We are the light, by Matthew Quick

 

I loved this heartbreaking novel by author Matthew Quick. Epistolary novels offer so much in the way of telling a story while also allowing for the narrator to be somewhat unreliable and drawing out the tension. The premise of this book is that in the aftermath of a mass shooting in a movie theater in this small Pennsylvania town, the narrator develops a close friendship with the brother of the shooter who has been treated like a pariah by the rest of the town’s residents. They decide to make a feature-length monster movie that will include the survivors of the shooting as cast members and debut the film in the same theater where the shooting occurred and which has been closed since; this is intended to help the town heal from its pain. The narrator tells the story through letters to his Jungian therapist who was also a victim of the shooting. The main characters are interesting, likable, and well-developed; the secondary characters are also believable.  

I think the writing is superb, and the story and plot demonstrate such humanity and empathy while also showing the real trauma and pain caused by senseless acts of violence. Given that mass shootings appear to be an almost daily occurrence now, this book is very timely and would be a great selection for book clubs or other group reads. It would generate a lot of discussion and really makes you think about the causes of violence, but also why some people survive traumatic childhoods and others go on to perpetuate the trauma. But the story mostly revolves around the victims of violence and how it can and