There were a lot of positive things about this book that I really liked - the writing style was great, and Rosa's voice was really strong. Mirasol as a setting was beautiful and well-written. The story has the feel of a modern folktale, as an echo of the folktales that trap Rosa in her own house for fear of violence from the people of her island. She has an affliction called The Calm, which is supposedly accepted as a regular medical condition everywhere except Mirasol where it's viewed as the manifestation of evil and bad luck. She's forced to stay inside where none of the islanders can see her, which for some reason seemed to make sense while I was reading it but now that I've put the book down, the reasons for that are dumb or nonexistent. Rosa's father is a doctor, a specialist in The Calm, which is why they live on Mirasol where there are a lot of people afflicted who need help. And, in hindsight, you'd think that since his daughter has it and his late wife had it, he'd be more gung-ho about fighting stigma and changing people's views of the disorder, but instead he just locks his daughter in a tower for her own good. He could at least host a support group or something so that everyone with The Calm could meet and vent together. That seems like it would be good for everyone. But no, Rosa is forced to feel isolated and only interact with her dad and her caregiver Yaya who is old and superstitious and keeps telling Rosa all the horror stories in which people like her are viewed as monsters. And her dad just tells her that she's not a monster while still actually treating her like something that needs to be locked up, out of sight, instead of introducing her to other regular people who happen to have the same disorder as her so she can make friends and actually not feel like a monster. So, nice one, dad.

There's also a pretty monster-like depiction of mental illness which doesn't help the moral that ill people are not actually monsters. A person who acts perfectly normally in every day life will become suddenly violent and dangerous, and then flip back to lucidity. Not that there couldn't be a person whose mental illness manifests that way, but it's kind of lazy to fall back on "murderous crazy person". Especially since a theme of this book is that what seems supernatural is actually not. All the "monsters" are really just people, and while in Rosa's case its stereotyping and stigma that make other people perceive her as a monster, in the other character's case it's their actual violent behaviour that does it. She's not actually a murderous loose cannon, she's just mentally ill! And then she sacrifices herself for the good of those she might hurt in the future because it's better that she dies than try to seek help. Or I guess she's beyond help so she's being noble.

So all that might make it sound like I didn't like this book but really, I did! The characters were interesting despite the oversights from above and I like the idea that something, like an illness or condition, can be perceived in quite different ways in different cultures. I wish it had been explored more though - we heard the folktale that introduced the prejudice but didn't learn anything about the islanders in general or any history of persecution, or information about how things might be changing now, considering there is a clinic for people with The Calm on the island. Is it well-known, or does it have to be hidden? Does it get protested or vandalized? What is the global perception of this island and its prejudices? Anyway, maybe this is too much to be in a short YA novel but the situation these characters are in is fascinating. Part of The Calm is that people who have it cannot speak, and so they have to learn a sign language. Does that cause the prejudice to bleed into whatever Deaf community exists on Mirasol? Do they use the same sign language? How do all the people with The Calm even use the same sign language if they never hang out together? Is there actually a shelter or something for abandoned children with The Calm? What are the genetics like for it anyway? Ohmygod I need to stop but I think you can probably tell why I read this book in a day. ( )

Shine is an incredibly powerful book. It has a bit of suspense mystery and darkness to it that I love very much. Even from the start it was gripping, introducing the setting and characters flawlessly and skillfully. After the first chapter I immediately be I Luke love this book. The author definitely knows how to keep the plot of the movie going. Although there where times when I felt that the teenagers were a bit awkward in their text, I think it was supposed to show how little they interact with others.

The main thing that really gripped me was how the author made up her own disease . It was well bough out and very detailed however I do think she should have at least mentioned the made up scientific name of the disease because I do not like calling it " Calm". I was also quite disappointed when the interest friend of rosa was revealed. I felt that there was a weak buildup to that moment and I had hoped for a different character who could have had more emphasis in the story.

Overall my experience with this book was very positive. A great tale with a shocking twist. I do recommend for you to try this if you would like ( especially you my fellow Filipinos, the author candy gourlay is a Filipino and we should show some pride for this wonderful woman.) ( )