Into the Light
Ratings6
Average rating3.4
When you're like me, you have to lie.
It’s been one year since Manny was cast out of his family and driven into the wilderness of the American Southwest. Since then, Manny lives by self-taught rules that keep him moving ― and keep him alive. Now, he’s taking a chance on a traveling situation with the Varela family, whose attractive but surly son, Carlos, seems to promise a new future.
I can't let anyone down.
Eli abides by the rules of his family, living in a secluded community that raised him to believe his obedience will be rewarded. But an unsettling question slowly eats away at Eli’s once unwavering faith in Reconciliation: Why can’t he remember his past?
What am I supposed to do?
But the reported discovery of an unidentified body found in the hills of Idyllwild, California, will draw both of these young men into facing their biggest fears and confronting their own identity ― and who they are allowed to be.
Find the truth.
For fans of Courtney Summers and Tiffany D. Jackson, Into the Light is a ripped-from-the-headlines story with Oshiro's signature mix of raw emotions and visceral prose ― but with a startling twist you’ll have to read to believe.
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Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is one of those books that really has some moments that are hard to shake. Some of the stuff Manny goes through is tough to read, as he's a well-written, rounded character you grow to care about in short order.
Following a queer boy on the run from his religious upbringing and coping with a transient life that's full of compromises no one should have to make. The writing is fluid and smooth, to the point where you almost forget you're reading about some pretty horrific stuff.
I enjoyed this one. The shift near the end was something, although it did feel sort of abrupt, but overall, this was a book worth checking out.
This is a thematically tough read. Thankfully, there is lots of beautiful language to hold it up and see the reader through. I don't think the structure, while unique, personally worked for me. At about 80% the twist kind of started twisting and I didn't particularly like how it played out. For me, the strength of the novel was in the characterization of some of the main players. It felt like you were going on this journey with Manny and my heart was in my throat about it. Due to the content, I probably wouldn't give this book to someone unless they specifically asked for this type of story.
