" and back again, we get to know Roy, Sheila, Ella and others better. She also includes a nice poem called Colours and Cherry Lip Gloss in the chapters: Colours, and Cherry Lip Gloss.
For those of you Savage Fans you will love the thirteenth chapter entitled: Truly, Madly, Deeply:) She even includes some cool and humorous drawings in the following chapter.
Helen has a very interesting voice and one not to be missed. Her prose are cleverly woven interlocking the characters, for example with the way she incorporates the Cherry Lip Gloss poetry within the prose and as part of one of the characters details as well as bringing all the characters to the final culminating end.
Finding Roy was central to the plot, but in the journey we get to meet many different and quirky people.
She shows us how all of our lives intersect with wit, humor and a unique voice. It is a very different book from others out there. Just give it a go and see for yourself!
I enjoyed this read and recommend this to young and adult readers.
Reviewed by Ami Blackwelder
Author of The Shifters of 2040
April 24, 2012
It is unlikely Being Light is anything like any book you’ve read before. There are multiple casts of characters, which in the beginning seem unrelated. Keeping track of them all is a challenge at first. One thing they all have in common is they’re … I want to say crazy. Maybe not in the sense that they’re certifiable, although we do have some belief in alien abduction, so I won’t rule it out. But each has plenty of quirks and eccentricities. Although not a sequel in the normal sense, Alison Wonderland (from the book of the same name) and her boss, Ella Fitzgerald (how did that name slip past me when I read Alison?), each reprise their roles.
I’ve read all of Smith’s books that are available for the Kindle. Each time the same things stand out for me. The plots are original, inventive, and (quick, find another word for quirky) idiosyncratic. But it is the characters and the humor that draw me in, not just in their situations, but also in how Smith describes them. For example, when I read, ‘We don’t have a leader, here,’ says the leader of the group…,” I did a double take and laughed. When Smith explains the reason for the conditions inside service station lady’s restrooms, I flashed on several stories from women complaining about the same, and couldn’t help but chuckle. I was amused by one character’s concept of heaven as being “exotic and unfamiliar, the sort of place that is unattainable for ordinary people, like Richard Branson’s island in the Caribbean.” These subtle humorous moments accumulate into a fun, enjoyable read.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
I’ve read all of Smith’s books that are available for the Kindle. Each time the same things stand out for me. The plots are original, inventive, and (quick, find another word for quirky) idiosyncratic. But it is the characters and the humor that draw me in, not just in their situations, but also in how Smith describes them. For example, when I read, ‘We don’t have a leader, here,’ says the leader of the group…,” I did a double take and laughed. When Smith explains the reason for the conditions inside service station lady’s restrooms, I flashed on several stories from women complaining about the same, and couldn’t help but chuckle. I was amused by one character’s concept of heaven as being “exotic and unfamiliar, the sort of place that is unattainable for ordinary people, like Richard Branson’s island in the Caribbean.” These subtle humorous moments accumulate into a fun, enjoyable read.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
January 28, 2011
If you have had the pleasure of reading other works from Helen Smith, such as Alison Wonderland, then you will love reading Being Light. Since I enjoyed Ms. Smith's writing style in Alison Wonderland, I was excited to begin reading Being Light to see if it had the same quirkiness that I had grown fond of in Alison Wonderland. Helen Smith's Being Light does not disappoint! We start off by meeting Roy, who is abruptly carried away in a bouncy toy in strong winds. When it crashes, Roy believes his first thought and that is that he is dead and has woken up in heaven, as he finds himself in an angel's embrace. We follow his wife Sheila throughout the story who is dedicated to finding her lost husband even though her sanity may have been impacted a bit in the process. Being Light does involve other characters as well and even though their stories may make them seem unrelated at certain times, in the end it all comes together and we realize just how small the world really is. If you want a quick and easy read that is full of comedic quirkiness, then I suggest you give Being Light a read. I'm looking forward to reading more of Helen Smith's works!
July 9, 2010
GOODREADS FIRSTREADS GIVEAWAY
Oh my, I feel put off by the cover but I'm ready to overcome my prejudices and dig in.
This book is a witty three-ring circus. Hang on to your popcorn and settle in for the big finale.
I am going to seek out more from this writer.
Oh my, I feel put off by the cover but I'm ready to overcome my prejudices and dig in.
This book is a witty three-ring circus. Hang on to your popcorn and settle in for the big finale.
I am going to seek out more from this writer.
June 18, 2010
After reading Alison Wonderland, I too moved pretty quickly into this book. While the characters have some of the same crazy quirks and witty humor, there is a dark side to this Being Light that wasn't there in Alison.
I really enjoy the writing style, as it feels like real life. There seems to be a certain amount of chaos, but even in the disarray, our lives are all connected. Nobody stands apart from everyone else. Our existences are filled with cause and effect. I felt she did a great job of striking that point home, at least with me.
Thanks for the read and I look forward to more!
I really enjoy the writing style, as it feels like real life. There seems to be a certain amount of chaos, but even in the disarray, our lives are all connected. Nobody stands apart from everyone else. Our existences are filled with cause and effect. I felt she did a great job of striking that point home, at least with me.
Thanks for the read and I look forward to more!
May 16, 2012
Loved it! I'm a big fan of twisty tales and this one ended in just the right way. Masterful, interesting and rather thought-provoking between laughs. I'm a big fan of Helen Smith's!
November 28, 2010
In a style distinctly her own, Smith tells her story through scenes, shifting between several points of views before tying the incidents together neatly by connecting the seemingly isolated dots. In this case, upwards of eight characters are involved in a story that centers not only on a missing man, but also upon animal rights, environmentalism, the definition of emotions, and attempted communication with aliens. As with Alison Wonderland, she maintains that tongue-in-cheek tone that lends dry humor to the nonsensical musings and actions of the players in this existentialist-style performance.
With the initial take-off of the man in the inflatable house, the basis for the title seemed quite clear. In the end, however, it turns out that "being light" means much more than flying away in a child's playground; rather, it involves the struggle to let go faced by each of the characters in their various situations. The depth of the application is a stronger means of drawing together these seemingly unconnected people than the physical links of blood or employment or sex. In short, this philosophical bent allows this complex comedy to work, though I was still tempted at times to start diagramming the cast in order to remember who each member was.
In spite of its status as a sequel, Being Light does not draw too heavily from its predecessor, focusing instead on the story at hand. The small references did make me smile, but on the whole, I enjoyed the fact that the novel was self-contained, as it allowed for a rich literary experience without having to go back over all that happened in a previous work. The climax, or finale, rather, left me feeling much as I did after a recent viewing of Monty Python and the Holy Grail: amused, bemused, and a trifle curious because of its open-ended nature.
Overall, Smith shows a comfortable command of language, adjusting the pacing of her paragraphs with ease. The verbiage is complex without being overbearing, the dialogue witty despite a propensity towards absurdity. There were a handful of instances where a semicolon would have been more appropriate than the comma that was actually used, however, and there were several lines where it was difficult to tell what exactly the speaker was getting at. Then again, perhaps this is more of a testament to my own inattention or inability to follow the thoughts of people who are quite a ways off from the beaten path.
This book may be inappropriate for those who prefer a steady stream of action from a single point of view. There, I said it. For those who enjoy stretching their minds a bit further and piecing complex story arcs together, however, Being Light promises a pleasurable romp through the darkly humorous dealings of Smith's creations.
With the initial take-off of the man in the inflatable house, the basis for the title seemed quite clear. In the end, however, it turns out that "being light" means much more than flying away in a child's playground; rather, it involves the struggle to let go faced by each of the characters in their various situations. The depth of the application is a stronger means of drawing together these seemingly unconnected people than the physical links of blood or employment or sex. In short, this philosophical bent allows this complex comedy to work, though I was still tempted at times to start diagramming the cast in order to remember who each member was.
In spite of its status as a sequel, Being Light does not draw too heavily from its predecessor, focusing instead on the story at hand. The small references did make me smile, but on the whole, I enjoyed the fact that the novel was self-contained, as it allowed for a rich literary experience without having to go back over all that happened in a previous work. The climax, or finale, rather, left me feeling much as I did after a recent viewing of Monty Python and the Holy Grail: amused, bemused, and a trifle curious because of its open-ended nature.
Overall, Smith shows a comfortable command of language, adjusting the pacing of her paragraphs with ease. The verbiage is complex without being overbearing, the dialogue witty despite a propensity towards absurdity. There were a handful of instances where a semicolon would have been more appropriate than the comma that was actually used, however, and there were several lines where it was difficult to tell what exactly the speaker was getting at. Then again, perhaps this is more of a testament to my own inattention or inability to follow the thoughts of people who are quite a ways off from the beaten path.
This book may be inappropriate for those who prefer a steady stream of action from a single point of view. There, I said it. For those who enjoy stretching their minds a bit further and piecing complex story arcs together, however, Being Light promises a pleasurable romp through the darkly humorous dealings of Smith's creations.
November 24, 2010
This was an interesting book. Right from the beginning Helen gets your attention, drawing you into the story. I found myself wanting to find out what would happen to Roy. Would he discover the truth? Being Light, like real life, takes people and events that are seemingly unrelated and twists them all together, showing us that everything is connected somehow. The lives of each of the characters started out looking like separate stories, that in the end, were neatly tied together. When I first finished the book, I thought it seemed a little unresolved. But after pondering it, I thought to myself that Sheila's reaction might be the same reaction I would have in that situation. In the end, each of the characters were shocked by what they found, and their reaction was realistic and uncomfortable. Helen did an excellent job of connecting the dots, so to speak. The writing is beautifully done, and entertaining throughout. I think anyone would enjoy reading this book.
April 25, 2011
When Roy Travers floats away in a bouncy castle and then wakes up in the care of a stranger, he assumes that he has died and gone to heaven. His wife, Sheila, assumes that aliens have abducted him. So, in addition to taking to wearing aluminum wrapping at the tip of her ears (to ensure that she makes herself available to any extraterrestrial messages) she also enlists the help of a private investigator, Alison (from Alison Wonderland), to help her track him down.
Helen Smith takes on an amusing journey into the minds of her absurd, colorful characters. This is a fun read that kept me on my toes. This is not a book I felt I could put down and then easily pick up again, simply because of the POV changes. The voice changed often and sometimes unexpectedly, from paragraph to paragraph. So, I read it in two sittings and enjoyed it immensely.
Helen Smith takes on an amusing journey into the minds of her absurd, colorful characters. This is a fun read that kept me on my toes. This is not a book I felt I could put down and then easily pick up again, simply because of the POV changes. The voice changed often and sometimes unexpectedly, from paragraph to paragraph. So, I read it in two sittings and enjoyed it immensely.
May 9, 2012
I've read this book a couple of times now. It improves on re-reading and it was pretty darn good on the first reading to begin with.
The new cover design (my copy is one of the original covers) gives a much better impression of the contents. Bright, original full of colour and life. A fascinatingly quirky read. My mother enjoyed it too :)
The new cover design (my copy is one of the original covers) gives a much better impression of the contents. Bright, original full of colour and life. A fascinatingly quirky read. My mother enjoyed it too :)
July 3, 2010
Thanks for the win!!!
October 28, 2010
I was lucky to win this book in a contest and looked forward to reading it. I wasn't disappointed, it was a quirky and fun read.
November 30, 2011
I enjoyed this more than "Alison Wonderland" - it had the same unique style but felt more structured and complete as a novel.
June 26, 2021
Plain downright bizarre. One of those "what did I read"? Reads.. Oh well on to the next... The silent patient by Alex michaelides. 51 percent
June 5, 2012
After reading Alison Wonderland recently, I exchanged a couple of emails with the author and mentioned how much I missed Alison and the other characters after finishing the book. She said that there was another that she had written, and promptly sent me a copy.
Being Light begins with a wonderfully visual and surreal scene – Roy Travers and his friend realise that they haven’t done a particularly good job of securing a bouncy castle when Roy is swept away on it by a freak gust of wind. As he drifts higher and further away, he comes to the realisation that he is going to die…just before he plummets back to earth.
His wife Sheila refuses to believe that he is dead, but can’t understand why he can’t find his way home to her. Eventually she concludes that he must have been abducted by aliens, and enlists the help of both a detective agency (the one that Alison works for) and tin foil caps on her ears, just in case the aliens try to communicate with her.
This is an extremely character-led book. Everyone has their flaws and eccentricities, and surreal as they may seem at times they also manage to be totally believable and lifelike.
Being Light definitely has the same, quirky style as Alison Wonderland – Helen Smith has a wonderfully whimsical style of writing that I absolutely love, but this story has far more depth and underlying sadness with less of the madcap romping in Alison.
It’s not completely without it’s madness though – although the psychic postman has been sacked, and Jeff has moved far away from Alison’s basement, he has been replaced by Harvey who works in advertising and feels the need to give everything definite labels in order to categorise life. There is also an ex circus performer, an animal trainer, a lad who wants to stop the traffic, a stolen elephant and a vision for men in the future. Alison and Taron, although still in the book, and caught up in the many story threads, aren’t the lead characters in the book — but then noone seems to be. Everyone is interwoven, often in unexpected ways.
Helen Smith has so many ideas, and they are crammed into the story – I was folding the page over every time I saw an idea that I liked, just so that I could find it again. My book is now completely dog-eared because there was so much that I read and thought “That is so clever” or just as likely “That is so beautifully written, and completely true!”
There were a couple of points where I suddenly wondered when it was written, and was rather shocked when I saw that it was first published in 2000. WHY has it taken me so long to know of the existence of this book, and Helen herself?
Absolutely loved it!
Being Light begins with a wonderfully visual and surreal scene – Roy Travers and his friend realise that they haven’t done a particularly good job of securing a bouncy castle when Roy is swept away on it by a freak gust of wind. As he drifts higher and further away, he comes to the realisation that he is going to die…just before he plummets back to earth.
His wife Sheila refuses to believe that he is dead, but can’t understand why he can’t find his way home to her. Eventually she concludes that he must have been abducted by aliens, and enlists the help of both a detective agency (the one that Alison works for) and tin foil caps on her ears, just in case the aliens try to communicate with her.
This is an extremely character-led book. Everyone has their flaws and eccentricities, and surreal as they may seem at times they also manage to be totally believable and lifelike.
Being Light definitely has the same, quirky style as Alison Wonderland – Helen Smith has a wonderfully whimsical style of writing that I absolutely love, but this story has far more depth and underlying sadness with less of the madcap romping in Alison.
It’s not completely without it’s madness though – although the psychic postman has been sacked, and Jeff has moved far away from Alison’s basement, he has been replaced by Harvey who works in advertising and feels the need to give everything definite labels in order to categorise life. There is also an ex circus performer, an animal trainer, a lad who wants to stop the traffic, a stolen elephant and a vision for men in the future. Alison and Taron, although still in the book, and caught up in the many story threads, aren’t the lead characters in the book — but then noone seems to be. Everyone is interwoven, often in unexpected ways.
Helen Smith has so many ideas, and they are crammed into the story – I was folding the page over every time I saw an idea that I liked, just so that I could find it again. My book is now completely dog-eared because there was so much that I read and thought “That is so clever” or just as likely “That is so beautifully written, and completely true!”
There were a couple of points where I suddenly wondered when it was written, and was rather shocked when I saw that it was first published in 2000. WHY has it taken me so long to know of the existence of this book, and Helen herself?
Absolutely loved it!
January 2, 2011
Roy Travers is helping his friend put up a bouncy castle for a fun day when he gets blown away aboard it and disappears. He finds himself in Paradise with an angel named Sylvia. Meanwhile his wife Sheila, unswayed by friends suggesting he might have run off with another woman or simply that he died in the freak accident, becomes convinced he has been abducted by aliens.
The book follows a cast of distinctive characters, whose lives are seemingly unconnected, but as the story develops the reader starts to see how they overlap. Some of the characters are larger than life and a good deal of humour derives from their views and actions in trying to achieve their aims, but there is also a sense of sadness that many are missing something from their lives, be it a person or a sense of direction. There are a lot of characters to keep track of but as the book progresses and their interactions become clearer it becomes easier to follow.
I enjoyed the satire and the wry observations about life the author makes, and I wanted to keep reading to find out what had happened to Roy but also to see who would finally connect with whom and how. I did find that because of the formatting on the kindle paragraphs ran together that probably shouldn't have, and it wasn't instantly clear that the action had moved, but careful reading and being engrossed in the story meant this was not a major issue.
I hadn't appreciated that this book features Alison of Alison Wonderland, had I done so I would probably have read that first to have had a greater background on her character but I think Being Light is perfectly capable of standing on it's own. It's a good, character driven story that I was desperate to finish to find out how things would turn out.
The book follows a cast of distinctive characters, whose lives are seemingly unconnected, but as the story develops the reader starts to see how they overlap. Some of the characters are larger than life and a good deal of humour derives from their views and actions in trying to achieve their aims, but there is also a sense of sadness that many are missing something from their lives, be it a person or a sense of direction. There are a lot of characters to keep track of but as the book progresses and their interactions become clearer it becomes easier to follow.
I enjoyed the satire and the wry observations about life the author makes, and I wanted to keep reading to find out what had happened to Roy but also to see who would finally connect with whom and how. I did find that because of the formatting on the kindle paragraphs ran together that probably shouldn't have, and it wasn't instantly clear that the action had moved, but careful reading and being engrossed in the story meant this was not a major issue.
I hadn't appreciated that this book features Alison of Alison Wonderland, had I done so I would probably have read that first to have had a greater background on her character but I think Being Light is perfectly capable of standing on it's own. It's a good, character driven story that I was desperate to finish to find out how things would turn out.
February 28, 2011
Helen Smith has written a very entertaining work that is also piercing in its insight in her book Being Light.
The satire about “Cool Britannia” opens with Roy Travers inflating a bouncy castle at a charity carnival. The castle gets caught in the breeze and takes flight. Roy continues to float until the castle loses air and lands on a bucolic farm. When a woman informs him he is Paradise, Roy concludes that he has died and gone to heaven.
He is, in fact, on the hideaway of a former circus performer who is concealing a stolen elephant. Meanwhile, Roy’s wife Sheila is convinced Roy has neither died nor run away with another woman and she is picking up signals from aliens about his location.
Being Light is populated by a large but manageable cast of characters whose relationship with one another is slowly revealed throughout the book. They include the Mrs. Ellington, the private investigator Sheila hired to help find Roy; a famous animal trainer; jaded journalist Jane Memory; Jeremy, a dedicated young activist who is trying to stop the traffic.
With a light touch, Smith exposes some sad truths of modern life. One character is obsessed with classifications and labels, vowing, “If I know as much as possible about everything then every choice I make will be informed.”
She also deftly weaves issues of animal rights and the role of men in modern society into the surreal mystery. One character notes that men aren’t necessary any more and will only be valued as long as they are exotically different from women.
The plot feels a bit disjointed at times and I was hoping for more of crescendo at the end. But for this genre which was not my usual fare, I found it quite enjoyable.
The satire about “Cool Britannia” opens with Roy Travers inflating a bouncy castle at a charity carnival. The castle gets caught in the breeze and takes flight. Roy continues to float until the castle loses air and lands on a bucolic farm. When a woman informs him he is Paradise, Roy concludes that he has died and gone to heaven.
He is, in fact, on the hideaway of a former circus performer who is concealing a stolen elephant. Meanwhile, Roy’s wife Sheila is convinced Roy has neither died nor run away with another woman and she is picking up signals from aliens about his location.
Being Light is populated by a large but manageable cast of characters whose relationship with one another is slowly revealed throughout the book. They include the Mrs. Ellington, the private investigator Sheila hired to help find Roy; a famous animal trainer; jaded journalist Jane Memory; Jeremy, a dedicated young activist who is trying to stop the traffic.
With a light touch, Smith exposes some sad truths of modern life. One character is obsessed with classifications and labels, vowing, “If I know as much as possible about everything then every choice I make will be informed.”
She also deftly weaves issues of animal rights and the role of men in modern society into the surreal mystery. One character notes that men aren’t necessary any more and will only be valued as long as they are exotically different from women.
The plot feels a bit disjointed at times and I was hoping for more of crescendo at the end. But for this genre which was not my usual fare, I found it quite enjoyable.
July 31, 2012
Being Light
By Helen Smith
While Roy Travers is helping to install a new state of the art bouncy house, a freak gust of wind picks him and the bouncy house up dropping him in Paradise, where he meets the only other resident Sylvia. Meanwhile his wife, Sheila, is continuously searching for her husband after a while she comes to believe whole heartedly that Roy has been abducted by aliens and is determined to get him back.
Once again Helen Smith comes up with a quirky and interesting cast of characters, though this book surrounds Roy and Sheila’s problems the author manages to encompass many varied side stories that will leave you going “What in the world?” The only problem I have is that you must pay strict attention to the characters names, the author incorporates so many stories that they flow into each other, for me this is a problem since I have a horrible time remembering character names. That being said the book itself is fun and witty, the author is so descriptive in her narration of the London scenery you can see exactly what she is talking about without having ever been there. I definitely cannot wait to see what else this author has in store, especially considering this book has one of the worst cliffhangers I have ever seen.
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By Helen Smith
While Roy Travers is helping to install a new state of the art bouncy house, a freak gust of wind picks him and the bouncy house up dropping him in Paradise, where he meets the only other resident Sylvia. Meanwhile his wife, Sheila, is continuously searching for her husband after a while she comes to believe whole heartedly that Roy has been abducted by aliens and is determined to get him back.
Once again Helen Smith comes up with a quirky and interesting cast of characters, though this book surrounds Roy and Sheila’s problems the author manages to encompass many varied side stories that will leave you going “What in the world?” The only problem I have is that you must pay strict attention to the characters names, the author incorporates so many stories that they flow into each other, for me this is a problem since I have a horrible time remembering character names. That being said the book itself is fun and witty, the author is so descriptive in her narration of the London scenery you can see exactly what she is talking about without having ever been there. I definitely cannot wait to see what else this author has in store, especially considering this book has one of the worst cliffhangers I have ever seen.
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January 3, 2013
I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but found myself racing through it. It is very different from other books that I've read and I love the freshness of that.
There is the quirky story line of Roy flying away in a bouncy castle and never being heard from again, and his poor, very distraught wife who is convinced that he must have been abducted by aliens because otherwise he would have returned to her. Then there are also several other story lines, everything from an animal trainer being investigated for mistreating animals to a young man in a dress on a mission to stop the pollution in London to a reporter looking for fresh new features to a mother of a young girl...
In fact, that is one of my only criticisms of the book: there are so many characters that sometimes I did find myself getting confused. However, the voices of the characters are strong, so it did not take me long to figure out.
I love how Smith looks at all of these characters and gives them all substance and background in such a short time. I enjoy her eye for detail. She has a way of putting together seemingly unrelated story lines and characters in a fun, fresh way, one that leaves us on the edge of our seats.
And, without giving anything away, I like how Smith dealt with the ending. Though I would have enjoyed knowing what happened next, I thought what she did was good. My imagination can come up with some great things.
There is the quirky story line of Roy flying away in a bouncy castle and never being heard from again, and his poor, very distraught wife who is convinced that he must have been abducted by aliens because otherwise he would have returned to her. Then there are also several other story lines, everything from an animal trainer being investigated for mistreating animals to a young man in a dress on a mission to stop the pollution in London to a reporter looking for fresh new features to a mother of a young girl...
In fact, that is one of my only criticisms of the book: there are so many characters that sometimes I did find myself getting confused. However, the voices of the characters are strong, so it did not take me long to figure out.
I love how Smith looks at all of these characters and gives them all substance and background in such a short time. I enjoy her eye for detail. She has a way of putting together seemingly unrelated story lines and characters in a fun, fresh way, one that leaves us on the edge of our seats.
And, without giving anything away, I like how Smith dealt with the ending. Though I would have enjoyed knowing what happened next, I thought what she did was good. My imagination can come up with some great things.
Read
January 14, 2016109. BEING LIGHT, BY HELEN SMITH
Another one I couldn’t finish. And this one was very short, so I can hardly say I tried... But I have to admit, this one is almost entirely due to my own preferences. I won't even rate it, since I'm sure I'm being very subjective.
Ever since I left my teens and stopped trying to impress other people with how cultured and witty I was, I also stopped having time for quirky and deep books. That is not to say, of course, that there is anything wrong with liking them; I’m sure there are plenty of people who genuinely love this kind of book. The issue I have is that I never really enjoyed them, but for many years I’ve forced myself to read them, and the result is that now I can’t stand the sight of them.
My personal impression was: way too many characters who do impossible things (better yet, have those things happen to them, they actually do nothing) and who then proceed to do absolutely nothing about it. I’m sure there must be thousands of metaphors for stuff, but I’m really not into it. I like trash. I like books that have no pretension other than be entertaining.
Someone also told me that this book was supposed to be funny... Honestly, I didn’t get it. Maybe it was something very British, or maybe it was because of the language barrier... Either way, I would hardly categorize this as “humor.”
Up next: The Visitors, by Sally Beauman
Another one I couldn’t finish. And this one was very short, so I can hardly say I tried... But I have to admit, this one is almost entirely due to my own preferences. I won't even rate it, since I'm sure I'm being very subjective.
Ever since I left my teens and stopped trying to impress other people with how cultured and witty I was, I also stopped having time for quirky and deep books. That is not to say, of course, that there is anything wrong with liking them; I’m sure there are plenty of people who genuinely love this kind of book. The issue I have is that I never really enjoyed them, but for many years I’ve forced myself to read them, and the result is that now I can’t stand the sight of them.
My personal impression was: way too many characters who do impossible things (better yet, have those things happen to them, they actually do nothing) and who then proceed to do absolutely nothing about it. I’m sure there must be thousands of metaphors for stuff, but I’m really not into it. I like trash. I like books that have no pretension other than be entertaining.
Someone also told me that this book was supposed to be funny... Honestly, I didn’t get it. Maybe it was something very British, or maybe it was because of the language barrier... Either way, I would hardly categorize this as “humor.”
Up next: The Visitors, by Sally Beauman
October 29, 2014
I got this book as my first ever giveaway on Goodreads. It is not the sort of book that I would probably have picked up at a bookshop but I am glad that I gave it a chance.
At the beginning I felt that I was missing out because I hadn't read 'Alison Wonderland' which features some of the characters and I didn't know their backstory but in the end it didn't really matter.
As a light read it is a fun book, not laugh out loud funny for me but some moments of great observational humour and absurdity. I felt there were too many characters, it is like being at a party and being introduced to everyone in a rush and then not being able to remember their names or who is with who. Some of the characters were deftly described in a few sentences but others didn't make their mark and remained just a name. I was looking forward to the denoument, wanting Sheila to be reunited with Roy and for the bad characters to have to face the consequences of their actions but it all ended too soon. They do say, 'Always leave them wanting more.' and that is exactly what Helen Smith did. I hope one day she writes a sequel.
At the beginning I felt that I was missing out because I hadn't read 'Alison Wonderland' which features some of the characters and I didn't know their backstory but in the end it didn't really matter.
As a light read it is a fun book, not laugh out loud funny for me but some moments of great observational humour and absurdity. I felt there were too many characters, it is like being at a party and being introduced to everyone in a rush and then not being able to remember their names or who is with who. Some of the characters were deftly described in a few sentences but others didn't make their mark and remained just a name. I was looking forward to the denoument, wanting Sheila to be reunited with Roy and for the bad characters to have to face the consequences of their actions but it all ended too soon. They do say, 'Always leave them wanting more.' and that is exactly what Helen Smith did. I hope one day she writes a sequel.
October 18, 2012
I am not sure I appreciated this book as it was meant to be appreciated, and I have spent a few days pondering how to review it. This is a very strange story with too many, seemingly unrelated, quirky characters.
I think the story lacks some structure, I kept getting lost. This was not an easy read for me, a couple of main characters names kept getting twisted in my brain, their names were similar both started with the letter S and were about the same length in letters. There are also a lot of story jumps between characters without any warning.
I cannot help but think that this book is the launch pad for another book coming, because certain story lines were started and not finished. When what seems to be a lot of unrelated characters and events finally come together at the end, the story just stops; although the biggest mystery driving the story was solved.
This story explores the interconnectedness of our lives and the reality of it in a very ingenious way. The author uses a dry tongue in cheek humor that is entertaining and quite unique.
I think the story lacks some structure, I kept getting lost. This was not an easy read for me, a couple of main characters names kept getting twisted in my brain, their names were similar both started with the letter S and were about the same length in letters. There are also a lot of story jumps between characters without any warning.
I cannot help but think that this book is the launch pad for another book coming, because certain story lines were started and not finished. When what seems to be a lot of unrelated characters and events finally come together at the end, the story just stops; although the biggest mystery driving the story was solved.
This story explores the interconnectedness of our lives and the reality of it in a very ingenious way. The author uses a dry tongue in cheek humor that is entertaining and quite unique.
June 16, 2013
‘We don’t give information about extraterrestrials, we collect it.’
‘Do you know where I can get information?’
‘We don’t give information.’
‘You won’t even give me information about where to get information?’
‘No.’ – Being Light
I’d been saving this for a rainy day, because after reading Alison Wonderland, I knew that once I started reading this, I wouldn't be able to put down. Being Light didn't disappoint.
If I can describe Being Light in one word, it'd be surreal. Reading it, I felt like I'd been sucked into one of author Helen Smith's dreams and bounced from craziness to craziness. And what a ride it was.
Highly recommended.
‘Do you know where I can get information?’
‘We don’t give information.’
‘You won’t even give me information about where to get information?’
‘No.’ – Being Light
I’d been saving this for a rainy day, because after reading Alison Wonderland, I knew that once I started reading this, I wouldn't be able to put down. Being Light didn't disappoint.
If I can describe Being Light in one word, it'd be surreal. Reading it, I felt like I'd been sucked into one of author Helen Smith's dreams and bounced from craziness to craziness. And what a ride it was.
Highly recommended.
June 29, 2021
1.0 out of 5 stars
Unreadable
February 19, 2012
I'm sorry to say that I found Helen Smith's "Being Light" to be unreadable. As far as I can see, the prose is just random chunks of stream-of-consciousness from various lunatics with no structural clues from the text to indicate changes of character. At one moment, you're reading nonsense from one character and then, with the next paragraph, even the small amount of coherency with that is gone. Why? Because the point of view has changed to a different person without warning or reason. Maybe that's a function of my reading a Kindle version. Maybe a dead-tree version has proper structural clues on the page. I don't know. But, regardless, what goes on in the book makes no sense and I rate it at an Unreadable 1 star out of 5.
Unreadable
February 19, 2012
I'm sorry to say that I found Helen Smith's "Being Light" to be unreadable. As far as I can see, the prose is just random chunks of stream-of-consciousness from various lunatics with no structural clues from the text to indicate changes of character. At one moment, you're reading nonsense from one character and then, with the next paragraph, even the small amount of coherency with that is gone. Why? Because the point of view has changed to a different person without warning or reason. Maybe that's a function of my reading a Kindle version. Maybe a dead-tree version has proper structural clues on the page. I don't know. But, regardless, what goes on in the book makes no sense and I rate it at an Unreadable 1 star out of 5.
July 20, 2012
While Roy Travers is helping a friend set up a bouncy castle. The unthinkable happens: Roy is picked up by a gust of wind and he floats away on the castle. His friend finds it hilarious, and it is until Roy disappears and doesn,t come back. Roy,s wife Shiela will stop at nothing to get him back and that includes wearing a tinfoil hat, and using pebbles to communicate with the Aleins who she believes have taken him. How far willl Sheila go to get Roy back? This isn,t like any book i have read before . I truly enjoyed it and look forward to more from author Helen Smith .
April 10, 2012
This isn't the first book by this author I have read. I read and enjoyed [[ASIN:B004KA9TTE Alison Wonderland]] very much and quickly decided to read Being Light. Helen Smith is an out-of-the-box thinker and her imagination is purely delightful. Her characters (and they truly are "characters" *grin*) are always fully-fleshed and I never know where Smith is going to take me. So whenever I pick up one of her books, I always get that giddy feeling in the pit of my belly, anticipating the fun that's in store. Recommended read.
March 23, 2011
This book is definitely a different comedy novel than I've read before. We begin with our "main character" Roy, who happens to be suddenly swept away by a strong gust of wind while trying to install one of those bouncy castles (You know, the ones you can't keep the kids off of at the fair, flea market, etc.)...
Full Review at Coffee & Literature.
Being Light Review
Full Review at Coffee & Literature.
Being Light Review
January 9, 2013
I loved Helen Smith's first novel with the sleuthing Alison Temple and her hilarious gang so I was excited to see that there was a follow-up. "Being Light" brings us another witty whodunit with the delightful Roy Travers and yet another screwball ensemble. Ms. Smith has a unique, talented writing style mixing humor with fast-paced storytelling that I just don't see enough. I can't wait for the next one!
March 10, 2012
I didn't get it - stupid unreal people doing stupid unreal things...
floating away in a bouncer, falling and waking up thinking you're in heaven, at an isolated beach house with one woman? a wife who doesn't give up looking for you, even when convinced you've been taken by aliens...
and too many other freaky characters that didn't make sense...
floating away in a bouncer, falling and waking up thinking you're in heaven, at an isolated beach house with one woman? a wife who doesn't give up looking for you, even when convinced you've been taken by aliens...
and too many other freaky characters that didn't make sense...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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