Rainlight-McGhee

I read Was It Beautiful sometime last year and didn't really love it, but I thought I would give McGhee another chance. There was nothing remarkable, nothing extraordinarily new, nothing so striking to fall in love with Rainlight, and yet, all told, it was a good read. The extent McGhee went to to connect the characters seemed a bit contrived for my tastes, but I enjoyed the various perspectives of the major characters in each chapter. The young Mallie struck me as a girl in desperate need of therapy, or at least a relative who might pay closer attention to some signs of grief, but nontheless, the plot was somewhat engaging and the characters likeable enough.

The story surrounds the death of a young father, as he tries to save a handicapped child from being hit by a truck. The history of the man, this child, and the people that surround both of them tell a complicated history, and the grief they carry forward demonstrates their personalities more than anything.

An easy, light read, nothing that will keep you up at night, or too engrossed in turning the pages not to put down and enjoy the sunshine on a summer afternoon.