Lights All Night Long: A Novel
"A luminous debut. . . . It's hard not to read the book in a single sitting."--The Los Angeles Times
"Lights All Night Long is utterly brilliant and completely captivating. . . . One of the most propulsive, un-put-downable literary novels I've read in ages."--Anthony Marra, author of A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
Fifteen-year-old Ilya arrives in Louisiana from his native Russia for what should be the adventure of his life: a year in America as an exchange student. The abundance of his new world--the Super Walmarts and heated pools and enormous televisions--is as hard to fathom as the relentless cheerfulness of his host parents. And Sadie, their beautiful and enigmatic daughter, has miraculously taken an interest in him.
But all is not right in Ilya's world: he's consumed by the fate of his older brother Vladimir, the magnetic rebel to Ilya's dutiful wunderkind, back in their tiny Russian hometown. The two have always been close, spending their days dreaming of escaping to America. But when Ilya was tapped for the exchange, Vladimir disappeared into their town's seedy, drug-plagued underworld. Just before Ilya left, the murders of three young women rocked the town's usual calm, and Vladimir found himself in prison.
With the help of Sadie, who has secrets of her own, Ilya embarks on a mission to prove Vladimir's innocence. Piecing together the timeline of the murders and Vladimir's descent into addiction, Ilya discovers the radical lengths to which Vladimir has gone to protect him--a truth he could only have learned by leaving him behind.
A rich tale of belonging and the pull of homes both native and adopted, Lights All Night Long is a spellbinding story of the fierce bond between brothers determined to find a way back to each other.
In the captivating novel "Lights All Night Long" by Lydia Fitzpatrick, readers are transported to a small town in New Jersey where the lives of several characters intertwine during a tumultuous Christmas season. At the heart of the story is Annie Merryweather, a young woman grappling with the recent loss of her mother and the subsequent estrangement from her father. Seeking solace, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, finding unexpected connections with the town's peculiar inhabitants.
As Christmas approaches, the town is abuzz with holiday cheer, yet beneath the festive façade, a web of secrets and unspoken desires begins to unravel. Annie finds herself drawn to Jack, a charming but enigmatic man with a mysterious past. As their bond deepens, they must confront their own demons and navigate the complexities of love and loss.
Meanwhile, the town's residents each face their own challenges. There's Rose, the elderly woman who yearns for a meaningful connection amid the solitude of her empty house. And then there's Ben, a troubled teenager struggling with his sexuality and the weight of family expectations. As their paths converge, they find strength and resilience in their shared experiences, forming unlikely alliances and discovering the true essence of community.
"Lights All Night Long" is a poignant and beautifully written tale that explores the complexities of human relationships, the search for belonging, and the transformative power of love. Fitzpatrick's evocative prose and deeply drawn characters create an immersive and emotionally resonant narrative that will stay with readers long after they finish the last page.
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