Bright Objects
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3.6 • 23 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
A young woman grapples with the arrival of a once-in-a-lifetime comet and its tumultuous consequences in a debut novel that blends mystery, astronomy and romance, perfect for fans of Tracey Lien, Emma Cline and Mireille Juchau.
Best Books of 2024 Publisher's Weekly
Best Thrillers of 2024 The New York Times
Best Books of 2024 The New Yorker
'There's a soothing, near-mystical quality to the book's language, a sense of being borne along on unseen currents What is on the page holds up a mirror to what is in the sky luminous, unusual, unexpected Todd has a brilliant trick up her sleeve [ ] a feint that brings Bright Objects to a remarkable conclusion as unexpected as it is poignant, and more original and human than any conventional cult story.' The New York Times
'Engaging and wise . . . darkly humorous and witty. That this is Todd's first book bodes well for Australian literature.' Australian Book Review
'An intoxicating debut a lyrical and inventive literary mystery from an author whom readers will hope returns far sooner than any visiting comet.' Publisher's Weekly starred review
January 1997: In the small town of Jericho, New South Wales, Sylvia Knight is losing hope that the person who killed her husband will ever face justice. Since the night of the hit-and-run, her world has been shrouded in hazy darkness until she meets Theo St John, the discoverer of a rare comet soon to be visible above Jericho.
As the comet begins to brighten, visitors flock like pilgrims into town. Supermarkets run out of canned goods; campgrounds fill to capacity. And more and more people are drawn into the orbit of Joseph Evans, an enigmatic local who believes the comet's arrival is nothing short of a divine message. But Sylvia will soon realise that she isn't the only one haunted by the past. While everyone else is looking to the night sky for answers, her quest to uncover her husband's killer will unearth long-held secrets with far-reaching consequences.
A novel about the search for meaning in a bewildering world, the loyalty of love and the dangerous lengths people go to in pursuit of the truth, Bright Objects is a luminous, masterfully crafted literary thriller.
Praise for Bright Objects:
* A New York Times Editors' Choice Pick*
'[A] smart, propulsively readable debut novel about a brilliant comet, a grieving widow, a troubled romance and a burgeoning cult... [Todd's] prose is elegant but accessible, her narrative embraces both mystery and quick plot pivots, and her protagonist, though flawed, remains sympathetic. And Todd's grip only tightens as the story turns downright chilling.' The Los Angeles Times
'A little bit thriller, a little bit mystery, the novel's genre elements are commendably propulsive . . . Todd's confidence and talents augur a bright future.' The Washington Post
'Gorgeously written . . . the prose burns bright.' New York Times Book Review
'A literary mystery of consummate elegance and gravity. Bright Objects traces a graceful orbit around the phenomena of human grief and love.' Jessica Au, author of Cold Enough for Snow
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Slow-burn mystery and romance intersect as a rare comet unsettles a small town in New South Wales circa 1997. When a new widow seeks justice, she meets a celestial enthusiast who might spell the next step for her. At the same time, locals begin to rally behind a man who believes the comet has a deeper meaning. Debut author Ruby Todd weaves all of these threads together with grace and tension alike. As personal tragedies converge with the spectacle in the skies, Todd pens beautiful reflections on the weight of grief and the vastness of space. The prose is poetic, and the plot is wonderfully full of details. This is a glorious debut, with Todd positioning herself as a significant new voice capable of illustrating both the heavens and the human heart.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A young widow, a mysterious astronomer, and a doomsday cult collide as the arrival of a once-in-a-lifetime comet transforms tiny Jericho, New South Wales, into a global hot spot in Todd's intoxicating debut. As grieving and guilt-stricken narrator Sylvia Knight approaches the second anniversary of the car crash that killed her husband, Christopher, and left Sylvia seriously injured, the only thing keeping her afloat is finding the hit-and-run driver who shattered their lives. But a seemingly chance encounter with Theo St. John, the charismatic American discoverer of the impending comet, at the funeral home where she works, surprises Sylvia by stirring her interest in him—and perhaps even her attraction. She has little bandwidth, however, to dwell on those feelings between planning the grand funeral mystic Joseph Evans wants for his late mother and doggedly pursuing her hit-and-run investigation with the help of Christopher's cop friend. When Sylvia and her mother-in-law, Sandy, attend a meditation group Joseph runs, she discovers that Danny Ward, the only witness to the crash, is among Joseph's inner circle. Sensing a lead, Sylvia encourages Sandy to continue joining her at the frequent, increasingly intense sessions, despite strong warnings to the contrary from Theo. As Sandy is sucked into Joseph's orbit and her own feelings for Theo grow, Todd skillfully ratchets up the suspense on the way toward a stunning climax. The result is a lyrical and inventive literary mystery from an author whom readers will hope returns far sooner than any visiting comet.
Customer Reviews
Ms Brightside
4.5 stars
Author: Australian. Debut novel.
Setting: Jericho, a fictional town in rural NSW not far from an equally fictional astronomic observatory.
Time: 1997. For those who don’t remember, that’s when Hale-Bopp comet passed close to Earth, sparking off ritual suicides by members of the Heaven’s Gate cult. (No social media back then. They had to blame something.)
Precis: Female protagonist Sylvia had a near death experience, and her husband was killed, two years earlier in a hit-run accident. The perpetrator remains at large (as they say on TV). Our gal now works for the local funeral director. An approaching comet is receiving coverage in the media. The comet was discovered by, and named after, male protagonist Leo, who is a US astronomer currently working at the aforementioned observatory. Leo comes in to the funeral home to check out the merchandise after his father dies, and meets our gal. They join a cult.
Writing: Most narrative from Sylvia’s POV. Character-driven, rather than plot-driven, mysteries are unusual. This one works ultimately, although I had my doubts at times along the way. The protagonists are a bit “out there”, which might be an astronomical metaphor. Even if it isn’t, Ms Todd’s prose makes this book worth reading.
Comment: What I liked most about ‘Bright Objects’ is that it is not just another Aussie outback noir, of which there is an elegant sufficiency already.
More scientific than mystery
I thought this book was weird. It was hard to keep track of the storyline with so many descriptions of space and the comet. The heroine had many imaginative thoughts which were all described and did not add to the story. I read this book because the author is Australian, but I can’t say that I enjoyed it.