In the Light of You Review

Going into reading this book, I anticipated hating the main character. I knew that Mikal fanon's ignorance would enrage me, his hate for something so insignificant, and his violent way of expressing it. I did not anticipate though, the respect he would earn from me, the way I would be encased in watching him grow, shed his ignorance, learn to accept. I took my time, once again,
to read it, wanting to let it sink in gradually. When i do this, i befriend the characters, and i think about them at other times of the day, watching a movie, I'll say "oh, that's what Richard said to Mikal." and then i realize, no one knows who I'm talking about. It's nice, it's as if i know i have something to rely on, a friend to turn to, when i feel lonely, or even claustrophobic.

My favorite character was absolutely Niani Shange. Though I do adore Mikal, his honest personality, and the fact that he spoke his mind. The growth and journey i watched him and all of the other characters make, opening their eyes, learning to love, accepting their lives. i loved the radiance Niani possessed. I love that she was this commanding presence to everyone on campus. I love that D'antre Philips, Daddy Molotov was in the book.

Writing this now, i feel like i have so much to say about the novel, but I'm struggling to word it all. I guess, "It's hard to know how to feel,". The fact that Mikal says this throughout the book reminds me of Holden saying "Lousy," it caught on, and i began discovering myself saying "it's hard to know how to feel," in everyday situations. This also occurred when reading A Prayer For Dawn, and coming across "Ya dig," so often.

As i have experienced, Singer's writing is so genuinely, and terrifyingly honest, it's like a murderer playing the xylophone on your vertebrae. Though in some parts, it was quite violent, with the racist activities a gang of neo-Nazi skinheads would typically be involved in. but it wasn't as brutal as A Prayer For Dawn, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, it could prove to be an excellent thing, for those of you with a weak stomach.

Nathan Singer did a great job allowing the reader to grasp the idea of Niani and Jack Curry's relationship, the completely platonic love they had for one another, is not something a teenage reader might be able to fully grasp, with the naivety of teenagers these days. Nathan Singer's familiar intense language was not absent, and i was mesmerized by the real-to-life dialect and promisingly accurate depictions of relationships. Friendships, loyalty, honestly, it's all
beautifully expressed in the novel. Looking at A Prayer For Dawn, In The Light Of You, and Chasing the Wolf, it is final, Nathan Singer is one of my favorite authors.

Impulse, Ellen Hopkins

Impulse. The one-word title is striking and sudden, like a gasp in the winter, filling your lungs with a chilling sensation of wonder and curiosity. In the story, there are three stories, three paths, three characters. The characters and their stories are all different, but their pain is a common denominator, between them and anyone who is human. This novel tells the gutsy story, not long ago thought taboo. Of what really goes on in the minds of adolescents. Tony is a drug addicted lad with a childhood like Maury has never seen. His troubles with his sexuality and his past make him an easily related to, vulnerable character we can all find solace in. Vanessa is an attractive girl with a pretty smile, who knows how pretty the smile of the blade is. Her father is in the armed forces, and her mother was a schizophrenic, suffering from hallucinations and double personalities varying like the flick of a switch. Conner, is a stereotyped pretty boy with a wealthy family who seems to have the perfect life. Looking closer, there's such an array of problems, dating back to when he was a toddler, his attempt at suicide is easily rationalized.
The three meet at 'Aspen Springs', a psychiatric hospital for those who have attempted suicide. Tony, by overdose, Vanessa by blade, Conner by gun. They all receive a second chance, and upon meeting seek to save each other. The book is told in prose-poetry, metaphors and similes grace the page with vicious impact. The book is 666 pages, though don't be fooled, it could be read in a day. The twists and turns, and reality of the book shake you right where you stand. The story is hypnotic and the outcome is horrifyingly enticing. This book is so tasteful and honest, it's scary. Hopkins's writing is dark and comic. Raw and true, the novel will capture you and by its nooks and crannies of brilliant, thundering genius you will be forever changed. Don't fight your impulse to get your hands on this book, and witness the magic that is Ellen Hopkins. After reading 'Impulse', i had a revelation, contemplating how deeply our childhood affects who we are. Each hero/heroine was pained because of something that happened or didn't happen in the past, and how it made them who they are. Cause and Effect, i suppose. Impulses have consequences, and no blade, bottle, or bullet can cure you of loneliness.