When Light Left Us

by Leah Thomas

Overview

* "A nuanced exploration of human nature." --Booklist, starred review

* "For fans of Patrick Ness and Lauren Oliver, this is a must buy." --SLJ, starred review

When the Vasquez siblings' father left, it seemed nothing could remedy the absence in their lives . . . until a shimmering figure named Luz appeared in the canyon behind their house.

Luz filled the void. He shot hoops with seventeen-year-old Hank's hands. He showed fourteen-year-old Ana cinematic beauty behind her eyelids. He spoke kindly to eight-year-old Milo. But then Luz left, too, and he took something from each of them. As a new school year begins, Hank, Ana, and Milo must carry on as if an alien presence never altered them. But how can they ever feel close to other people again when Luz changed everything about how they see the world and themselves?

In an imaginative and heartfelt exploration of human--and non-human--nature, Leah Thomas champions the unyielding bonds between family and true friends.

Because You'll Never Meet Me
A William C. Morris YA Debut Award finalist

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781681191829
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	02/13/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	352
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	14 Years

About the Author

Leah Thomas frequently loses battles of wits against her students and her stories. When she's not huddled in cafes, she's usually at home pricking her fingers in service of cosplay. Leah lives in San Diego, California and is the author of Nowhere Near You and the William C. Morris YA Debut Award finalist, Because You'll Never Meet Me.
Leah Thomas frequently loses battles of wits against her students and her stories. When she's not huddled in cafes, she's usually at home pricking her fingers in service of cosplay. Leah lives in San Diego, California and is the author of Nowhere Near You and the William C. Morris YA Debut Award finalist, Because You'll Never Meet Me.

Editorial Reviews

"Metaphor and figurative language make the prose here beautiful to read. . . . The poignant, strange, and poetic novel is a nuanced exploration of human nature." - starred review, Booklist

"A compelling, character-driven, and imaginative novel. . . What makes it stand out is Thomas’s talent of bringing intimacy, thoughtfulness, and a sense of wonder to her writing. ­For fans of Patrick Ness and Lauren Oliver, this is a must buy." - starred Review, School Library Journal

"Thomas’ elegant and deeply metaphorical prose blends nicely with the blend of magical realism and science fiction, and the arid, stripped-bare landscape of New Mexico’s deserts makes an effective backdrop." - BCCB

"Readers will be captivated by the mystery and meaning in this eerie exploration of loss and love, hurting and healing, family and friends, and of letting go and reconnection." - School Library Connection

"Thomas explores themes of forgiveness, family, friendship, and identity. . . . This pensive sci-fi novel straddles many worlds without quite fitting in any, not unlike the endearing square-peg characters at its heart." - Kirkus Reviews

"Unforgettable and distinct voices . . . A fantastic novel that will be especially resonant for readers who struggle with being or feeling outside of 'normal.'" - starred review, Booklist on NOWHERE NEAR YOU

"Part mad science, part convincing portrayal of the volatile, resilient nature of friendship and grief—and that, as Ollie says, is not science fiction." - Kirkus Reviews on NOWHERE NEAR YOU

"The pacing is impeccable, as letters move from sunniness (Oliver) and bemused distance (Moritz) to both writers exploring their darkest fears, experiences, and worries for their futures." - starred review, BCCB on BECAUSE YOU'LL NEVER MEET ME

"A witty, unusual take on friendship and parlaying weakness into power." - Kirkus Reviews on BECAUSE YOU'LL NEVER MEET ME

"Ollie and Moritz are memorable characters with engaging and often humorous voices. . . A quirky, almost whimsical feel even as Thomas grounds it in heartfelt and often painful emotion." - SLJ on BECAUSE YOU'LL NEVER MEET ME

"The two may be eccentric outcasts, but their conflicts, heartbreak, and eventual bond form a relatable and engaging narrative." - Publishers Weekly on BECAUSE YOU'LL NEVER MEET ME

"It’s the distinct, deeply memorable voices of Ollie and Moritz that make this novel an affecting page-turner." - Horn Book Magazine on BECAUSE YOU'LL NEVER MEET ME

From the Publisher

★ 12/01/2017
Gr 8 Up—A compelling, character-driven, and imaginative novel. The Vasquez children have a gaping hole in their hearts; but the summer after their father leaves them, they are visited by Luz (an alien), and the hole is filled. Now the school year is here, Luz is gone, and they are much worse than before. In the aftermath of this devastation, the eldest son has broken up with his boyfriend, the daughter can't stop self-harming, and the youngest son is having difficulty hearing. This is a story about a family's encounter with an alien being, but, it's not your usual science fiction romp; it's a slow-paced, emotional drama. The story starts in mystery; who was this alien and where did he go? As the novel unfolds, the questions build and the tone grows dark. As readers discover more about each Vasquez family member, they learn troubling secrets and impossible truths. Overall, this is a novel about coping with loss and family dysfunction. What makes it stand out is Thomas's talent of bringing intimacy, thoughtfulness, and a sense of wonder to her writing. VERDICT For fans of Patrick Ness and Lauren Oliver, this is a must buy.—Melanie Leivers, Palm Beach Country Library System, FL

School Library Journal

2017-10-28
When important people leave, emotional holes inevitably remain, voids that can be filled by either new symbiotic or parasitic relationships. Both are explored in this new philosophical contemporary sci-fi from Thomas (Nowhere Near You, 2017).The Mexican-American Vasquez family of Eustace, New Mexico—mom Maggie, elder brother Hank, middle child Ana, and younger brother Milo—are still reeling from the sudden loss of their father when a mysterious being takes up residence within the three Vasquez siblings. Having originally considered the clan to be one complex organism, Luz (as the children dub their interloper) appropriates Hank's hands, Ana's eyes, and Milo's ears to both observe the surrounding world and to communicate with and among its sibling hosts. But then Luz leaves as well. Chapters of densely metaphorical third-person prose shift focus among the members of the Vasquez clan and eventually to Luz himself, highlighting each character's unique relationship with the strange being that once occupied their home and their attendant emotional turmoil at his sudden and violent separation. Thomas explores themes of forgiveness, family, friendship, and identity along the way as the Vasquez clan slowly heals from the major rifts in their lives, rifts whose beginnings were set in motion long before the arrival of Luz.This pensive sci-fi novel straddles many worlds without quite fitting in any, not unlike the endearing square-peg characters at its heart. (Science fiction. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews