For most, Streetlight is a dot on the map you pass on your way to somewhere else. But if you live there, you’re either a Have-Not, like Kady, or a Have-Lot like her boyfriend, Nik, who also happens to be a member of the exclusive social club, The IV Boys.
Known for their powerful families and the coveted ball they host for a selective guest list, The IV Boys have always refused to accept Kady regardless of how much Nik loves her. All the Boys except for Aaron, who didn’t grow up in Streetlight and is one of the few who knows that life—real life—exists outside of it. But his stepmom has the kind of wealth and power even IV Boys can’t resist.
With Nik at college, Aaron stands by Kady’s side.But all Kady really wants is Nik, and when a chance encounter on Halloween hands her the power to twist and hold time, she doesn’t hesitate. Now she can keep Nik close for as long as she wants.
While Kady tries to relive her best moments with Nik, the IV Boys have her in their sights. A rumor’s spreading that Kady and Aaron are much more than friends—and not even twisting time is enough to defend against the power that the Boys were born with.
The more Kady changes the clock, the more dizzying reality becomes, until she stumbles upon a truth darker than anything she could have imagined. Streetlight is filled with monsters—and maybe she’s always been one, too.
Streetlight People by Charlene Thomas is a riveting story, exploring power dynamics, addiction, and morality in a story that is one of the most brilliant time travel stories I’ve read. As the author begins the narrative, the story seems simple, about a girl whose boyfriend has gone away to college and who isn’t truly accepted by his friends. But as Charlene Thomas slowly unpeels the layers of the narrative, the reader sees just how complex the novel truly is.
Kady is a compelling character and when she receives the candies, the relationship dynamics between her, Aaron and Nik slowly shift. We also see the deepening of the harassment by the other IV boys and how much of an outsider she has remained in Nik’s world. There are subtle shifts of power and how the rich view those who aren’t in their world. Aaron’s point of view adds to the layers of the story and the travel in time adds an additional element to the abuses of the rich. What is truly brilliant is the twists in the story and the reality of the town.
If you like a riveting story with time travel elements and mystery, this story is for you. The relationship dynamics and the power imbalances are brilliantly written with an ending that will blow you away. I loved Kady, her friends and Aaron as we see how different they are from the IV boys, including Nik.
Rating: 5 out of 5 candies.