We Are The Light
By Matthew Quick
240 pages
What’s it about?
Lucas Goodacre lives in a quiet suburb of Philadelphia and is trying his best to get over a tragedy. He has lost his wife to a mass shooting and is trying his best to cope with the loss, and with his role in the tragedy. He begins writing letters to his Jungian analyst as a way to cope. Through these letters we see the hard work Lucas must do to regain his mental health.What did it make me think about?
Mental health….Should I read it?
This was a very affirming novel about a very dark subject. I was awfully glad I read it. You will need to prepare yourself for what some will see as “psychobabble” such as, “Can you hold the tension of those two opposites and make the resulting pain meaningful.” But really this is a very hopeful novel that presents the struggle one individual has with his mental health. I read to see other points of view- and this book was such an illuminating look at someone struggling with mental health issues. It really does personalize the struggle so many people live with everyday. I think every reader will be rooting for Lucas Goodacre.Quote-
“I, too, haven’t been able to return to work since the tragedy. I tried a few times, but never made it out of my car. I just sat there in the faculty parking lot watching the students streaming into the building. Some would look at me with concerned expressions and I couldn’t tell whether I wanted them to help me or if I wanted to be invisible. It was the strangest sensation. Do you ever feel that way? I’d grip the steering wheel so hard my knuckles would turn white.”What’s it about?
Lucas Goodacre lives in a quiet suburb of Philadelphia and is trying his best to get over a tragedy. He has lost his wife to a mass shooting and is trying his best to cope with the loss, and with his role in the tragedy. He begins writing letters to his Jungian analyst as a way to cope. Through these letters we see the hard work Lucas must do to regain his mental health.
What did it make me think about?
Mental health….
Should I read it?
This was a very affirming novel about a very dark subject. I was awfully glad I read it. You will need to prepare yourself for what some will see as “psychobabble” such as, “Can you hold the tension of those two opposites and make the resulting pain meaningful.” But really this is a very hopeful novel that presents the struggle one individual has with his mental health. I read to see other points of view- and this book was such an illuminating look at someone struggling with mental health issues. It really does personalize the struggle so many people live with everyday. I think every reader will be rooting for Lucas Goodacre.
Quote-
“I, too, haven’t been able to return to work since the tragedy. I tried a few times, but never made it out of my car. I just sat there in the faculty parking lot watching the students streaming into the building. Some would look at me with concerned expressions and I couldn’t tell whether I wanted them to help me or if I wanted to be invisible. It was the strangest sensation. Do you ever feel that way? I’d grip the steering wheel so hard my knuckles would turn white.”
