The death of one person can change another person's life. The death of a child can change the lives of that child's parents. In this novel by Elizabeth Diamond, the lives of two families are forever changed when the man from one family accidentally hits and kills the daughter of the other. And while, yes, it is a sad, sad moment, it's also the spark that ignites both couples to finally start living and do what makes them happy instead of remaining stagnant. The story takes place in England, but the story transcends international borders. It could take place in any "Western" country or U.S. state. In fact, I didn't realize where it actually took place for several chapters when Diamond started using British colloquialisms. Diamond's writing is very conversational and easy to read. I quickly breezed through the novel during Christmas vacation and was never bored. Her descriptions and character development were wonderful. The only part that felt jarring to me was the novel's first sudden change in point of view. The first few chapters were told from the point of view of Jack, the man who accidentally hit and killed Laura, the little girl, one day while driving home because she ran out from behind a bus and he didn't have time to stop. He tells his story to his psychiatrist and we, the readers, are his psychiatrist. Later, the story's point of view shifts without warning. Suddenly, we're being told the story from the point of view of Lisa, the girl's mother, whom we haven't even met yet. She's telling her story to her deceased daughter, Laura. We, the readers, substitute for Laura. Once you understand whose point of view each particular chapter is, the confusion dissipates. All in all, I thought this was a very powerful and well-written dramatic novel about people's ability to cope with loss. I enjoyed it as much as the similarly themed "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold and "The Bright Forever" by Lee Martin. I look forward to reading more from Elizabeth Diamond. An accident. One man runs over and kills another man's daughter. Both men take self-destructive courses. Both their wives leave them and move on. The story is told from alternate points of view: Jack, the man who killed the little girl, albeit accidentally, and Lisa, the mother of the dead child. Well written and fascinating with ghostly influences of the child, their story holds us through the upheavals of two families. we watch as lives are examined, best friends betray, and insanity threatens to overtake. Recommended.
What do You think about An Accidental Light (2009)?
This book had its moments. Nothing too fantastic, but it had some interesting aspects.
—elif
Pretty good.... Something that could happen to anyone of us at anytime (God forbid).
—nick
This book starts off slow, but really delivers. I promise.
—Sumerluv
