Light by Michael Grant

Cover via Goodreads.

Rating: 5/5 stars.

If there’s one series that captures my teenage years, it’s this one. I picked up Gone five years ago at the age of 13 maybe because Sam was cute, not like I knew I was into guys at the time and five books later I’ve finished the series, now as an adult. I have so much history with this series, and I doubt any sleeping aid would give me back the hours I’ve spent reading it late into the night.

If you haven’t read Light yet or the books preceding it, I’d recommend skipping this paragraph and catching up right now. Otherwise, the central story line of the last installment in Michael Grant’s epic series revolves around Gaia and her (its?) plan to destroy all who inhabit the FAYZ… and eventually, all outside of it, too. Every character joins in for the fight no matter his or her previous wounds or scars. The question remains: will it be enough to defeat the darkness once and for all?

As always, Grant’s plot grabbed me from the get go. The exposition of Light builds tension and suspense while the rest of the book brings it all out into the open with action scene after action scene. This must be my sixth time trying to describe Grant’s storytelling ability, and it really hasn’t changed that much. He captivates with every shot of light from Gaia or Sam’s hands, every backstabbing piece of dialogue, and every little horrible detail that goes into the characters’ deaths or near-fatal encounters.

Yes, characters die. Maybe more than you would expect, but if you’re a pessimist, maybe less. Irrespective of their mortality characters reach their peak in Light, evaluating not only their actions but their religious beliefs, sexualities, abuses of power, family histories, etc. Grant has not only changed his characters from the somewhat flat archetypes they were at the very beginning to developed young adults with unique desires, he also incorporates a laudable amount of diversity. He delves into the essence of his characters and pushes them to the finale, an impressive feat with such a wide ensemble.

Of course this book – and this series as a whole – will not please everyone. The writing does not scream of sophistication even though it serves its purpose. Some of the philosophical implications of the characters’ actions and the dystopian setting do not get that much attention due to the sheer size of the plot. A few of the events near the ending occur almost too easily or without explanation. However, none of these qualms come even close to detracting from the overall fabulous quality of this series. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a dark, thrilling story with strong characters and consistent writing.