The Memory of Light
I knew when I started listening to this on audio, it was a mistake but I continued as I was already vested in it and I didn’t want to change to the novel knowing that I probably wouldn’t finish it. This novel dealt with a serious subject and I felt the whole audio carried this theme and it felt a bit too heavy for me. With monotone voices, I grew tired of listening to this audio and I kept waiting for the part in the novel when things would turn around. This is one novel where I highly recommend that you read it instead of listening to it as you can make a big difference in this novel.
Vicky survived her suicide attempt but she’s still uncertain about her future. Her father wants Vicky to get help from individuals he has contacts with and get back into the mainstream of life again but the doctor who took her case at the hospital wants Vicky to take control and tell them what she needs. It becomes a battle as her father tries to control Vicky as Vicky tries to take control of her own life. Surrounded by peers who are also hurting in the hospital, Vicky finds she is not alone in her thoughts and she finds comfort in this. This comfort gives her strength and it allows her to slowly open up. She needs them, just as much as they need her and the doctor who works at the hospital is helping them realize that what they are experiencing will not be cured overnight. Vicky’s father kept trying to sweep his daughter’s illness under the rug and his straight-to-the-point, no nonsense talking turned me off immediately. His wife, I didn’t care for her either. It was the individuals in the hospital that won me over, it was their stories, the bonds that they had with each other and the pain that they were trying to overcome, these were the people that I came to care about. There was some sunshine in this novel, I finally saw the sun but it took a while for it to shine.
