Watch Us Shine by Marisa de los Santos

Title: Watch Us Shine
Author: Marisa de los Santos
Publication: William Morrow, hardcover, 2023
Genre: Fiction
Setting: Present day with flashbacks

Description: When her mother is badly injured in an accident, Cornelia Brown drops everything to be with her parents in Virginia. Cornelia is also suffering from the aftereffects of a violent incident she experienced with her children and finds it easier to be away from home. She distracts herself by searching for clues about her mother’s secret past and even gets her usually detached sister Ollie to participate. The prolonged search reveals some disturbing things about their family but ultimately brings everyone closer and helps Cornelia overcome her irrational guilt about failing her children.

My Impression: Cornelia Brown was also the protagonist of Marisa de los Santos’ first novel, Love Walked In, which was not only beautifully written but also delightfully unpredictable. This is the fourth book about the Brown extended family and goes back to recreate the troubled past of Cornelia’s mother Ellie and her sister Martha, while dealing with a worrying present. As always, de los Santos portrays the complicated relationships of families (and what can be more complicated than Cornelia having married her sister’s ex-husband) in a way that is affectionate, realistic, and amusing. A prime example is Cornelia’s older sister Ollie who fails to share the childhood memories that Cornelia cherishes.

My mother’s Ollie theory: It’s not that Ollie doesn’t care about people. It’s that she has to keep her feelings at bay because she knows if she gives in to caring, she’ll be lost, so terribly vulnerable it scares her. So she pushes away.

My father’s Ollie theory: Ollie can only really open her heart to people who are right in front of her, part of her daily life.

In this book, we learn more about why Ollie is this way. It is easy to care about these characters although Cornelia’s whimsy seemed a little forced in this book and I did not think the book drew in the reader very effectively. I normally read books by this New York Times bestselling author in one sitting, although once I got into it, I was intrigued.

Cornelia’s father tells her Ellie has good reasons not to talk about her upbringing but she cannot give up her search, especially after her mother, in delirium, asks Cornelia to bring her the northern lights.

And then, quietly, he said, “Are you sure this is just about what Mom wants?”

“What do you mean?”

“Maybe there’s something in it for you, too,” said Toby.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“I don’t mean it in a bad way, like you’re in it for material gain or something. I just think it’s worth thinking about.”

I took a deep breath.

“We almost lost her,” I said. “And one day, we will lose her. I just want to feel like I know her – really know her – before we do.”

I think that is easy to relate to and the conclusion is satisfying. And by finding her mother’s northern lights, or at least, addressing the loss her mother had buried for many years, Cornelia is able to work out her own issues. While the book works as a standalone, I think readers already acquainted with Cornelia and her family will most appreciate it.

Other reviews: 

I’ll Be Your Blue Sky

Falling Together

Source: Library.  I did notice one error.  Among Cornelia's childhood books (which include the author's beloved Elizabeth Enright and L.M. Montgomery) was a copy of Bread and Jam for Francis.  Frances is decidedly a girl badger!  Surprised no copyeditor picked that up!  Maybe they can fix it for the paperback.