A Certain Slant of Light is about a ghost, Helen, who stumbles upon a young man who can see her. Not only can he see her, but he understands more about what she is than she expected. The two then fall for each other and find a way to be together, but (like most love stories) find themselves facing a major dilemma that threatens their happily ever after ending.
Cover: I found the cover to be intriguing. Before I had even cracked the book open, I was already imagining how the cover tied into the story. I personally hate when I've finished a book and find myself thinking "What the hell does this cover have to do with the story?"
Characters: The connection between the main characters, Helen and James, was amazing. I was rooting for them the whole time. One of the other characters, Dan, irritated the hell out of me. It could be because our religious views and beliefs about gender roles are completely opposite. Whatever the reason, he just did not sit well with me. Cathy was another character I found myself disliking. By the end of the story, though, I felt sorry for her and was reminded of how we sometimes judge a person based on their actions without knowing the meaning that lies within.
Writing: Whitcomb did an excellent job, in my opinion, of showing how Helen and James's personalities were true to the time of when they had been alive. Despite their experiences seeing the times change as ghosts, they held true to what they deemed appropriate and normal. The descriptions of some of Helen's experiences as "Jenny" were so vivid and detailed that I believed I could feel them with her.
Plot: In the beginning, I found the plot to be slightly predictable. Girl meets boy. Girl and boy fall in love. Girl and boy face challenge. The nature of the challenge, however, is what made this story different for me. The ending wasn't what I expected, but it did contain an aspect that I had hoped for.
Overall: 4/5 I think this is a pretty good book. The love story is sweet. I read the last half of the book one evening while my fiance was working. The love between Helen and James made me miss him so much. I love when books I read carry over into my life.
