A powerful first novel (An Accidental Light - Elizabeth Diamond)

Member Name: custard1975

Product:	An Accidental Light - Elizabeth Diamond
Date:	17/04/09 (100 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to read, very descriptive, looks at all angles

Disadvantages: A very emotive subject

An Accidental Light is the first novel from Elizabeth Diamond and hopefully it won't be her last. I came across it by accident on Amazon through one of their 'other people bought this' recommendations and it is excellent.

The book tells the story of two families who are struck by a terrible tragedy. One night on his way home from work as a police officer Jack Phillips knocks down and kills a young girl Laura Jenkins. Whenever you hear or read about these incidents the focus is always on the victim (the dead person) and their family, but this book explores the fact that there are two sides and that the victim can also be the culprit. This was an accident with no-one at fault, a rainy evening with the light fading, a child stepping out thinking the way is clear and a man unable to stop when she steps out in front of him.

Anyway the story follows the Jenkins family as they struggle with their grief, Laura was an only child and the glue that held the couple's marriage together. The husband becomes fixated on Jack and begins a hate campaign against him. Lisa, his wife wants to move on and slowly begins to rebuild her life, doing things she's never done before, getting a job.

On the other side Jack is overwelmed by the situation. He blames himself and cannot sleep or function normally, having visions of the accident and the aftermath. Obviously no charges are brought against him but it doesn't stop him feeling guilty. He has time off work through anxiety and stress and starts to see a counsellor. However other people, work and family keep telling him to pull himself together and get over it. Eventually he quits his job and his marriage breaks down. Slowly he begins to get on with life by revisiting issues in his past including his fathers abandonment and his mothers suicide which have all led to this point.

Jack and Lisa meet and begin to form a friendship each of them helping the other come to terms with what happened.

I really enjoyed this book, it is very detailed and the author has given the charactors a lot of depth. It was interesting to read a book on an emotive subject which looks at both sides and how a tragedy has reprucussions for all of those involved. It is uplifting despite the subject with the central characters ultimately finding something out about themselves which enables them to build a different life. There is also a lot of sadness too, the death of a child is never easy and as a parent it makes you shudder realising how easy it is for something to happen like this. Definately worth a look.

Summary: A powerful read which examines a terrible tragedy and the ripple effects for all involved