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Disillusioned with her life in New York, Ruth returns to a lake town in Guatemala where she had been happy a decade earlier. There, in Panajachel, she meets two very different women- the calm and practical Emilie, and the turbulent and intoxicating Carmen.
Deciding to stay and build a life at the lake, Ruth finds work first as a nanny to a wealthy local family, then as an English teacher at a village school. Meanwhile, she becomes increasingly infatuated by her friendship with Carmen, pushing away the stability of her connection with Emilie. As Carmen's fragile relationship with the world splinters, the difference between being a visitor and truly belonging becomes clear, and Ruth is forced to act.
The Sun Was Electric Light is a sublime novel about searching for belonging and a life that makes sense.
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Disillusioned with her life in New York, Ruth returns to a lake town in Guatemala where she had been happy a decade earlier. There, in Panajachel, she meets two very different women- the calm and practical Emilie, and the turbulent and intoxicating Carmen.
Deciding to stay and build a life at the lake, Ruth finds work first as a nanny to a wealthy local family, then as an English teacher at a village school. Meanwhile, she becomes increasingly infatuated by her friendship with Carmen, pushing away the stability of her connection with Emilie. As Carmen's fragile relationship with the world splinters, the difference between being a visitor and truly belonging becomes clear, and Ruth is forced to act.
The Sun Was Electric Light is a sublime novel about searching for belonging and a life that makes sense.
Winner of the 2024 VPLA for Unpublished Manuscript, The Sun Was Electric Light is a striking debut from Rachel Morton, demonstrating her capability as a fierce new literary talent. Sparse and beautifully written, Morton delivers a powerful meditation on the meaning of home, happiness, and where to turn in grief.
We follow the story of our narrator Ruth, lonely and rootless, who abandons her life in New York for the balmy streets of Guatemala. There, Ruth meets Emilie and then Carmen, drawn towards these polarised individuals for different reasons, her love for them is shaped in distinctive and incompatible ways. Steadily reconnecting with the world around her, Ruth develops deep relationships both to people and place, grappling with her attachment to each woman and the volcanic lake around which their life is centred.
Every character on the page is wholly believable, brought to life by descriptions that feel the opposite of cliché. The stripped-back story structure leaves room for nuanced relationships and powerful insight, exploring the quiet complexities of friendship, community, and our desire to belong. Ruth’s mind is obfuscated; her thoughts are neither confessional nor expository. While this carefully constructed ambiguity muddies the character’s past, identity and emotion, she still narrates her world with delicate understanding, moving through the story as a vivid and complex personality.
This narrative is unique and pleasingly unpredictable. Ruth’s retreat from the city leads her towards an intimate life, stripped of luxuries and rich with gentle recognition. Her journey is, at times, lonely and strange, as she chooses to follow people and ideas towards unexpected ends. It is there, however, that she uncovers moments of integrity and beauty. The strength of this book is its ability to unmask the most subtle of human experiences simply and succinctly, drawing readers deep into the heart of Ruth’s Guatemalan home.
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