Review: Drawing With Light by Julia Green

Title: Drawing With Light
Author: Julia Green
Published: Bloomsbury (1 March 2010)
No. of Pages: 246
Grade Rating: A

Kat and Emily have grown up without their mother for almost as long as they can remember. And now Dad is with Cassy and they all muddle along together well enough - even though they are living in a cramped caravan while their new house is being renovated. Then Cassy and Dad tell them that Cassy is pregnant, and everything seems to shift. Emily feels a new urge to find her own mother. How could she have left them the way she did? Never writing to them? Not communicating with them? And as Emily begins her search, not knowing what she will find, she is at the same time embarking on a new relationship of her own, that of her romance with Seb.

Drawing With Light was just like Julia Green's previous YA novel, beautiful, moving and poignant. A totally honest book about growing up and finding the one person you never thought you'd see again.

There is just something about Green's writing that makes you completely fall in love with her books. I love the way that hardly anything happens in her books. They are not full of action or adventure but simply filled with feelings that every girl can relate to. They are just so lovely and peaceful to read that you can't help but adore the story. Drawing With Light was a gorgeous novel rich in emotion, feeling and one girls journey to find her mother aswell as coping with other barriers in her life. I can't put into words just how amazing these books are. I wouldn't recomend them to people who enjoy their books to be full of stunts and excitement but to people who just love reading for reading. Green makes her readers love reading!

The characters are just as strong as the narrative. Emily is the voice that every girl wants to hear. She has to battle with so many inner and outer conflicts but still keeps herself grounded and enjoys her life with Seb. I had trouble liking Seb as much as I liked the protagonist but nevertheless, he was also a good character. A fantastic quality about them all is how lifelike they are. They act just like normal people would but Green does a great job of capturing the tension and emotion between them. Reading about them is just like watching them in a documentary!

Emily's hobby of photography and the overall arty feel of this book is also a nice addition. I imagine one of the pictures that Emily would take to be just like this gorgeous front cover! The title of the book has a lovely relevance to photography as Emily reffers to taking the perfect picture just like 'drawing with light'. The ending of this book was also just like I had hoped. The perfect ending to the perfect piece of fiction for girls!

I would definitely reccomend this book. Although Drawing With Light is about family troubles it never once brings doubt but instead, hope. You will be glad that you read it!