Another great read by Bridget Collins, set in the 1920's it really does give an insight into the war and womens and familys priorities back then , i felt like i actually learnt something out of this book. The face is what brings our main characters together and although you are swept up in the day to day of life for Florence and Kit , you do start to understand how the face forms part of the village and its heritage.

A very easy read and i liked the sound of the synopsis as it gave an air of mystery combined with something spooky and a bit scary. After reading the Binding i knew this book would be requested and many thanks to Net galley for an advanced reader copy , it was a pleasure to read as always.

We meet some really strong well written female characters, but i like how the characters also show their vunerability in the era its set in. I looked forward to curling up with the book and been transported to the vicars house and the cottage that Kit lives in.

All these characters come with a past and some trauma that reflects on the horrific events of the war and i do think they has been bought to life by the writer and effectively done. At times there is sadness and darkness but when you look at Florence she still is so positive and always looks forward, a character to admire in her setting. There is a strong reflection on relationships, family, forbidden fruits and how people really did perceive sexuality is the 1920's.

Florence and Kit meet each other and i dont want add any spoilers but they find light in each other in hard times, but they plan and map their futures based on what they know and think is the, two women who have come from different parts of the UK and have different priorities and paths. They are woven together with the face and this is when we start to hear about the folklore the mysterys of the village and what the local people say. But is there any truth in any of it ?

Once i had started this book i didnt want to stop , the first 35% was settingt the scene getting to know the characters and there is some sadness built into the 1920's and the reflection on how grateful people were and what really mattered, very different to todays stresses and pressures. After i felt like i was glued to it as i wanted to see how the story develops and it really did develop, i thought oh well ill just read for an hour, well 4 and a half hours later am still reading . It provided a great escape and then the next day i cant put the book down.

I have loved every book I have read by Bridget but sadly this is a dnf at 35%. I'm struggling to connect with any of the characters it's a very slow read and I just can't seem to get into it.

Thank you to the publishers for the chance to read this.

Following the Great War of 1914 to 1918, talented artist Kit Clayton returns to England from France looking for peace, quiet and rehabilitation following her harrowing war work, settling in the Sussex hamlet of Haltington. However, an unexpected interaction with a neighbour looks to scupper her quest for solitude, and she is soon drawn into the village’s superstitions and misgivings about a local landmark, the ‘Haltington Face’.

This is a brilliant novel, with lots of themes woven into the plot: the futility and destruction of war, the nature of superstition and rural folklore, and the perceived purpose of women during this period of enormous societal change.

Shortly after starting to read ‘The Naked Light’, I started to wonder if the author had decided to set aside her trademark magical realism for this novel but, as I got deeper and deeper into the story, I was pleased to find this wasn’t to be the case.

I don’t want to write too much about this element of the book, so as not to spoil the enjoyment for others, but Collins gradually builds up the suspense, revealing more and more, little by little, until the full horror of what is occurring is known. By this point, I was so invested, I was wanting to reach into the book to warn the characters!

The characters surprised me throughout the novel and, on reflection, it felt to me like the reader is presented with one version of them initially and then, later, forced to revise our opinion. Certainly, I found myself changing my perceptions of Florence, Phoebe, Muckle and, to some extent towards the end, Horace.

Finally, for me, as much as I also love her novels in between, ‘The Naked Light’ reminds me in many ways of Collins’ first novel, ‘The Binding’, where the interplay between the world as we know it and magical realism is perfectly balanced. In fact, I think that this novel is perhaps even better in that regard, as – given how folklore and legends are so tightly woven into our culture in the UK – it’s so almost, nearly, possibly believable!

A fantastic read, and perfect for the time of year it’s being published. Definitely one for when the nights are drawing in and the imagination can run wild.

All my thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the advance copy on which this review is based.

1920: On the chalk hill above Haltington is carved, in four strokes, a face. It’s been there longer than anyone remembers, tended – almost ritualistically – by the Bone family until the blood line was cut short by the Great War.

Kit Clayton, an artist just back from France, is traumatised after painting masks for men disfigured in battle. In search of calm she fled into the English countryside.

Florence, who had cared for her late mother, comes to Haltington to live with her sister’s widowed husband and her niece Phoebe. Out of place and unwanted, she is startled to see men’s clothes on the line outside the deserted Bone cottage. Hoping for companionship, she finds not a man but Kit – in short hair, men’s shirts, and trousers – and is stirred in ways she cannot name.

As Florence and Kit’s relationship deepens, plagued by the drably malevolent Phoebe, the Haltington Face falls into disrepair, and the dark forces it once pacified begin to stir.

I loved The Binding and came to The Naked Light with high expectations. I was not let down. The reality of life for “surplus women” after the war is rendered with force – family lines dissolved, young wives and mothers left with nothing but grief. The stoic maiden aunt is nowhere to be found. We feel the hopelessness of these women, and the trauma of the men who survived – wounded, disfigured, or outwardly whole, yet shattered. Those who weren’t there can never know.

Into this landscape comes a hungry darkness, probing for entry. Collins balances folk-horror and earthly threads beautifully, weaving them together in ways which amplify both. The book is moving, with moments of joy punctuating Florence and Kit’s fraught journey, and when the horror comes it carries the cold dread of nightmares.

The characterisations are so good. Phoebe is not the stock antagonist she seems but is given a richer form, shaped by her own trauma.

Gripping and poignant, this is a hugely effective, thoroughly enjoyable book—its brilliant conceit lifted by Collins’ pitch-perfect writing, which makes the most of every moment.
Edit Review

The Naked Light focuses on three women in a rural area: Spinster Florence, Florence's peculiar niece Phoebe, and artist Kit who has just moved to the village after suffering trauma from her work during the war. There's a supernatural aspect to the book, but I did find that side of the story a bit harder to follow than the author's previous book (which I loved - The Silence Factory). The Naked Light really shone with its messy but nuanced characters. No-one was 'good' or 'bad', and they all made decisions that had me facepalming, but those actions did all make sense for their characters.

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from HarperCollins UK and NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.

At its core, The Naked Light is a post-WWI gothic sapphic romance, taking place in a small English village steeped in local legend. The writing was beautifully atmospheric and painted a good picture of the setting and the mystery that surrounds it.

At around the 70% mark, some supernatural elements start to creep in and for me this is where the story started to hit the gas and bumped my rating up to a 3⭐️.

Until this point, the plot moved a little slow for my liking and the folklore element of the book took a backseat. A necessary evil perhaps, to allow for character and relationship development, but I would’ve liked to see the supernatural side of this book shine through for a little bit longer.

Thank you so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for granting this eARC to me!

This is an unhappy story about unhappy characters, therefore making it a perfect book to study in English class. This is the type of book where you would gradually come to appreciate the characters, themes and nuances through hours of detailed analysis.

Bridget Collins specialises in writing grey, oppressive atmospheres and this was no exception. The pacing was quite slow, and though I didn't find it dull, I wouldn't say I greatly enjoyed the experience of reading the book. However, I thought the writing, plot choices and characters were excellently crafted and would definitely warrant a re-read.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperFiction for providing a copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

This is a compelling portrait (if you'll forgive the pun) of the trauma left by WW1. The supernatural elements form a powerful metaphor for the hollowness the characters feel, and highlight their emotional journeys without detracting from the main focus of the story, which is the theme of recovery, helplessness, and hope. The main characters are engaging and nuanced; my only issue was with the addition of too many minor point-of-view characters.

'The Naked Light' by Bridget Collins is set in a small village in post first world war Britain. There, a chalk image of a face has been marked out on a hill side, tended to by the Bone's family. Mythology has it that the face protects the villager's from the 'Thurlath',- beings that have the power to suck people in and imprison them in the bones of the earth. However, due to the war, there are no Bones left to tend to the face, and obscured by weeds the face is left quietly to rot. Consequently when Kit, a woman scarred by war, comes to the village she doesn't know that behind her cottage lies the face. Nor does she expect to develop feelings for the Pastor's sister in law, Florence.

I really enjoyed the 'Silence Factory' by Collins and whilst significantly different this novel has the same uncanny sense. Drawing on similar research to Pat Barker, who in her regeneration books talks about the artists conscripted to help men with facial disfigurements to return from the war, Collins writes a gothic tale that is full of intrigue. All of her characters have experienced some form of trauma, and lack of identity, which they are trying to cope with, and the over layering of the Face's mythology works well. This is definitely a dark book, and there are several parts that are very difficult to read (including rape and suicide). However, for people who like interesting takes on the gothic genre, this is definitely for you.

Another great book by an author I love. I didn't enjoy it as much as The Binding, which is one of my favourite books ever, as it didn't have quite the momentum and surprising twists, but it was still an excellent read, beautifully written and fascinating plot line.

Bridget Collins’ The Naked Light is a masterclass in literary alchemy—where memory, identity, and desire are distilled into prose that glows with quiet intensity. Set against a backdrop that feels both timeless and delicately modern, the novel invites readers into a world where truth flickers like candlelight, elusive and often painful.

Collins writes with the precision of a poet and the soul of a storyteller. Her characters are richly drawn, flawed yet achingly human, and the emotional terrain they traverse is as haunting as it is beautiful. The narrative unfolds like a secret whispered in the dark—intimate, suspenseful, and deeply affecting.

What sets The Naked Light apart is its ability to balance elegance with emotional rawness. It’s a book that doesn’t shout—it sings, mourns, and ultimately redeems. The themes of vulnerability and revelation are woven through every page, making it a deeply resonant read for anyone who’s ever grappled with the weight of their own story.

Perfect for fans of introspective fiction with a gothic edge, this is a novel that lingers long after the final page. Bridget Collins has once again proven herself a conjurer of literary magic.

With thanks to Bridget Collins, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I did not finish this book. There are POV changes without any notice, half way through a page etc and it's so confusing. I can't connect to any character because they change so erratically it's impossible to know who's who. I think this book needs formatting and a bit of work to make it more cohesive for the reader, in its current state its sadly not a good experience for the reader.

A haunting gothic tale of ancient darkness and a love that defies convention in an exquisite love story and a terrifying folk horror. Beautiful and eerie.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐔𝐊, 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐅𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 | 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐬

I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.

I loved how integral place and time were to this story. This takes place after World War One in a small village in Sussex. There are three women this book focuses on and all of them have been significantly affected by the war. So much of this story is driven by the loss of millions of men, what Kit in particular has done to help the recovery of those left behind, the uncomfortable behaviour of some men who are left. The village too, is essential because of the ‘face’, a chalk carving that protects the village from malevolent entities and that now cannot be tended due to the loss of the family entrusted to do so. The local folklore is critical to this story. This didn’t feel like it could have been set anywhere else or at any other time.

This book also explores being a lesbian at a time when it would have been condemned by society. We see Kit who is aware of the prejudice she faces, and the secret relationship with another character she has. There are some unkind views expressed in this book. This is positioned (for some characters) in the context of how few men are left after the war and the need for companionship and love that still exists. The men that are left aren’t always brilliantly behaved in this book and there is some very unpleasant conduct towards women.

This novel is a slow burn but it is so worth it for the folkloric pay off we get. I won’t say too much to avoid spoilers, but how the story drops its breadcrumbs and then brings everything back to the face was fantastic and this had such a spectacular finale. What seems like quite a character focussed book, managed to deliver some exceptional supernatural menace!

This is an excellent story. It has everything. Gothic horror, superstition, beliefs in golems and the age old land in which it’s set; which helps to create a dark and scary landscape.
Into this mix arrives someone wanting to begin a new life, in an attempt to chase away the memory of suffering she saw in the recently ended war. For her though, it’s not that easy and this story puts across very well the prejudices of village life in those early years of the 20th Century.
I felt every emotion as I devoured this book! It’s such a good read.

Ideal for literary fiction readers who enjoy historical stories of unconventional love and war trauma set against a backdrop of pagan rituals.

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.

Upon publication I will post my short review and an extract from the blurb on my blog.

In the quiet village of Haltington lies an ancient chalk carving known as the Face, etched into the earth in a time when life was ruled by superstition, stories, and a fear of the shadows. For centuries, the residents of Bone Cottage have tended to it, but the Great War has left the village diminished, and the Face now lies neglected and overgrown.

When Kit, a mysterious outsider with an androgynous appearance and unconventional ways, moves into the cottage, the villagers are instantly wary. Florence, the unmarried sister-in-law of the vicar, finds herself drawn to Kit despite the disapproval of the community. Their friendship becomes a rare source of warmth for Florence, who is struggling with grief and the challenge of caring for her late sister’s husband and his difficult young daughter, Phoebe.

Yet the Face has a pull of its own, attracting shadows that linger and threaten. With its guardians gone, the barrier between the village and whatever the Face was meant to hold back is weakening. The story blends post-war realism with a delicate thread of the supernatural, exploring the lingering wounds of loss, the search for connection, and the quiet acts of defiance that can change a life.

Bridget Collins delivers an atmospheric and poignant tale of resilience, love, and mystery. The historical detail is vivid, the characters are layered and compelling, and the romance between Florence and Kit feels authentic and deeply earned. The supernatural element adds intrigue without overshadowing the emotional heart of the story, making this a haunting yet hopeful read.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Collins evokes a believable historical setting for this pst-WW1 story through three main characters. Character, Kit, makes masks for injured soldiers who have facial injuries , but is affected by the job to the point of trauma. This notion and symbol of 'faces' is reflected in the setting of the village, where a face is visible, but slowly disappearing into the headland. This opens up a slightly weird and supernatural element to the novel and brings in other characters, Florence and Phoebe. I wasn't absolutely sure about the supernatural element but the novel is evocative and well-written. My thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC.

I really like folklore tales and fancied this would be a thrilling tale of creepy darkness and scary undertones. I admit the book did have some of these and I enjoyed them.

However, the compulsions that Florence and others have for each other was not appealing, nor were the graphic descriptions of sexual interactions. Had I realised the book was so sexually graphic I would have avoided it completely.

Other than that, the story was excellent, with just the right amount of creepiness to scare you a little bit.

I am thankful to The Borough Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book for free.

A fascinating, very different story telling of the atrocities experienced during WW1 when soldiers were horrendously maimed and scared for life in both mind and body! Kit is an artist, she paints portraits and is therefore invited by her close friend Portia to join her in France painting the masks which attempt to hid the terrible wounds of the battle weary soldiers. This she does for a while but it begins to take its toll on her mental health and so she finds herself back in England living in an old cottage overlooking a strange chalk face hidden within the shrubs and weeds of the hillside. The face holds much history and the local vicar is convinced it is a left over from pagan rites. The vicar is a widower living with his sister-in- law Florence and his own rather strange daughter Phoebe. Florence and Kit form an attachment but one which they need to keep hidden. Phoebe is intrigued when she secretly spies on them and then Portia makes an unexpected visit. Having read other books by this author this one did not let me down. Always intriguing and certainly provocative, told with great empathy. Much enjoyed!