THE BRIGHT UNKNOWN by Elizabeth Byler Younts, Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

"All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle." St. Francis

Exquisite prose softens the blows of this most unusual story; the story of one young life among so many, brought forth into a world of darkness, yet bestowed with a determination to carry the light. Meet Brighton Friedrich, whose struggles to live a normal life took place within the walls of an asylum for the insane, and whose friends consisted of those whom the world had intentionally forgotten.

Befriending a young boy growing up in similar circumstances, Brighton and Angel form an alliance of souls, often wondering if they have the courage to live in a brighter unknown. Theirs would be a journey filled with dreams, nightmares, fancies and fears . . . . . "but as long as I kept my eyes open there was always a sliver of light to follow".

It's so rare to read a story where each line forms its own verse of poetry, like a mountain brook babbling continually over the rocks and boulders that contain it; eventually leading it home.
*I purchased this book and was under no obligation to review it, nor provide a positive review.

BackCover Blurb:
This poignant and heartbreaking novel explores the power of resilience, the gift of friendship, and the divine beauty to be found in the big, bright world—if only we’re willing to look.

Pennsylvania, 1940s. The only life Brighton Friedrich has ever known is the one she has endured within the dreary walls of Riverside Home—the rural asylum where she was born. A nurse, Joann, has educated and raised Brighton, whose mother is a patient at the hospital. But Joann has also kept vital information from Brighton—secrets that if ever revealed would illuminate Brighton’s troubling past and the circumstances that confine her to Riverside. Brighton’s best friend is a boy she calls Angel, and as they grow up together and face the bleak future that awaits them, they determine to make a daring escape.

Nothing can prepare Brighton and Angel for life beyond Riverside’s walls. They have no legal identities, very little money, and only a few leads toward a safe place to land. As they struggle to survive in a world they’ve never seen before, they must rely on each other and the kindness of strangers—some of whom may prove more dangerous than the asylum they’ve fled.

Narrated in Elizabeth Byler Younts's gorgeous style, The Bright Unknown is a sparkling search for answers, family, and a place to call home.

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