In the new novel “Waiting for the Light to Change,” Sarah has had a difficult life. Her husband, Bob, left her and her three children when her youngest was just one. She’s had to work hard at providing for her family, being both mother and father, and battling the resentment that built up against Bob and his new wife, Claire—a battle she lost. She hates the fact that Bob is a successful doctor, has money to burn, and has the respect of everyone around him while she’s sitting on raggedy furniture, barely able to meet the bills.
She works at the local high school as an English teacher and director of the debate team. She’s had challenging years before, but none like this. Two of the boys on the debate team decide to start harassing her, demanding special treatment, but she stands firm and refuses to give it to them. They retaliate in several ways, one of the most harmful being the rumor they start, that she’s had an affair with a former student.
Meanwhile, Jenny, Sarah’s daughter, is disappearing into the background. Her self-esteem is already so low that when Tyson, one of the boys who’s been antagonizing Sarah, makes a play for her, she falls for it. This leads to a brutal attack and Jenny’s near-death, Tyson’s final bid for revenge against Sarah.
Throughout the book, we see threads of reconciliation between Sarah, Bob and Claire, and as we finish the read, we feel sure that these kids will finally be able to have the presence of both parents in their lives, at least in the same camp if not in the same home. We see the importance of keeping our families close and the dangers of overreacting.
This book is beautifully written, but I have to say, I found it really hard to like Sarah. One of the elements that draws a reader into the story is a connection with the main character, and Sarah was so bitter, I couldn’t ever feel close to her. There were times I actually wanted to shake her—she was so intent on keeping Jenny grounded that she very rarely allowed her any room for joy. Claire takes Jenny shopping for some new clothes, and while they’re out, Jenny’s nails and hair get a makeover, too. Jenny is glowing. She feels good about herself for the first time in the whole book. Sarah can see that her daughter is happy, but she can’t leave it at that. She doesn’t approve of the streaks in Jenny’s hair, and her words cut Jenny to the quick. Her explanation is that she doesn’t want Jenny to lose her sense of identity, but what she doesn’t understand is that Jenny never had a sense of identity, and Sarah isn’t helping her develop one. This is just one instance that illustrates my frustration with Sarah—there are others.
That to the side, the storyline is compelling and the writing is well-done. An LDS novel, the book is subtle enough in its religious elements that it can be enjoyed by readers of any belief system.
(This book was published in 2008 by Cedar Fort.)
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