Elizabeth Byler Younts

MY REVIEW:
Review of The Bright Unknown by Elizabeth Byler Younts: I went out on a limb getting this book, I passed it over once then saw that JustReads had it on tour and figured that maybe since I was seeing it everywhere I should try it out . . . I knew that it would be a hard book to read with everything that happened in asylums in history but WOW I didn’t expect it to be so very emotional.

The characters were so lifelike and their struggles so heartrending that I felt their every emotion with a hurting heart.

This heartbreaking, emotion searing, unusual love filled, story is a need to read for all.

And how have I not read this author’s work before?

Rating: 5 stars.

Recommendation: 16/18 up for violence, abuse, mistreatment, and racism.

Verse: Luke 6:38
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (King James Version)

Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.… (meer)

Set in 1956, a black family relocates from Alabama to Pennsylvania after the death of their son. They move to a rural area next door to an Amish family. It is told from the viewpoints of three female characters: preacher’s wife, Delilah, her daughter, Sparrow, and neighbor, Emma. Delilah blames Sparrow for her role in her brother’s death. Sparrow feels anguish and cannot turn to her mother, so she befriends the neighbor. Emma is harboring her own secrets. The storyline explores racial discrimination and how people bond over painful experiences.

A primary strength of this novel lies in the authentic feel of the main characters. Water is a recurring symbol of both negative and positive forces. Themes include grief, guilt, faith, friendship, and forgiveness. Sensitive readers should be aware that this book contains scenes of self-harm. The story contains a great deal of sadness and suffering, but it also offers a thread of hope.
… (meer)