The literary equivalent of zooming out from the perfectly lit avocado toast sitting on a charming window sill to the dank, cramped apartment that your favourite lifestyle blogger actually lives in ... Selecky’s work is smart and subtle. But there were areas I wanted more, for instance, a deeper read into how Lillian’s ideas around self-actualization were changing — the character seemed a little too uncritical to be believable. But maybe that’s the point, that it’s sometimes easier to skim the surface of your real problems while doing a deep dive in your Insta feed.
Biting, tragicomic ... Selecky’s deadpan tone, punchy writing, and vivid characters transport readers to a specific, highly diverting world that hits close to the bone and sparks the self-reflection it’s spoofing.
Selecky masterfully mimics the marketing-speak of “gurus” like [the character] Eleven: an endless cycle of metaphor and hyperbole, pet names for her followers (“petals,” “darlings”) and a cultish adaptation of language for her own purposes ... Although the cousins’ back story is solidly written, Selecky excels when she focuses on the world of self-promotion. The novel halts frequently to make room for its characters’ exhaustive social media posts ... Alongside these delicious satirical moments, Selecky includes occasional respite from the jargon, particularly when Lilian’s friend Juliette is on the page ... The novel, at its core, examines the nature of genuine friendship, freed from the need to build a brand.
Tinged with magic ... An otherworldly feeling pervades the novel, from the transformative experiences the characters undergo to the author’s whimsical use of nature.
Selecky’s tone strikes a subtle balance between mockery and earnestness, both drawing readers in while holding them at a safe distance ... Lilian’s progression from disgruntled, money-challenged artist to enlightened woman able to see human auras is absorbing. In the end, though, the novel lacks bite in that the characters don’t change overly much. ... Selecky keeps the tone light and forward-moving, a refreshing choice, though one that leaves the reader wishing for Lilian’s (or Eleven’s) comeuppance ... Brimming with insights into female-driven motivational seminars in the age of #MeToo, Radiant Shimmering Light speaks to our desire for community in a time of intense technological connection and consumerism.
Radiant Shimmering Light is an engrossing, unusual read. Most of the characters here are women who really do support each other as they seek to become their highest and best selves, while documenting it all on social media. Sarah Selecky’s first novel is beautiful, clever and quietly quirky, with a heroine readers will root for and support. It’s quite a jewel.
Selecky refuses to work strictly in tropes. What begins as a killer satire opens up to some messy ideas: Spiritual teachings can be mostly bunk but partly useful. Women are easy marks but that’s because they are rightfully hungry for empowerment. And Lilian herself has strange and lovely depths that she manages to plumb thanks to—or in spite of—the work ... A funny, tender, gimlet-eyed dive into the cult of self-improvement.
