2021 EDIT: As it turns out, 'A Gathering Light' and other books like it aren't for adult me.
Personally, I find the infodumps explaining a character's backstory, especially at the beginning, to be misplaced and protracted. Not a lot of interesting things happen in the actual story. The narrative is slow and lackadaisical. Some of the characters aren't that interesting, either, and the reader is often told one thing about them, but they are shown to be a completely different way (Abby, one of Mattie's sisters, is a great example of this bad characterisation). And wow is Mattie an insipid twit most of the time. For a bookworm armed with erudition for her time (1906) and social indoctrination because of her gender, she is dense. How can she never see how much of a condescending, manipulative arse Royal is? Weaver Smith, the only POC character in the book besides his overworked and underappreciated mother, isn't treated with the nuance and sensitivity that a black man living in 1900s America should. Mostly his serious struggles - including violent hate crimes - are dismissed and glossed over. Mattie and her white girl pain have top priority in her story.
However, 'A Gathering Light' does contain good - near excellent, even - social observations every once in a while. The numerous references to classic literature, and the "words of the day" from a dictionary, are sure to beguile bibliophiles. It's infrequently funny, too. Also, Weaver is given a strong personality, and page time aplenty, at least, so he can't really be called a disposable plot device. He is better written than the majority of token black best friends (who are possibly in love with the white female protagonist) that I've seen or read about; though that isn't a helpful trope regardless. It's outdated and is still a criticism. White authors: always strive to do better when writing people of colour - yes, even and especially in historical fiction.
Well, after nearly twenty years, I finally got around to rereading 'A Gathering Light', and I tried. I find other, and more modern, books to be more engaging and self-aware. This novel is not a newfound favourite like I'd thought, sadly.
Final Score: 3/5
Original Review:
Another book I've read years and years ago and maybe need to reread. A lot of it has stayed with me though.
'A Gathering Light' talks about classic books, obscure words, the differences between happy endings and fake endings, and class. It's got a bookworm and aspiring writer for a heroine, whom I could relate to and adore. It's about friendship, family, home and its delicacies, society pressures, pets and books. There is also a murder mystery in the heart of it all - the story of Grace Brown reflects Mattie Gokey's as it goes on, in terms of the choices each girl has made because of love over ambition, or ambition over love. Responsibilities entail for both.
Mattie must decide once and for all what she truly wants in life, regardless of what the other characters think and feel about her.
I also remember the writing being simple to read and charismatic, since the first person narration connects to you and questions you about life and why readers love to read and perhaps write. One's own life perhaps cannot be as interesting as the lives of book characters. But one or the other can be unpredictable...
Reminiscent of the old classics, like an homage to them, this book is light but dark at the edges, especially when Mattie reads Grace Brown's letters and uncovers the truth behind her death.
Yeah, come to think of it, I should reread 'A Gathering Light' and talk more about it. But I do remember, even from my childhood, loving its beautiful and relatable story. Plus the characters were rather funny and had equally funny names, like Weaver and Royal.
Multi-layered with universal themes, it is like a ripple on a cool river surface, and a gathering light emerging on its reflection at sunset.
Perhaps 'A Gathering Light' deserves a better review than this; jumbled as I am remembering details about it.
It could end up being one of my favourite novels in fact...
But for now, it gets a Final Score: 4/5
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