The Night Burns Bright: A Novel

Narrated by Lucian from a when he was a child to young teen, he grows up in a school called the House of Heaven located on the outskirts of a small town in New York. His mother, susceptible to the cultish teachings of the leader due to difficult childhood, believes the teachings saved her and are good for her and her son. She disappears for days on unknown missions, leaving poor Lucian pining for his mom. He believes in the teachings and is so innocent in the beginning, but as he and the "friends" become more and more isolated from the world and severe lessons are meted out for minor infractions or doubts, Lucian becomes more aware that something is wrong in paradise. He becomes friends with a girl in town, Gabrielle, and they end up sneaking around to meet up and gives him another perspective on his situation. 9/11 acts as a catalyst for the cult to wall up their institute and move everyone into on campus housing, pushing Lucian into more questioning about the going ons at the House. SPOILERS SPOILERS: This was a bit of a confusing mess, in some ways. We never learn where Mama was when she disappeared even before we learned the "sinister secret master plan" - which also did not make sense. Why would you plan to kill your followers who actually believe in your message? Was she helping OC kill people from the beginning, hence her disappearances? How did Gabrielle's dysfunctional family get to take in Lucien? Would Mama really have been saved by OC in the end? (I don't believe it). Did I miss what happened to Eve's parents and how she got a mentor to act as her parent? It was obviously a cult from the very beginning, but I thought it involved more sexual activities than what the motive ended up being. The end felt rushed, as in a few pages he is grown up, still friends with Gabrielle, his mom is in jail, he is super dysfunctional and still trying to deprogram himself and meet a woman. Huh? The book kept me reading but it was not a satisfying read.

What defines your perception of normal? Is it your school, the neighborhood you live in, or maybe it's the friends you surround yourself with? Well, Ross Barkan's The Night Burns Bright asks that question. How do we perceive the world around us and define our reality?

The Night Burns Bright is a deft novel depicting the life of a young boy named Lucian. Growing up in an "alternate nature-based private school" known as House of Earth, Lucian knows little of the outside world, abiding to believe that what mama and Jack, his mentor, said was right and good for not only him but the planet as well.

Ross Barkan conveyed Lucian's emotional and physical feelings flawlessly during his time at House of Earth. You'll find yourself not being able to put this book down, wondering what's going to happen next! As with any gripping story, there are triggers to be known beforehand. These include ones such as, death, cultism, 9-11, and child abuse.

I thoroughly enjoyed Barkan's The Night Burns Bright, following the rise and fall of the cult, House of Earth. A wonderfully established perfect illusion for a sustainable future, one that many frightened and lost could find solace in. In the beginning, I even thought that it was a wonderful place to live! Just as described in the book, House of Earth was a beautiful and terrible place all in one.

Although I truly loved most of the book, I didn't care too much for the ending. There seemed to be a discord between the main storyline and the book's finale. I would have much more enjoyed the continuation of Lucian's current life than jumping forward into time.

Overall, Ross Barkan's The Night Burns Bright is a must-read! It's skillfully written, hooking you till the very end! Bravo, Mr. Barkan, and thank you for such a great read!