This Little Light

Author: Lori Lansens
Genre: Dystopian, Canadian
Type: Trade Paperback
Pages: 280
Source: Publisher
Publisher: Random House Canada
First Published: August 13, 2019
Opening Lines: We're trending. Rory Miller. Feliza Lopez. In this moment, on this night, we're the most famous girls in America.

Book Description from GoodReads: Taking place over 48 hours in the year 2023, this is the story of Rory Ann Miller, on the run with her best friend because they are accused of bombing their posh Californian high school during an American Virtue Ball. There's a bounty on their heads, and a social media storm of trolls flying around them, not to mention a posse of law enforcement, attack helicopters and drones trying to track them down. Rory's mom, a social activist and lawyer, has been arrested and implicated in her daughter's "crimes" whereas her dad (who betrayed his wife and daughter in a nasty divorce) is cooperating with the authorities. The story exists in a universe of gated communities, born-again Christians, Probationary Citizens (once known as "Dreamers"), re-criminalized abortion and birth control, teenage virginity oaths and something called the Red Market, which is either a Conservative bogey-man created to further polarize the "base" or a criminal network making money from selling unwanted babies to whomever wants them and fetal tissue to cosmetics and drug companies.
Rory is cynical and scared, furious and scathing, betrayed and looking for something or someone to trust. What she has to say about the dads and bosses and politicians lining up to keep women in their place, and about the ways women collaborate in their own undermining, is fierce, and funny, and sad, and true.

My Rating: 4 stars

My Review: This compelling story takes place in the near future and features relevant issues, a tense plot, a strong main character and a shocking ending. The intensity grows throughout the story, which is set over 48 hours, as two teenage girls flee for their lives when they're accused of bombing their high school's 'Virtue Ball'.

This is a Dystopian read where issues of socio-economic disparity, immigration, climate change, the power of the government, media and fundamentalist religion are at the forefront. Abortion has been recriminalized and birth control is hard to obtain, which creates an underground 'Pink Market' for these services. The rights of women have been whittled away to the point where teen girls are told their place in society, which includes declaring a chastity promise to their fathers. That's a whole lotta issues, but it works.

Rory, as the protagonist, is a breath of fresh air. I love her strength and conviction as she voices her opinions and relentlessly questions the way things are being done (her outspokenness often being blamed on her being half Canadian! Atta, girl!). She's one small voice in a sea of media, Christian fundamentalists and politicians who want to control the rights of women and keep immigrants 'in their place'.

This story has a strong Teen vibe to it which is great, but unexpected. The only thing I didn't love was the teen speak which felt contrived and often grating. For example, "I wanted to tell Fee to go up and have a shower because smell .." This kind of dialogue occurred a lot and felt awkward - like the author was trying too hard to sound like a teen.

Overall, this was an engaging, eye-opening read that handles some big issues within a compulsive story that shows the importance of people questioning how things are done and not just accepting what you see in the media as fact. This is, obviously, a good pick for people itching for books with a Handmaid's Tale feel to it.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Random House Canada for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.