A Ring of Endless Light - is that saccharine I taste?

I saw Eternity the other night,
Like a ring of pure and endless light,
All calm, as it was bright,
And round beneath it, Time in hours, days, years,
Driven by the spheres,
Like a vast shadow moved, in which the world
And all her train were hurled.

I must admit, A Ring Of Endless Light is my favourite book. It has been for years, and though it's written for children, I've only really loved it as I've grown older.

This book is not the first story about Vicky Austin and her family, but it's definitely the best of the Austin Family series, and in my opinion, the best of her Chronos series. In the summer after their stay in New York, Vicky and her family return to Seven Bay Island to their grandfather's home. Normally the Austins would only stay a few weeks; but this year it is different. This year, Vicky's grandfather is going to die.

The book begins with a funeral, which is fitting, because it seems like this story is completely and utterly about death. Vicky's stay on Seven Bay Island begins with the sudden death of a family friend, Commander Rodney. He dies trying to save the life of a drowning boy. Along with the news of her grandfather's death, she is also forced to deal with the anger and blame for Commander Rodney's passing.

On top of that, Commander Rodney's grief-stricken son turns to her for comfort. Vicky's ex-boyfriend Zachary, a spoiled problem child, also swans in, which Vicky welcomes, until she finds out why he's arrived. Her parents also ask her to not take a job so that she can help with her grandfather, who, as the book progresses, deteriorates rapidly.

All this is a lot for anyone, much less a sixteen year old. So Vicky's pleased when Adam, a friend of her older brother, asks her to participate in a research project. She works with dolphins, and tries to communicate with them - a type of ESP which Adam has based his thesis on. She begins to discover, however, that if anyone needs a shoulder to cry on, it's Adam.

A Ring of Endless Light, though at first seeming like a book about pain and death, ends with the realization that it is a book about hope.

An unusual example of this message was the presence of Christianity in such a mainstream book. Though not explicitly printed, the idea of the divine, and life after death runs through the entire novel. The grandfather is a minister; the story begins with a funeral sermon; it ties in to the visions Vicky sees when she's with the dolphins. It is not preachy; any religion could embrace this book.

The way love is presented is another affirmation of hope. This includes from the love of her family, and Vicky's loyalty to them, and the love that she feels for Adam. It also presents love as a beautiful thing - it can cause grief, but at the same time, it can heal it.

A Ring Of Endless Light is sad at times. I think the ending was perfect, but might be too fluffy for some. It's written realistically, with the lyrical flow of a poet. However, when you're finished, it will leave you thinking about life, and hungering for more.