Firstly, I am ecstatic that this is only the first book in a trilogy, I need more!
It’s remarkably well written full of intrigue, deception and propaganda. It hits so many important topics and points, that are really poignant in the world we live in today.

It’s a powerful read, paced well, as in I couldn’t put it down and finished it over two days. The scene setting and world building are excellent, it’s always a favourite for me and this book did not disappoint.

The characters were really interesting and well crafted even the bad guys. There’s some really good friendships and found family in there too.

This is definitely a book that could be annoyed by adults as well as YA. If you like the genre this book is for you!

Songlight is a post apocalyptic story about people with telepathic ability who are treated as lesser. I loved this story, it is slow to start but once the pace picks up i was completely immersed. I wasnt a fan of the forced marriage or mentions of rape, it made sense for the world but it bothered me. I loved our MC Else/Lark she is a great view point. I wish we got more of her story with Rye and I am looking forward to book 2 to see what happens. I like how well rounded each character was even the side characters. You wouldn't believe this is a debut novel as the author is incredibly skilled at drawing you in.

"Brightland, a promising nation at war with Ayland, is hellbent to indoctrinate its citizens of the danger of songlight. The horrors of the Chrysalid House are testament to how Brightland tortures those it labels as unhumans, people who possess this ability. Here's the thing: chrysalis are meant to nurture insects and not birds. It is no wonder why some prisoners survive as empty shells of their past selves whereas others are forced to hunt in order to survive."

Songlight is an incredible addition to the dystopian genre and I really loved the story. The novel mainly follows Elsa (Lark) who is a young woman with the power of songlight which she must keep hidden as it is forbidden in her country and she will be imprisoned and rebranded as ‘unhuman’ if anyone ever finds out. Her only chance at freedom is to escape with her boyfriend Rye but things don’t go to plan and her whole world is tipped upside down as she connects with another girl in a city far away who seems to have the strongest songlight to ever exist.

The development of the songlight power is brilliantly done as it shows how it works, how far it can go and much more to create an essential part of the novel that is both beautiful and feared by the many men in power. I loved the in depth descriptions and stunning writing throughout and it really feels like you are right there with the characters in this brutal and war torn world.

The book uses quite a few POVs including Lark, Rye, Piper, Nightingale and Sister Swan which gives the reader a glimpse into every angle of this dangerous world with views from the good and the bad side. I felt completely immersed in the story from start to finish and thought Lark and Nightingale were extremely brave for doing what they could in a place that would do anything to stop them from existing.

Songlight is set in the middle of a war and is full of topics including identity, war politics, heartbreak and betrayal as well as a gorgeous story of found family which Lark finds with Nightingale and I loved how their deep friendship developed throughout the story. I loved all of the characters and how well Buffini is able to create distinctive voices and there is definitely one character who I was pleasantly surprised by!

The plot was amazing as it kept my full attention and although it is quite a long book, the pacing was perfect with plenty of action, drama and mystery that ensured I would keep on reading. I even forgot that this was the start of a trilogy and when I reached 90% I was wondering how it was going to be wrapped up so soon and the only disappointment I felt was that now I have to wait until book 2 to find out what happens!

This is a truly exceptional first book in a trilogy and I cannot wait for the next book.

Beautiful, mesmerising, devastating. Songlight is an extraordinary dystopian novel set in the pristine Northaven. With echoes of The Handmaid's Tail the townsfolk hunt down, persecute and destroy any beings with songlight, which is the ability to connect through telepathy. We meet the most extraordinary characters: Nightingale, Lark and Rye, who are rich in love and friendship and the incredible songlight. They are all in grave danger, not only from strangers, but from those closest to them. Their nature is considered an abomination that should be repressed and destroyed. Yet, outside of this myopic existence, there are others who live in peace and freedom. When the worlds collide, will it bring peace or war? An absolutely enthralling story. I am breathless waiting on a sequel! #songlight #moirabuffini #faberamdfaber #thewritereads #netgalleyuk #dystopian #telepathy

I am thrilled to extend my heartfelt thanks to TheWritesReads and Faber for graciously providing me with a copy of Songlight by Moira Buffini.

Songlight is a mesmerizing fantasy masterpiece that unveils a meticulously crafted universe through the eyes of multiple characters. This captivating tale centres on the empowering journey of defying societal norms and expectations, even in the face of potential adversity. Moira Buffini's masterful writing skillfully weaves a tapestry of vibrant storytelling, immersing readers into the intricacies of the character's lives as they navigate personal trials and tribulations. Despite overwhelming challenges, the characters exhibit unwavering resilience and unyielding determination, which makes the narrative truly enthralling and compelling.

The main character, Elsa, harbours a concealed power called Songlight, which she has safeguarded her entire life, confiding her secret only in Rye Tern, another individual with Songlight. Their love story unfolds against the backdrop of Elsa's impending arranged marriage and the forbidden nature of their relationship. When Rye is apprehended and taken captive, he valiantly sacrifices himself to shield Elsa, prompting her to confront the oppressive forces within her own community. It becomes evident that the real adversaries are not the outsiders branded as foes, but rather the cunning leaders who exploit and manipulate their followers under the guise of protection.

The novel delves into a world marked by oppression, particularly targeting individuals with Songlight and women. The treatment of women and the pressure to conform to societal ideals stirred a deep sense of indignation and compassion within me. The unquestioning obedience of some women to the deceptive leaders is profoundly disheartening and unsettling, painting a poignant picture of a manipulative society.
#MoiraBuffini #FantasyNovel #EmpoweringCharacters #SocialCritique #Injustice #Resilience #ForbiddenLove #Oppression #PowerStruggles #WomenEmpowerment

Post-apocalyptic, speculative fiction of the highest order : for YA and also older adults

This book, reminding the reader of other outstanding novels for adult readers in the loose, science fantasy, speculative fiction is the first part of what will be a trilogy.

Buffini’s influences, - or, at least, the kind of road she travels along, includes Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Orwell’s 1984, much of Ursula K Leguin’s writing for adults, and Doris Lessings Canopus in Argos : Archives Series

Like those weighty books, Buffini is looking at explorations of dark and dangerous political roads, or the roads out of them – totalitarianism, democracy and the struggle for it, or to maintain it. The bellicose history of mankind, our propensity for ‘othering’ and outcasting those different from what is perceived as ‘normal’. Toxic masculinity and the subjugation and annihilation of women. The danger in those whose pursuit is only their own power and their own advancement.

All those writers were looking at trends which might be perceived or predicted in their own times. Events in our times were of course strongly in my mind as I read. I thought of the position of women in Iran, in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. I also thought, inevitably of the rise of the far right again, in Europe, in the UK and in America, where unholy alliances are being forged between a toxic narcissist and many in his part and certain media companies such as Fox News. Powerful, wealthy individuals and interests, such as Elon Musk and X, those who deny climate and environmental issues because their wealth is tied up in industries which pollute are in the mix, as is an equally fundamentalist interpretation of Christianity as is the case in those whose interpretation of Islam seeks to control and silence women.

The only marking out of Buffini’s book as ‘Young Adult’ is the fact that the major characters and plot drivers are two young teenage girls, and that there is a stronger and more forward narrative drive and action settings than there is in some of those books which are very much written for older readers

The basic plot outline is – this is set some time probably not too far in the future. Modern technology, modern warfare, and, particularly, fossil fuels have laid waste to large parts of the planet. There is constant warfare or preparation for war between two nations and groups of people. Fake news is also the order of the day. A previous civilisation had developed some kind of telepathic ability. This had been wrongly used by some, to control others.

Now, anyone who has this ability is regarded rather like wise women were regarded at one time – ‘witches’ to be hunted down and destroyed. The two teenage girls in Songlight are both gifted with these powers. They are also empaths, extraordinarily sensitive to the sufferings of others. In their society there are inquisitors who search out such gifted people, designating them as ‘unhuman’, punishing them by barbaric surgery, literally, a form of lobotomy, and worse.

This is a very high quality debut. Despite the excellence of the writing, plot, ideas and characters, my desire to know ‘what happens’ and to turn pages kept getting interrupted – because basically, I almost couldn’t bear to go on, as I was so very invested in several of the characters and the dangers they were in.

The problem now is, this is volume 1 of a trilogy, so at the end of it…..well, we absolutely have a cliff hanger until the second volume comes out.

📖 ARC Review / 🚒 Blog Tour Stop

Set in a post-apocalyptic future, Songlight is an extraordinary debut from renowned screenwriter Moira Buffini. A cinematic masterpiece in storytelling, its the explosive first book in the Torch Trilogy – the hottest release of the decade!

They are hunting those who shine . . .don't be deceived by Northaven's prettiness, by its white-wash houses and sea views. Many of its townsfolk are ruthless hunters. They revile those who have developed songlight, the ability to connect telepathically with others. Friends, neighbours, family will turn on each other in an instant. Lark has lived in grave danger ever since her own songlight emerged. She encounters a young woman in peril, from a city far away. An extraordinary bond is forged. But when power is everything, how will they survive?


Review:
Songlight mesmerises with its vivid imagery and atmospheric world building, combining the hauntingly beautiful with the harsh realities of a warring political landscape. With trauma all around, the emotions of life in Northaven seep out unrelenting from the pages, no matter how much you try to resist the pull.

Moira Buffini is a masterful storyteller, able to wield her pen like a puppet master works a marionette. I was powerless, my hopes raised and dashed countless times as I read. This book and its characters will possess your heart and tear at your very soul.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Faber and Faber, and Moira Buffini for providing an eARC via NetGalley, and for The Write Reads for inviting me to take part in the blog tour. This is my honest review.

I loved this book.

I feel dystopian books are such a staple and should be prioritised in the young adult genre. I found all the characters super interesting and this made the book a joy to read.
I will definitely be continuing with the series

I originally applied for this book because the cover grabbed my attention, the blurb also sounded like something I could dive into and it did not disappoint. This dystopian story was certainly captivating from the get go.

Having to spend your life hiding your true self for fear of what will happen should you be caught in a world full of propaganda.

Those with Songlight which is similar to telepathy are deemed 'unhuman' and are degraded in the most brutal way.

The character development and world building was amazing. The relationship between Kaira and Elsa is so strong you really feel connected to both of them. Together they are going to strive to make the changes needed with the help of others along the way.

There are a lot of secrets to be uncovered and It finished on an absolute cliffhanger and you're caught up in the battle of what is to come! Fighting for freedom and change this story is far from over. I also really need to know what happened to Rye!!

Its The Handmaid's Tale meets Hunger Games, what an amazing debut! Thank you Netgalley for this ARC

As a big fan of dystopian fiction, I knew I had to get on The Write Reads tour for Songlight by Moira Buffini. The prospect of these people with powers having to stay hidden may have been done a fair few times, but it's an idea that often intrigues me. So I was hoping for a very fun read with this one.

In this book, we mainly follow a teenage girl named Elsa, who, later in the book is referred to as Lark. She has powers and has been using them to speak to a secret boyfriend in her town. But when he gets caught, Lark wants to save him but realises she could be in danger too. When another girl with power starts speaking to her through their telepathy, a bond is formed and the two need to try to figure out a way to survive in a world that's dangerous to them.

I do have to say that the worldbuilding in this book probably was my favourite part. I always love a dystopian and seeing how the world has changed and everything about the community and the places these characters live is different. In many ways, the setting almost feels like it could be historical, but you know that this is actually a future version of our planet. Even the way the characters talk was often individual to this world, something that I think we can attribute to Buffini's screenplay experience and I really appreciated that. Even if there were some…interesting ways to talk about genitals that made me laugh. The bad descriptions did make sense within the context of the story.

As stated previously, our focus is mostly on Lark. She's the character referenced in the summary so you see the world through her eyes. In some ways, she's more experienced in the world due to her sneaking around with her being unhuman, but there was also a naivety to her. On top of that, you do get the odd chapter in other characters' perspectives to highlight different things that are going on in the world around them. The way this was done also felt like a callback to Buffini's screenwriting, and I did like that.

Overall, I do think that this book was an interesting read. I can't say that I hugely enjoyed it myself, but I can definitely see how it'll appeal to others. This could be a great book for getting teenagers into dystopian and sci-fi, and will definitely open up those genres for them.

SONGLIGHT is the first in a dystopia trilogy about people with the ability to communicate telepathically who are persecuted, and three girls fighting to survive.

It's a fast paced story, with a war destroying the country from the inside and dystopian elements reminiscent of THE HANDMAID'S TALE in how the society treats women. It puts a lot of obstacles in the girls' paths, forcing them to rely on each other and unusual allies in order to survive.

There are a few POVs in this book, with the main two being Elsa/Lark and Kaira/Nightingale (people with songlight have an inner name, usually an animal). Kara/Swan is the third biggest POV and I really liked her inclusion. She has such a different perspective to the other two - she's lived through the horrors of being found out, and it now being used by an ambitious man to further his own ends, years of fear and desperation turning her into someone pretty unpleasant to be around when she drops her mask.

There are two minor POVs from Piper and Rye. Rye has very few chapters and I was a little confused whether he was alive or not by the end, so I think I'd have liked more from him, a story of his own. Piper was very interesting, someone who believes in the society's propaganda. I want to see his journey evolve over the series as his eyes open further, forcing him into a choice.

It was interesting to read in the acknowledgements that the original idea was for the screen (I read acknowledgements first.) It meant I went into the book thinking about it as if it was a TV show (I think it would suit a short TV show better than a movie - more time to flesh out the characters.) It also meant each part felt like an episode of its own within the overall story.

Fantasy isn’t my usual genre and this also felt distinctly YA from the beginning. Once I gained an understanding of the story though, I thought it was wonderfully written.

Elsa Crane and her love Rye Tern have Songlight; the ability to communicate through a form of telepathy. However it is forbidden in their homeland and the fate of those discovered with Songlight is a fate far worse than death.

Rye is betrayed by someone they both love; Elsa, along with her peers, is betrothed by law to a returning soldier fighting in the war; the war, Elsa will soon discover, that isn’t as just as the Brethren, their rulers, would have them believe.

The writing is beautiful and I was swept up in the imagery of this world and the beauty of Songlight. This is a very strong start to a trilogy and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Thank you so much to Netgalley & Faber and Faber Ltd for the ARC.

I absolutely adored this book, it is a debut by this author and I am really looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.

It is set in the future and is a dystopian novel but it does read like a fantasy. There are mentions of the old days when people's inventions destroyed the earth. Lark is the main character in this story and she has a secret. She has the ability to communicate with people who can be miles away, she is considered to be an unhuman. She has songlight in her and this acts like telepathy, but it is considered to be illegal, unwanted and a blight on the people of Northaven.

Lark has kept her secret for many years, and she is not the only one. There are several of these special people and if they are caught then they have a choice, they can use their powers to hunt for others like them or be operated on, basically lobotomized!

Northaven has its rules and it sticks by them, they are at war and some things are in place that are followed. Such as young women marrying the soldiers who return from war. They may be a first wife or a second wife, or there is the third wide scenario which none of the girls want.

Lark is a fabulous character and the author has brought her out to be quite stubborn but equally as loyal. Along with Lark, there are several other characters consisting of friends, family and enemies. They each have a role and while you may not always be aware of where they stand, they do on the whole leave a mark. Working out the truth from the political deception is an interesting one and there are several dilemmas for the characters to overcome.

I enjoyed this book, it does have a young adult reader feel to it, but I would suggest the older end of it. I enjoyed it immensely and I liked that there were no unfathomable names or places, things make sense and it has all the right feeling of the first book in a trilogy and has left me eagerly awaiting the next one. There is a lot of imagination in this novel and it flows wonderfully.

If you are looking to start a new fantasy trilogy then this one may be of interest to you. I adored it and would definitely recommend it.

This was a fun read! I originally expected this to be more fantasy oriented, but in reality it felt more like a wartime story disguised as fantasy. For that reason, I didn't super love it, but that doesn't take away from the fact that I had a good time reading. I liked the characters, I really did love the atmosphere that Buffini created and also loved having some obsessed with the sea-girl rep in a book! Would recommend it if you like war stories and fantasy! 3,5/5

I enjoyed reading Moira Buffini’s Songlight, debut novel so much!

This is a post-apocalyptic and dystopian science fiction novel tackling themes of racism, sexism, and homophobia and of course internalised homophobia. The world of Songlight is filled with broken hearts and broken people, and so many twists. I kept being surprise at to where the story was going next. It culminated in an action-packed climax with multiple perspectives. Buffini's background in theatre, film and television is quite evident in this cinematic storytelling style, the dialogue is very strong. It gave me vibes of Hunger Games and Pullman's Dark Materials.

The novel focuses on community, acceptance, tolerance, and friendship, exploring the consequences of a society abandoning these principles. The protagonist, Elsa (aka Lark), undergoes personal growth and challenges her naiveté as she sets out to rescue Rye and forms unlikely alliances. Then you have Piper dealing with internalised homophobia, Nightingale’s power makes her an incredible pawn in this game of chess and Swan's struggle with power and privilege - do we love them? do we hate them? - all characters are complex beings, seamlessly integrated, fighting for survival.

Buffini’s skilfully captures the intricacies of the human spirit and its complex range of emotions. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Faber Books for the arc.

It’s a dystopian novel aimed at a Young Adult audience, making it an absolute must-read for anyone seeking a bit of epicness and truly exceptional worldbuilding. The presence of multiple POVs helps keep track of all the subplots in this first volume of a trilogy. As a debut, you couldn’t have asked for or imagined a better start! Highly recommended.

A dedicated article will be published soon on my blog on Medium (medium.com/@inabookhole).

This is one of my favourite books I've read this year. It kept me captivated. The plot and the characters were beautifully written.

Debut dystopian fantasy full of potential

Another opening novel of a trilogy, this is full of interesting ideas but fails to satisfy. Following three inter-related characters in a dystopian new Earth and wrestling with post-nuclear warfare, the bare details sketched in this unresolved novel offer hints of great potential; but there is little depth to the science fantasy, with the evocative title and magical/non-magical system of songlight never described in any novel or considered way. If you like your fantasy with a hefty amount of 'the writer must know,' this one's for you.

As one example of inconsistency, take the use of a portmanteau word for petrol, firefuel, and the use of a trademarked word, rizla [sic], for a roll-up. Why invent one word for an Old English word, and then use a trademarked word for another? The book lost me in this clear lack of oversight by the author, and made me question what songlight was supposed to be (not actually about song or even light, it's a novation for *spoiler* telepathy).

The dystopia is horrific, the offscreen action on which turns unforgivable, but there's still potential here, and sure to satisfy fans of YA dystopian fiction.

Two and half stars, rounded up to three.

I loved the magic system in this, based on a form of a telepathy. It was very intriguing to see how two different nations treated those with Songlight. In one, they are treated as unhumans, and songlight is a genetic anomaly that must be eradicated. In the other, they are free. The clash between these two nations has led to war for decades.

A post-apocalyptic book set after humanity has pretty much destroyed itself and is trying to claw its way back, there are elements of genocide, torture, betrayal, prostitution, forced sterilisation, SA, and the worst of humankind throughout this book. Whilst most isn't explicit, there is a dark undercurrent to what has been written. However, there is also love, loyalty, forgiveness, and redemption to counterbalance the darker side.

I would like to see more of the Aylish in the next book, and I think that we will. I would love to see both Lark and Nightingale learn to use their Songlight more effectively.

This was an excellent read, and I'm looking forward to what will come next.