A Scatter of Light by Malinda Lo

Reviewed by Yusmibel L.
Grade 11

When a scandalous photo causes Aria’s life to explode she’s exiled to her grandmother’s home in the Bay Area. Fresh out of her senior year and miles away from anyone who knows her,  Aria buckles down for a boring summer. However, when she meets her grandmother’s new gardener, her expectations quickly change. Old memories resurface and the lives of her friends begin to entangle in hers, causing her to question herself and her life’s perspective on art, sexuality, and family.

One of the best parts of this book is the introspection provided through the formatting of the chapters. In several instances there will be a moment the flow of the story is broken up for a flashback. For instance, when Aria’s life hits a major turning point, the blur of days is reflected through short one page chapters. The way the story is written is logical--everything feels like it builds up to the epilogue. 

It isn’t a particularly surprising book. There weren't any major plot twists or turns that you couldn’t predict, but it still progressed so nicely that it was just as worth it to enjoy the journey.

I recommend this book, it was comforting but not without conflict. It grew on me as I read and I hold a lot of fondness for the feelings expressed. Not a single character could even begin to reach perfect but instead were written to be complicated and genuinely human. I hold great fondness for Malinda Lo’s past work, and A Scatter of Light made me a fan.