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Blind Sight
This spellbinding story introduces the unforgettable seventeen-year-old narrator, Luke Prescott, who has been brought up in a bohemian matriarchy by his divorced New Age mother, a religious grandmother, and two precocious half-sisters. Having spent a short lifetime swinging agreeably between the poles of Eastern mysticism and New England Puritanism, Luke is fascinated by the new fields of brain science and believes in having evidence for his beliefs. “Without evidence,” he declares, “you just have hope, which is nice, but not reliable.” Luke is writing his college applications when his father—a famous television star whom he never knew—calls and invites him to Los Angeles for the summer. Luke accepts and is plunged into a world of location shooting, celebrity interviews, glamorous parties, and premieres. As he begins to know the difference between his father’s public persona and his private one, Luke finds himself sorting through his own personal mythology.
By the end of the summer Luke thinks he has found the answers he’s been seeking, only to discover that the differences between truth and belief are not always easy to spot, and that evidence can be when Luke returns home, his mother reveals something she knows will change everything for him.
With Blind Sight , Meg Howrey gives us a smart, funny, and deeply moving story about truth versus belief, about what we do and don’t tell ourselves—with the result, as Luke says, that we don’t always know what we know.
By the end of the summer Luke thinks he has found the answers he’s been seeking, only to discover that the differences between truth and belief are not always easy to spot, and that evidence can be when Luke returns home, his mother reveals something she knows will change everything for him.
With Blind Sight , Meg Howrey gives us a smart, funny, and deeply moving story about truth versus belief, about what we do and don’t tell ourselves—with the result, as Luke says, that we don’t always know what we know.
289 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
30 people are currently reading
1455 people want to read
About the author
Meg Howrey
6 books410 followersMeg Howrey is the author of the novel They're Going to Love You, and the novels The Wanderers, The Cranes Dance, and Blind Sight. She is also the coauthor, writing under the pen-name Magnus Flyte, of the New York Times Bestseller City of Dark Magic and City of Lost Dreams. Her non-fiction has appeared in Vogue and The Los Angeles Review of Books. She currently lives in Los Angeles.
Meg was a professional dancer who performed with the Joffrey Ballet and City Ballet of Los Angeles, among others. She made her theatrical debut in James Lapine's Twelve Dreams at Lincoln Center, and received the 2001 Ovation Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for her role in the Broadway National Tour of Contact.
Meg was a professional dancer who performed with the Joffrey Ballet and City Ballet of Los Angeles, among others. She made her theatrical debut in James Lapine's Twelve Dreams at Lincoln Center, and received the 2001 Ovation Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for her role in the Broadway National Tour of Contact.
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July 25, 2011If I were to think about the characteristics that best describe the "type" of book I most enjoy, the list would include believable, beautifully drawn characters; a relatable but not necessarily utterly realistic plot; emotional development for the characters and, in turn, for me; and a feeling of slight melancholy once I finish reading, because the book is done. Of course, I've thought about this today because I just finished Meg Howrey's debut novel, Blind Sight, which I can definitely say is my "type" of book. I. Loved. It.
Seventeen-year-old Luke has been surrounded by strong women all his life. Raised by his New Age-y mother, religious grandmother and two quirky half-sisters in an environment of both mysticism and old-fashioned Puritanism, Luke is actually the first male child in many generations of his family, but has never felt he suffered because of this. Near the end of his junior year in high school, he finds out that his father—of whom his mother had never spoken—is a famous television actor in Los Angeles, and Luke goes to spend the summer with him. Luke learns that the glamorous Hollywood life isn't necessarily a satisfying one, but he realizes very quickly that while he never felt the absence of a father before, having his father in his life makes him feel truly grounded in ways he never imagined. And as the bond between Luke and his father deepens, he starts to question the philosophies with which he was raised, and starts to wonder about his place in the future.
Meg Howrey, a former ballet dancer, has an incredible knack for dialogue, both humorous and serious. The relationships she created between all of the characters in the book are so multi-dimensional, and while you may find yourself "rooting" for one character over another, you actually can understand the motivations behind each. Luke was an incredible narrator and I found myself completely engaged in his struggles, particularly with the emotional turmoil he dealt with toward the end of the book. (Interestingly enough, mid-way through each chapter, Howrey switches from first-person to third-person narration.) As I've said in book reviews I've written before, a sign of how much I enjoy a book is when I want to know what happens to the characters after I finish reading. Blind Sight is definitely one of the books I wish could have lasted longer, because I want to know where Luke's story—and that of his family—will go next.
Seventeen-year-old Luke has been surrounded by strong women all his life. Raised by his New Age-y mother, religious grandmother and two quirky half-sisters in an environment of both mysticism and old-fashioned Puritanism, Luke is actually the first male child in many generations of his family, but has never felt he suffered because of this. Near the end of his junior year in high school, he finds out that his father—of whom his mother had never spoken—is a famous television actor in Los Angeles, and Luke goes to spend the summer with him. Luke learns that the glamorous Hollywood life isn't necessarily a satisfying one, but he realizes very quickly that while he never felt the absence of a father before, having his father in his life makes him feel truly grounded in ways he never imagined. And as the bond between Luke and his father deepens, he starts to question the philosophies with which he was raised, and starts to wonder about his place in the future.
Meg Howrey, a former ballet dancer, has an incredible knack for dialogue, both humorous and serious. The relationships she created between all of the characters in the book are so multi-dimensional, and while you may find yourself "rooting" for one character over another, you actually can understand the motivations behind each. Luke was an incredible narrator and I found myself completely engaged in his struggles, particularly with the emotional turmoil he dealt with toward the end of the book. (Interestingly enough, mid-way through each chapter, Howrey switches from first-person to third-person narration.) As I've said in book reviews I've written before, a sign of how much I enjoy a book is when I want to know what happens to the characters after I finish reading. Blind Sight is definitely one of the books I wish could have lasted longer, because I want to know where Luke's story—and that of his family—will go next.
April 27, 2018
Well I must admit this book was a real struggle for me to get in to, I think because I'd just finished Kwame Alexander's Solo and it was another young American narrator whose dad is a celebrity and it just seemed too soon. But, it was on the pile of holiday-reading-for-work that I needed to get through, so I did. Sometimes I struggled with who was talking, but once you sort out it's an essay or a monologue it's a bit easier and it makes sense of the outside observer comments that seem rather flat compared to Luke's general narration style. I would love my students to read this, told my son he would get a lot from it - Luke is kind of a spiritual guide for want to a better term, and there is a lot to learn from him and his family and his blossoming relationship with his dad. Lots of smiles and laughs and warm fuzzies UNTIL the ending which completely ripped my heart and has left me feeling rather angry and bereft. Great story, but so upset at the ending.
June 17, 2011
This is the story of Luke, a seventeen-year-old who has never met his biological father. As the book opens he has just discovered that his father, Mark, is a man who has become a well-known TV star. His father seeks him out and invites him to LA to visit for the summer so they can get to know each other. Over the summer Luke learns a lot about himself, and is allowed into his father's private life further than anyone else Mark has around him. They develop a great bond. Then Luke must go home to his mother, sisters, his old life and some unexpected revelations. I really enjoyed this book, but a had a few minor quibbles and one major one.
On the minor side, the book is written in alternating first-person past-tense, and third-person present-tense passages. The problem is that both are from Luke's perspective, and the first-person voice is so much easier to read and more engaging that every time it shifted back to third-person I got a little annoyed. Not enough to stop reading but just a momentary break in the flow of the book. If the third-person passages had been from the father's POV, or if they were more omniscient, there would have been some rationale for them but they were in such a tight focus on Luke that there was no purpose to the voice change.
Luke is also a great character but every once in a while I found myself thinking "There is no seventeen-year-old boy in the world this introspective, this intuitive about other people, this freaking nice." And to a lesser degree the same goes for the father, Mark, who is like the archetype of the dad everyone with an unknown father would dream of finding. Maybe I've just met the wrong teenage boys, but there was a little lack of conflict and angst in the first part of the book. Doesn't mean I didn't love both Luke and Mark and the way they got along, but it didn't feel quite real.
On the major side, I hate the place where the author chose to end the book. After a whole novel spent with Luke being very lightly mocking about his mother's tendencies to mysticism and having a concrete, centered approach to his life, the author makes the end all unresolved and mystical. I'm sorry, but you can't set up a major plot-point and life changing conflict when you've got me all involved with these characters and then end it totally up in the air with "He wasn't done yet" and "...his intention to follow the lines of consciousness..." No. I had to sit and write 20 pages of my own ending to feel done with this book. And I liked these characters so much I couldn't just drop it, which is good, but... Maybe I've read too much genre and YA fiction, but this literary ending dropped at least a star off the rating for me. If you like the effect of unresolved openness at the end of a book, though, the rest of this is a great read. It could also be a good YA read for a teenager who won't get to the end and throw the book across the room.
On the minor side, the book is written in alternating first-person past-tense, and third-person present-tense passages. The problem is that both are from Luke's perspective, and the first-person voice is so much easier to read and more engaging that every time it shifted back to third-person I got a little annoyed. Not enough to stop reading but just a momentary break in the flow of the book. If the third-person passages had been from the father's POV, or if they were more omniscient, there would have been some rationale for them but they were in such a tight focus on Luke that there was no purpose to the voice change.
Luke is also a great character but every once in a while I found myself thinking "There is no seventeen-year-old boy in the world this introspective, this intuitive about other people, this freaking nice." And to a lesser degree the same goes for the father, Mark, who is like the archetype of the dad everyone with an unknown father would dream of finding. Maybe I've just met the wrong teenage boys, but there was a little lack of conflict and angst in the first part of the book. Doesn't mean I didn't love both Luke and Mark and the way they got along, but it didn't feel quite real.
On the major side, I hate the place where the author chose to end the book. After a whole novel spent with Luke being very lightly mocking about his mother's tendencies to mysticism and having a concrete, centered approach to his life, the author makes the end all unresolved and mystical. I'm sorry, but you can't set up a major plot-point and life changing conflict when you've got me all involved with these characters and then end it totally up in the air with "He wasn't done yet" and "...his intention to follow the lines of consciousness..." No. I had to sit and write 20 pages of my own ending to feel done with this book. And I liked these characters so much I couldn't just drop it, which is good, but... Maybe I've read too much genre and YA fiction, but this literary ending dropped at least a star off the rating for me. If you like the effect of unresolved openness at the end of a book, though, the rest of this is a great read. It could also be a good YA read for a teenager who won't get to the end and throw the book across the room.
November 14, 2025
Like many other Goodreads reviewers, I’m not a fan of the narrative shift from first to third person in each chapter and the muddled ending of the novel—but on the plus side, the story raises interesting issues, and I’ve continued to think about it in the several days since I finished reading it. It’s the kind of book you want to talk about with other readers (and with the author)—the characters, the themes, and what might happen next. (Just for the record: despite the author’s unfortunate mocking tone, I’m Team Sara, and I’m awfully suspicious of Mark…let me know what you think!).
May 4, 2011
This is Howrey's debut novel and how she, a former professional ballet dancer turned professional actress turned writer was able to channel a 17 year old cross-country-running boy from Delaware, we will never know!
I loved this book and didn't want it to end - though the ending is a crashingly stunning reveal that leaves the reader as emotionally dumbfounded as the book's main character.
The bulk of the story takes place in LA, which is fun and luckily Howrey gives us a sense of the Hollywood life without getting gossipy or trite.
The omni-present voice which sometimes takes over the otherwise first person narration from the boy, Luke, lends a kind of 3rd dimension to the lives of the characters and to their thoughts and memories as well.
A wonderful read with subtle density and a cherry on top!
I loved this book and didn't want it to end - though the ending is a crashingly stunning reveal that leaves the reader as emotionally dumbfounded as the book's main character.
The bulk of the story takes place in LA, which is fun and luckily Howrey gives us a sense of the Hollywood life without getting gossipy or trite.
The omni-present voice which sometimes takes over the otherwise first person narration from the boy, Luke, lends a kind of 3rd dimension to the lives of the characters and to their thoughts and memories as well.
A wonderful read with subtle density and a cherry on top!
November 6, 2023
I really enjoyed that. Luke’s preoccupation with how the brain works resonates with my own interests. And I admire the ending—not hokey, not trying to tie everything together, but having a good point.
May 9, 2014
This was a highly enjoyable read, but the wheels came off a bit at the end. The ending was too abrupt for my taste and made the pacing of the entire book seem off.
February 18, 2025
I don’t think she can write a book I can dislike. Her writing style is pure perfection, being minutely descriptive yet simple enough that it isn’t too much. The way she writes her characters and the conflicts between them is amazing. Also the way she switched between First-Person-Narrator and Third-Person-Narrator was so easily done, I didn’t even mind the switches; no they perfectly embodied the switches in the narrative itself: what Luke thinks about writing in his essay versus what Luke is doing at the moment. What would be interesting is too see whether all the essay-parts fulfill the word limit given by the college application.
The blooming relationship between Luke and his dad was very wholesome to read. I don’t care whether Mark was trying to „buy his love“ or whatever, I read his efforts as genuine.
However, I have to admit Howrey lulled me too deeply into the kind and cute story about a father and son duo finally meeting and bonding, the bombshell at the end kneed me in the stomach and slapped me across the face twice. I felt so sorry for both of them. Especially for Luke. You don’t take Sara from the way Luke writes about her as this kind of person - that is the way Luke sees him mother tho, which is not necessarily the way she really is. So actually a very well done twist, exposing Essay-Luke as an unreliable narrator (which is sort of an inherent thing for First-Person, they can’t really be omniscient). Although after it happened, it made a certain kind of sense, there were some hints I refused to see.
I‘m sure a lot of people who read this book will despise how it ends, the second I finished it I did too, but it also made kind of sense, to leave it like that.
All in all, I don’t have a single bad word to say about this book. I love Meg Howrey‘s writing. Can’t wait to read the next book by her.
The blooming relationship between Luke and his dad was very wholesome to read. I don’t care whether Mark was trying to „buy his love“ or whatever, I read his efforts as genuine.
However, I have to admit Howrey lulled me too deeply into the kind and cute story about a father and son duo finally meeting and bonding, the bombshell at the end kneed me in the stomach and slapped me across the face twice. I felt so sorry for both of them. Especially for Luke. You don’t take Sara from the way Luke writes about her as this kind of person - that is the way Luke sees him mother tho, which is not necessarily the way she really is. So actually a very well done twist, exposing Essay-Luke as an unreliable narrator (which is sort of an inherent thing for First-Person, they can’t really be omniscient). Although after it happened, it made a certain kind of sense, there were some hints I refused to see.
I‘m sure a lot of people who read this book will despise how it ends, the second I finished it I did too, but it also made kind of sense, to leave it like that.
All in all, I don’t have a single bad word to say about this book. I love Meg Howrey‘s writing. Can’t wait to read the next book by her.
November 28, 2011
I really enjoyed this book, and I thought it had great messages and raised great questions about the meaning of biology, perception, and relationships. I thought the writing was solid from beginning to end. There were a few flaws which detracted from its overall effect, which I thought could have been easily remedied. First, I agree with those that said the change in point of view (between first and third person) was a distraction. Although it eventually becomes clear that the first person sections are supposed to be Luke's free-writes for his college essay, I thought they were much too sophisticated to be the writing of a 17-year old. Which brings me to the second main flaw, which was that Luke was a great kid - too great a kid. I have never met a 17-year old boy with Luke's level of maturity, good manners, and self-possession. Additionally, Mark was just too nice, and though there was a little awkwardness between the two at first, in real life there would have been much more conflict between them, given the circumstances. Allowing Luke to be more impulsive and irritable throughout the book, and allowing more conflict between Mark and Luke, could have been done without detracting from the overall effect of the story.
However, I really enjoyed Luke's family relationships - I liked Sara and Nana's quirkiness (they came close to being caricatures, but the author allowed them enough empathy for others to avoid this problem), and I loved the sibling relationships between Luke and his sisters. I thought the ending was great; the author finally allowed Luke to be 17, and the open-endedness allows the reader to really think about the questions and themes being raised: most importantly, that Luke "knew the qualia for being a son. He knew the qualia of having a father. That was what he knew."
However, I really enjoyed Luke's family relationships - I liked Sara and Nana's quirkiness (they came close to being caricatures, but the author allowed them enough empathy for others to avoid this problem), and I loved the sibling relationships between Luke and his sisters. I thought the ending was great; the author finally allowed Luke to be 17, and the open-endedness allows the reader to really think about the questions and themes being raised: most importantly, that Luke "knew the qualia for being a son. He knew the qualia of having a father. That was what he knew."
May 12, 2011
Although this book had a lot of good moments, in the end, I really have to say it was only OK. I think the plot had lots of potential, the characters were for the most part well developed, and the themes were universal and poignant; but there were a few flaws that kept this novel from being the great work it could have been. On a few important occasions, the characters seemed to act out of character. I know that that can be used to show depth or as a technique to move a plot along, but I think it fell flat here and was unnecessary. It also seemed that the author didn't quite know where she was going at the end. Again, maybe that is seen as a modern way to end a book, but I don't like it. Also, although for the most part the story flows well, there are some passages that had me struggling to stay on task as I read.
I still recommend this book as an interesting coming of age tale, but I can't say it is one of the best books of this type out there.
I still recommend this book as an interesting coming of age tale, but I can't say it is one of the best books of this type out there.
August 22, 2011
Although, I know it's totally wrong of me--I fully admit I judge whether I will like a book by its author's photo on the dust-jacket. Meg Howrey is super pretty and her photo looks like a headshot. Oh yeah, her bio makes me cringe too. Not only does she admit to being an actress but she also is a musical theater actress. No shit.
I should have hated "Blind Sight". But I didn't. I loved it--like a lot. For that, I shall forgive Ms. Howrey for her probably preternaturally gifted dancing and singing abilities.
I should have hated "Blind Sight". But I didn't. I loved it--like a lot. For that, I shall forgive Ms. Howrey for her probably preternaturally gifted dancing and singing abilities.
May 26, 2011
Loved it---a great change of pace from what I have been reading lately. There are some twists and turns to the book, but that is what makes it a great read! Pick it up anyone and read, I am sure that you will not be able to put it down--and when finished, you will be wondering and creating further outcomes of the story!
July 5, 2013
This was a great coming of age story, particularly regarding the development of a relationship between a boy and his estranged father. It was a bit awkward as the narrating voice changes, and I think it would have been a better read if it had stayed with one voice and pint of view.
December 18, 2024
I feel determined to end my reading year with some literary-to literaryish fiction that I find engaging and thought-provoking…but, hell, I’m happy enough for the investment to give my usual four stars. :P Last month was a bit too much of a five-stars/three-stars seesaw for me. Thank you to Meg Howrey for returning me to my normal milieu, hee.
This is my second Howrey novel (also her debut novel), though it’s been awhile since I’ve read THE WANDERERS. Said book is also, at least topically, science fiction, whereas this one is not. It’s also not about ballet, which I understand is a major selling point of some of Howrey’s other writings (and her personal backstory.) No, instead this book is about a 17-year-old boy whose celebrity father reaches out to him for the first time in his life, and they spend a 21st-century summer together.
Speaking of personal celebrity, MC Luke Prescott shares a name with the nephew of a friend of mine, so there’s that. :P Also, it bears to say that Luke had no idea his dad was a celebrity (an Emmy award-winning actor on a science fiction show)…he knew nothing about the man at all. Raised by a New Age mother, a devout-Christian grandmother, and two eccentric older sisters, Luke’s life almost belongs on the pages of Alice Hoffman’s PRACTICAL MAGIC. After generations of his matrilineal line giving birth to three females, he is the first male.
His father, Mark Franco, despite being an actor, introduces some male energy into Luke’s life. It isn’t so overt and in your face as all that, but obviously Luke goes from living with people from a certain stance on reality to trying out life with someone of a different perspective. Luke’s formative family is almost kitsch in its female-energy spiritual counterculture, and part of me wishes we had more foundation with them, though I suppose that would delay the inciting incident.
Instead, Howrey shows us the push and pull with a sort of epistolary style—we get Luke’s kinda quirky, runner, kinda mathy personality in first person, as he attempts to write college essays about his life. Then we switch to third person as Mark attempts to get to know him, betwixt and between some celebrity culture events that feel relatively lowkey, from my limited understanding of Hollywood, that is.
It’s a bildungsroman, really, pretty standard fare especially for debut novels. I thought the characters were understated and intriguing (the sisters were a little interchangeable to me, though eh, they’re secondary characters.) Luke himself kept us at a distance, so alas it took until the plot got him out of his shell for me to truly invest. Relatively undergirded plot, mind you, because this is literary fiction.
And in fact, my biggest quibble about the piece is how Howrey gives into melodrama in the third act. There is so much intriguing, potentially clashing ideology at play here. Hollywood celebrity culture is not only across the country from Luke’s mother’s upbringing in Delaware; it’s a different world. Luke comes home and is altered…and his relationships to his family members are altered. But for the abrupt climax and ending, Howrey went for the low-hanging fruit of a soap opera twist. Meh. That’s not what’s interesting about Luke’s journey. I wish the author was able to take a step back within the full narrative, and delve even more into the push and pull between two very different parents and lifestyles. Talk about some fodder for a college essay as you’re trying to find your own voice, Luke. I trust that Howrey, at least now with a few more novels under her belt, wouldn’t make it trite. I’m eager to move on to her next one.
This is my second Howrey novel (also her debut novel), though it’s been awhile since I’ve read THE WANDERERS. Said book is also, at least topically, science fiction, whereas this one is not. It’s also not about ballet, which I understand is a major selling point of some of Howrey’s other writings (and her personal backstory.) No, instead this book is about a 17-year-old boy whose celebrity father reaches out to him for the first time in his life, and they spend a 21st-century summer together.
Speaking of personal celebrity, MC Luke Prescott shares a name with the nephew of a friend of mine, so there’s that. :P Also, it bears to say that Luke had no idea his dad was a celebrity (an Emmy award-winning actor on a science fiction show)…he knew nothing about the man at all. Raised by a New Age mother, a devout-Christian grandmother, and two eccentric older sisters, Luke’s life almost belongs on the pages of Alice Hoffman’s PRACTICAL MAGIC. After generations of his matrilineal line giving birth to three females, he is the first male.
His father, Mark Franco, despite being an actor, introduces some male energy into Luke’s life. It isn’t so overt and in your face as all that, but obviously Luke goes from living with people from a certain stance on reality to trying out life with someone of a different perspective. Luke’s formative family is almost kitsch in its female-energy spiritual counterculture, and part of me wishes we had more foundation with them, though I suppose that would delay the inciting incident.
Instead, Howrey shows us the push and pull with a sort of epistolary style—we get Luke’s kinda quirky, runner, kinda mathy personality in first person, as he attempts to write college essays about his life. Then we switch to third person as Mark attempts to get to know him, betwixt and between some celebrity culture events that feel relatively lowkey, from my limited understanding of Hollywood, that is.
It’s a bildungsroman, really, pretty standard fare especially for debut novels. I thought the characters were understated and intriguing (the sisters were a little interchangeable to me, though eh, they’re secondary characters.) Luke himself kept us at a distance, so alas it took until the plot got him out of his shell for me to truly invest. Relatively undergirded plot, mind you, because this is literary fiction.
And in fact, my biggest quibble about the piece is how Howrey gives into melodrama in the third act. There is so much intriguing, potentially clashing ideology at play here. Hollywood celebrity culture is not only across the country from Luke’s mother’s upbringing in Delaware; it’s a different world. Luke comes home and is altered…and his relationships to his family members are altered. But for the abrupt climax and ending, Howrey went for the low-hanging fruit of a soap opera twist. Meh. That’s not what’s interesting about Luke’s journey. I wish the author was able to take a step back within the full narrative, and delve even more into the push and pull between two very different parents and lifestyles. Talk about some fodder for a college essay as you’re trying to find your own voice, Luke. I trust that Howrey, at least now with a few more novels under her belt, wouldn’t make it trite. I’m eager to move on to her next one.
August 9, 2011
This is probably one of the hardest novels that I've ever wanted to review. It's hard to review because there's something in this story that if I were to give away, then it might ruin things for potential other readers. So, I promise to tread lightly when I go in that direction.
Overall, I think the novel will work for you if you can deal with the father. Real quick, this story is about a young man--Luke, who for reasons that will be explained in the novel was NOT raised by his father Mark. I believe Luke's parents had a brief relationship and his father was ill-prepared to be a father to him at that time, so he kinda walked out of the picture. (I say 'kinda' because he was NEVER really in the picture to begin with.) Though there IS a bit of irony here, seeing that Mark's dad walked out on him too.
Many years later, Luke's father became a successful actor and it is at this point, that Luke's dad reaches out to him. This all takes place during the summer before Luke's about to become a senior in High School. And in this process, it's like Luke's got this college application essay that he needs to complete, so we get a lot of back and forth with Luke's present and past in order to complete this paper. (Real quick, I didn't care for this premise--I found it very HARD to believe that Luke, who I believe is from the state of Delaware, would take off and go clear across to California to stay with a man that he had NEVER seen and had NO prior relationship with.)
I mean, yeah this guy is his father, only Luke didn't know him (at all) and I believe there was NO relationship established before this--you know, monthly phone calls, greeting cards, birthday presents, what have you? I mean, we didn't need to have Luke's father in the house with him 24-7, but it would've made sense to the story if there had been SOME kind of relationship established beforehand. I don't know? It just seemed weird to me. And really, not plausible.
I only wish that Luke's parents would've had a more established relationship and that Luke would've had a more established (intact) relationship with his dad prior to going off to California.
That to me, would've made the story more believable. Because to do it like this, just seemed odd. (We later learn that after Luke's initial call to his father, that there were regular phone calls and emails that were sent prior to his coming out to California, though this to me, seemed a little 'too little, too late.'
I mean at this point, Luke's dad is still a stranger to him. (And as the story progressed, I found it REALLY hard to believe that a bunch of Hollywood types from say 'Entertainment Tonight' or maybe a fictional version of this show, wouldn't have eaten this story alive.
I mean let's face it, this kinda thing just NEVER happens! And if it does, it's fodder for the tabloids. Only the way the story presented Luke, it was like 'no big deal' and trust me, something like this is ALWAYS a big deal--especially when their parents are famous. I just can't believe the author could present this part of the story so lightly. Because it was like a thorn in my side.
Moving on, it's like you learn (from their family Bible) that Luke comes from a line of women who only ever gave birth to women. In particular, THREE women. It was always believed that to keep this legacy going, Luke was 'supposed' to be a girl too. But you know, I guess this was one of those little 'blind sights' that had to pop up to keep this story going.
In Luke's family, there is his mom and his two sisters Aurora and Pearl--who by the way, didn't like her name--I didn't like her name either (I have this thing with names and to me, the name Pearl just NEVER seemed to sit well with her.)
Anyway, Luke's mother is one of those 'earthy' types who teaches yoga and has raised her children to be vegetarian. They all live with Luke's grandmother who is more on the traditional side of things (compared to Luke's mom) and who is quite religious.
This story is NOT told linearly--there's a lot of segueing--going from the present to the past. I can't say how much I dislike this type of storytelling. When I'm reading something I always like to be caught up in the here and now of things. It gets a little frustrating to go in one direction and then have to go into another. I mean, this was done so much that it's actually hard for me to keep my review straight.
Like in the beginning of this story, Luke's already in California, but then it segues to when he was still with his family in Delaware--that's when you get to learn about his family tree. But then it's like Luke's back to writing his essay and then he's talking to his sister about his dad's house. (To me, it was like the writing was getting too cluttered.) It was like I wanted to focus on one thing--like Luke's time with his father and NOT all this back and forth stuff with things of the past--it was just too much of this--I think the editor of this novel should've/could've fixed this. Oh well?
And you gotta read the conversation that's on pg.22. It's just the most silly thing. It just reeks of 'dialogue gone bad'. (And there was a LOT of this, trust me!) And the dialogue throughout this novel was so trite it was unbelievable--don't hate me if I'm a fan of dialogue. But to me, dialogue can turn into the real fuel that moves a story along.
And the pacing in this story seemed really slow (I think a lot of this had to do with all the segueing) It was like when Luke was visiting his dad, he brought a bunch of photographs and it's like the story went a LOT in the direction of talking about these photographs. I just wanted to care about Luke and his dad at this point. But it was like how the author wrote this story, you HAD to feel something about those photos--and I would've wanted it to be more about Luke getting to know his dad.
Overall, I'd say that this story just bounced around too much for me. I appreciate it when a story can begin at the beginning and end at the end.
It was like the journey that I was put on, I didn't feel was worth it. Like the payoff wasn't WORTH the journey. Like the journey that I was put on, wasn't a journey that I wouldve wanted to be on.
I mean, I liked Luke...enough? Though that doesn't merit my appreciating the novel as a whole.
In the end, I just couldn't recommend this.
Also, I didn't care for the dad. I didn't care for his back story. Especially, that he wasn't in a stable relationship that he could've shared with Luke. And I really didn't understand how/why he didn't support Luke (isn't that illegal?) And it didn't really matter to me that he was supposed to be some famous actor. (I mean, he was a famous actor who turned out to be an irresponsible jerk.)
And the twist at the end was COMPLETELY unnecessary. If anything, it kinda ruined the entire premise of the story.
I mean, because I was left thinking WHAT? And WHY did the author do this? Because we already had a BIG dramatic twist. We didn't need this last one. I mean, (Note to author--did we REALLY need this?) Please explain. : (
Overall, I think the novel will work for you if you can deal with the father. Real quick, this story is about a young man--Luke, who for reasons that will be explained in the novel was NOT raised by his father Mark. I believe Luke's parents had a brief relationship and his father was ill-prepared to be a father to him at that time, so he kinda walked out of the picture. (I say 'kinda' because he was NEVER really in the picture to begin with.) Though there IS a bit of irony here, seeing that Mark's dad walked out on him too.
Many years later, Luke's father became a successful actor and it is at this point, that Luke's dad reaches out to him. This all takes place during the summer before Luke's about to become a senior in High School. And in this process, it's like Luke's got this college application essay that he needs to complete, so we get a lot of back and forth with Luke's present and past in order to complete this paper. (Real quick, I didn't care for this premise--I found it very HARD to believe that Luke, who I believe is from the state of Delaware, would take off and go clear across to California to stay with a man that he had NEVER seen and had NO prior relationship with.)
I mean, yeah this guy is his father, only Luke didn't know him (at all) and I believe there was NO relationship established before this--you know, monthly phone calls, greeting cards, birthday presents, what have you? I mean, we didn't need to have Luke's father in the house with him 24-7, but it would've made sense to the story if there had been SOME kind of relationship established beforehand. I don't know? It just seemed weird to me. And really, not plausible.
I only wish that Luke's parents would've had a more established relationship and that Luke would've had a more established (intact) relationship with his dad prior to going off to California.
That to me, would've made the story more believable. Because to do it like this, just seemed odd. (We later learn that after Luke's initial call to his father, that there were regular phone calls and emails that were sent prior to his coming out to California, though this to me, seemed a little 'too little, too late.'
I mean at this point, Luke's dad is still a stranger to him. (And as the story progressed, I found it REALLY hard to believe that a bunch of Hollywood types from say 'Entertainment Tonight' or maybe a fictional version of this show, wouldn't have eaten this story alive.
I mean let's face it, this kinda thing just NEVER happens! And if it does, it's fodder for the tabloids. Only the way the story presented Luke, it was like 'no big deal' and trust me, something like this is ALWAYS a big deal--especially when their parents are famous. I just can't believe the author could present this part of the story so lightly. Because it was like a thorn in my side.
Moving on, it's like you learn (from their family Bible) that Luke comes from a line of women who only ever gave birth to women. In particular, THREE women. It was always believed that to keep this legacy going, Luke was 'supposed' to be a girl too. But you know, I guess this was one of those little 'blind sights' that had to pop up to keep this story going.
In Luke's family, there is his mom and his two sisters Aurora and Pearl--who by the way, didn't like her name--I didn't like her name either (I have this thing with names and to me, the name Pearl just NEVER seemed to sit well with her.)
Anyway, Luke's mother is one of those 'earthy' types who teaches yoga and has raised her children to be vegetarian. They all live with Luke's grandmother who is more on the traditional side of things (compared to Luke's mom) and who is quite religious.
This story is NOT told linearly--there's a lot of segueing--going from the present to the past. I can't say how much I dislike this type of storytelling. When I'm reading something I always like to be caught up in the here and now of things. It gets a little frustrating to go in one direction and then have to go into another. I mean, this was done so much that it's actually hard for me to keep my review straight.
Like in the beginning of this story, Luke's already in California, but then it segues to when he was still with his family in Delaware--that's when you get to learn about his family tree. But then it's like Luke's back to writing his essay and then he's talking to his sister about his dad's house. (To me, it was like the writing was getting too cluttered.) It was like I wanted to focus on one thing--like Luke's time with his father and NOT all this back and forth stuff with things of the past--it was just too much of this--I think the editor of this novel should've/could've fixed this. Oh well?
And you gotta read the conversation that's on pg.22. It's just the most silly thing. It just reeks of 'dialogue gone bad'. (And there was a LOT of this, trust me!) And the dialogue throughout this novel was so trite it was unbelievable--don't hate me if I'm a fan of dialogue. But to me, dialogue can turn into the real fuel that moves a story along.
And the pacing in this story seemed really slow (I think a lot of this had to do with all the segueing) It was like when Luke was visiting his dad, he brought a bunch of photographs and it's like the story went a LOT in the direction of talking about these photographs. I just wanted to care about Luke and his dad at this point. But it was like how the author wrote this story, you HAD to feel something about those photos--and I would've wanted it to be more about Luke getting to know his dad.
Overall, I'd say that this story just bounced around too much for me. I appreciate it when a story can begin at the beginning and end at the end.
It was like the journey that I was put on, I didn't feel was worth it. Like the payoff wasn't WORTH the journey. Like the journey that I was put on, wasn't a journey that I wouldve wanted to be on.
I mean, I liked Luke...enough? Though that doesn't merit my appreciating the novel as a whole.
In the end, I just couldn't recommend this.
Also, I didn't care for the dad. I didn't care for his back story. Especially, that he wasn't in a stable relationship that he could've shared with Luke. And I really didn't understand how/why he didn't support Luke (isn't that illegal?) And it didn't really matter to me that he was supposed to be some famous actor. (I mean, he was a famous actor who turned out to be an irresponsible jerk.)
And the twist at the end was COMPLETELY unnecessary. If anything, it kinda ruined the entire premise of the story.
I mean, because I was left thinking WHAT? And WHY did the author do this? Because we already had a BIG dramatic twist. We didn't need this last one. I mean, (Note to author--did we REALLY need this?) Please explain. : (
June 12, 2020
Seventeen-year-old Luke Prescott eagerly anticipates college while being grateful for the less than traditional upbringing he's experienced in the small Delaware town where he grew up. His is a family of women with two half-sisters, a religious grandmother, and a free-spirited mother who teachers yoga. When Luke's father, a Hollywood actor, contacts Luke and wants to spend time with him during the summer, Luke is nervous but also excited to learn more about this man whom he has never even known existed until that phone call. At first things are a bit awkward, but over the weeks that the two spend together, Luke finally feels that he has filled a void he didn't even know existed. He also starts to see that his father's private persona is quite different from his public one and that his father fears losing his career by telling the truth about his sexuality. While the two men spend time getting to know each other, Luke writes and rewrites various essays for his college admission application, often sharing them with his father. When he returns home, things just don't feel the same, and he realizes that something is up with his mother, Sara. What she reveals to him rocks him to the core. While i enjoyed reading this novel even with the philosophizing and reflection that might not appeal to others, the shift in person in the narration could be a bit startling, and I honestly felt terribly annoyed by Sara's revelation. Perhaps there are times when secrets should be kept. In this case, adding on the uncertainty of his parentage served no real purpose other than to expiate her guilt. Ultimately, readers will close the book thinking about the many ways we can love, what we might do for love, and the complicated aspects of identity. What happens to someone whose identity is all tied up in something he/she does or is or in a relationship when those things are gone? The book raises some important questions for teens and adults to ponder.
September 10, 2020
This is an interesting story. Luke is a very relatable protagonist. His life started by breaking a generational trend that dictated his family each have three daughters going to back to the time of the Salem witch trials. Having two older sisters, it was assumed Luke would be a girl. If anything, this results in him having a much closer relationship with his sisters than many boys would have. In addition, Luke does not meet his father until he is seventeen. The dynamic of this meeting is drawn in great detail by Meg. She does a wonderful job of writing about the emotions involved across the family members. The one drawback is the ending comes suddenly and does not resolve a number of open questions. I couldn’t help but feeling I wanted more when it ended.
August 17, 2022
would love to give it a 5 but some parts are rather flat and the ending is interesting..
first thing that i love about this book is how luke talk about his opinions on science, religion in the way that almost convinced me to believe his beliefs. as i read his point of views on things im like ‘oh wow, i didnt think of it that way’ and i love how it challenged me to think in some other ways. love hearing opinions and views of other people and compare it to mine. i remember as i was reading i thought ‘oh f*ck, wow’. personally, the main character, Luke is very likeable. I also think him and I are pretty similar in some ways, maybe because the way he conveys things is how i wish i would do. love other characters as well especially Sara and the sisters.
first thing that i love about this book is how luke talk about his opinions on science, religion in the way that almost convinced me to believe his beliefs. as i read his point of views on things im like ‘oh wow, i didnt think of it that way’ and i love how it challenged me to think in some other ways. love hearing opinions and views of other people and compare it to mine. i remember as i was reading i thought ‘oh f*ck, wow’. personally, the main character, Luke is very likeable. I also think him and I are pretty similar in some ways, maybe because the way he conveys things is how i wish i would do. love other characters as well especially Sara and the sisters.
September 23, 2024
A really touching philosophical journey disguised as a simple fiction. I absolutely loved the ending and enjoyed reading this so much. The ending feels abrupt but that’s the point. We have spent the entire book feeling through Luke during one of the most beautiful times of his life and pondering life at its most basic. Then we feel through him this jolt, an opportunity to question our beliefs and their strength. Although we don’t know what Luke decides or what his story will be going forward, in a sense we do know. We have spent the entire story with him as he figures out who he is, specifically in relation to the people in his life. We have done all the work with him. Now we get to put our wisdom to the test. It is ultimately a story of identity, how our environment shapes our genes and what it all means. It is subtle and truthful and a really great read.
September 23, 2017
I enjoyed this book so much more then I thought I was going to. I feel in love with the main character and really loved how real all the characters were portrayed. They all had good qualities and they all had bad ones. I loved the writing style of this book and how it made you think about many normal situations in a different way. The ending was very unconventional and not wrapped in nicely with a little bow, however I felt it was the perfect way to this book.
July 14, 2019
I *really * liked this book. It's written in the voice of a teenage boy, who is very witty and full of dry humor that made me laugh out loud multiple times, on almost every page. The humor combined with an innocence and sensitivity as Luke navigates his relationships with parents, sisters and friends. My only quibble is that the ending felt abrupt, but I'm so fond of the writing and Luke as a character that I barely minded.
August 31, 2023
I really really deeply loved this book. The beauty of the prose, the languid philosophical exploration, the characters and their experiences--all of it resonated deeply with me. This book does a great job of distilling the macro within the micro. It made me feel this satisfying sense of zooming in to one human's observations and then zooming out to like, the meaning of life. I think I'll keep this author on my radar.
January 9, 2019
Well written. I liked the flow of the story and the format (each chapter is essay-style followed by actual events/thoughts/reflections. Actual story line didn't hold my interest as much as I would have liked. It's about a 17 year-old boy and the development of his relationship with his estranged father.
February 10, 2025
Flashes of the brilliance that will come to her writing later, this is still a lovely book. I'm kind of grading her on a curve that wasn't yet formed when she wrote this, so I'm being a bit unfair. I'll gladly take a 3-star Howrey over many other books, though I must confess a slight feeling of having an unscratched itch.
December 12, 2025
Ended up having to read this one bc it was the only downloaded one for my flight but I ended up very much enjoying it and loving the main character. I occasionally thought he was too perfect / unrealistic but was a good story about growing up with all woman and meeting his dad later in life
Loved this authors other book and I think this is her debut so I know her writing just gets better
Loved this authors other book and I think this is her debut so I know her writing just gets better
March 6, 2015
The last week of December offered me an unusual wealth of free time that I occupied primarily with eating, sleeping, and reading. There were plenty of prize-winning novels in my pile from the library, but it was Blind Sight, Meg Howrey’s debut novel, that proved the most entertaining and left the most lasting impression upon me heading into the new year.
Howrey’s narrative structure is completely unique and compelling from the get-go. We find ourselves privy to the musings of Luke, a teenager heading into his final summer before senior year. The beginning of each chapter is composed of Luke’s attempts at college essays and other written ramblings, followed by a third person narrative closing out each chapter. I’m pretty sure this is one of the only books I’ve ever encountered that offered both types of perspectives on a central character without the use of multiple narrators. But Howrey’s narrative ingenuity is just the beginning of Blind Sight‘s many virtues.
Luke is considered an accident among his family, the first male descendant in twelve generations which have followed a very distinct pattern when it comes to producing offspring. The youngest of three children, Luke’s mother Sara is all New Age, taking each of her children on ritualistic pilgrimages on the cusp of their thirteenth birthdays, prohibiting any entertainment that promotes violence, and encouraging meditation, natural healing, and the like among her progeny. Luke’s sisters Aurora and Pearl are positive figures in his life, providing him with a firm handle on how to talk to women and an unusual level of knowledge regarding menstruation. And they all live with Nana, Sara’s widowed mother who is a devout Christian and prays for her grandchildren on a daily basis. As the sole male in his family’s sea of women, Luke was brought up in a way largely different from that of his male friends.
Though Luke’s family is obviously outfitted to provide some comic relief (though I probably identified with Sara a bit more than Howrey intended), the real story pertains to the long-missing family member, Luke’s father Anthony Boyle, better known as the actor Mark Franco. Luke’s mother shared one night with Anthony/Mark after Aurora and Pearl’s father divorced her and left the family. Anthony/Mark met Luke just once when he was a newborn. When he became famous, however, Sara was so far removed from celebrity culture and popular entertainment that she barely knew who Mark Franco was, let alone came across his well-known face and recognized Anthony Boyle, Luke’s father.
When Anthony/Mark contacts Sara in the hopes of meeting with his now-teenaged son, plans are made so that Luke can spend the summer with his father in Los Angeles. Though the relationship is at first strained by lack of familiarity between the two and the vast number of years spent apart, a unique rapport develops between father and son as they travel around the country for Anthony/Mark’s various acting gigs and publicity stints, to visit Luke’s paternal grandmother, to relax in Hawaii, and to camp in Sequoia National Park.
Blind Sight is part family saga, part coming of age story. Humorous situations are devised, undercutting some of the heavier aspects of Luke’s written ramblings and his at-times difficult relationships with various family members. Luke and his father attempt to forge a father-son bond against the backdrop of a Hollywood career and exorbitant vacations, a completely alternate reality for Luke whose Delaware upbringing prized mindfulness, simplicity, and the renunciation of material goods. Though Howrey’s story is largely that of Luke negotiating his newfound role in his father’s life, all that he learned and valued via the female household in which he was raised begins to come into question too.
Though the situation itself isn’t entirely unique (I believe I’ve read a story or two about absent parents, at least one containing a famous or remarkably rich father), Howrey creates an extremely relevant, relatable, and engaging story out of this basic construct. For a first-time novelist, Howrey’s ability to narrate as an authentic and sympathetic teenaged boy is truly remarkable and her storytelling was entirely enrapturing throughout. I was quite pleased to find a book that I could read for two hour stretches at a time (since I finally had the opportunity to do so!) without growing bored or simply logging pages until reaching the final one.
I love to read and make as much time to do so as possible. Each book I begin with the hope that it will instantly grab my attention, keep me hooked through the last page, and stay on mind even after I finish. I’m constantly seeking the next novel that will stand apart from the others, and Blind Sight stood up to the test. Reading Bling Sight was a delightful experience, one that I didn’t want to end (save for the ten books waiting to be opened as soon as I finished). Though the book wasn’t exactly as profound as those I place among my very favorites (Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief or Nicole Krauss’ The History of Love for instance), the experience of reading Blind Sight was very much like that of reading those books that have become my favorites for the first time.
Howrey’s narrative structure is completely unique and compelling from the get-go. We find ourselves privy to the musings of Luke, a teenager heading into his final summer before senior year. The beginning of each chapter is composed of Luke’s attempts at college essays and other written ramblings, followed by a third person narrative closing out each chapter. I’m pretty sure this is one of the only books I’ve ever encountered that offered both types of perspectives on a central character without the use of multiple narrators. But Howrey’s narrative ingenuity is just the beginning of Blind Sight‘s many virtues.
Luke is considered an accident among his family, the first male descendant in twelve generations which have followed a very distinct pattern when it comes to producing offspring. The youngest of three children, Luke’s mother Sara is all New Age, taking each of her children on ritualistic pilgrimages on the cusp of their thirteenth birthdays, prohibiting any entertainment that promotes violence, and encouraging meditation, natural healing, and the like among her progeny. Luke’s sisters Aurora and Pearl are positive figures in his life, providing him with a firm handle on how to talk to women and an unusual level of knowledge regarding menstruation. And they all live with Nana, Sara’s widowed mother who is a devout Christian and prays for her grandchildren on a daily basis. As the sole male in his family’s sea of women, Luke was brought up in a way largely different from that of his male friends.
Though Luke’s family is obviously outfitted to provide some comic relief (though I probably identified with Sara a bit more than Howrey intended), the real story pertains to the long-missing family member, Luke’s father Anthony Boyle, better known as the actor Mark Franco. Luke’s mother shared one night with Anthony/Mark after Aurora and Pearl’s father divorced her and left the family. Anthony/Mark met Luke just once when he was a newborn. When he became famous, however, Sara was so far removed from celebrity culture and popular entertainment that she barely knew who Mark Franco was, let alone came across his well-known face and recognized Anthony Boyle, Luke’s father.
When Anthony/Mark contacts Sara in the hopes of meeting with his now-teenaged son, plans are made so that Luke can spend the summer with his father in Los Angeles. Though the relationship is at first strained by lack of familiarity between the two and the vast number of years spent apart, a unique rapport develops between father and son as they travel around the country for Anthony/Mark’s various acting gigs and publicity stints, to visit Luke’s paternal grandmother, to relax in Hawaii, and to camp in Sequoia National Park.
Blind Sight is part family saga, part coming of age story. Humorous situations are devised, undercutting some of the heavier aspects of Luke’s written ramblings and his at-times difficult relationships with various family members. Luke and his father attempt to forge a father-son bond against the backdrop of a Hollywood career and exorbitant vacations, a completely alternate reality for Luke whose Delaware upbringing prized mindfulness, simplicity, and the renunciation of material goods. Though Howrey’s story is largely that of Luke negotiating his newfound role in his father’s life, all that he learned and valued via the female household in which he was raised begins to come into question too.
Though the situation itself isn’t entirely unique (I believe I’ve read a story or two about absent parents, at least one containing a famous or remarkably rich father), Howrey creates an extremely relevant, relatable, and engaging story out of this basic construct. For a first-time novelist, Howrey’s ability to narrate as an authentic and sympathetic teenaged boy is truly remarkable and her storytelling was entirely enrapturing throughout. I was quite pleased to find a book that I could read for two hour stretches at a time (since I finally had the opportunity to do so!) without growing bored or simply logging pages until reaching the final one.
I love to read and make as much time to do so as possible. Each book I begin with the hope that it will instantly grab my attention, keep me hooked through the last page, and stay on mind even after I finish. I’m constantly seeking the next novel that will stand apart from the others, and Blind Sight stood up to the test. Reading Bling Sight was a delightful experience, one that I didn’t want to end (save for the ten books waiting to be opened as soon as I finished). Though the book wasn’t exactly as profound as those I place among my very favorites (Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief or Nicole Krauss’ The History of Love for instance), the experience of reading Blind Sight was very much like that of reading those books that have become my favorites for the first time.
June 1, 2017
A nice change of pace to have a coming of age story about a nice, quiet, intelligent guy. Really great and well-developed characters and believable story line. Loved the way the author used the college essays to introduce the past.
June 6, 2017
It's not bad, if you are a 13 year old boy. Why oh why doesn't the library mark YA books? I got all excited because I loved The Wanderers, and found myself knee deep in teen-angst! It was sweet in that YA annoying way ....
October 20, 2018
The Blind Sight that the author tells readers in the end of the book remind me of Kant's Philosophy, I like this part and the cover is soooo beautiful. HOWEVER, some parts are quite boring and humourless.
February 22, 2018
Not that impressed lol
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