The Light Fantastic

The Light Fantastic by Sarah Combs deals with one of the most pressing and important issues of our time. Namely, the alienation of young people and the connection with school shootings. April Donovan is turning 18 soon and she can't help rehashing all of the tragedies that have happened during the month of April thanks to her rare memory condition that lets her remember the dates of terrible events accurately. April is not the only main character of the story but she seems to be the one who is at the foundation of the story. There are other characters from all over the country as well but the story flips back and forth between them all. It took me a while to get used to the style of the book but the format is needed in order to tell the coordinated stories of others involved in the crisis. The Light Fantastic is an important examination of teenagers who are feeling desperate enough that they do the wrong thing. There are no easy answers to this issue but understanding why teenagers might feel alienated is a start. All in all, The Light Fantastic is an absorbing and thought provoking read. I received a copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.