How the Light Gets In

by M.J. Hyland | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 1841955485 Global Overview for this book
Registered by goatgrrl of New Westminster, British Columbia Canada on 6/29/2004
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14 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by goatgrrl from New Westminster, British Columbia Canada on Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Purchased from one of my favourite bookstores in the world, the Elliott Bay Book Company, as part of a wine-addled book binge (!), during a very enjoyable weekend in Seattle in June '04.

Journal Entry 2 by goatgrrl from New Westminster, British Columbia Canada on Wednesday, June 30, 2004
How the Light Gets In tells the story of Lou Connors, a sixteen year old exchange student from the wrong side of the Australian tracks who -- as the book begins -- is embarking on a year abroad as an exchange student in a suburb of Chicago.

Lou is unusually intelligent, and somewhat obsessed with transcending the reality of her grimy, degraded upbringing in a subsidized, over-crowded Sydney high-rise. She dreams of a new start in the bosom of her "host family", the affluent, white, emotionally constipated Hardings, but her dreams are shattered when she experiences -- almost immediately -- the enormous gulf between her social reality and theirs. Barely realizing it, Lou breaks nearly every unwritten rule of the suburban middle-class in her first week with the Hardings. It's a kind of hell-in-the-burbs for her, yet she can't let go of that most profound aspiration of teenagers everywhere: to fit in.

This is a terrifically enjoyable first novel by Irish-Australian author M.J. Hyland. It will arouse painful memories for any former teenager (and validate the experience of current ones...!). And anyone who's ever done time as an exchange or home-stay student ::shudder:: will see themselves in Lou, and be glad they're not there now.

Click here to read an interview with Hyland, and here to read another review at bookmunch.co.uk (but beware the spoilers!).

Journal Entry 3 by goatgrrl from New Westminster, British Columbia Canada on Wednesday, June 30, 2004
INTERNATIONAL BOOKRING

Rules of this bookring:
1. This is an international bookring -- if you join, you must be willing to ship anywhere.
2. Please journal the book when you receive it, and again when you mail it out -- that way, everyone will know the book's approximate location.
3. If you don't think you'll be able to read this book within a reasonable time of receipt, please let me know before it's sent to you by the previous reader, and I'll be happy to move your name down the list.
4. Whether you have read the book or not, please do not keep it longer than eight weeks.

Participants:
1. arturogrande - Coalville, Leicestershire, UK - rec'd July 10, 04; mailed July 26, 04.
2. Scarlett17 - Cardiff, Wales, UK - rec'd July 29, 04; mailed August 3, 04.
3. Brujula - Belfort, France - rec'd August 6, 04; mailed September 8, 04.
4. vicki9170 - Tampa, Florida, USA - rec'd September 24, 04; mailed January 15, 05.
5. Ebumu - Ithaca, New York, USA - rec'd January 25, 05; mailed February 4, 05.
6. Metropolitan - Sao Paulo, Brazil - rec'd February 16, 05; mailed March 28, 05.
7. miss-gonewest - Perth, Western Australia, Australia - rec'd April 18, 05; mailed May 22, 05.
8. newk - Adelaide, South Australia, Australia - rec'd May 30, 05; mailed June 17, 05.
9. Geegal - Hamburg, Germany - rec'd June 27, 05; mailed July 2, 05.
10. Icila - La Chapelle sur Erdre, France - rec'd July 7, 05; mailed July 17, 05.
11. jaenelle - Alta Vista, Kansas, USA - rec'd August 16, 05.

Journal Entry 4 by goatgrrl from New Westminster, British Columbia Canada on Monday, July 5, 2004
I'll be mailing this book to arturogrande in Coalville, England on July 6, 04. I hope it won't take too long to reach you!

Journal Entry 5 by arturogrande from Coalville, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Saturday, July 10, 2004
Arrived this morning - along with a very pleasant surprise!!!
Thanks very much, goatgrrl - I'm really looking forward to this one :)

Journal Entry 6 by arturogrande from Coalville, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Monday, July 26, 2004
It's a while since I was 16, but reading this, I was back in the year 1985 again - trying to make something of myself, looking to the future which I was sure was full of possibilities, and - most of all - trying to fit in (but never quite managing it.)
Lou Connor is a great central character - certainly more sinned against than sinning.
Her attempts to escape her grimy life in a Sydney hellhole and be accepted by the rich all-American family she is staying with are painfully well drawn, and I for one never lost my initial sympathy with her, even when her behaviour completely alienated her emotionally repressed host family.
She always seemed on the verge of making a breakthrough and a new start, and is such a well-intentioned character that the final betrayal is made all the more heartbreaking.
Lou is such a complex character, always destined to be an outsider. Fiercely intelligent, she is a mystery to her blue collar parents, who just want to spend their time smoking and drinking. Free-spirited, she confuses the buttoned-up Hardings.
Someone like Lou will never fit in anywhere completely - and that is her special gift.

Now on its way to Scarlett17 in Cardiff.

Journal Entry 7 by Scarlett17 from Bexley, Greater London United Kingdom on Thursday, July 29, 2004
Arrived today. As soon as I finish the book I'm reading, this one will be straight to the head of the queue.

Journal Entry 8 by Scarlett17 from Bexley, Greater London United Kingdom on Sunday, August 1, 2004
Strangely I enjoyed this book although I really didn't like Lou. I was annoyed with her, that she should be so bright and be given such a great opportunity and yet to seemingly be intent on wasting both. I was annoyed for her, that she should be recognised as intelligent and capable of achieving so much and yet never pushed to reach her potential.
Perhaps because I wasn't a rebellious teenager myself, I found it difficult to sympathise with her. It really irritated me that she'd been given such a great chance for a fresh start and she didn't take it. I could see that she wasn't well-matched with the Harding family, but they just seemed like "normal" people, especially the kids, and I was amazed that she was so intimidated by them. For someone who wanted to fit into her idea of a perfect family, she seemed to spend a lot of time trying not to be like them.
The only character I did like was Lishny, who, to me, seemed to be the only one who really didn't deserve what had happened to him, and he was the only one whose future I would be concerned about.
Having said all that, I did enjoy the book, I liked the idea behind it. It was just a shame for me that the central character, who started off so promisingly, became so dislikeable so quickly.

Release planned for Wednesday, August 04, 2004 at Fellow BookCrosser in Postal release, Postal Release Controlled Releases.

Journal Entry 10 by Brujula from Valenciennes, Nord-Pas-de-Calais France on Friday, August 6, 2004
Received today!
Wow, that was fast...
I have a few bookrings and rays to read, but I'm sure I'll be able to read it before 8 weeks!

Journal Entry 11 by Brujula from Valenciennes, Nord-Pas-de-Calais France on Tuesday, September 7, 2004
I have mixed feelings about this book. It's kind of maddening to see a bright girl make herself miserable by doing stupid things that she knows are wrong. When the book begins, you are full of hope, and expect Lou to take the most out of her year abroad. And then you can't help wanting to tell her "don't do that!"

I really wanted to read this book, because I was an exchange student in the USA twenty years ago, and I have wonderful memories of that senior year.
But Lou's experience has nothing to do with mine.
I think this book is mainly about a troubled teenager, and the misery she carries around. The author manages to get us in the skin of this young girl, and to make us understand her behaviour (well, maybe not all of it!)

Thank you very much, goatgrrl for letting me read this book!

I'll send it to vicky9170 as soon as I have her adress!

Journal Entry 12 by Brujula from Valenciennes, Nord-Pas-de-Calais France on Wednesday, September 8, 2004
Mailed today!

Journal Entry 13 by vicki9170 from St. Petersburg, Florida USA on Friday, September 24, 2004
received :)

Journal Entry 14 by goatgrrl from New Westminster, British Columbia Canada on Thursday, November 25, 2004
PM'd vicki9170 on November 25, 04 requesting that this book be sent along to the next person on the list at her earliest convenience (I have offered to RABCK the book to her at the end of the ring, if she hasn't actually had a chance to read it yet).

Journal Entry 15 by vicki9170 from St. Petersburg, Florida USA on Sunday, January 9, 2005
just noting that i started this book today and will be mailing it out on Saturday (1/15), already have the person's addy after me and will journal again as soon as i've finished the book :)

Journal Entry 16 by vicki9170 from St. Petersburg, Florida USA on Wednesday, January 12, 2005
i enjoyed this book very much :) Lou is very smart, very sassy....just a bit lonely, not unlike the rest of the world and doesn't know how to deal with her loneliness. thanks for sharing!!

mailing on Saturday 1/15.

Journal Entry 17 by Ebumu from Ithaca, New York USA on Tuesday, January 25, 2005
Got it! Thanks vicki9170. This book spent several hours today shivering in my icy mailbox. I bet it wishes it was back in Florida. We have a little over 2 feet of snow here, and more coming. Looking forward to reading this.

Journal Entry 18 by Ebumu from Ithaca, New York USA on Thursday, February 3, 2005
As you can see from the photo, I had a convergence of bookring books last week (I required an extra dose of Mozart chocolate cubes to get through them). Luckily, all three ring books are exceptionally good and have therefore been quick reads.

I really liked this one. It was a great portrayal of a bright, young, outsider girl during the most difficult phase of growing up. I remember feeling terribly off-kilter during those awful teen years. Everything seemed arbitrary. What's right? What's wrong? What's cool? Why not act on impulse? Everyone but me seemed to have figured it all out. Gosh, I still feel like that sometimes. Last year a visitor's child told me I had a "magazine house" and a "magazine family," which really shocked me. I guess I look "together" to teenagers now!

I especially identified with Lou's desire to suddenly become a different person--more poised, more popular, more confident. In my case, I thought when I moved to a new high school that I ought to transform myself into a popular, make-up wearing, cool girl with perfectly feathered hair. I'm still not there (and thank goodness feathering has gone out of fashion--only the right side of my head feathers properly). Change processes tend to be a little more gradual than Lou and I wished for. Lou made some bad choices, as many of us did as teenagers. I thought the author did a great job portraying Lou and her host family.

I won't give away the ending, but I liked how the author ended the book. Thanks for sharing, goatgrrl! Mailed this to Metropolitan in Brazil on Feb 4, first class.

Journal Entry 19 by Metropolitan from São Paulo, São Paulo Brazil on Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Received safely with 2 other books, 1 from a ring and another from BookRelay.
What a nice way to celebrate my 1st anniversary on BookCrossing!

Journal Entry 20 by Metropolitan from São Paulo, São Paulo Brazil on Monday, March 14, 2005
Sorry it took me so long to get to this book.
Oh, how well I remember the suffering of a teenager trying to "fit in"! I moved from Brazil to the States at 10, and had a hard time fitting in and this was only 5th grade. I moved back to Brazil at 14 and went through it all over again!
I would hate to go back to the anguish of being a teenager (not even for the pleasure of being thin again!).
I really liked this book, though I kept waiting for Lou to do something positive with her life, and felt really disappointed when she didn't.
Thanks for sharing, goatgirl.
It will be mailed in the next few days.

Journal Entry 21 by Metropolitan from São Paulo, São Paulo Brazil on Sunday, March 20, 2005
I PMed lily43 and Ada2, the next two on this ring, and both asked to be skipped. I'm PMing miss gonewest today.

Journal Entry 22 by Metropolitan from São Paulo, São Paulo Brazil on Monday, March 28, 2005
Mailing to Miss Gone-west today. Thanks!

Journal Entry 23 by miss-gonewest from Perth City, Western Australia Australia on Monday, April 18, 2005
This book arrived all the way from Brazil, my first book crossing book from that part of the world - it was so exciting with all the lovely little stamps on the envelope. Thanks to Metropolitan for sending it along to me.

I am currently nearing the end of 'Purple Hibiscus' (another of Goatgrrl's book rings) but am hoping to have finished this before the weekend...

Especially seeing as we have a long weekend for Anzac Day and I am off on a houseboat holiday where I am hoping to read plenty of books as I sit in the sun sipping Chardonnay.

I will get through this book as soon as I can and will post back here with any updates and my final thoughts.

Thanks to Goatgrrl for starting up this ring.

Journal Entry 24 by miss-gonewest from Perth City, Western Australia Australia on Sunday, May 8, 2005
Well I too had mixed feelings about this book... I really hated the first few pages in fact! I found Lou's intelligence to be at such opposites with her behaviour and her intentions, that I was really frustrated. For someone so very bright, to be so very dumb and mean spirited, really got my back up.

I am glad I stuck with the book - I was almost compelled to keep reading it - but when I finished it, I had that lovely feeling of being satisfied and rewarded (its been a while since a book has made me feel that way).

I did find myself cringing sometimes, especially in the scenes with James and I just had to skim over those paragraphs as they were just too creepy! I really enjoyed the way the characters were written - especially Tom, he made a lovely contrast to Lou.

Thanks so very much for offering this book, I really relished reading it. As others have said, it brought back memories of high school (some that I'd rather forget) and of being 16 again; which make me feel glad to be all grown up now!

Goatgrrl thanks for sharing another outstanding book; and for the maple leaf bookmark - it was tucked in the back and was a lovely surprise. I will get Newk's address and have this in the post to him by the end of the week.


** I have PM'd Newk for his address, however his profile states that he is away. If I don't hear from him in the next week or two, I will revert to Goatgrrl & we can take it from there.

Journal Entry 25 by miss-gonewest at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, May 22, 2005

Released 18 yrs ago (5/22/2005 UTC) at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Posted (a little belatedly, sorry) to Newk who is back home safe & sound.

Should be there in the next day or two - enjoy!

Journal Entry 26 by newk from Adelaide, South Australia Australia on Monday, May 30, 2005
i have it. thanks to all.

Journal Entry 27 by newk from Adelaide, South Australia Australia on Monday, June 13, 2005
Thanks to all of you and to goatgrrl for sharing and organising. I am (and I always say this, I know) snowed under with books and have been turning away rings and rays. But I thought I better read one of D's books coz she has good taste.
And Hi to Brujula and Metropolitan. I reckon I have shared books with you. Hope you are both well. Metro I think there is a book of yours up for the Australian BXing convention sweepstakes.
Hello to the rest of you and sorry to take up your bandwidth with these friendly messages.

Ah the book....

Journal Entry 28 by newk from Adelaide, South Australia Australia on Monday, June 13, 2005
The book was an easy enjoyable read. But I got so so annoyed with Lou. It is hard to see how someone with such intelligence and insight can act like such a complete idiot.
Nevertheless it happens in real life and indeed I reckon I know a couple of gals whose adolescence could have or may have been just like this.
Thank God I had a stable decent family background and I never felt like going too far over the boundaries. Also I am blessed because I have never been a teenage female.
I have Pmed the next in line for an address and hope to get the book on its way in a day or two.

Journal Entry 29 by newk from Adelaide, South Australia Australia on Monday, June 13, 2005
I cannot shut up. I have to say a few more things. In the linked interview that GG refers us to there is reference to "deconstructing the bildunsroman". What a load of BS!!! Just for the education of all of us a bildungsroman is a "novel whose principal subject is the moral, physiological and intellelectual development of a usually youthful main character". I remain unsure how this novel deconstructs a bildungsroman, but perhaps I am just stupid.

And lastly GG the other link of yours to another review runs into a dead end.

I'll now finally shut up and return to the warmth of the fire. IT HAS RAINED IN ADELAIDE!!! YIPEE!!!

Journal Entry 30 by newk from Adelaide, South Australia Australia on Saturday, June 18, 2005
posted yesterday at prospect PO. "economy air". allow three weeks

Journal Entry 31 by Geegal on Monday, June 27, 2005
Thanks so much newk (and goatgrrl for arranging this ring) I had to pick it up at the Post office today although I was at home on Sat. bl... German Post Grrrr

Journal Entry 32 by Geegal on Saturday, July 2, 2005
Comments hidden because of some spoilers:
"How the Light Gets In" starts out pretty interesting. Lou a student from Sydney goes on a scholarship exchange program to one of the suburbs of Chicago to spend her final High School year with the Hardings. She is seeking for the ultimate escape from her sort of "white trash" life in Sydney. But she is soon disappointed. The Hardings seem perfect but are just dysfunctional as her own family. Margaret her guest mother is all-controlling, Henry (Father) tries to be understanding but cannot argue with his wife, her weird guest brother James falls in perversely in love with her and Bridge hates Lou from the beginning out of jealousy. Lou who so badly wanted to fit in (be accepted and start a new life with her new family and school) fails and becomes an alcoholic.
In the final and third part of the novel Lou is taken out of her guest family and placed into some sort of prison for ill behaving international exchange student. The others inmates also had problems with drinking, staying out late, but some of them even committed harsher crimes such as drug dealing.
These treatments and experiences of exchange students that the author portraits (even if they are exaggerated) were so interesting to read. Because Lou is so intelligent she describes her *team leader* Flo who is just hilariously described.
Lou herself could be seen as weird, and somewhat incredible given that she is supposed to be so smart and yet makes so bad decisions but I at the end of the novel thought the whole story becomes so much more intriguing because of Lou's disturbing behaviour. She doesn't know what she wants and what's good for her that's why she "fails". When she is in that "prison" she keeps on writing these letters to the Hardings just to make them take her back although she clearly hated her time in their house but couldn't admit it. It is clear that Lou got and remains blended by money and wealth. I also liked the very end of the novel when Lou receives a fax by her mother. She never reads this fax. She lets another girl in "prison" read it and that girl tells her what was written. I like that the reader never learns the truth. It's clear that Lou is going back but it's not clear if everything has indeed changed while she was away or not.


Released 18 yrs ago (7/2/2005 UTC) at by mail in To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

sending to Icila. enjoy.

Journal Entry 34 by wingIcilawing from Nantes, Pays de la Loire France on Thursday, July 7, 2005
I got it safe this morning.
Thanks !

Journal Entry 35 by wingIcilawing from Nantes, Pays de la Loire France on Sunday, July 17, 2005
I was reluctant to get into the book, because of the cover.
In fact, I enjoyed this book and I stuck to it.
It's a non-ending fight between IQ and EQ. The EQ is always the winner and it's the big problem.

I send the book to jaenelle.


Journal Entry 36 by jaenelle from Orlando, Florida USA on Tuesday, August 16, 2005
I got this this morning. I'll add it to my TBR. I'll try to put it toward the top and get it read fairly soon. Then back to goatgrrl, I assume, as I appear to be the last one on the list.

Journal Entry 37 by BellaGatto from Green Bay, Wisconsin USA on Sunday, June 11, 2006
"How The Light Gets In" was chosen by my book club. I ordered my copy from half.com, so I'm not quite sure about the book's journies between 8/2005 and now. I set the book free just after the Start Line of the "Bellin Run" in Green Bay, WI. The Bellin Run is the 6th largest 10K event in the US, with more than 10,000 participants. I'm hoping someone picked up the book after the race. Don't you love the idea of a sweaty runner snagging this book with its ciagrette-smoking cover?



CAUGHT IN GREEN BAY WI USA

Journal Entry 38 by MaryBarb from Green Bay, Wisconsin USA on Monday, June 12, 2006
My husband picked it up off the street after a 10K race and since he knows how muchI like to read he thought I might enjoy it.

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