The Light That Blinds Us is a debut young adult fantasy from Andy Darcy Theo, which I picked up because I follow Andy on socials and enjoyed his content and his character! The book also grabbed my attention with its unique blend of elemental magic and mystery.
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Right from the start, the story manages to balance tension with emotional beats so your investment only grows as you move through the pages. There’s a real sense of weight and urgency to the story that kept me hooked throughout, too.
The Light That Blinds Us plot – 4.25/5
Alexis Michaels has been haunted by disturbing hallucinations of a shadowy figure since he was a kid. On a school trip to Stonehenge, he crosses paths with three other teens, each carrying their own mysterious elemental amulet tied to an ancient prophecy – very similar to one he has.
This meeting shatters any normalcy for Alexis as the four learn they are fated to stand against an evil in this alternative world.
The plot moves at a solid pace, balancing high-stakes action with moments of quieter reflection and character growth. A lot is going on behind the scenes, too, with subtle hints and reveals layered throughout, building anticipation without tipping too much too soon. The story succeeds in creating a world that feels immersive without overwhelming you with too much info at once.
Also, when it comes to YA fantasy, I always fear they’re going to focus a little too hard on the characters and romance and forget to build up a wider and more interesting world, but I think Andy does just enough world-building and “villain-building” to have grabbed my attention going in to any sequels.
The Light That Blinds Us character – 4.25/5
Alexis makes for a compelling lead, wrestling with his mental health struggles and the crushing desire to live a normal life despite his destiny.
The relationships formed with Demi, Blaise, and Caeli are a tad confusing at first, with how you think they’re going to go one way but then swing another. Though they do offer good “found-family” vibes that feel grounded rather than forced.
I feared when reading the early stages that there’d be a lot of cringey dialogue and though there is in fact some lines that feel rather more like they’re intended to be on some romantasy TikTok than in an actual real-life fantasy book, I managed to filter a lot of that out to focus on the genuine dialogue where the characters were being their authentic selves.
The Light That Blinds Us final rating – 4.25/5
The Light That Blinds Us is a solid debut from Andy. It’s not perfect and there are definitely some bits in the book that deterred me because they’re clearly aimed at a younger (and possibly more feminine) audience but overall, I can say I enjoyed it. There’s just enough fantasy world-building to satisfy me, there are some good character arcs and personal stories to keep me intrigued and I appreciate how there are suggestions of some slightly darker themes coming later that could be expanded in the subsequent books.
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