Under the Stars

Review coming soon once the book haThis is a wonderful, almost lyrical, a book that makes you want to go outside and have a look at all the stars. I did this whilst reading the book, I live in a large town that absolutely loves excessive lighting and I was able to see 8 stars and the moon. How depressing!

Matt Gaw takes the reader with him when he goes out into the night, his writing really captures your imagination and you feel his joy when the clouds part and he sees the stars, you pick up on his fear when he gets lost in the forest and you feel a pit in your stomach when he becomes overcome in the dark and is reduced to tears. Such magical writing to be able to create those feelings in a reader. I had a flashback when reading this, the only time I have nearly crapped myself in fear, as a scout doing a night walk, we were lost and walking down a track by a field, suddenly the field erupts as 1000s of roosting birds took off at once and flew just over our heads. It wouldn't have been nearly half as scary during the daytime, but at night it felt like the end of the world.

The book's chapters each have their own focus, from the moon, to a nighttime city walk and to spending time on an island in Scotland called Coll. You really see a change in Gaw, as he adapts to the darkness he develops a natural aversion to light, it becomes overwhelming being in all that noise and light, it was also great to see his child-like wander at shooting stars...which resulted in a telling off from his wife. Also enjoyed reading as he tries to get his wife and kids involved but often that was impossible when they were warm and cosy in bed.

I have enjoyed this book and it has made me pine for a view of the stars, I'm sure I saw them when I was a scout but that is a lost memory now. I'm up in Scotland this summer, will have to see how dark it gets up there.s been released.

Blog review: felcherman.wordpress.com/2020/02/05/under-the-stars-a-journey-into-light-by-matt-gaw/