A Lily in the Light

 By: Kristin Fields

Location: FIC FIE

Genre; Fiction, Mystery, Drama

A harrowing debut novel of a tragic disappearance and one sister’s journey through the trauma that has shaped her life.

For eleven-year-old Esme, ballet is everything—until her four-year-old sister, Lily, vanishes without a trace and nothing is certain anymore. People Esme has known her whole life suddenly become suspects, each new one hitting closer to home than the last.

Unable to cope, Esme escapes the nightmare that is her new reality when she receives an invitation to join an elite ballet academy in San Francisco. Desperate to leave behind her chaotic, broken family and the mystery surrounding Lily’s disappearance, Esme accepts.

Eight years later, Esme is up for her big break: her first principal role in Paris. But a call from her older sister shatters the protective world she has built for herself, forcing her to revisit the tragedy she’s run from for so long. Will her family finally have the answers they’ve been waiting for? And can Esme confront the pain that shaped her childhood, or will the darkness follow her into the spotlight?

"Beautifully told, elegantly executed... this was an emotional story about the aftermath of tragedy.Kristin Feild’s debut was evocative and heart wrenching. A unique take on the missing child trope. This is not a dark twisted thriller with wild secrets, it is a tender story Full of heart and hope. This book really captures the essence of Esme, and how her sister Lily’s disappearance impacted her life.

Esme is 11 years old, she loves ballet and her biggest concern in life is getting on point. She has a loving family: hard-working parents, an aloof big brother, an impatient big sister, and an adorable little sister named Lily. One day mom is at church, dad just got home, brother is on the balcony, sister is in her room, Esme is making dinner, and Lily disappears. Just like that, while watching “Full House”. No sign of foul play Lily is just gone along with her coat and shoes. Esme is devastated not quite sure how to function in the shell of the family that remains. With some help from her ballet instructor and the urging of her father she finds herself at her dream ballet school in San Francisco all the way across the country from her shattered family. years pass and Esme dances on, using her art to process her grief. Eight years after the disappearance Esme is dancing in Paris when she receives a phone call from her big sister, a phone call that will change everything.

There was an air of grace to the story that was magnified by the ballet. Esme was such a likable and sympathetic character. Miss Fields did a wonderful job of grasping a Childs perspective, a child’s grief and guilt over a sibling going missing. Esme’s guilt and grief were palpable and present on every page. There was an authenticity to the story that made it shine. How does a family move on when their light is gone? Compelling and moving, absolutely recommend!"- Berit