A young widow grapples with the arrival of a once-in-a-lifetime comet and its tumultuous consequences, in a debut novel that blends mystery, astronomy, and romance.
Begins with an engaging premise ... Todd...steers her twisty narrative with artful control ... Builds to a satisfying (and satisfyingly unexpected) finale. A little bit thriller, a little bit mystery, the novel’s genre elements are commendably propulsive. Some of its issues — uneven pacing, inconsistent characterization — are encountered frequently in debut novels and don’t obscure the fact that Todd’s confidence and talents augur a bright future.
Not a rapid-fire page-turner or a wild freak-fest: It is instead a slow-burn meditation on grief, hope, mortality ... What is on the page holds up a mirror to what is in the sky — luminous, unusual, unexpected ... Yet, when it comes to weighty prose, there can be too much of a good thing ... Brings Bright Objects to a remarkable conclusion as unexpected as it is poignant, and more original and human than any conventional cult story.
Smart, propulsively readable ... Todd knows how to draw readers in. Her prose is elegant but accessible, her narrative embraces both mystery and quick plot pivots, and her protagonist, though flawed, remains sympathetic. And Todd’s grip only tightens as the story turns downright chilling.
