The Rise of Light

A Novel

By: Olivia Hawker

Narrated by: Jackie Zebrowski

A powerful novel about the expectations of family - and the risks and liberation of defying them - by the Washington Post bestselling author of One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow.

1975. In the town of Rexburg, Idaho, aspiring artist Aran Rigby, his younger sister, Tamsin, and their two brothers are locked in orbit around their emotionally abusive father. Gad is the kind of man who soothes the failures of his own life by controlling the lives of others. But Aran and Tamsin are united in rebellion against their father. They understand each other. They have dreams beyond their small town.

Arriving in Rexburg is Linda Duff, an outsider from Seattle hoping to plant new roots far from the bitter ones of her childhood. She’s quickly taken with Aran, in no small part because of his talent. But when they fall in love, Linda is drawn into a family more damaged than the one she left behind. She also becomes privy to a secret Aran and Tamsin share that could dismantle everything everyone holds dear.

Upsetting the precarious balance in the Rigby home, Linda becomes an unwitting catalyst for the upheaval of Gad’s oppression. Now it’s time for them all to break free of the past, overcome the unforgivable, and find a new way forward - whatever the price.

©2021 by Libbie Grant. (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Interesting, but a bit slow

I did enjoy learning more about what it’s like to be a member of the Mormon church. And I did enjoy the family dynamics, but it was a bit slow at times. I think the story could have been told in about half the space.

A great read

This is the 3rd book I've read. Love this author! She's new to me. I'll be starting my 4th one today. The narrator was fantastic.

Great Read

I know this to be an essentially true story. (Maybe some literary license). It shows how strict adherence to religious dogma can cause lots of unneeded pain. I would have been very interested in what happened to the family over the next 20 years.

As for the performance, I found it improved by moving the speed to 1.5 times.

Quite the Story

I had a difficult time with this book for my own reasons. Having been a part of a strict religious group at one point in my life, this story kicked up a lot of my own historical issues around this type of religion. I know Olivia Hawker usually writes stories that are somehow historically based on some of her own experiences. This is what kept me reading this book. I was going crazy with frustration with the father in the story, and his sons’ inability to fully stand up to him. It’s well worth the read!

Wow!

This was an incredible book! Very moving, very deep. You took me into all kinds of deep emotions. I didn't want it to end, ever.