I am a huge fan of Joanne Harris and her writing and have many of her books. Most I love, a few I am a bit different about but this one I did enjoy and am glad I read.

The story of a woman who feels invisible and left out. A woman who has given herself and her life to others but now wants to fulfill her ambitions and talents from a young life. This is her story and how it affects those around her as well as herself.

This is a book that builds with each page, a well written story that is easy to follow but is complex and emotional. It is unusual, a bit quirky, sometimes unreal but altogether a good read. Thought provoking and at times a bit scary, edge of your seat and even entertaining.

Another great book by a most wonderful author. With thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

4.5 rounded up

‘Little girl. Make them look’. As a child Bernie Moon is seen as different, strange and is an outsider. By 16, she’s transformed, they sure see her now and it seems her world is full of possibilities. Now, she’s approaching 50, menopausal and invisible. However, when a young female jogger is murdered it wakes Bernie up. It sparks memories and much, much more, including a talent she hasn’t used for many years which could potentially be destructive. Bernie transforms, she’s now visible but what will be the outcome?

Joanne Harris can do no wrong for me as she always takes a storyline down an intriguing route. This one is very creative, it’s takes a different approach in order to explore relevant and concerning issues such as the menopause (thanks for the memories 😬) feminism, misogyny, toxic masculinity, gender wars and gender bombing. All the themes are carefully, cleverly, magically woven around the orbit of BernieMoon making it an immersive reading experience. Wow, has JH ever created a character here! You feel her uniqueness, her uncomfortable memories, her magic, her power especially as she realises it’s possibilities. She really does awake and is seen one way or another. This is the real Bernie, the one she submerged, the one she lost and abracadabra, she’s back. I love the use that is made of the menopause particularly via an Influencer but also the way it’s used to explore the effects of fugues and sleep with the boundaries between dreams/magic and reality. This takes the storyline in a very scary direction - many of the authors books take a magical realism direction so be prepared! This leads the storytelling into a gender war direction which has unexpected and unpredictable results. The power that is unleashed is wonderfully described with broken lights, light, reflections, mirrors and tables being turned. The author makes you feel it too (well, she does me!), it’s a sensory adventure and she makes you buy into things that may or may not be possible.

The novel builds inexorably via some dramatic scenes and terribly damaging lies with huge consequences. The ending is powerfully unpredictable but yes, Bernie they can see you now but as for the truth, we’ll, that’s a broken light!

If you think this sounds heavy, it does look at some topical subjects but there’s also well placed humour and some really wonderful characters in amongst those that are ticking time bombs, which forms a good contrast.

My only negative concerns what happens to one character (Jim Wood) post intervention. I’ll say no more! Also why are we calling hot flushes, hot flashes please??? Flushes is what we call the blooming nuisances here! Grrrrrrr!!!!

Overall, despite the minor reservations I think this is outstanding whilst appreciating it won’t fit everyone’s bill. She is one of my favourite authors so enough said!!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Orion Publishing Group for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

I've read all of Joanne Harris' books and find they fit into two camps for me: Brilliant, vibrant writing with a mystical plot and then the others that plod along. I really hoped that Broken Light would fit into the first, it has lots of mystery and magic, but somehow it just didn't work, and I have to put it in with the plodders. The sudden americanisms jarred, and the end felt totally unbelievable. Such a shame really.
I would probably still recommend, it is after all, well written with some beautiful prose, but there was something about the plot that... ah, well.

I wanted to love this, but I just couldn’t.

The format of this book was quite hard to stick with.
Bernie is a great protagonist but while I enjoy the light being shined on women in peri, menopause or post, sometimes the descriptions were too much maybe? I found her character to feel almost hopeless. I appreciate this is likely done for affect, given the lack of visibility of women this age in any media.

Rating: 3.0/5

"Broken Light" tells the story of Bernie Moon, who is, on the face of it, an unremarkable woman approaching the age of fifty. But it wasn't always so. As a teenaged schoolgirl Bernie had a particular talent and when a young woman is murdered close to Bernie's home, she finds her particular ability being reactivated.

This is an unusual read in many ways and it does take a little while to settle into. There is a clear influence from Stephen King's "Carrie" and certain aspects of the story put me in mind of John Wyndham's "The Midwich Cuckoos". There are recurrent themes that have featured elsewhere in Joanne Harris's work such as identity, mother/child relationships, the outsider in the community, sensory perceptions and last, but certainly not least, sexism - more particularly, misogyny. This final element is the theme that is most often reiterated and emphasised - to the point where it could be viewed as actually moving into the realms of misandry, which some readers, especially (but not exclusively) of the male variety may consider overdone.

The content is certainly thought provoking and I can well imagine this providing the basis for some involved discussion in book groups around the country. There is some pleasing and effective imagery and the prose generally flows very nicely. Perhaps the one exception is the repeated reference to "hot flashes". This is used instead of the more usual "hot flushes" in relation to the menopause. I suspect "flash" may have been used as a deliberate mechanic to convey the potential for a broader sense of meaning and context, but although I can appreciate that aspect, I still found the repeated use of the term somewhat grating.

Overall, this is an engaging read that should provide ample food for thought.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

3.5 stars

What a strange book this is.
In a good way.
At times its quite an unsettling read,possibly it hits the mark a bit too closely.
The idea of houses is intriguing, and I enjoyed the way everything came so well together at the end.
As always Harris is a dream to read.

This deserves 5 stars just for the beautiful prose; phrases that can be savoured and enjoyed just for their beauty and depth. This has always been Joanne Harris's talent, it's as if every line is laboured over until it reaches perfection; honed, pared down and polished.

And now to the story! It's weird, original, a little frightening and very clever. I'm not sure I'm entirely on-board with the misandry but it's certainly topical and thought-provoking and I'd be very interested in hearing male readers' views. Overall I loved it and it's lingering in my mind which is always the sign of an excellent read.

I usually love Joanne Harris books but I really struggled with this. I found the format slightly confusing and the underlying storyline did not appeal to me.

I couldn’t finish this. I’m a big fan of Joanne Harris but the premise of this book is just too silly for me. I’m sure, and I hope, that others will love it but it’s not for me.

To add to my frustration, the main character has “hot flashes”. It is set in England. The characters are English and they speak in English vernacular. She is therefore having “hot flushes” (I emphathise!) so why the Americanism? Aaaaaaagh!

Broken Light by Joanne Harris

Bernie Moon has given her life to other people: her husband, her son, her friends (who are these days, mostly online). At nineteen she was full of dreams and ambitions; now almost fifty, and going through the menopause, she's fading, fast. Heartbroken and hormonal, she often feels like she's losing her mind.

First time read from this author and once I finished reading this one I went to check out her others and will read them , a great new author for me ! Win win.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Bernie who is about the same age and stage of life as me accept for one thing.
Loved the characters and the plotline . Lots of times where I didn't see things coming and a few twists as well.