The Light Fantastic by Sarah Combs

This is a work of fiction suitable for mature young adults and up with a very pertinent and thought-provoking theme.

The Mastermind has his group of assassins positioned and ready to go. All online and known only by the name of a state, they are everyday high school students. Except these run of the mill students are all planning to walk into their schools and start shooting. Indiscriminately. The story is told from a number of different points of view and really shows how many secrets or hurts are hidden behind a smiling face. The story emphasises the shock people go through when they think someone else has the perfect life, only to find out that sometimes even the most confident of people are hiding their fear of something. The script lets you into the mindset of some of the students as well as some of the teachers, and really hits home that the lead up to some of these tragedies could be a school friend or a neighbour's hurt or anger.

Even after reading the bio for the book, I didn't expect what I actually read. The author manages to take a teenager's brain and the millions of things they are happy and worry about and put them on paper. As an adult you can look back and laugh at what to you at the time seemed so important, yet at the time it overwhelms your life. The shooters were not a stereotypical group. Whether a jock or a nerd, popular or a loner, they all had friends and were all hiding the pain of something. Catfishing, hyperthymesia, bullying, being spiteful, revenge and genuine friendship are some of the deep themes that are explored.

I would have given the book 5 stars but (and I know why the author did it), to show a teenager's mind speed (well sometimes) that it works at, a lot of words were put together in run-ons. Sometimes you have to stop and go back to reread them and you land up getting a headache. The sticky caps and hashtags were also a little annoying. The different points of view between chapters had me confused in the beginning but it was necessary for the story.

A fantastic read with a very mature theme. Amazingly written with a storyline that keeps you thinking well after you have put the book down. Highly recommended.   

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review the book.