‘A Scatter of Light:’ This companion novel stands alone

Malinda Lo’s newest novel, “A Scatter of Light,” is the queer coming-of-age story that we all need to hear.

Although the novel serves as a companion to the wildly popular “Last Night at the Telegraph Club,” Lo’s newest novel stands on its own and tells a new and exciting story. The story revolves around Aria Tang West, an 18-year-old girl sent to live with her grandmother during the summer of 2013, when same-sex marraige was legalized in California.

At the beginning of the summer, Aria meets Steph Nichols, her grandmother’s gardener. Aria is immediately drawn to Steph and is quickly embraced into Steph’s friend group. For the first time, Aria is surrounded by out queer people and finds herself eager to learn about the LGBTQ+ community. Between Steph, her girlfriend Lisa and her friend Mel, Aria is immersed into a world full of pride parades, unashamed queerness and community.

Soon after meeting Steph and making queer friends, Aria begins to understand her own sexuality. One of the biggest things that this book does right is that it does not make coming out an event. Aria’s realization takes time, but it is not a source of sadness or self-hatred for her. No one makes her sexuality a big deal; even her own family seems to know without her having to tell them. There is certainly merit to stories about coming out, as it can be an incredibly difficult process, but it doesn’t always have to be. 

Aria’s sexuality, though important, is not the only focus of the novel. The relationship between Aria and her grandmother, Joan West, is a crucial piece of the story. Joan, an artist and photographer, is Aria’s confidant and biggest supporter. Even without knowing all the details of Aria’s life, Joan manages to encourage her granddaughter to believe in her own abilities and to do what makes her happy.

Another interesting aspect of “A Scatter of Light” is Aria’s relationship with her divorced parents. Her father, an author, is one of the most important people in Aria’s life. Yet, her relationship with her mother is much more tumultuous. An opera singer who is rarely there for her daughter, Aria’s mother is uninvolved and often puts herself first. However, both parents ultimately love and support their daughter. The dynamic that Aria has with her parents affects the decisions that she makes and is certainly relatable to many of Lo’s readers.

Aria is interested in Steph throughout the novel, but “A Scatter of Light” focuses much more on her personal journey than on her romantic interest. Rather, her crush on Steph is used as a way for Aria to begin to understand her bisexuality and to move the plot forward. It is always fun to read a cute romance novel, but it is refreshing to hear a queer story that is a bit more realistic. 

Although Aria and Steph are clearly drawn to one another, it can be a bit difficult to see the chemistry between them. Steph’s interests are defined, but she does not have many character traits that stand out, making her severely underdeveloped as a character. Aria’s journey may be the central focus of the plot, but it remains important that her love interest be someone who is interesting and liked by the reader. Flawed characters are great, but in order to work, they require traits that supersede their weaknesses.

While it is categorized as a young adult novel, “A Scatter of Light” is not limited to a teenage audience. Many books of this genre can fall into the trap of having a simplified plot or boring writing, but Lo manages to avoid this problem. Instead, she has written a story that can not only be read by teenagers and adults alike, but can be related to by both audiences.

Queer media’s mainstream presence has risen exponentially in recent years, but sapphic literature in particular remains hard to find. Aria is a bisexual woman, but the novel also highlights many lesbian characters. The history and stigma surrounding the word “lesbian” is long and complicated, and in many artworks, saying the word is often avoided or treated as dirty. However, one critical part of “A Scatter of Light” is that the word “lesbian” is never avoided or stigmatized. Instead, being queer is celebrated in all forms.

The strong moments of this book far outweighed any of the negatives, cementing it as a four-star read. While “A Scatter of Light” is a book about the queer community, it is a must-read for everyone.