The Bright Years

by Sarah Damoff ★★★★★

The Bright Years opens with a mother and her young son stealing away in the night. After years of dealing with the alcohol-fueled rages of her husband, the woman has finally had enough, and she's spiriting away her son to safety.

That son is Ryan Brighton, and The Bright Years centers primarily around he and his to-be wife Lillian Wright, from their initial meeting at the local library through their courtship and the evolution of their relationship. The novel spans sixty years in total, focusing not only on Ryan and Lillian but also on their children and grandchildren, as well as on the relationships they forge with others over the course of their lifetimes. It is told from three points of view—Lillian's, Ryan's, and their daughter Georgette's—and each has a distinct and unique voice, no small feat for an author to accomplish.

The emotional scars from his childhood still haunt Ryan, and he lives in constant fear of becoming his father. Despite his ardent awareness, the hereditary potential for alcoholism still lurks in the shadows, a constant threat. While Lillian wasn't exposed to the same challenges as Ryan as a child, she's also not without her own secrets and past trauma. The combined baggage they each carry weighs down their relationship, and readers are whisked on a rollercoaster of emotional ups and downs as a result.

There are plenty of heavy moments, but there are also plenty of reasons to smile and cheer It's chock full of little life events rendered beautifully, from otherwise mundane memories that become special, to momentous moments that are captured to perfection. Over the course of sixty years, you inevitably encounter the joy of birth, the pain of death, and everything in between. First-time author Damoff has a knack for striking just the right tone, especially for some emotionally weighty scenes. A particular high point for me were the multiple marriage proposals in the novel; each one will leave all but the most stone-hearted shedding happy tears.

There's no shortage of difficult topics in The Bright Years, but Damoff tackles each head-on in a way that feels wholly real and believable in the telling. Few authors can match Damoff's talent for capturing life so authentically, and it's perhaps the feature that sets the novel apart the most, made all the more surprising given this is Damoff's debut. As one character says, "You have shown me that love is worth the losing of it," which in many ways encapsulates the essence of the novel. There is pain and suffering and loss, but there is also perseverance and forgiveness and love that brighten the darkness.

There's plenty to like about The Bright Years; it's a moving generational novel that authentically captures a litany of life moments, from the highs of true love to the challenges of addiction, and anyone looking for a family drama that rings true from start to finish will be more than satisfied with this memorable debut.