Wow! What an incredible book. This story is written from the dual perspective of Zofia and Tom - two characters who on the surface seem to be in complete contrast to each other, but underneath are dealing with similar vulnerabilities, which neither want to admit. It is very difficult to favour one character over the other. As soon as you think you’re swaying towards Zofia with her sense of humour and one liners - used as a defence mechanism, you just as quickly switch back to Tom whose timid, quiet nature has helped him to build a protective barrier around himself. Hooking you in from the start, the short but impactful chapters, make you want to read and read. I could feel the speed of my reading increase towards the end, urging me to find out what happens but now that I’m there, I want to keep reading, such is the author’s ability to immerse you in the thoughts and feelings of both characters.

This is the first book I have read by Katya Balen and it won’t be the last! I can’t wait to place it on the ‘recommended reads’ shelf in my Yr 5/6 classroom.

Zofia was born in a storm, and has lived her life as a storm, crashing around through everything. She loves the sea and is determined to show her Dad she can swim to an outcrop of rocks off the beach below their cottage.
Tom, however, is cowed from an abusive Father and having to leave home in secret to avoid further domestic abuse of his Mum.
When their lives come together, how can such opposites co-exist when they have nothing in common?
This is a remarkable book for its beautiful, poetic writing. It brought the tears to my eyes as Zofia’s frustration was destroying her own life with Tom too scared to intervene. Zofia has to realise herself, but it’s a difficult lesson.

Wow, what a book. Full of raw emotion that is revealed slowly using clever details and beautiful language. We get to know Zofia and Tom in brief, alternating chapters which means you can never put it down but having finished it one afternoon I wish I hadn’t. A powerful story that ends with courage and hope.

I don't really know how Katya Balen does it but I find it incredible that you can read even just a few paragraphs of her writing and be sucked into a world so real that you forget everything around you.

I finished this book a short while ago so have just reread a few bits (if you've read the book, you'll know which bits I mean) and only realised I was holding my breath when I got to the end again.

Katya Balen writes characters and their various personalities so utterly convincingly that you know them. She just knows how children think and behave and feel. She can switch between them so well that you could almost believe they're written by different people.

If you like Stewart Foster's books, I would highly recommend reading Katya Balen's as I can't think of many adults who write children as well. The Space Between was my book of the year when I read it and this one is undoubtedly up there too.

The Light in Everything is immersive and truly captivating. Written from the dual points of view of Tom and Zofia, the two find their respective parents come together to form a blended family. The differing personalities are revealed through Katya Balen’s delicate writing, and we journey with them as their family navigates new situations. It was a privilege to receive an advanced reader copy of this beautiful writing and I in turn have no hesitation in recommending it to others to read and will be doing this in my school staffroom as soon as possible. It was a pleasure to read this book and I cannot wait to hear what friends, colleagues and students think of this remarkable book.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange of an honest review.

I came across Katya Balen when I read October October this year and was simply captivated by her writing. This book was no different. Balen has a wonderful way with words that paints beautiful pictures and The Light in Everything was just a wonderful book. The way that Balen pulls you into the characters' worlds is just phenomenal and she really makes you *feel*. And boy did you feel in this book. This book deals with some traumatic issues and should come with content warnings, particularly if you are reading it to your class, but the writing is a masterclass in how to convey emotion and this should be read by as many people as possible.

A stunning book that put me in a book hangover and slump but I have no regrets at all. Thank you for the arc - I cannot wait to share it with my class when it is published.

This book in three words: intense, immersive, incredible.

Wow. Having just finished this book, I sit in stunned silence, pulled from one world into another. I feel as if I’ve been so immersed in the lives of Tom and Zofia that I barely recognise my own reality.

Written in the form of dual narrative, The Light in Everything exposes the lives and emotions of two vastly contrasting characters when their worlds collide. As a reader, it feels like stepping inside the brain of another. The book deals with some very tough issues, such as grief, domestic abuse and trauma in a sensitive and delicate way.

The Light in Everything is a deeply moving book and Katya Balen is a rare talent. Her writing is sublime: her descriptions evocative, her narrative utterly convincing and her ability to tap into the human psyche almost unrivalled.

Whilst I loved October, October, The Light in Everything has moved me profoundly. I feel raw and exposed with a deep emotional hangover upon finishing it. Not only would it be an incredible book to share with UKS2 pupils, Balen’s descriptions and language usage would be perfect to share with aspiring writers. I cannot wait to add this book to my classroom bookshelf. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.