Fractured Light

Fractured Light by Rachel McClellan

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


1.5 star



I hate being lied to as much as the next person. The book description on Netgalley led me to believe that Fractured Light is a YA fantasy book, and the cover also looks like something you’d see on a fantasy novel. I was really excited when I first got it, but once I figured out what I was reading (which took all of five pages), I went from excited to angry in 2 seconds or less.

Fractured Light is just another YA paranormal, with a lot of whining and high school boy drama. Our heroine, Llona, lives with her uncle because both her parents are dead. Her uncle has been depressed for years and he still can’t get over the death of his brother, Llona’s father. He spends his days sleeping and playing video games. That kind of life would be hard on any girl, but it’s even harder on Llona because she’s, of course, very special: she is an Aura, a being of Light, and she has just started developing her powers. The purpose of the Auras is to help others since they have the ability to bring calmness with a single touch, but fear has caused them to hide for generations. Auras are being hunted by Vykens, evil creatures of darkness, who want to drink their blood and gain the ability to walk in daylight (hello, Sookie Stackhouse!).

From what my father had told me, Auras were rarely allowed to have hands on experience helping others. I’d never heard of an Aura who worked in soup kitchen, but I’d heard of plenty who helped build one. I remember my mom saying once (not too happily either) that our safety had become more important than our purpose.

Llona refuses to join the other Auras at Lucent Academy and chooses to go to a regular school instead. Of course there is a new boy in school and of course he’s instantly attracted to Llona, despite her constant insecurities because of her pale skin and her white hair. Of course he keeps sending her mixed signals and of course he has a good reason for his strange behavior. You will, of course, guess that reason by page 20 and of course you’ll be annoyed with Llona for being whiny and blind. Of course she’ll suspect him for murder at some point, and of course he’ll end up being completely innocent, fall completely in love with her, and say to hell with all the rules.

Oh, I forgot: you will recognize the villain on page 10 or sooner, but everyone else will remain completely oblivious, even some characters who really should know better.

I’m pretty sure this book will be well loved by many. It has its intended audience – teen girls who never grow tired of reading the same story over and over again. It’s not even bad for a formulaic, utterly predictable YA book – the writing is pretty decent, after all. But older readers should probably find something more original.