Illumination Night by Alice Hoffman - 3 stars

[Joy D]

Illumination Night by Alice Hoffman - 3* - My Review

Vonny and Andrew live in Martha’s Vineyard with their five-year-old slow-growing son, Simon. Their next-door neighbor, Elizabeth Renny, falls from a window and must get assistance, which arrives in the form of her rebellious teenage granddaughter, Jody. Eddie, called “the Giant,” lives alone with his chickens, avoiding social contact due to his extreme height. This is the story of people living in this small community. Each of the main characters is dealing with an issue.

I liked parts of this book quite a bit, especially the first half. The description of “illumination night,” an annual event, is beautiful. I enjoyed the relationship between Jody and her grandmother, a much-needed relief from her overbearing parents. The last half of the book is extremely sad. The characters start with problems and end with problems, though perhaps different ones. There is little humor or joy to be found. Surely someone in this town is happy? The storylines are well developed until they just….end. Maybe I missed something, but it seems it seems unfinished to me.