Preview
  • A Scatter of Light

  • By: Malinda Lo
  • Narrated by: Annie Q
  • Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (57 ratings)

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A Scatter of Light

By: Malinda Lo
Narrated by: Annie Q
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Publisher's summary

“Full of yearning, ponderances about art and what it means to be an artist, and self-revelation, A Scatter of Light has a simmering intensity that makes it hard to put down."—NPR

An Instant New York Times Bestseller

Last Night at the Telegraph Club author Malinda Lo returns to the Bay Area with another masterful queer coming-of-age story, this time set against the backdrop of the first major Supreme Court decisions legalizing gay marriage.

Aria Tang West was looking forward to a summer on Martha’s Vineyard with her best friends—one last round of sand and sun before college. But after a graduation party goes wrong, Aria’s parents exile her to California to stay with her grandmother, artist Joan West. Aria expects boredom, but what she finds is Steph Nichols, her grandmother’s gardener. Soon, Aria is second-guessing who she is and what she wants to be, and a summer that once seemed lost becomes unforgettable—for Aria, her family, and the working-class queer community Steph introduces her to. It’s the kind of summer that changes a life forever.

And almost sixty years after the end of Last Night at the Telegraph Club, A Scatter of Light also offers a glimpse into Lily and Kath’s lives since 1955.

©2022 Malinda Lo (P)2022 Listening Library
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Critic reviews

An NPR Best Book of the Year

A Parents Magazine Best Book of the Year

A BuzzFeed Best Book of the Year

“Full of yearning, ponderances about art and what it means to be an artist, and self-revelation, A Scatter of Light has a simmering intensity that makes it hard to put down."—NPR

"The intimate details and complex relationships of this perfectly rendered story of first love between two young women is reminiscent of Judy Blume's classic Forever."—Parents Magazine

"Beautifully rendered and instantly captivating. Malinda Lo writes queer desire like no other."—Diva Magazine

What listeners say about A Scatter of Light

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Great book

Loved it! Wish this was a series. Definitely love the author on to the next

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Love Letter to SF

I was born, raised and came of age/came out in SF and this novel felt like home to me.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A Great Sequel to my favorite Sapphic Novel

I love that we go to hear about Lily and Kath. I love that this story was very relatable especially for me because a few years ago my Great Grandmother Joan had a stroke and died soon after. I do also understand why they did the ending the way they did, this isn’t the story of someone’s long time relationship, it’s the story of their first relationship that might lead to something else later on. Unlike Lily and Kath, our main character is still trying to find herself even if it means she has to face both a death in the family and her first break up. This story shows how much the writer has improved,

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Hang on, it catches fire.

A slow start tumbled into wonderful depths. And a familial bond with Last Telegraph characters was fantastic. I’m Malinda Lo’s newest biggest fan.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Emotional and tone whiplash

It's not the morally grey main character that's the problem, it's that this story felt like it didn't quite know how to get to where it wanted to be. The sudden transition between scened seemed like they didn't go together, like jamming puzzle pieces together that didn't quite fit. I feel like this book would be better physically read, but I don't know how much that would help. Not the worst book I have read, but the Author's other book Last Night At The Telegraph Club is much better and does not suffer from the problems this one does as much.

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    2 out of 5 stars
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Bore

Totally dull ending bore was so good at first totally did not end well totally un climactic in my opinion

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