An excellent book, I loved it from start to finish. I’ve never read anything by this author but will definitely look out for other titles. The story was very interesting and I loved learning about all the family and it’s generations. Read in one sitting. Definitely recommend *****

This book hooked me from the get go. It’s written so beautifully and I felt comforted by the writing and the journey the story was taking me on. The prologue was so inviting.

As it went on and there were several different time lines, I started to lose a little interest. Purely because I was wanting to know more about certain characters, I’d be engaged with them and then we’d shift time lines again. I wished we’d spent more time with the prologue characters and learnt more form that time before moving forward through the time lines.

It hurts me to read of the cruelty and tragic outcomes that have happened and continue to this day and this book shared some of the sadness of these times.

I love the way this book shows the ancestral consistency of their spiritual powers and connections coming through the generations and in my mind, it would be wonderful if society still honoured this and carried it through with the love and respect that it deserves.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for allowing me to read this for an honest review.

Woman of Light is a wide-reaching and beautifully written family saga which centres around the character of Luz in 1930s Denver, but reaches back into the lives and minds of the generations before her. Luz is drifting through her life, surrounded by loss and by hostility towards her community. She is clairvoyant, and I expected this to play a larger part in the plot than it did. It turned out to fuel her introspection and the reader’s understanding of the forces that shaped her, rather than actual external events.

It’s not a plot-centric book at all, and I did feel at times that I was missing that central arrow or question about where it was heading. I also felt somewhat ambivalent at times because I wasn’t feeling Luz’s connection to either of the men she was involved with, but I came to realise that her detachment is partly the point. Luz is more connected to her dead ancestors and her absent brother than she is to those closest to her in her current life (even Lizette, who I thought was brilliant and my most-loved character in this book).

The exploration of Luz’s past and what it means for her future is the central conflict, with a resolution that fits more with that coming-of-age narrative than the love triangle plot, or the social justice commentary. It’s a book that had its flaws but was ultimately rewarding, and I’d recommend to readers who enjoy exploring how character is shaped by a historical setting.

having liked fajardo-anstine's collection of short stories i was really looking forward to this but tone-wise it was just a bit too a la Kristin Hannah (very mawkish dialogues).

Wow!! Woman of Light is a transfixing novel about survival, family secrets, and love-filled with an unforgettable cast of characters, all of whom are just as special, memorable, and complicated as our beloved heroine, Luz. Vivid, expansive and richly imagined….. An absolutely heartbreaking and unforgettable read, perfect for fans of gripping family dramas, and for those who enjoy great storytelling.

An amazing book/story that kept me turning the pages just so that I could read more

I would recommend this book and author to anyone

I have a real love for books set in fairgrounds, circuses and other magical places so I was really looking forward to Little Light’s story. This took me into a world I have never encountered before either in person or in print. I like books that make me feel like I’m in a Baz Llurhmann film and this succeeded, thanks to the luxurious descriptions and the Lopez’s fascinating lives. This is written over three generations of a Mexican-American family, but the central character is Luz "Little Light" Lopez. Set in 1930s Denver, Luz is a clairvoyant and she immediately captured my attention. Her brother Diego is a snake charmer! Her whole family are fascinating and I loved their conversations, What really worked most for me was the balance of all this colour and imagination with the terrible injustices carried out on minority communities in the early Twentieth Century, mainly thanks to the eugenics movement.
I enjoyed this so much I have made note of the author so I can try any new writing of hers.

I really enjoy reading books that take me to a world I wouldn’t encounter in my day to day life.
And this was one of those books. The author has created a masterpiece here, telling the story across generations. Such amazing, unique characters, that really jump off of the page. Each one having their own qualities that make them stand out.
It’s a tale that is exquisitely written and has depth. The author really has a stand out book on their hands with this one. I loved every moment of it! Thank you.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me my arc. It’s one of my favourite reads of the Summer. Highly recommend.

Kali Fajardo-Anstine has written a multi-generatuonal saga, across three generations of a Mexican-American family. At its heart is Luz "Little Light" Lopez, a clairvoyant in 1930s Denver. She is a wonderful creation, and a character with whom I would have spent the entire novel. But there are others here too: Diego, the snake charmer. Their aunt, Maria-Joseph. And many other characters who could easily have led their own novel. The result is a novel which is bursting at its seams with richness. The prose is exquisite, the dialogue sparkles, and there are scenes and incidents here of great imagination, and of great injustices early 20th century American wrought upon anybody not white.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent in this world and will be looking out for Kali Fajardo-Anstine's next work with interest.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.