I have fallen into the habit of pre-ordering books that I am excited to read, and then they show up on my Kindle and I do not remember exactly why I ordered them. This means that I am reading books without preconceptions or specific expectations, and I am enjoying them much more (for the most part). This open-mindedness was perfect when it came to reading Matthew Quick’s newest novel, We Are the Light; I might have put off reading this book because of the heavy theme, but I am SO glad that I didn’t.
Lucas Goodgame is the narrator, and we learn that Lucas is a former school counselor who lives in the town of Majestic, Pennsylvania. The townspeople of Majestic have recently had their lives upended by a tragedy, and Lucas is a survivor (and hero, although not in his own mind) of that tragic event; sadly, Lucas’ wife did not survive. Lucas’ grief is profound and intense, and he is comforted by the nightly visits of his wife’s angel. The novel is told through letters that Lucas writes to his former Jungian analyst, Karl.
As Lucas is writing to Karl, he confides some odd behaviors and it is not clear exactly what role Lucas played in the horrific event, or what some of his current actions say about his state of mind. When Lucas sees a tent in his yard, he realizes that a young man is camping out on his property and Lucas befriends the lonely 18-year-old who is suffering from his own demons.
Because I really enjoyed not knowing exactly where this book was going, I do not want to drop any spoilers into this review. This is the kind of book that goes deeper than you might expect, and you will find yourself cheering for the imperfectly human characters even as you are crying for them. The writing is beautiful, as one would expect from Matthew Quick, and the book is gorgeous, truly and heartbreakingly stunning. I recommend this book to everyone, without hesitation.