I read This Raging Light a while back. The book took me several attempts to get into because the writing is unique and I had to be in the right frame of mind to read it. I think this was the same. I only bought it recently and picked it up a couple of times. It was this attempt on a Saturday when I didn't want to do a whole lot that this book clicked for me and the writing was just enchanting as in This Raging Light.

This book delves a little into magical realism and was insanely interesting. The story was so good because we are all intrigues by death so for someone to return from a coma and near death and the experiences then and after are interesting. It was not wholly unrealistic to think that a brush with death could change things.

Eden wasn't my favourite character in the first book. She could be mean and selfish and she still is in this one. But getting to see in her head and her thoughts made her so much easier to like. And I found myself instead getting frustrated with Lucille and Digby and their attitude to Eden (seeing a parallel here cos I was thinking the opposite in This Raging Light). All the characters act out of love. Even at my most frustrated I never hated any of the characters. This was definitely a book of growth, metamorphosis, and generally what happens when life continues.

I adored the writing. Laure once more demonstrated great skill in sucking me completely into a story. I stayed up late to finish this one and I'm glad I did. If feared I'd be disappointed by the companion novel to This Raging Light but this one met and exceeded expectations.

An unusual exploration of love, friendship and what it means to be alive.
Eden wakes from a coma after an accident, uncertain of how much of her life she will get back. She believes she met Jasmine, the girl in the room opposite, while she was in her coma. She sees black flowers everywhere and doesn't want to tell anyone about it.
Much of the story focuses on Eden returning to life. There's a romance (of sorts) and it works well-enough on its own.