I very much enjoyed this book, and it was far too easy to get through! I loved the character of Bernie, the descriptive writing, the whole feel of it.

I'm now going to go through her back catalogue and see what I've been missing!

I was torn about this book. Having read it not long after reading The Change by Kirsten Miller, which I thought was excellent, it was hard not to make comparisons, subconsciously or otherwise. And unfortunately I felt that Miller's book - also about themes of women's oppression, menopause and supernatural powers - was the better of the two.
Joanne Harris' book is centred on Bernie Moon, a middle aged woman who we meet while she's suffering what seems to be perimenopause or menopause. One of the first things we notice is that she seems to have an absolute git of a husband, whose response to her excessive menstrual bleeding in bed is to show his disgust and get to the bathroom first - leaving her bleeding over the carpet.
We quickly realise that she has an intriguing past. Chapters take us back to her childhood and her best friend of the time Katie, who discusses disturbing behaviour from Bernie that drove her to distance herself. We gradually learn more of what looked like, which involved Bernie somehow capturing the mind of another person and 'swapping' experiences with them.
Bernie can still do this as an adult. This makes for some good scenes where she essentially destroys the life of a sexual predator.
There's a lot of good in the book. I especially like the intimacy with which Harris describes Bernie's marriage. There's a tension all the time, for a number of reasons, and at times it's heartbreaking. Bernie has grown up basically feeling somewhat inferior as she felt that her husband had a crush on Katie. The truth turns out to be far more awful, and makes for a really striking realisation - that an important friendship has been destroyed on the basis of a terrible misunderstanding.
In some ways I like the fact that Harris refuses to give a happy ending. It's good in a way that she paints such a relentless picture of the casual - and not so casual - misogyny that women face day in, day out. But it WAS relentless and at several points I felt she was 'laying it on with a trowel' in terms of her depictions of women's oppression. It really was 'all men' which made me think it was unrealistic, with characters that were too one dimensional (although to be fair, Bernie's husband isn't quite like this).
I intensely disliked Harris' implication towards the end that all we need to do is think differently and somehow that will change the world. But then again, fiction isn't supposed to mirror the reader's precise thoughts, ideas and feelings. I just found it off-putting.

Wow, what a book. I read another review and it said that readers who enjoyed The Power would enjoy this book. I agree with the view. It starts innocuously, but then expands and blows your mind. I didn't really understand the power that Bernie had until later in the book but I really felt it later on. There's the moral dilemma of if you had the power to influence someone else's thought, would you be tempted to modify their behaviour? It was a disfferent type of story that I enjoyed immensely.

I’m a huge fan of Joanne Harris and was really excited to read Broken Light.

I think I wanted to love the books as I’m a fan of Joanne Harris, but I did struggle reading it. It’s taken me months to finish, just because I don’t like not finishing books.

I think it just wasn’t for me. That said, I will look out for the next Joanne Harris book.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing for making the ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Well, that was a weird one! To be honest I’m not sure what exactly to make of this latest offering from Joanne Harris. As always, her writing is mesmerising, and both the narrative and protagonist compelling, but I’m left feeling totally disoriented, like I’ve been tripping on some kind of hallucinogenic.

Broken Light is the story of Bernie Moon, a menopausal woman, for whom life has never been very kind. She is friendless, stuck in a boring marriage, and pretty much estranged from both her mother and son. Her only real pleasure is her job in a local indy bookstore.

But Bernie has a superpower: she can see inside other people’s minds — their ‘houses’ as she calls them. She can wander through their ‘rooms’, delve into their pasts, and read their innermost thoughts. It’s a gift that has lain dormant since childhood, but triggered by hormones and Bernie’s altered emotional state, it’s back, and more powerful than ever before.

As premises go, you have to admit this is pretty wild, veering into magical realism territory. Now, that’s not something that would normally unsettle me, but …

What follows is a bizarre story with multiple threads and layers that didn’t quite gel for me. Much of it is revenge based, a pitting of the sexes: men hating women, women hating men. Social media whipping up a vicious fury. Bernie in the middle, wielding her ever-strengthening power.

Away from all this, there’s Bernie’s quiet transformation. From a timid, unhappy, invisible woman into someone with new-found self-belief and optimism and a circle of feisty female friends. As a fellow ‘invisible’, post-menopausal woman, I felt thoroughly invested in this thread.

What I wasn’t a fan of was the stereotyping of so many of the secondary characters. The predatory, misogynistic male; the brash, opinionated, Gen-Z; the gay, the bi, the trans. It all felt too much like box ticking. And what the heck are hot flashes? In the UK, we call them hot FLUSHES. Why the Americanism? Oh, and it’s very, very long.

I readily accept that Harris’ intentions may have flown right over my head and that other readers may well garner more from this than I. If nothing else, it would make an excellent book club read. It just wasn’t for me.

Broken Light touches on so many important issues - the invisibility felt by menopausal women, the toxicity of social media, horrific bullying power of the 'woke' movement, the weight of familial responsibility, crushing self image, marriages under strain...the list goes on.

I loved this novel. Ok, Bernie Moon's mind reading ability seemed strange initially but once you let it simmer a bit it adds an extra level of honesty to the story. And this journey of Bernie's is all about honesty. From weird child, awkward student, pregnant teen to menopausal woman we experience Bernie's evolution blooming into the person she wants to be. It is an uplifting tale that does go awry at times but who could read this and not love Iris goading Bernie on to redress the female imbalance by messing with men who need a nudge to be better?

I found Broken Light to be delightful, rich with deeper meaning and just fun. An inspiration to women who may feel invisible in society.

Fantasy and Horror often get accused of just being escapism. ‘You’re hiding from the real world!’ may be something we’ve all heard at some point in our lives! Not surprisingly I hugely disagree. I think all stories reflect back at us our world - it’s, past, present and potential futures and explore our feelings about this. I was absolutely stunned by Joanne Harris’ excellent Broken Light which delivers a blisteringly accurate reflection of our world and in particular being a woman and how that feels in our. Urgent society. It carried timely messages for all of us.

Bernie Moon is nearing fifty; married and a mother of one; works in a small struggling bookshop and generally ignored by the world. Everything is settled and she accepts it. Until the menopause begins and releases an ability Bernie had forgotten about for nearly thirty years. Bernie can touch minds, see people’s hidden thoughts and personalities and if necessary change them. What was a fun childhood game has a darker side and in a world where many men see women as prey or a threat Bernie finds that temptation to use her powers growing. But it also makes Bernie question who she has been thinking she herself is. Bernie Moon will never be the same woman again.

I was blown away reading this book. Harris has created a novel that covers 1980s childhoods, 1990s college years and most of all this last decade and how women see themselves and how wider society sees and treats them. Bernie’s voice told via her journal captures someone re-working themselves out, experiencing shame at how her body is; the pressure of social influencers saying how she should really feel and a distant husband and estranged son who seem to constantly ignore her. We get to understand Bernie from her telling us about her childhood; being considered the weird child at school, a loner, a teenager mother to the shame of her family and then just a wife as a role she is now forever expected to play. She’s been trying to fit what people say she should be to please them. It’s how not enough. But Harris adds a different and important dimension to the tale. Bernie’s gift of mind reading and to change minds is also reappearing with the menopause and that’s allowing her to see what people really think. It gives her the strength to start being who she wants to be.

The mind-reading element of the plot allows Harris to expand the story from one family to pretty much all of our world. This starts with Bernie witnessing the hallowing murder of a woman in a park and violence and experiencing constant toxic attitudes to women that make up a huge part of the plot. Bernie meets a casual friend of her husband named Jimmy who she discovers drugs women on dates. Stopping him creates a running plot of Jimmy’s behaviour afterwards; he knows something strange has happened but not sure what and becomes an online incel creating a conspiracy theory about feminists are trying to destroy men. One that grows followers, hashtags and even support from certain alleged feminist groups that very clearly have their own ideas of what a women is. Harris in this strand explores this ongoing current in our society and the use of social media rows, below the line comments and causal sexism all ring true for anyone online. But Harris also explores how women themselves feel and how attitudes are changing. There is a truly positive and heart-warming set of scenes as Bernie discovers she can actually make friends and a small running club gives her an insight into many different definitions of what being a woman can be - body-positive, trans and queer women that do not fit the glossy instas that Bernie’s social influencer of choice ( the deliciously named DeeDee LaDouce) loves to portray from a perfect lifestyle she endlessly gushes about. Bernie dares to enjoy herself; go out with friends and share experiences. She re-finds her voice. These two worlds are the current ends of the spectrum around women’s place in society that our world is sliding around and inevitably the two cross paths. A key plotline is the young woman Bernie saved from Jimmy - Iris also discovers Bernie’s abilities and encourages her to change men’s minds to prevent future harm. But this skill is difficult and there are unexpected side effects not just for Bernie that keep having unforeseen repercussions for those changed and those around them. The reader notes that Bernie’s entries are all marked as evidence and we fear a countdown to a tragic event just lies around the corner. Harris has not just the horror of sexism but the feeling Bernie’s ever increasing powers could eventually be her undoing.

I also liked how Harris explores that sexism isn’t simply from the very obvious incel that Jimmy represents. We see the casual ignorance Bernie’s husband Martin has imposed on things like division of labour at home; digs at weight and exercise and how he will stand up for his friend even when he says horrible things. Harris makes the point as Bernie gazes into men’s souls this is very much society constantly creating these attitudes but men also rarely look at themselves to counteract this behaviour. This makes scenes a sobering experience but a very important one - have men always stood up when we should have?. Another narrator is Bernie’s schoolfriend and now constant rival in her mind Kate Hemsworth who also writes her biography after the event this book is hurtling towards. She on the surface has the perfect life Bernie dreams and yet she mirrors Bernie as under the surface she too is not happy and carries so many secrets she fears revealing for how this will change how people see her. Finally understanding her underlines how men’s thoughtless actions can have repercussions for decades to come and that not monsters are easy to spot.

In Broken Light Harris creates a tale that skilfully can be funny, heart-warming, terrifying and tragic and in that respect reflects our own world back at us. The accuracy of our online and real world conflicts and attitudes is razor-sharp in its depiction and Harris’ commentary is spot on. This is a novel to enjoy but also make you think. Like Bernie are we holding ourselves back from being the best person we can be? How can we do better? Stories that make me think after reading them are always the best kind and I think Bernie Moon will stay with me for a very long time and you too should meet her. Definitely one of my reads of the year and strongly recommended!

Extraordinary storytelling. Joanna really pulls it out of the bag with this one. Her writing is mesmerising and character building unstoppable. She really knows how to draw her reader in and not let go. This was both haunting and beautiful. I will be recommending!

Struggling with the menopause, Bernie Moon sees her life a wife and mother but not as a person. Then something odd happens, a skill she had as a child suddenly returns and now Bernie can enter the minds of others and change things. At first this is amusing but then it begins to get serious, as Bernie can read the deepest thoughts of these men and is confronted by a feminism backlash that is scary. Then the deaths begin to occur...
I have always been a fan of Harris' writing and this book goes to a whole other place! Some reviews have talked about cliches, the whole 'let's get a cocktail' vibe from chick lit. I actually think this is deliberate as a counterpoint to the male perspective about the 'woke' and #metoo agendas. It is slyly comedic in this respect, however it is also deeply profound in the way that experiences shape lives. Altogether this is a wonderful book and I've completely devoured it!

“I know she was thinking about a night thirty years ago, when the same fairy lights hung from the trees, and the same music filtered through the open French doors of the concert hall. I know she was cold, … There’s no point explaining how I know. Just stay with me for this. OK? Bernie Moon and I have the kind of history that can never be erased; the kind that dates to when magic was as easy as maths.”

My thanks to Orion Publishing Group for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Broken Light’ by Joanne Harris.

This latest novel from Harris has an unusual and quite complex plot. Its main character is Bernadette (Bernie) Ingram, nee Moon, who at forty-nine is feeling invisible while dealing with the hormonal rollercoaster of menopause. She realises that she has given her life to others: her husband, Martin, her grown son, Dante, and her few friends.

When a young woman is murdered in a local park, it not only sparks a series of childhood memories in Bernie but with them, reignites a talent that has lain dormant most of her adult life. It had almost destroyed her when she was a teenager but now that she’s older, could it be the power that she's been missing? Her thirty year school reunion will bring past and present together in a shocking conclusion. No further details to avoid spoilers. 

The narrative follows both Bernie and extracts from the 2023 memoir of her former childhood friend, Kate Hemsworth, who provides an independent viewpoint of Bernie’s younger years as well as an account of certain events in the present.

Harris covers a wide range of social issues in ‘Broken Light’, including misogyny, cancel culture, the so called ‘gender wars’, and the role of social media along with the subtle magical realism that has been present in many of her earlier novels.

I found it quite creative that the table of contents is listed as ‘Playlist’ and its chapters tracks named for well known songs.

I was especially interested in a recent article by Harris where she wrote about taking inspiration from Stephen King’s iconic ‘Carrie’ for ‘Broken Light’. She wrote: “my protagonist, Bernie Moon, is a British version of Carrie White.” Of course, there are significant differences as Bernie may have been considered a freak at school, but she wasn’t actively victimised. Bernie grew up, married, became a mother and homemaker. It is the changes that she undergoes at menopause that releases her latent power. As ‘Carrie’ is one of my favourites, I certainly appreciated this additional insight into Harris’ novel.

Overall, I found ‘Broken Light’ a beautifully written intelligent work of contemporary literary fiction with subtle paranormal elements. Another triumph for Joanne Harris with a powerful understated message.

Superb novel from Joanne Harris. The story follows Bernie Moon through life and marraige but at the point of hitting menopause she really comes to life and her latent skills in entering peoples minds return, skills that disappeared at puberty. With a nod to Stephen King's Carrie which Harris has acknowledged in interviews, the story moves across decades, taking on school life and beyond, culminating in a school reunion where Bernie's gifts will get centre stage. Super pacing and characters, highly recommended.

Bernie has cause to remember something her past, a past she deliberately chose not to think about for decades. But in doing so, her mind returns to happy memories, which, given her current unhappy state, may be exactly what she needs. I suspect Bernie will be much loved by readers.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for an advance copy of Broken Light, a stand-alone set in present day London.

Bernie Ingram, née Moon, has never really fitted in and is used to living quietly at the beck and call of her husband. Now she’s in her forties, menopausal and hormonal and feeling it, until the murder of a young woman brings back powers she abandoned with her teenage dreams.

It must be twenty years since I last read this author and I remember the ones I read as gentle and whimsical. Broken Light is nothing like that. It is visceral, strident and odd in the way it tackles the very current topic of misogyny.

It is a well written novel that aptly describes the sense of being adrift of a menopausal woman, seeking to redefine her role, once her son has left the nest and her husband doesn’t seem to care. There are several stories of Bernie’s experiences that we can all relate to, but there are so many more that we can’t, because they involve supernatural powers. Further on the plus side the author incorporates some unexpected twists and has a way of drawing the reader in to Bernie’s life.

I did not enjoy the content of this novel so it took me weeks of dipping in and out to finish it. I didn’t like the way it portrayed the majority of the male characters as either selfish or misogynistic. And while I can cheer on the bad guys getting their comeuppance I couldn’t relate to how it was done or even attempt to believe it. It seems to me that the novel lacks balance and nuance and takes a sledgehammer to the topic. I would note that I don’t get out much, so the author may be closer to actual life than I want to think, but everyone lives their own experience and I don’t recognise the generalisation.

Broken Light is not for me.

I am left not quite sure what to think of this book. On one hand it is a very relevant look at the world we live in and the issue of misogyny. On the other it is a surreal/mystical story of a woman who can see into other people’s “houses” (minds).

I’m not sure the two tie together well in a helpful way. I felt the mystical aspect was useful in terms of helping the reader understand the mindset and history or characters in a unique way. However the changing of people’s houses I felt took away from the main theme of the book.

Well written, in interesting read and as I say a very novel way of learning about secondary characters, but I felt it lacked the impact it could have had.

Once again Joanne Harris creates an atmospheric, dark and original novel which will keep you guessing about both the plot and the characters. 'Broken Light' is the story of Bernie, a middle-aged woman with an uninterested husband and grown up son, unfulfilling job, and a whole host of miserable menopausal symptoms. But along with her hormonal shifts she regains a psychic power she held as a child, and after a chance encounter, begins to build the confidence to use it in order to deliver justice for women abused by men, among other things. Of course, it's clear from the start that it's all going to end in tears, but finding out how is a gripping read.

Bernie is a likeable character and reflects the experiences of many women of this age group - feeling invisible and unappreciated, coping with life-altering symptoms and expected to carry on functioning as normal, trying to build a new life after devoting years to child rearing. The challenges of the menopause are just beginning to be spoken about more openly and greater efforts made to not just dismiss them, and this novel is timely in exploring the topic through fiction. But it's not really a 'book about the menopause', it's a book about gender inequality, and one of the best I've read. Although I am female, I'd never really considered how society - even in 21st century Britain - is ultimately patriarchal. Harris lays bare so many small things that I hadn't considered due to them simply being part of how society has programmed me, which demonstrate that there is still a long way to go before true equality.

The psychic mind-altering element is dark and interesting - it does tip the novel technically into fantasy, but is the better for it. Bernie's power is described in a way that makes it feel logical and plausible, and Harris doesn't get bogged down with explaining how Bernie comes to have it. But I also liked the fact that ultimately the characters who Bernie values most are nothing to do with any powers - just a group of ordinary, friendly women who meet to go running together. In fact the simple everyday compassion they show the lonely Bernie is as effective and remarkable as any of the magic Bernie works on others. Harris has a good understanding of the underlying darkness in human nature and uses it to create unsettling and powerful narratives, but this story perhaps more than any of her others also embraces the light and goodness people are capable of.

I'd highly recommend this novel as very well written, interesting, gripping and topical. It could make a good book group choice due to its exploration of complex themes which could be discussed. But aside from its topicality and weighty themes, it's a very entertaining story that is hard to put down.

Whether it be through the magic of Vianne Rocher and her world of chocolate or the Machiavellian world of St Oswald’s school, Joanne Harris is a consummate storyteller. Broken Light is a very different type of story; in some ways it could be described as being an amalgam of her two successful series- magical realism combined with a crime drama.
Bernie Moon is a unique literary creation who has a power - she can enter the thoughts and minds of others and when desired change their attitudes, mindset, actions. Told through the current world of gender politics and identity, the world of social media, influencers and conspiracy theories this is a novel that is going to divide fans and open up many questions.
Based around the events of childhood years and leading up to a graduation prom , the story explores Bernie’s sense of isolation from society and how she was treated by others diminishing her self worth.. but as her menopause continues it triggers a series of events linked to her unique skills that have lain dormant for years - following the murder of a murder of a young mother, Bernie finds herself taking retribution on men who abuse women and her sense of self empowerment to show her true strengths at a school reunion event. This is a novel of our times and commentary on the divisions within society. It is unflinching and angry but throughout the desire for Bernie to be recognised and succeed is palpable. There is a slight feeling that there is a nod to the 1970s horror movie Carrie as the plot proceeds and retribution . This is a darker read than many of Joanne Harris’ other novels but is rewarding and is certainly memorable- intriguing , beguiling and thought provoking

A beautiful, magical, and gripping story about existing as a woman in a world obsessed with trying to contol them.

Bernie Moon is going through menopause. It's a completely natural process that happens to everyone with a period as they age, and yet it is often ignored, riddiculed or even vilified. But with Bernie's menopause comes an unusual skill that she once possessed as a child: the ability to visit and change the minds (or "Homes") of other people. A magic she once shared with her childhood best friend, Katie, Bernie's ability brings back memories of her clumsy and ill-fated attempts to use her power for good as a child. But when she uses her gift to save another woman from date-rape, Bernie realises that perhaps if she learns to control her power, she might be able to do some good after all...

As a huge fan of Joanne Harris's St Oswald's series, I was delighted to learn about this newest installation set partially in Malbry. And as with each of her previous books, I was immediately sucked into the life of a character I that is sympathetic, frustrating, and completely believable, a character I wanted to exist beside and follow on a journey. Though inequality and injustice is often a subject that is central to Harris's work, 'Broken Light' truly dove headfirst into it. Bernie's reflections on womanhood and the entitlement people feel to their time, energy, and even bodies filled me with anger and sadness and her reclamation of these and jounrey to find happiness upon reaching a stage of life where society largely ignores women was inspiring and delightful. Unlike her previous works, the mystery element in 'Broken Light' wasn't at the heart of the story but honestly, it didn't feel like anything was missing from this incredible novel.

Unique, Unpredictable..
Bernie Moon, once ambitious and creative, finds herself invisible and feeling unwanted. The menopause is taking a toll. When a woman is discovered murdered in a local park things are about to change. Bernie is about to unleash her true power. Bernie is about to shine. Clever, unique, unpredictable, contemporary and creative - a tale that will enthral and surprise in almost equal measure. Bernie Moon is about to make you look.

All the books of Joanne Harris are magical to me and Broken Light is no exception.

Bernie Moon is on the threshold of menopause, her hormones are acting up, and she is unhappy with her marriage, with herself, and with her relationship with her son. She has no friends and feels more and more invisible every day.

When a young mother is murdered nearby, Bernie rediscovers a gift she carefully concealed from herself in her youth. Can she reawaken her special power and use it to aid others and herself?

A wonderful novel about female power, relationships between men and women, understanding differences, respect, toxicity that wants to swallow the whole world, and, above all, friendship, even towards oneself.

What a master storyteller Joanne Harris is! Her characters are so relatable and the atmosphere is perfect!

Brilliant!

Before writing this review, I would like to say that I have read many Joanne Harris books - some I have adored, others not so much. Although this one that I was not so enamoured of, it was, as with all her books, beautifully written. However, I did find this quite a difficult read.

The main character is Bernadette Ingram. At school she was known as Bernie Moon and her best friend was Kate. However, as time went on and the girls went to secondary school, Bernie becomes seen as slightly odd and unpopular and Kate distances herself.

Fast forward a little and Bernie is a middle aged, menopausal woman, much like myself. She is a wife and a mother, she works in a bookshop and, like many middle aged women, feels somewhat overlooked. When there is a murder in a local park it makes Bernie recall a special power that she had as a child and here we stray into magical realism territory.

Although much of wht the author says is true, I found much of it a little too much. I have passed my menopause (what on Earth are 'hot flashes' by the way? In England, where Ms Harris resides, they are 'hot flushes') but I can't recall it as being anything near as bad as Bernie suffers. Also, yes, many men have outdated, sexist or misogynistic views. However, misandry also exists and this view of men as predators strayed a little far into hatred of men for me to feel comfortable. I have had bad experiences with men, as have most women, but I have also had bad experiences with women - not to mention girls at school - so individuals of both genders can be unpleasant and it is individuals, regardless of gender. Anyway, I just felt a little uncomfortable with this one, but I think it would have a lot to offer reading groups as there is much to discuss.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.