Review
An alluring family mystery by Mary Ellen Taylor
Featured in: Issue 17, Teagal Magazine
By: Abigail Dawn
On July 1, 2022, Mary Ellen Taylor’s novel, The Brighter the Light, became available for a world of readers. Published by Montlake, Seattle, this novel combines historical fiction with the modern mystery of family lineage.
Summary
A gripping take on historical fiction, Taylor’s novel begins in 2022 North Carolina with Ruth, bearing her last storm, leaving her hotel, The Seaside Resort, and her cottage to her granddaughter, Ivy Neal.
Ivy comes back from New York, with no job, no prospects, and her only goal is to clean out her grandmother’s cottage, and leave town. Finding old pictures, old hotel records, and some long-lost paintings, Taylor takes us back to 1950, where Ivy’s family tree gets more complicated, and her reason for leaving loses some of its power.
Review
Although Taylor’s character development is strong, leading with relatable, millennial Ivy, the plot carries the story. The twists, turns, and remaining questions leave the reader turning page after page yearning to know what happens next. She thoroughly evaluated and understood what would catch her reader’s attention, and keep it.
The author authentically developed each character’s story for the period. Each character was relatable, almost representing women in each stage of their lives; from childhood, to rebelliousness, to going out and finding themselves.
The novel jumped between the years 2022 and 1950, to add to the storyline, and complicate the family mystery. This technique adds depth to the plot that makes it more personal, a real strength that carried the story.
For some readers, finishing a novel that has left questions unanswered can be irritating; however, regarding this book it added realism to the story development. In life, not every story comes to a full close, and Taylor represents that well in this novel.
Unfortunately, for the detailed reader, the writing has inconsistencies with the grammar and syntax. Parts of the book had a few too many sentences that, for readers who pick up on grammatical issues, could halt their reading experience. For some, they will automatically fill in the missing words, or rephrase the sentence in their heads without realizing it, for others, it might ruin the flow of the story.
Overall Recommendation
I recommend this novel for a reader looking for a beachside read that keeps them entertained through mystery, family drama, and empowering women characters. This novel has a clear story development, and an even more enthralling plot.
9/10