Reviews

Broken Light by Joanne Harris is an unusual story that left me conflicted and still pondering its merits. The plotline is truly one-of-a-kind, and I doubt I'll come across another book quite like it. Whether that's a positive or negative attribute, I'm still trying to determine.

The novel introduces us to Bernie Moon, a menopausal woman in her 50s grappling with empty nest syndrome and the feeling of invisibility. Married to her high school sweetheart, Martin, Bernie realises that most of her friends exist only in the online realm. However, when a young woman is murdered in a local park, Bernie's childhood memories resurface, unveiling a hidden power that allows her to delve into others' minds and manipulate their future thoughts, actions, and attitudes.

Broken Light delves into significant issues such as misogyny and toxic masculinity, employing magic realism to explore these topical themes. While the author raises important points, I found that the narrative occasionally veered into misandry territory, which felt excessive and detracted from the overall message. Additionally, the inclusion of the magical superpower element felt strange and challenging to embrace.

I did find Bernie relatable in terms of her perspective on aging and re-evaluating the pivotal moments in her life. The inclusion of a light-hearted and amusing menopause influencer added a nice touch.

Nevertheless, Joanne Harris's writing style and way with words are captivating and compulsively readable. The book features some truly remarkable lines that I found myself revisiting multiple times due to their sheer brilliance.

Broken Light is bound to divide its audience, and it's a novel that necessitates forming one's own opinion through reading. While it wasn't a perfect fit for me personally, it undeniably provokes thought and offers a highly original concept.

betharoni's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The menopausal version of Carrie.

What an excellent idea to link such magic and power to menopause. I’m so glad we’re talking more and having people write about this “change”. I enjoyed Bernie Moon’s story.

But I hated the ending! Sure it was all building to the dance but to have her just die. I hated it. It felt cruel, for her to starting living her life and then lose it. And the poetic shared light of it, nope don’t care. Would have been much happier if she’d just been allowed to go home.

ptaradactyl's review against another edition

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I just got uncomfortable when she was borrowing everyone else’s experiences

Content Warnings

puzzlekatie's review against another edition

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challenging emotional inspiring slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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