The Lightkeepers by Abby Geni – 340 pages
ARC courtesy of author
Book Blurb:
The Lightkeepers upends the traditional structure of a mystery novel —an isolated environment, a limited group of characters who might not be trustworthy, a death that may or may not have been accidental, a balance of discovery and action —while also exploring wider themes of the natural world, the power of loss, and the nature of recovery. It is a luminous debut novel from a talented and provocative new writer.
My Review: 4 stars
The Lightkeepers took me by surprise in a fabulous way. I have never read a book quite like this. Exquisite writing with rich descriptions and memorable characters can only begin to describe this book. This a wonderful literary debut : cultivated, educational and curious. This is a reader’s read.
Although at its heart this book is a mystery, it’s also an ode to nature, to animals and to the earth. I found myself sharing fascinating facts about sharks, whales and elephant seals to my family. I learned so much about the study of animals and the role of these scientists living on the islands. The oddly unique circumstances of four scientists, one photographer and one intern, cohabiting in a dilapidated cabin on The Farallon Islands is the perfect setting for some serious secrecy, ambiguity and resilience.
The author kept the twists coming and urged the reader to devour every word so the mystery could unravel.
Quotes I liked:
This was not exactly narcissism. She was at the age in which her own personality fascinated her so much that it eclipsed everything else.”
-“A relationship is a two-sided thing, both parties reaching toward one another across empty air. You may gone, but if I keep reaching, some elements of our bond may remain.”
-“To remember is to rewrite. To photograph is to replace. The only reliable memories, I suppose, are the ones that have been forgotten. They are the dark rooms of the mind. Unopened, untouched, and uncorrupted.”
-“This is how we know we’re alive, I guess: we continue to feel pain.”
-“He had told me that the greatest illusion of the human experience was the idea that we were outside of nature– that we were not a part of the food chain — that we were not animals ourselves.”
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I got a Kindle for the holidays and thought I’d try to read a book on it and pre-ordered The Lightkeepers by clicking on this page. I hope you get credit. Not sure how that works.
Very different book. I think you’ll like it. Congrats on the kindle!