Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Cosola
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Realistic, gripping look at teen suicide and mental illness.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
THE MEMORY OF LIGHT opens with Vicky's suicide note to her longtime nanny and de facto grandma, Juanita. When Vicky is discovered barely alive, she's taken to the local public hospital, a place her rich, elitist father abhors. Vicky, however, likes the hospital, her doctor, and the other patients. Because she's from a wealthy family and attends an exclusive private school, Vicky's time at the hospital exposes her to more of the "real" world and the people in it. Much of the book follows Vicky's time with other teen mental patients she meets in group therapy. She learns about her depression and the illnesses her new friends are dealing with. The book isn't plot-driven but is more of an emotional journey, with Vicky figuring out that everyone's fighting a personal battle or demons that aren't obvious to the casual observer. She leans how to help herself, how to ask for help, and how to help others.
Is It Any Good?
This honest and moving novel details one teen's journey into depression, her attempted suicide, and what it takes to climb out of the deepest emotional pits. Author Francisco X. Stork gives us a real, unflinching look into the way depression and other mental illnesses feel to those afflicted. When Vicky finds herself in the local public hospital after a suicide attempt, she's not sure she won't try to kill herself again once she goes home. Meeting other patients from different backgrounds opens her eyes to the suffering of people around her, including her family. This book will resonate with anyone who has experienced or knows someone who has mental illness, and it will educate those who have never been touched by it. Vicky's exploration of her depression takes the reader on a journey of emotional discovery. Along the way, she learns that many people are fighting illness and problems in their personal lives, even though they put on a brave facade to face the world every day. Through her group therapy and in finally opening up to those around her, Vicky learns that her traits she considers weaknesses are seen as strengths by others.
The only downside in the book is that the dialogue isn't always authentic. Often the characters are clear mouthpieces for messages the author wants to convey. This can come across as clunky, with characters taking turns on a soapbox. Aside from that issue, the characters are engaging, and their stories will tug at your heart.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about mental health. Lots of people deal with different types of mental illness, and many forms of mental illness are diagnosed during the teen years. If you were concerned about yourself or someone you know, would you know where to ask for help?
Many young adult novels deal with physical or mental illness. What others have you read and liked? What's so compelling about these topics?
How do expectations and pressure to succeed play into your family dynamic? Do you ever feel like a failure for simply not being the best at things? What are you good at that might not fall into the common categories of academic or athletic achievement?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Contemporary Fiction
- Topics : Friendship , School ( High School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Arthur A. Levine
- Publication date : January 26, 2016
- Number of pages : 336
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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