Southern Lights

I usually avoid stories with heavy subjects as grief, illness, etc. I decided to read this story. Oh, so glad I did. Yes, it is a poignant, emotional, wrenching story of true love, of grief, of coming to terms with walls we build to keep the world away. The writing is excellent, I cannot believe this is a debut novel, it is that good. This is the story of a woman, Sloane, who loses her wife to Covid. She's young, but her world screeches to a halt and she's drowning in grief. She decides to move to the Gold Coast in Australia for a year, just to change scenery and keep herself from self-harm. She meets an Australian actress with a young child. From here, it is a rollercoaster of emotions. Sloane is faced with the decision to love again or live in her grief and sorrow. It's so well written, the story flows. I was anguished sometimes but it is all well worth it. The story is amazing. I will look out for more from this author. Southern Lights is a gem.

Sometimes when I finish reading a book, I feel like I don’t know what to think because the story leaves me speechless. Well, this is the case for Southern Lights. Grief is such a painful and delicate theme, but Liz Arncliffe explored it beautifully. It is not the only emotion found in this book. Sloane’s and Ana’s stories demonstrate how pain, guilt, and self-hatred can be familiar and how it’s easier and comforting to hold onto them for some of us. Every aspect of these feelings is addressed in an almost poetic way, rendering the experience of reading Southern Lights special. As for the characters, I’m in awe of how Sloane expressed herself. Her journey is as fantastic as it is hard and sad to witness. While my first impression of Ava was fairly neutral, the second was not. She was rude and a bit entitled despite the seemingly good reasons she had for being wary of strangers. She didn’t act her age, and I’m glad her mother called her out. However, she becomes likable very quickly once we learn more about her story. Another element I absolutely love is the relationship between Grace and Sloane. There is nothing cuter and more adorable than books with the single-parent trope where the child and the love interest build a strong relationship, and we really get to see it. I also enjoyed how Ellen, Mo, and her wife helped our characters in their journey. Southern Lights is a memorable read that got me weeping at 2 am. I will take great pleasure in reading it again.

This book is spectacularly written. It reminds me of when you’re wandering somewhere without intent and stumble upon something rare and precious. I lost my mother almost five years ago and the grief is still so palpable today. To pen a romance amid blinding grief is an art which aptly describes the book; a work of art. The universality of love threads its way through a vibrant setting, beautifully human characters, and writing so lush and rich, it steals its way off the page and burrows into your heart. I’d simply like to thank the author Liz Arncliffe for sharing something so deeply inspiring.