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Luminous

by Dawn Metcalf (Goodreads Author)

3.24 of 5 stars 3.24 · rating details · 504 ratings · 100 reviews

As reality slips and time stands still, Consuela finds herself thrust into the world of the Flow. Removed from all she loves into this shifting world overlapping our own, Consuela quickly discovers she has the power to step out of her earthly skin and cloak herself in new ones—skins made from the world around her, crafted from water, fire, air. She is joined by other teens...more

Hardcover, 371 pages

Published June 30th 2011 by Dutton Juvenile

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Mar 12, 2012 Erica (daydreamer) marked it as might-read

Shelves: cover-love, sounds-intriguing, so-ready-to-love, release-in-2011, i-own

That cover is gorgeous!

12 likes · like · see review

Jun 16, 2011 Natalie (Mindful Musings) rated it 2 of 5 stars

In a Sentence: Though Luminous can seem confusing and distant at times, it is an excellent example of Dawn Metcalf's natural flair for creativity and originality.

My Thoughts

Luminous is one of those books that I have a lot of mixed feelings about. On one hand, there were parts of the book that I absolutely loved. On the other hand, there were several elements that I found to be problematic. I think that Steph Su from Steph Su Reads, another blog on the Luminous blog tour, says it best in her rev...more In a Sentence: Though Luminous can seem confusing and distant at times, it is an excellent example of Dawn Metcalf's natural flair for creativity and originality.

My Thoughts

Luminous is one of those books that I have a lot of mixed feelings about. On one hand, there were parts of the book that I absolutely loved. On the other hand, there were several elements that I found to be problematic. I think that Steph Su from Steph Su Reads, another blog on the Luminous blog tour, says it best in her review on Goodreads: "LUMINOUS is ambitious, and beautifully written, but at times it was a confusing and emotionally distant read for me." (You can also check out Steph's fantastic interview with author Dawn Metcalf by clicking HERE).

As Steph Su put so eloquently, Luminous, is, indeed, beautifully written. I imagine that Metcalf has spent a lot of time reading and/or studying poetry, because her prose style is almost lyrical in nature. Her many references to the famous Mexican poet Octavio Paz also suggest a deep familiarity with Hispanic culture and literature. This makes Luminous an intricately woven tale filled with a complex layering of themes and ideas. Furthermore, I absolutely loved how Metcalf tied in the concept of death in the story. While pursuing my minor in Spanish, several of my professors described death (from an Hispanic point of view) as something that is natural and an essential part of life, as opposed to the way death is often seen in the United States--as something that is horrible and fear-inducing.

Luminous is also one of those books that makes you think a lot about the way you perceive things in life. Perception is extremely subjective, after all, and Metcalf exploits this fact throughout the entirety of Luminous. The quotes included at the beginning of this chapter also tied in quite nicely...each seemed to sum up a particular theme or idea that was addressed in a certain part of the book.

In spite of all of the great things about this book, I did have two problems with Luminous. The first had to do with the characters. While I didn't necessarily find them to be poorly developed, I had an extremely difficult time connecting to them because they seemed so foreign to me. At times I felt like I was starting to feel that connection, but I felt like the sort-of bond that usually joins reader and character together in a book never completely solidified in Luminous.

The second issue I had was that I found Luminous to be extremely disorienting at times. I think that part of this was the author's intention, because this disorientation often mirrors the main character's own confusion in the story, but at times, this made me feel like I had missed something...like someone had randomly gone through the book and cut out random chapters. I never felt like I was getting the complete story, and that lessened my overall enjoyment of Luminous.

However, in spite of my criticisms, I still feel that Luminous is a valuable addition to the category of young adult books. Personally, I think we need more authors who are willing to step out on a limb and make their audiences think about what they're reading. Luminous is definitely a book for those who are looking for a little more substance in what they read.
(less)

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Jul 14, 2012 Alex Earvin rated it 5 of 5 stars

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS! BUT I WILL SAY THIS: DON'T PASS ON THIS BOOK. IGNORE THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS. TURN OFF THE TV, GRAB A PILLOW AND A QUILT. ABOVE ALL ELSE, TAKE YOUR TIME WITH THIS BOOK. IMMERSE YOURSELF. DON'T READ DISTRACTED. ENJOY!

Now if you insist on reading ahead:

Luminous is the most original book that I have read in years. This is the only book on my book shelf (so far) that might rival the originality and creativity of the Wraeththu series by Storm Constantine. This is saying a...more THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS! BUT I WILL SAY THIS: DON'T PASS ON THIS BOOK. IGNORE THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS. TURN OFF THE TV, GRAB A PILLOW AND A QUILT. ABOVE ALL ELSE, TAKE YOUR TIME WITH THIS BOOK. IMMERSE YOURSELF. DON'T READ DISTRACTED. ENJOY!

Now if you insist on reading ahead:

Luminous is the most original book that I have read in years. This is the only book on my book shelf (so far) that might rival the originality and creativity of the Wraeththu series by Storm Constantine. This is saying a lot being that I was completely absorbed by Ms. Constantine's imagination.

The prose contained in Luminous is very, very pretty - the events in Luminous read like a vivid dream. One of those God-smack type of dreams that you don't want to forget as you realize that you are waking up. Metcalf has a lyrical way with descriptive imagery. The concept of a 'mother-of-pearl' skeleton was breath-taking. I could picture it clearly, and deeply appreciated the way she re-imagined something that is traditionally viewed as macabre (a stripped skeleton) into a object of enviable beauty and freedom. If only we all had parallel universe hopping, iridescent skeletons!

I am not sure about the reviews here that claim confusion in keeping up with the plot. I wasn't confused at all. If anything the story raised more questions that made the story that much more enjoyable and interesting. As a reader that doesn't require each and every detail of the story resolved and tied up in a neat package, I enjoy constructive speculation. More pointedly, I enjoy a story that makes me say 'I wonder', but still makes sense. Luminous met my need for wonder, imagination, originality, lovely writing and as a bonus included a blossoming paranormal romance.

I really loved this book. I loved it so much that I have suggested it to teachers and professors for recreational reading and instructional use.

I hope that Ms. Metcalf is planning a sequel, because I would love to visit the world of The Flow at least one more time.(less)

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Aug 05, 2011 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Luminous is unlike any other book I've read.

This is a hard review for me to write, there are things about this story that I was enamored with but at the same time there were other aspects of the story that just fell flat for me.

The creativity of the story was amazing... the concept of the Flow, it's inhabitants, those aspects of the story where intriguing. Metcalf had a very distinguished writing style, one that I haven't encountered in any previous young adult novels, it was as creative as the...more

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Jun 11, 2012 Nicole R rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-young-adult, 2012, paranormal-supernatural, spiritual

This is such a strange book, and I get why reviews seem to be so divided.

There is something very lyrical and beautiful about Metcalf's writing. And I can honestly say that I haven't seen anything like this novel before. I finished it a few days ago, and I can't get it out of my head. It makes you think about your place in the world, and the consequences that our actions have.

But the Flow and the people who live there seemed very distant. I felt like they were just there, and the Flow seemed li...more

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Jun 17, 2011 Stacy added it

Shelves: librarything

Reviewed by http://urbanfantasyinvestigations.blo...

LUMINOUS is yet another book I just could not get into and could not finish. I'm sad to say that it lost me just a few chapters in. It was extremely strange and it first lost me when Consuela found out she could take off her skin, Yes you heard me right she took off her skin so she was nothing but bones and she thought it was fantastic. Yeah I just could not get into the world that Dawn was writing about. The story what I read of it was fast pa...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Ed added it

Metcalf, D. (2011). Luminous. New York: Penguin Group/Dutton. 371 pp. ISBN: 978-0-525-42247-1. (Hardcover); $16.99.*

Consuela steps out of her skin and into a new one featuring butterflies and feathers and other elements, as the situation warrants. She can do this when she is in the Flow, a place with shifting rules and other people with very different supernatural abilities. In the Flow, Consuela realizes that it is her job to help save people—think George Bailey and Clarence but with a lot more...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Tia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Imagine a world where certain "special" people can leave their bodies. Imagine removing your soul and moving through space and time to a place called "the flow." That's what Consuela aka Bones can do, as well as a few other people.

Bones is kind of like an angel, she can slip out of her skin, her body going into a self induced coma and she can change her soul into ANYTHING! She can become air, water, fire, animals and even more. The possibilities are endless for Bones.

When Bones feels a pull, sh...more

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Jun 30, 2011 Taylor Harrison rated it 1 of 5 stars

Initially I was attracted to this book because the cover was gorgeous. But as they say, you should never judge a book by its cover, and this book is no exception. Needless to say, I wasn't impressed. The idea, though strange at first, would have grown on me had it not been for the characters, the plot, and pretty much the entire story. The characters had no believability. The author created no sympathy for them, so when they began to get killed off, I really couldn't find it in myself to care. T...more

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May 02, 2011 Brandi Kosiner added it

Luminous is well crafted story and it kept me intrigued the whole way through. This is such a neat concept and Ms. Metcalf executed it so well. The characters were rich and developed... they also held mystery--there were layers to everyone we met, and they all played specific roles that I didn't fully understand until the end where they all wove together so beautifully.
There was just a touch of romance, and it really added to the story for me. It had me wondering for a bit, just like Consuela...more

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Jun 27, 2011 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

First can I say I'm in total love with this cover? I just adore it. I also have to say that I enjoyed the first part of this book. We find Consuela in a dressing room trying on jeans not made for her body. Anyone with a booty (which is now in fashion thanks to J Lo and Beyonce) can sympathize with this scene. However, this scene is important although we don't know it until much later. For Consuela, it is about self-acceptance.

The flow is a place where most of this book resides. There is a Watche...more First can I say I'm in total love with this cover? I just adore it. I also have to say that I enjoyed the first part of this book. We find Consuela in a dressing room trying on jeans not made for her body. Anyone with a booty (which is now in fashion thanks to J Lo and Beyonce) can sympathize with this scene. However, this scene is important although we don't know it until much later. For Consuela, it is about self-acceptance.

The flow is a place where most of this book resides. There is a Watcher who helps others in Consuela's situation understand and get used to what has happened to them. There is also a cleaner. One who tends to the flow which cleans it of the darkness we carry within all of us and is left behind. The rest of the characters are those who use the flow to go from place to place when they feel a strong pull. This pull leads them to people on the brink and need to be saved for one reason or another. Each person brings with them their history and mythologies which becomes a personal power to help others. This urge cannot be denied.

Oh I loved this book. I enjoy mythologies of all kinds and Consuela's is closely related to her personal mythology of Dia de Los Muertos. For others it may just be a childhood story that stayed with them to the flow. Whatever it is I enjoyed finding out how it manifests. Consuela's magic was my favorite and was the most powerful of all.

My only complaint is minor. Yes, the world can be confusing and sometimes seemed to jump a bit too much. However, the world of the flow is supposed to be confusing so I feel that this is minor. However, still doesn't make me want to understand more about that world and become frustrating at times. I also was a bit frustrated with the story of the killer. The killer is eliminating those like Consuela. Although we know who he is, we follow others as they learn, sometimes too late. It was frustrating that they just couldn't get a head of him. It might have been better if we only suspected but did not know.

I give this book 4 1/2 stars. I think it was the mythology that had me love this book. So, those that like cultural mythologies will enjoy this book. And yes... there is a touch of bittersweet romance within. :) I refuse to say more as I will spoil much but I admit to have questions that I cannot discuss. Guess that is an *evil laugh* on me! :(

I was given this ARC from Penguin and Goodreads First Reads Program and no compensation for my review was given.(less)

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Jul 07, 2011 Jen Bigheart (I Read Banned Books) rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5 Stars

This book was all over the place for me. I was confused, interested, intrigued, captivated, and hopeful for Consuela - Bones - and the others in the Flow. I felt like I was riding a roller coaster while reading. I love the premise and think it is absolutely original, but at the very beginning of Luminous, I was confused. I wasn't really sure what was happening to Consuela and how she was able to make a skin out of water. Was this real? Was this her perception? Did she really go down the...more 3.5 Stars

This book was all over the place for me. I was confused, interested, intrigued, captivated, and hopeful for Consuela - Bones - and the others in the Flow. I felt like I was riding a roller coaster while reading. I love the premise and think it is absolutely original, but at the very beginning of Luminous, I was confused. I wasn't really sure what was happening to Consuela and how she was able to make a skin out of water. Was this real? Was this her perception? Did she really go down the drain? Don't get me wrong, very cool idea! I just wish Consuela was a little more dumb-founded and surprised at her ability. The concept of Consuela putting her fingers through the back of her skull and pulling her skin over her head came too easy/naturally for her. If it were me, I would be screaming and freaking out asking for my Mother....just me. By page 15, she states, "This is who I am....The rest is just skin."

As Consuela accepts her new skeletal status, we are introduced to an array of really interesting characters with even more interesting names. V, Wish, Yad, and others live in The Flow (a place where spirits reside in order to help/save the living) and each is vastly different. I enjoyed learning about them and their special abilities and what they were drawn to. Each character had a bit of foggy mystery to them and I was glad to see that they weren't to fleshed out (no pub intended). Every few chapters or so, we get a glimpse of the killer as he murders members of The Flow. Some of these scenes give us a taste about who the killer is and what he is capable of. Sometimes, the scenes left me a tab bit puzzled as I tried to jump back into Consuela's story line. Regardless, the cast of characters and the whodunit question kept me in the book. The ending is a little predictable, but I was okay with that. The underlying Dorothy theme - you could do it all along - greats us in the end and I personally welcomed it.

Even though I had a few issues, I can see where a young adult would absolutely love this story. The cover alone will get a girl (and hopefully boy) to pick it up, and the originality of the story line will get teens to buy/checkout. I know my teenager would love this book and she will be a little more forgiving about the confusing opening scenes.

3.5 Stars(less)

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Sep 17, 2011 Maggie rated it 1 of 5 stars

I've never outright hated a book, since I usually end up not reading it in the first place. This book, while I didn't hate it, did have some disturbing elements that I would rather not have to deal with ever again.

Consuela, the main character, has a disturbing power that creeped me out for the first forty pages. Shedding her "human" skin and becoming just her bones? Okay, even if you were okay with that, you've still got to admit that it's creepy. It's like, Halloween creepy.

I thought everythin...more

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Jun 30, 2011 Anna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure, fantasy, friends, read-2011, romance, suspense-thriller, three-stars

Review:

Luminous was definitely a... different read. There were a few things that I found were well done with the novel... however, there were also many things that made this novel just okay.

Dawn Metcalf has beautiful writing. It is very rhythmic and poetic like. It reminded me of poetry, just in prose form. It really was one of a kind, and I did enjoy that part of the novel.

On the other hand, I found many of the characters to be distant. I couldn't really connect with them. While Metcalf's writ...more

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Jun 20, 2012 Liann rated it 3 of 5 stars

2.... 3.... 2.5? I'll round up and give it a 3. But I think it might have been a 2.4. But I'm feeling nice, so I'll go with a 3.

The skin thing was interesting, and Flow was unique and stuff. I've definitely never read a book like that. But a lot of things just didn't make sense to me, like it should have been different. Things could have been explained a little better, like more of what Consuela was feeling or experiencing? I felt like she just cried a lot, or randomly did things. She kind of se...more

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Apr 25, 2011 Karissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was drawn to this book by the beautiful cover and then read the synopsis and found it intriguing. I actually received an Advanced Reading Copy of it through Librarything's Early Reviewer Program. It was a very creative book and has some intriguing ideas in it; although at points the writing is a bit hard to follow.

Consuela finds a lump at the back of her neck and is worried about it. Her mother agrees that Consuela will go to the doctor if it is worse in the morning. Then Consuela finds that s...more I was drawn to this book by the beautiful cover and then read the synopsis and found it intriguing. I actually received an Advanced Reading Copy of it through Librarything's Early Reviewer Program. It was a very creative book and has some intriguing ideas in it; although at points the writing is a bit hard to follow.

Consuela finds a lump at the back of her neck and is worried about it. Her mother agrees that Consuela will go to the doctor if it is worse in the morning. Then Consuela finds that she can put her fingers into the lump and actually remove all of her skin; leaving her a glowing Skeleton. She finds she can makes new skins out of things like water and air. While experimenting she ends up meeting other teenagers with strange powers and finds herself part of the Flow. A serial killer is loose in the Flow and Consuela must figure out how to stop the killer, otherwise she may never have the chance to return home.

This was an odd book. It is very creative and has some really neat ideas in it. At times it is beautifully written and has some excellent imagery. At times though there were also things that didn't make sense. Why only teenagers in the Flow? Why was she able to talk to her mother when she got home in the beginning but not later?

The idea of the Flow is interesting, but I have to say it is a bit difficult for the reader to figure out what is going on at the beginning of the book. The reader needs to suspend disbelief and kind of just..well..go with the flow of the story. As the book went on I understood better the kind of "other place" the author was trying to create, but it did take some piecing together to get to that point.

The characters are intriguing. All of them have different powers and complex backgrounds. While I did find them interesting, they never really came alive for me. The book seemed more focused on what they could do in the Flow than on who they were and what they thought. This was complicated by the fact that there wasn't supposed to be much emotion in the Flow itself.

The story gets a bit creepy at points. The whole concept of Consuela peeling off her own skin weirded me out a bit, as did the fact she traipsed around as a skeleton. There were portions involving the serial killer that were also a bit unsettling; although they never got too scary for me.

The story ends well and in such a way that there could be more adventures involving Consuela, although I haven't heard anything about that. As for the author's writing style, I am a bit on the fence about it. Metcalf's writing has moments of beauty, but it also had times where things were kind of vague. It wasn't the easiest writing to read and you had to read it very slowly and carefully to make sure you understood what was happening.

Overall a very intriguing read. If you are interested in reading something unlike anything you've read before definitely pick this story up. The concepts of the Flow and how Consuela can makes skins out of organic matter are interesting. The story does get a bit creepy, but should be appropriate for young adult and older. The writing style wasn't my favorite and the characters weren't as engaging as I would have liked. Still this book was very original and interesting, so I would recommend it for people who want something a bit different.(less)

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Feb 18, 2012 Jessica Harrison rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, reviewed

Review via Cracking the Cover
Ambiguous is the perfect word to describe “Luminous.” The Flow itself and the majority of Metcalf’s of characters are never really fully fleshed out. It feels like this is a deliberate decision by the author, but some readers will find it a distraction rather than an asset.

The story itself is intriguing, and Consuela’s ability to shed her skin is both shocking and amazingly cool at the same time. Metcalf’s prose is lyrical and her descriptions of Consuela’s skins are...more

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Sep 15, 2011 Kait rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Kait by: Forbes Library Teen Community Read

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

I read this book for the Forbes Teen Community Read and below is the review I posted on Facebook for the group.

I just finished the book this afternoon and really enjoyed it! This book had me wanting to read more and find out what happens next. I actually read the entire thing this weekend because I couldn't put it down. The characters had depth and were believable which I liked. They each had their own stories and beliefs about themselves, the Flow, and why they were there that helped to shape t...more

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Jul 07, 2011 Anne Brown rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book throws the reader instantly into the action--SO quickly, though, I wasn't given much chance to understand who the main character was or feel connected to her in any way before she was off and into the thick of it. But the plot and action is so bizarre, and unique, and compelling I stuck it out to see where the author's imagination was going...and the pay off was well worth it!

So, read this as a very positive review! It gave me kinda the same feeling "A Wrinkle in Time" did back when I...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Nenia Campbell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: gorgeous-covers, x-2011s, ya-baby-ya, beautiful-words-lets-swim-in-them, everyone-hates-it-but-nenia

You can read more reviews at my blog, The Armchair Librarian!

This is one instance where it is perfectly safe to judge a book by its cover.

I'll admit, I was a bit spooked by the 3.25 average rating on Goodreads, but I was intrigued by the summary, lured in by the cover.

The summary really does not do Luminous justice. It makes the book sound like an eclectic mess of ideas, all swirled together like badly mixed paint, when in actuality, it is one of those dead/dying-girl-goes-on-a-magical-journey-o...more You can read more reviews at my blog, The Armchair Librarian!

This is one instance where it is perfectly safe to judge a book by its cover.

I'll admit, I was a bit spooked by the 3.25 average rating on Goodreads, but I was intrigued by the summary, lured in by the cover.

The summary really does not do Luminous justice. It makes the book sound like an eclectic mess of ideas, all swirled together like badly mixed paint, when in actuality, it is one of those dead/dying-girl-goes-on-a-magical-journey-of-self-discovery-type books.

Only, this one isn't a rip-off of Lovely Bones. It is 100% original.

We have our main character, Conseula (I know what you're thinking. No, no, I clean), who's a bit of a bubble-head, and on the fringe of her social scene. She falls down and discovers a lump on the back of her neck, and when she pokes it, she discovers that she can take off her skin and travel around like a skeleton, crafting skins of her own making out of anything from birds to blazes.

This is because Consuela has recently become a part of the Flow. The Flow is a world that overlaps with and intersects with ours, but is completely distinct. It kind of reminds me of the dream sequences in the anime version of Paprika. The inhabitants of the Flow each have their own special abilities, which they use to a) keep the Flow running, and b) save the lives of humans on Earth whose time is not yet up.

How cool is that? They're basically like a bunch of wizardly guardian angels.

But all is not perfect in the Flow. Someone is going around and killing the other guardians, and once you die in the Flow, you die for real. That's when Consuela learns that the Flow is an in-between place to serve as a sort of limbo for those trapped in stasis between life and death. And in order to survive, she will have to go out of her comfort zone and learn to feel comfortable in her own skin (pun intended).

It was so refreshing to find a YA book with a completely original plot, and well thought-out world. The fact that Dawn Metcalf's writing is absolutely beautiful doesn't hurt, either. Her writing is as pretty and sparkly as a bunch of colored butterflies flitting around on the pages, and tickling the fancies of word-connoisseurs.

Yes, the characterization was a bit flat, but I didn't notice it too much. I was too amazed by the novelty of the concept, and the lovely way it was written. This was an amazing debut, and now that I know what the author is capable of, I'll definitely be holding her to higher standards for her later works (which I want! NOW).

4 stars!(less)

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Apr 09, 2012 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars

The descriptions in this book are beautiful. The story does a full circle. I do still wonder about V and Bones relationship. I mean, is she just going to see him every time she looks at a mirror,, besides in the Flow? Are they actually going to be together!?! Well anyway.... I hope so... THEY BETTER!!! In addition, the book started off very fast paced. Though I was surprised how accepting Consuela/Bones was. She didn't ask many questions and didn't find out that she was separate from her "real"...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Jen (A Reading Daydreamer) marked it as incomplete

I’m not even sure if I should be reviewing this book, since I can honestly say, I didn’t finish it. I want to say it wasn’t horrible, but it was pretty close. Sadly, I only got about 200 pages in, and by then I knew it wasn’t for me. I was actually pushing myself through it after about 100 pages, hoping it would get better, but it only got creepier.

The reason why I didn’t like this book very much was most likely because of the plot and creativity. It was like nothing I have ever read before, per...more

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Jun 30, 2012 Siry rated it 4 of 5 stars

Es un libro bastante diferente.. los personajes tienen poderes unicos que no recuerdo haber mirado en otro libro.. y cada uno tiene su propio espacio personal.. La chica principal tiene el poder de cambiar su piel humana por diferentes tipos como tiene una de agua y aire.. y no es de esas adolescentes molestas con problemas para aceptar en lo que se han convertido... si no que desde un principio a ella se le hace algo natural.. como si toda su vida lo hubiera hecho..
La verdad siento que es una p...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Kagama-the Literaturevixen rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of body horror

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book is weird,not good weird, but creepy weird.Or no thats not it either because creepy weird can be good. It was just horrific.

It begins with our maincharacter (Consuela) trying on clothes and lamenting about how all the clothes seems to be made for skinny girls.
At this point I a thinking "ok this girl has some serious selfesteem issues" Why would she go to a store that has only small sizes? Thats like masochistic behavior. Its like it was included only so that the author could make a poi...more

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Aug 19, 2011 Mackenzie rated it 1 of 5 stars

THIS BOOK HAD SO MUCH POTENTIAL! Too bad it took that potential and set it on fire, took the ashes and lit those on fire, took the ashes from the ashes, put them through a blender, and finally dug to the core of the Earth and left it there.

That might be a slight over exaggeration...but, wait, no, it's really not.

I loved how this book started off: almost immediately Consuela, the main character, proved to have a really unique power/gift that she uses to help people. She is thrown into this strang...more

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Nov 14, 2011 Lea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: beautiful-writing, creative, creepy, poetic, supernatural, unusual

I like to think of Luminous as a very unique piece of modern art-- you're either going to love it or hate it, and everyone is going to interpret it differently. Now, I actually fall on the side of people who loved this book-- I thought it was creative, different, kind of bizarre, and always surprising!

Consuela Chavez is just your typical teenager-- until one night while she's in the tub, she finds out that she has the ability to step out of her own skin-- quite literally, she can pull it off lik...more I like to think of Luminous as a very unique piece of modern art-- you're either going to love it or hate it, and everyone is going to interpret it differently. Now, I actually fall on the side of people who loved this book-- I thought it was creative, different, kind of bizarre, and always surprising!

Consuela Chavez is just your typical teenager-- until one night while she's in the tub, she finds out that she has the ability to step out of her own skin-- quite literally, she can pull it off like she's taking off a sweater-- and put on new skins made of fire, air, and water. I know, kind of creepy, huh? Stepping out of her bathroom, Consuela finds herself sucked into "The Flow," a kind of alternate reality where others with special abilities like her exist in order to save people from untimely deaths. However, once in The Flow, Consuela has no way to get back out and go home. To make matters worse, people start mysteriously dying in The Flow, and Consuela is the only one who can stop the killer.

The best parts about this book were the concepts it presented and the mood it created for the reader. The entire story brings you into this dreamy, almost trance-like state, where it's difficult to tell which end is up. The ideas that it explores were very metaphysical, like, what is the purpose of life? What comes after death? What is the standard for morality? What makes a person good or bad? The thought-provoking questions underneath the layers of imagery and imagination of The Flow had me completely wrapped up in this book.

The one thing that made Luminous difficult to grasp was that the plot and the setting were not clearly defined-- I don't even know how to describe The Flow or what it really was, and the series of events that took place were very much like when you dream-- one minute you're there, the next you're inexplicable somewhere else. I liked how this really gave you the feeling that you were in a dream, but at the same time, it made it tricky to pinpoint exactly what was going on.

I had actually already read a few reviews for Luminous before I read it, so I had a pretty good idea of what the book would be like. Which is probably a good thing, because it's one of those books that is just so wacky and bizarre, that if I went in totally unsuspecting, my first reaction to Chapter 1 would probably have been: What the CRAP is going on!?! Haha but anyways, I knew going in that this book was going to be very different than any others I've yet read. I really did enjoy this book and thought that it was unexpected and creative.

Lea @ LC's Adventures in Libraryland (less)

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Nov 01, 2011 Aurora Celeste rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, read-in-2011

Although this book turned out good it got off to a rocky start. The author rather dumps you from the "real" world into the Flow, and I felt very disjointed and confused over what was happening and where we were. I think it was done to emphasize the disorientation and confusion of Consuela, but it isn't done in a way that made me identify with the character. Instead I wanted to put the book down. It was just too fast, plopping us into the fantasy world without explanation or reason, and the contr...more Although this book turned out good it got off to a rocky start. The author rather dumps you from the "real" world into the Flow, and I felt very disjointed and confused over what was happening and where we were. I think it was done to emphasize the disorientation and confusion of Consuela, but it isn't done in a way that made me identify with the character. Instead I wanted to put the book down. It was just too fast, plopping us into the fantasy world without explanation or reason, and the contrivance is only emphasized by Consuela’s placid acceptance rather than questioning of the issue.

I endured, though, and as the author got around to explaining what happened and why I started to enjoy the world and the characters, although I never really felt as if I understood it or them. In order to maintain the mystery of the plot the characters all have hidden agendas and ulterior motives, and you're always questioning why they're doing what they're doing, but you're also questioning why you care. There are a lot of characters that seem to be put in place so that they can die to amplify the plot, but because you didn't ever identify with them it doesn't work as well as it could.

However, even with these major flaws there is something about the book that is absorbing and makes you want to keep reading despite all the incertainty and confusion. Perhaps it is the artful dealing with the subject matter: what happens when we die, and what about people who seem to be *dead* but are still functionally alive? What do they experience? What do they feel? Add in an overlay of murder mystery and a dash of romantic subplot and the question is very deep as well as entertaining. This gift extends even beyond the ending, turning an ending that is simply ambiguous into a cliffhanger mystery that keeps you thinking about the book even after you're done with it. Although this book wasn't altogether my cup of tea I can see many people who would be able to look past its flaws and fall completely in love with the great existential mystery that is presented in this book.

I received this book free from Librarything as an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review. (less)

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Jun 09, 2011 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I was a little girl, I had some crazy dreams. I love books that are all about a fantasy place that no one can visit but you. The Flow is that place. Your not sure if it exist, but you feel it and know its there.

One thing that caught me in this book was the place, Flow. It is a magical place that not that many people can see or get into. I like how Consuela was able to get into this place when she was not suppose to. You can tell right from the start that Consuela is a unique girl with a gre...more

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Jul 15, 2011 Reading Vacation's Mom rated it 4 of 5 stars

Consuela can shed her human skin and make new ones out of organic materials. If you need to re-read that, go ahead. It confused me for a while too. In reality, it is really a cool power. Being able to transform into almost anything on a whim was probably the best element of this book. My favorite skin was the butterfly skin because it seemed so whimsical.

The Flow was hard to wrap my head around. In the end I think I got a picture of the world Consuela finds herself in, but some elements still el...more

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Apr 08, 2011 Lauren (365 Days of Reading) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Summary: One regular day, Consuela Chavez notices a lump at the base of her neck, right where her spine starts. Whilst fiddling with the oddity (as we all do), she accidentally unzips her skin, and finds herself a skeleton in an entirely new world called the Flow. Soon Consuela discovers that she can craft different skins for herself, may they be of fire, butterflies, or water. She uses these skins to save the lives of people whose time to die has not yet come. But something is afoot in the Flow...more

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