When I read the back cover copy I knew I was in for a moving novel, I was just not prepared for how it would affect me emotionally.

I was hooked from the first line. “I’m not sure whom I should thank – or blame – for the chance to become an old woman. Though as a young girl, sixty-seven seemed much older than it actually is.” And I couldn't stop reading until I finished the last one.

This isn't a fluffy read, it is a beautifully written novel about mental health and how it was dealt with in the late 30's and 40's. It will break your heart, and I don't say that to discourage you from reading it, I say that because Ms. Younts has written a beautiful novel that will transport you back to a time, with subject matter and character's that you will hurt for and have hope for.

The time-slip element made reading this book easier because the present portion gives glimpses of hope from the dark element of Brighton's past. The story is told in first person through Brighton's eyes. The photography element added an interesting thread to the story.

This is my first read of Ms. Younts and it will not be my last. In fact I was just getting ready to read The Solace of Water that was published last year when I received this book.

I highly recommend this novel!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel via the publisher in association with Just Reads Publicity. I was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This new-to-me author has written a heart wrenchingly, moving story with a dual timeline. Set in the late 1920 to 1940's in Pennsylvania and the 1990's in Michigan it follows the story of Brighton aka Nell and Angel. Brighton is born in the Riverside Home for the Insane where her mother had been committed. For the next 18 years, she is mothered by one of the nurses. Her best friend is Angel an albino boy who was committed by his parents. This is the story of the atrocities they witnessed and underwent in a time period when mental illness or just being different was not understood or was not culturally acceptable.

Yount's research and understanding of this horrible time period in history when most states ran mental institutions that became dumping grounds for those who were just depressed or different was incredible. I remember when I was a young child and teen when you wanted to put someone down or tease them you would say "Watch out they will send you to Norwalk." Everyone knew that was the crazy asylum. But later we would find out the horrible conditions and treatments that were used there.

This book not only grips your heart but tears your soul apart with its descriptions of the people who had to live with these atrocious conditions and treatments that did not help but rather did massive damage. It is a book reader swill long remember, and thank God that we have come a long way in dealing with mental illness but knowing there is much more to learn. The author deals beautifully with a difficult topic that is not often addressed.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

WOW. This book is ... wow. Stunning. Captivating. Beautifully written, full of raw emotion and pain and hope.

Having read Younts’ “The Solace of Water,” I knew “The Bright Unknown” would be special and, frankly, deep. If I had to compare it to anything, it’s like Katie Ganshert’s “No One Ever Asked” meets, well, anything by Jaime Jo Wright, but especially “The Curse of Misty Wayfair.”

“Bright Unknown” is a perfect read in fall and around Halloween, but not before bedtime—between subject matter and the desperation of needing to know what will happen next. By no means a short or quick read, the book delves fully into its characters, and storylines of a world nearly forgotten now. It challenges the reader to see mental illness separately from people suffering with it: “When you meet someone who might struggle with mental illness, see the person behind the frightened eyes. Not just the diagnosis” (eARC loc. 3969).

Truly a stunning read, and one I enjoyed even more than “Solace of Water” (which says something!). Plenty of twists and turns, with a climax and denouement I did not see coming.

I received a copy of the book via JustRead Publicity Tours. All opinions are my own.

Some books you hold close to your chest as you sit in the resolution of the last pages. This was that book.
With “The Bright Unknown”, Elizabeth Byler Younts positions herself alongside Lisa Wingate and Kristin Hannah. And if you know me as a reader, you know that Kristin Hannah is my favorite. So that is saying a lot.
The haunting story of Brighton Friedrich and the Riverside Home Shows the most difficult parts of humanity and past decision made but brings us the hope of humanity as well. The young girl, Brighton, was born in an insane asylum and raised among the patients, including her mother. But Brighton doesn’t belong there. Neither do many of the asylum’s inhabitants—having been locked away by their parents or family members for things that were far short of insanity. Brighton finds the bright places where she lives but also witnesses the darkest moments. And Younts takes us along the heart breaking journey as Brighton watches her world torn apart and her own heart torn as to whether to escape or to stay with her mother.
What a powerful story of love, forgiveness, hope, and not forgetting the past but learning from it and allowing it to make us stronger.

The Bright Unknown by Elizabeth Byler Younts is a powerful, moving and heart breaking Christian historical tale. I am not ashamed to say that the tears fell as I read some of the truly horrifying scenes of great cruelty from those who were supposed to care for the most vulnerable.
The novel has two timelines – 1990 and 1937 moving forwards to 1941. It is told through the eyes of one woman born into the state asylum. The reader becomes completely entwined into the story as we witness the appalling and barbaric treatment. State asylums were places of great cruelty. People were incarcerated into them and left, abandoned by the world and their families in the misguided belief that it was ‘best’ for them. The world was a cruel place – people were placed into these institutions for terrible reasons as disability was not understood but feared and seen as a stigma. Women and children had few rights and these could be overridden by domineering males in society. “See the person behind the frightened eyes. Not just the diagnosis.” The inmates were all people in need of love, care and attention. They did not deserve to be treated so abominably.
The reader is horrified by the conditions, conditions that were seen as acceptable by those in charge at the time. There was no compassion or love.
Surprisingly there were friendships that flourished. Love, care and compassion were found among the patients. Bonds and promises were made that would last a lifetime.
We need to be aware of the words that we speak and the actions that we use. Both can have the effect of life or death for others. “When you’re treated like a worthless piece of flesh, eventually you believe it.” We sadly, live up or down to the opinion of others of us.
Hope can bloom in the darkest of places. “Darkness vanished when light touched it.” We need just a crumb of hope to cling to. Even on the darkest night, we can still see the stars.
Sometimes we feel abandoned by everyone and even wonder if God exists for us. “I prayed to a God I was sure was out there somewhere.” God never leaves us. He sees our pain.
The asylum was a prison with walls. Sometimes we erect our own walls and stay within them to be safe but we are our own jailer. We need to demolish these walls and begin to live in the freedom that God desires for us. We may cling to what we know but there is a big wide world beyond our walls just waiting for us.
The Bright Unknown broke my heart. The fact that people were treated so barbarically and cruelly in the twentieth century in a civilised country is just horrific. To counter this, there was a love that ran throughout the novel that warmed my heart.
I want to leave you with my favourite and most powerful quote. It comes from a character who steps into a church for the first time and sees a statue of Jesus on the cross:
“I couldn’t help him from his captivity, but I wondered if he could help me from mine.”
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

One of the last passages in the The Bright Unknown is “A lot of bad had to happen for us to have all the good in our lives.” One thing I can definitely attest to is that a lot of bad happens in this story. Whether that was truly necessary in order for any good to occur – and whether the story needed to concentrate on the bad over the good – I am less certain.

In 1927, Brighton Friedrich is born in the Riverside Home for the Insane. The daughter of an unwed, mentally ill young woman, Brighton is kept in her mother’s room under the excuse that it helps keep that lady calm. For years, all Brighton will know are the dingy walls of that institution. A nurse, Joann, nicknamed ‘Nursie’ by Brighton, becomes her substitute parent. With her own mother too sick to speak or even meet her eye, it is Nursie who educates Brighton and allows her a friendship with a young albino boy from the children’s ward, named Angel. She plans small birthday parties for Brighton, supplies her with treats like books and keeps the young girl surrounded by the healthiest patients such as Mickey, who makes the child a rag rug, and tells her stories. While Brighton knows her captive life is in no way normal, by the time she’s sixteen, she’s grown to accept and be at peace with it. Then she hears a conversation between Nursie and one of the doctors that changes everything. They’ve been keeping secrets, information regarding both Brighton and Angel that would illuminate where the children came from, why they are at Riverside – and just what might set them free from their confinement in that unholy institution.

Confronting her beloved surrogate mother doesn’t turn out well for Brighton, however. Nursie gives her a shot of insulin and has the orderlies place Brighton in solitary confinement. Being treated like a patient rather than a person for the first time forces Brighton to realize that she needs to flee Riverside. And as luck would have it, no sooner has Brighton come to this determination than another girl is placed in solitary in the cell beside her. Grace has been brought to the asylum for ‘moral insanity’ a charge/ diagnosis leveled against her by her father when she falls in love with a young black man. Grace has a knowledge of how the world works that Angel and Brighton desperately need if they are ever to leave Riverside. And fortunately, she’s willing to help her new friends plan their escape.

This story is told in a dual time format, so from the beginning we know that the escape does occur and has at least one survivor. We also know, without being given any tangible details, that that survivor has had a fairly good life. And finally, we know that they look back on their time at Riverside as truly horrific. I did, too. The book capitalizes on all the malevolence humanity once doled out to those who are different. There is pain, despair, appalling injustice and mistreatment. Women are placed in straight-jackets for asking for food, children are bathed with ice cold water, the food served is described as slop most people wouldn’t give to their dogs, the use of insulin to calm a patient is terrifying to anyone who knows anything about the drug, lice abounds, patients are denied clothes and forced to sit naked in common rooms , many soil themselves and have to sit for hours in their befoulment because there is no help, women who refused to cooperate with their families are mercilessly imprisoned against their will – that and so much more exists within these pages. Even the world on the outside treats those who don’t meet their perfect standards terribly and when a naïve Angel and Brighton find themselves in a position where they are forced to fend for themselves, they learn the kindness of strangers often hides the worst sort of danger.

Our two leads are, of course, extremely sympathetic characters. Brighton is a sweet young woman who has behaved with grace, dignity and generosity in dark circumstances. Angel is the same; a kind, clever soul trapped within a body which has others treating him as though he is a freak and something to be frightened of. In spite of that, he is a tender hearted, loving person. These two delightful, lovely souls also make a charming couple as they slowly fall in love. As their love and friendship grows, they bring out the best in each other and there is such depth to their care and concern that it is wonderful to behold.

But honestly, that was one of only two things wonderful about this book for me. The author is relentless in her use of tragic history, spending pages highlighting the worst of humanity and quickly glossing over any positive events that occur in the tale. Her two innocent protagonists are victims and while they lash out at times, both verbally and physically, they are for the most part docile regarding their exploitation and debasement. Even the kind people in the tale are presented passively – they don’t go looking for folks to help nor are they attempting to right the wrongs of the world, but if someone comes along who needs their aid, they give it.

The second positive is that all of this is done with truly remarkable craftsmanship. The prose is lyrical, the characterizations solid and consistent, and if the plotting contains some conveniences, that is to be expected given that even real life contains moments of luck and grace. The history is thorough and detailed, with the author painting a vivid picture of the importance of many of the battles waged for equity in the past century.

This is an Inspirational, and God is mentioned but those references tend to be opaque and imaginative. For example, towards the end of the story, Brighton sees a crucifix and says of the man on it, “He had restraints in the shape of nails, and his face was so sad. I couldn’t help him from his captivity, but I wondered if he could help me from mine.” These types of threads are woven throughout the story, along with brief mentions of prayer. While there are some scenes centered around a church, the religious leanings of the characters are kept rather open-ended.

At one point Brighton speaks of the past and says “People are people regardless of diagnosis. They [others] need to see that so that it [the events at Riverside] will never happen again.” I think that sums up the theology of The Bright Unknown. These things should never occur again. While this certainly isn’t an easy read, it’s good to be sad, uncomfortable and shocked every once in a while in order to remember all the good that the fight for social justice has wrought. I would have preferred a bit more of the activism and a bit less about why it was so absolutely necessary but that doesn’t change the fact that this is an excellent book with a crucial message.

Wow! This book was totally unexpected! I vaguely knew what it was about, but it was so much more gripping that I had expected. I’m going to miss these characters. I felt what Brighton felt, her fear, despair, pain, loneliness. I felt anger at her situation, shock and disbelief! The way that people were treated at asylums will never not be shocking and painful to read about, but I think that in the climate our culture is in regarding mental health, it is important to remember how poorly people were treated, so we can treat them better. This book brings a message of hope and definitely advocates for the better treatment of those who struggle with mental illness. Also, the way that Brighton feels compassion for people, even her enemies, and sees their pain was really sobering and I can learn a lot.
TW: Extremely poor treatment of patients in an asylum in the early-mid 20th Century.

Nell is sixty seven. She thinks of the few surprises about making it to 1990. We are still living on earth. The Second Coming hasn’t happened despite predictions, and devices like the cordless phone are on the top of many wish lists for housewives. Another surprise housewives aren’t as common. Nell hadn’t taken much to technology. She still uses her rotary phone but she did get a ten foot coiled cord as a gift. She heard old school and that is how to say what is old fashioned. There were times when she didn’t think she’d live to sixty seven. Nell’s driveway reminded her of the freedom she has to come and go as she pleases. Things weren't always this way. Underneath a pile of mail is one of those big yellow envelopes, a bulky item, carries the shape of something too familiar. But Nell doesn’t want to name it. A chill washes over her. The last time this type of bewitchment caught nell unawares. She was nothing more than an eighteen year old girl- frightened and alone. Learning too much all at once. Tinside gray concrete walls. Feeling the loss of her last bit of innocence. But Nell Didn’t lose herself. Her over forty years of marriage made her a survivor of unpredictability. She’d crawled through the shadow of death delivering her babies- reluctantly inside the the frightened walls of a hospital. And she became a woman amending her own childhood through motherhood. But this envelope brings her a certain dread she can’t explain. Nell doesn’t want to open it, even though her entire life had been in anticipation of this. The name in the corner of the envelope is not familiar, but the town on the return address boasts that her nightmares are not dreams but memories after all. The name on the envelope is someone she shed long ago- so long ago it’s almost like the girl never existed. But it’s her. This much Nell knows and she wishes it wasn’t so. When she tips the envelope over, a 35 mn film cartridge falls into her hands. It’s old, almost fifty years old. Nell had long ago wished she could forget it all, but the voices from her past are stronger than her present. She tossed the film, who sent it? Where did it come from? Inside was a note: “Brighton, I have the rest of them if you’re interested” Kelly Keene. Nell doesn’t know her. Why does Kelly have the film from her dark years? The whisper of voices also calls to mind a promise she left unfulfilled. The burden of this guilt nestles next to her soul. For decades she’d kept those voices to herself. But then film begins the sacred resurrection of those forgotten souls and with them comes the unearthing of Nell’s past. 1937- The flossy gray clouds outside mirrored the blandness inside the walls of her home. The window made her part of both worlds one Nell watched and coveted. The other she lived in. Neither was safe. She had received a diary four years ago on her last birthday. Her home was The Riverside Home For the Insane. Her mother had been sterilized - a procedure Doctors thought would help her melancholia depression and psychosis. Nell’s friend was Angel. At age seven Nell realized being a resident Of Riverside Home For The Insane was not how everyone else in the world lived. But it had been her life since birth. None of the doctor's diagnosis - feeble-minded or deaf-mute fit her. Like her best friend Angel. He was just an albino and didn’t see well. Her poor mother was bewitched with voices and demons and her father never cared enough to rescue either of them- or even a visit.
This was really an amazing read. I could picture the asylum and the people in it and the things that happened. I loved the pace and plot of this book. I didn’t want to put this down once I started reading it. It grabbed me from the beginning and kept my attention completely until the end. I loved the ending. It does go back and forth between the past and present but this author did it in such a way it didn’t bother me as it normally does. But how horrible it was to be born in an asylum and stay there for eighteen years and literally had to be snuck out. I was glad Nell/Brighton lived a full life. I was also Nell had kept her promise and fell free from it. I love Angel and Nell together . I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book that choked me up several times and I highly recommend it.

A book that will make you shutter, and I found myself with tears, those poor people. There is a lot of truth in this read, and knowing that made it so much harder for me to make myself believe this is a fictional book.
The author does a wonderful job throughout the story, and once you pick the book up, it becomes very hard to put down. Although there is not an epilogue, the book does bring everything to a conclusion and we are up dated, and I was surprised!
Hard to read what happens here, but superbly done, and you don’t want to miss it!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.

The first thing that attracted me to this book was the cover, but reading the summary drew me in completely.  The summary stated that Brighton Friedrich, was born and raised within the dreary walls of Riverside Hospital, an asylum.  That in itself was depressing, but then the blurb mentioned that Brighton met a friend named Angel, and  they faced a bleak future. This was double depressing even before getting started.

I was surprised from the beginning to the end. I  got angry, cried, laughed, cheered and often caught myself holding my breath. I didn't do these things in the order given because I did them each more than once. It's a book that tears at the heart and keeps you hoping.

No other characters could belong in this story. Brighton and Angel were the perfect fit for the situations they lived.  Through them we read about and feel the injustices of human mistreatment due to ignorance and greed.  Through them we keep hoping for change.

Even though I'm not fond of depressing, sad stories that make me cry, I enthusiastically recommend this book to readers of historic fiction. If you learn something while you read then the book is worth reading.  This book is 5 stars worth of reading.

An absolute gripping story of heart and hope. This novel gives the reader a horrifying eagle eye view into the Riverside Home for the Insane and the adjoining Children’s Home. A story that will “thrill your dreams and confirm your nightmares”. Told in two timeframes, then (1928-1941) and now (1990), this book was beautifully woven together and is almost impossible to put down book. “There was so much pain then, but there was always a light in our path to keep us from giving up.” Brighton and Angel are two amazing characters that will not be soon forgotten. While “a lot of bad things had to happen for us to have all the good in our lives ...” “All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.” ❤️

This is both sad and hopeful. Brighton was raised inside an asylum because her mother was pregnant with her when she was committed- and it was decided to keep Brighton with her. What an awful thing to do to a child. Angel, an albino, was sent to the asylum because he looked different. What sort of parents do that? Luckily, neither would be in that position today but in the 1940s, they are stuck until they decide to escape. Also luckily, there are good people in the world who are willing to help them. Younts has described how the women in the asylum are treated in detail; it's horrible. She's also created luminous characters in Brighton and Angel. And keep positive thoughts for Grace, who is ruined because she loved someone her parents didn't approve of. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Keep with this.

I received this from Netgalley.com for a review.

Brighton Turner has endured a rural Pennsylvania asylum which used less than humane methods to control its population. As an adult, she keeps her promise to herself and tells of the tragic events that happened to her and those she considered her family.

Out of the broken past is healing and redemption. Good story.

3.25☆

Another best book of the year for me, moving up into one of my best top ten. I was so pleasantly surprised by this awesome story, didn’t know what I was expecting, but I certainly was blown away by this little gem. Few books can bring me to tears, nor can they make me feel so deeply with emotion as this one did. I loved everything about this story, it has it all, love, loss, mystery, heartache, resilience, goodness, evil and then finally kindness from strangers. We switch between Brighton, aka Nell in the past and the current as she has aged and she is remembering her childhood.
The thing that made this book so awesome is that it is based on a true story. I have read several other books on experiences in orphanages and this one fits right in. Horrible living conditions, overcrowding, lack of staff and food, no governing regulations, just horrendous situations.
I loved the way the author would drop a little bit of information or possibly “omit” a little bit and this would make you want to continue to find out more and quickly keep turning the pages. How Brighton and Angel adapted and survived after what they went thru is remarkable. This one held my attention all the way through. The writing is stellar, what a story, high 5 stars. I highly recommend. This is a must read!!
I was given the opportunity to receive this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This one gets a high 5*****’s.

As a Christian woman, I was super excited when I received the galley for Elizabeth Byler Younts' The Bright Unknown. I was further geeking out upon my receipt of it because it takes place in the 1940's and I just love that era all together. Sometimes I really feel as though I was born too late, but then you read a story like this one and you're reminded of how dark and unfair society could be back then, especially towards women...and even more so when those women were poor.

The Bright Unknown begins with Brighton explaining, “I’m not sure whom I should thank – or blame – for the chance to become an old woman. Though as a young girl, sixty-seven seemed much older than it actually is.” We open at the end of the story, but are quickly thrown back into Brighton's life before her freedom, in a place that we come to know as a horrific, malevolent institution where the darkest sides of humanity pervaded for many years. 

Born in the Riverside Home for the Insane  in 1923, Brighton Friedrich’s life revolves around her unstable mother and her overall care. With little exposure to the real world, Brighton is ill-equipped for anything outside of the asylum's walls and at times, the true nature of what really is within. Eventually, Brighton meets Grace Douglass, a young woman who is sent to the asylum by her parents for behavioral issues. 

Just as naive as Brighton, Grace struggles to adjust to her life inside of the walls of the institution. Grace draws Brighton out into the world through her love of photography and the two soon grow close. 

Staying true to the time, the therapies that destroyed people inside asylums in the 1940's are at their peak use. Hydrotherapy, insulin shock, lobotomies...and so much more, are at the forefront of the treatment of patients. Brighton becomes driven to find a way to save herself and her friends from life in the asylum, eager to get the out and into a place where they can find piece. The Riverside Home for the Insane is not where these women belong and Brighton is determined to find her own life along side the people that she loves. 

However, her unrest leads to a sudden change in how Brighton is treated by the staff and she goes from being a person to a patient. Undergoing the treatments that other have had, including insulin shock, sparks a fire in Brighton that sets her and Grace on a journey towards their own freedom. They grow up fast and hard, but their journey towards a new life is riveting and the overall prose of the novel keeps you engaged as you journey through the insanity that is an insane asylum in the 1940's and the life that comes after. 

“My driveway reminds me of the freedom I have to come and go as I please. Things were not always this way.”
-Brighton Friedrich

Book Information
The Bright Unknown by Elizabeth Byler Younts is scheduled to be released on October 22, 2019 from Thomas Nelson with ISBN 9780718075682. This review corresponds to an advanced electronic galley that was supplied by the publisher in exchange for this review.

An interesting story, a little dark and sad for my tastes. It was also a bit of a slow start, I didn't really care much for the book until about 15% in and it was almost a DNF. I think this is probably a great book for the right reader, it was just not a fit for me, I don't like a slow build were the story only comes in tidbits.

Every now and then I read a book that I’m not sure how to describe it, and this is one of those. I’m not going to repeat what you can read in the book’s description, but my impressions of the story.

This story is very well-written. It’s painful to read the childhood stories of Angel and Nell, but it’s compelling reading. There’s such a contrast all throughout the book between darkness/ hopelessness and light/hope. This is not light-hearted reading, but it’s well worth the time to read this story. Written from Nell’s point of view, the reader senses her desperation and determination to escape the asylum and find a normal, fulfilling life. As we go back and forth between Nell’s past and present, we see how she grows to become a remarkably brave, caring woman. This is a story you won’t soon forget. I’m predicting this book will be nominated for some awards, and deservedly so.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Such an incredibly well written story. This is the second book I have read by this author and I couldn’t put it down. It was a dark sad story but also has hope. I am thankful to the publisher and netgalley for an advanced copy. It is a story that as a counselor it was interesting to read.

One of the last passages in the The Bright Unknown is “A lot of bad had to happen for us to have all the good in our lives.” One thing I can definitely attest to is that a lot of bad happens in this story. Whether that was truly necessary in order for any good to occur - and whether the story needed to concentrate on the bad over the good - I am  less certain.

In 1927, Brighton Friedrich is born in the Riverside Home for the Insane. The daughter of an unwed, mentally ill young woman, Brighton is kept in her mother’s room under the excuse that it helps keep that lady calm. For years, all Brighton will know are the dingy walls of that institution. A nurse, Joann, nicknamed ‘Nursie’ by Brighton, becomes her substitute parent. With her own mother too sick to speak or even meet her eye, it is Nursie who educates Brighton and allows her a friendship with a young albino boy from the children’s ward, named Angel. She plans small birthday parties for Brighton, supplies her with treats like books and keeps the young girl surrounded by the healthiest patients such as Mickey, who makes the child a rag rug, and tells her stories. While Brighton knows her captive life is in no way normal, by the time she’s sixteen, she’s grown to accept and be at peace with it. Then she hears a conversation between Nursie and one of the doctors that changes everything. They’ve been keeping secrets, information regarding both Brighton and Angel that would illuminate where the children came from, why they are at Riverside - and just what might set them free from their confinement in that unholy institution.

Confronting her beloved surrogate mother doesn’t turn out well for Brighton, however. Nursie gives her a shot of insulin and has the orderlies place Brighton in solitary confinement. Being treated like a patient rather than a person for the first time forces Brighton to realize that she needs to flee Riverside. And as luck would have it, no sooner has Brighton come to this determination than another girl is placed in solitary in the cell beside her. Grace has been brought to the asylum for ‘moral insanity’ a charge/ diagnosis leveled against her by her father when she falls in love with a young black man. Grace has a knowledge of how the world works that Angel and Brighton desperately need if they are ever to leave Riverside. And fortunately, she’s willing to help her new friends plan their escape.

This story is told in a dual time format, so from the beginning we know that the escape does occur and has at least one survivor. We also know, without being given any tangible details, that that survivor has had a fairly good life. And finally, we know that they look back on their time at Riverside as truly horrific. I did, too. The book capitalizes on all the malevolence humanity once doled out to those who are different. There is pain, despair, appalling injustice and mistreatment. Women are placed in straight-jackets for asking for food, children are bathed with ice cold water, the food served is described as slop most people wouldn’t give to their dogs, the use of insulin to calm a patient is terrifying to anyone who knows anything about the drug, lice abounds, patients are denied clothes and forced to sit naked in common rooms , many soil themselves and have to sit for hours in their befoulment because there is no help, women who refused to cooperate with their families are mercilessly imprisoned against their will  - that and so much more exists within these pages.  Even the world on the outside treats those who don’t meet their perfect standards terribly and when a naïve Angel and Brighton find themselves in a position where they are forced to fend for themselves, they learn the kindness of strangers often hides the worst sort of danger.

Our two leads are, of course, extremely sympathetic characters. Brighton is a sweet young woman who has behaved with grace, dignity and generosity in dark circumstances. Angel is the same; a kind, clever soul trapped within a body which has others treating him as though he is a freak and something to be frightened of. In spite of that, he is a tender hearted, loving person.  These two delightful, lovely souls also make a charming couple as they slowly fall in love. As their love and friendship grows, they bring out the best in each other and there is such depth to their care and concern that it is wonderful to behold.

But honestly, that was one of only two things wonderful about this book for me. The author is relentless in her use of tragic history, spending pages highlighting the worst of humanity and quickly glossing over any positive events that occur in the tale. Her two innocent protagonists are victims and while they lash out at times, both verbally and physically, they are for the most part docile regarding their exploitation and debasement. Even the kind people in the tale are presented passively - they don’t go looking for folks to help nor are they attempting to right the wrongs of the world, but if someone comes along who needs their aid, they give it.

The second positive is that all of this is done with truly remarkable craftsmanship. The prose is lyrical, the characterizations solid and consistent, and if the plotting contains some conveniences, that is to be expected given that even real life contains moments of luck and grace. The history is thorough and detailed, with the author painting a vivid picture of the importance of many of the battles waged for equity in the past century.

This is an Inspirational, and God is mentioned but those references tend to be opaque and imaginative. For example, towards the end of the story, Brighton sees a crucifix and says of the man on it, “He had restraints in the shape of nails, and his face was so sad. I couldn’t help him from his captivity, but I wondered if he could help me from mine.” These types of threads are woven throughout the story, along with brief mentions of prayer.   While there are some scenes centered around a church, the religious leanings of the characters are kept rather open-ended.

At one point Brighton speaks of the past and says “People are people regardless of diagnosis. They [others] need to see that so that it [the events at Riverside]  will never happen again.” I think that sums up the theology of The Bright Unknown. These things should never occur again. While this certainly isn’t an easy read, it’s good to be sad, uncomfortable and shocked every once in a while in order to remember all the good that the fight for social justice has wrought. I would have preferred a bit more of the activism and a bit less about why it was so absolutely necessary but that doesn’t change the fact that this is an excellent book with a crucial message.

Buy it at: Amazon/Apple Books/Barnes & Noble/Kobo
Visit our Amazon Storefront

'I knew that being a resident of the Riverside Home For The Insane was not how everyone else in the world lived. But it has been my life since birth.'

Brighton was born in the insane asylum because her mother was a patient there. She knew no other life. A nurse educated and raised her inside that dreary place. Brighton finds an albino not and names him Angel because he has no name. They grow up together in this put. Years later they escape but are completely unprepared for life in the world.

Poignantly told but heartbreaking, this will haunt you after the last page is turned. A very sad book.

*My thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinion stated here is entirely my own.