Review of Unlight

[Lee-Anne MacNeil]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Unlight" by Chandra Shekhar.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Unlight by Chandra Shekhar is the story of a small group of 5 people working together to survive a planetary catastrophe. It opens with Larry, his fiancé Nicole, his prospective mother-in-law Elizabeth and Nicole’s daughters Anna and Jessica’s harrowing trip by helicopter to the “Shell”. The Shell is an advanced life-sustaining habitat created and provisioned by Larry, a recent billionaire. Due to planetary conditions, most of the Earth’s population is presumed dead. The group is not able to leave the Shell and does not know how long they will have to live there, but it is estimated that they will be there for at least a decade.

Unlight is possibly the most wholesome planetary disaster novel ever written. There is very little light profanity and no scenes of a sexual nature. The characters love and respect each other immensely and treat each other with great care. I appreciate that Chandra Shekhar put as much emphasis on mental and spiritual health as on physical health. The book does not propose a religion, only suggests that we honor our spiritual needs in whatever form we find helpful. The book is structured primarily in journal entries and check-ins when events are in progress. Each character is distinct and has clear strengths and weaknesses.

Unfortunately, Unlight fell flat for me. It is written in the third person omniscient style. The author tells the story rather than showing it. The first quarter of the book is devoted to explaining the layout and the functioning of the Shell and the daily routine of the inhabitants. What follows is a list of challenges the group encounters and the steps taken to deal with them. Despite the author's attempt to focus on the importance of interpersonal relationships, I was unable to connect to the characters.

I rate Unlight 4 out of five stars because I enjoyed the wholesome positive aspect of the book, and I and I applaud the author’s recognition of the role mental health plays in survival. It is very well-edited and the science is clear and concise. I would recommend it to others who are interested in speculative fiction and less invested in character-focused stories.

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Unlight
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