A Scatter of Light

By: Malinda Lo

Narrated by: Annie Q

“Full of yearning, ponderances about art and what it means to be an artist, and self-revelation, A Scatter of Light has a simmering intensity that makes it hard to put down."—NPR An Instant New York Times Bestseller

Last Night at the Telegraph Club author Malinda Lo returns to the Bay Area with another masterful queer coming-of-age story, this time set against the backdrop of the first major Supreme Court decisions legalizing gay marriage.

Aria Tang West was looking forward to a summer on Martha’s Vineyard with her best friends—one last round of sand and sun before college. But after a graduation party goes wrong, Aria’s parents exile her to California to stay with her grandmother, artist Joan West. Aria expects boredom, but what she finds is Steph Nichols, her grandmother’s gardener. Soon, Aria is second-guessing who she is and what she wants to be, and a summer that once seemed lost becomes unforgettable—for Aria, her family, and the working-class queer community Steph introduces her to. It’s the kind of summer that changes a life forever.

And almost sixty years after the end of Last Night at the Telegraph Club, A Scatter of Light also offers a glimpse into Lily and Kath’s lives since 1955.

Love Letter to SF

I was born, raised and came of age/came out in SF and this novel felt like home to me.

A journey to find oneself

The story foucs on a young teen navigating lasts days of high school and preparing for college. It's touches on choice and consequences for those action, family, friends and the differences between love and just. Most importantly we got to see want happened to Lilly and Kat from The night at the Telegraph club. we'll worth reading

A Great Sequel to my favorite Sapphic Novel

I love that we go to hear about Lily and Kath. I love that this story was very relatable especially for me because a few years ago my Great Grandmother Joan had a stroke and died soon after. I do also understand why they did the ending the way they did, this isn’t the story of someone’s long time relationship, it’s the story of their first relationship that might lead to something else later on. Unlike Lily and Kath, our main character is still trying to find herself even if it means she has to face both a death in the family and her first break up. This story shows how much the writer has improved,

Unrequited Love

The author does a great job at showing what it is like to love someone physically that can’t love you back despite how they feel. The story was intertwined with a plot that I felt like was not fully thought out, and the conclusion was very underwhelming. Overall though, I do think it is worth the read and the tragedy that is the romance that follows is part of the human experience.

Hang on, it catches fire.

A slow start tumbled into wonderful depths. And a familial bond with Last Telegraph characters was fantastic. I’m Malinda Lo’s newest biggest fan.