I grew up in the city, I was never and have never been someone who enjoyed nature.  The closest I came to trees were the ones that were in the city parks near my neighborhood. Even then, growing up, I never took advantage of being close to nature. It was not until I joined the military, and had to do exercises and training, in the outdoors, that I got to finally found out what was the lure.

It was the winter of 1998, that I got my first taste of cold weather training, something I still feel in my bones. We were sent to a remote patch of forest, in nothing but our skivvies, and had to rely on our training where we were though to live off the land. After I finished training, I would eventually go on hikes with friends, something I never thought I would ever do. So when I heard Claire Spiller’s Lost Light, I was fascinated, as to truly live off the land, is truly what I believe, the Grand Architect, intended man to do.

In the opening pages, we are introduced to the character of Maeve, a young woman living in the woods by herself, which by any other story, spells the beginning of a horror story, but this proves to be something else. She labors the land like any other farmer but in this story, light proves to be a deterrence, against intruders, mostly animals, something Maeve, is petrified of. Every night, a different creature would scare her from looking out her window, until she sees a town on the horizon, and decides to travel there by night, utterly becoming a life altering journey for Maeve. By book’s end, Maeve’s views of nature, light pollution and the unknown, are forever changed.

Overall, a story that spoke more with no words or narration than most books with thought bubbles do in spades. The story by Spiller is both revealing and heartfelt. The art by Spiller is radiant and alluring. Altogether, a great story, that will change how one views nature  in all its glory.

Story: Claire Spiller Art: Claire Spiller
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy