Lights on the Sea by Miquel Reina
Editor Espasa, PlanetadeLibros
Self-published by the author, ” Lights on the sea“, has become popular between readers thanks to the word of mouth, until Planeta has bought its rights versus other seven editors.
I have taken “Lights on the sea” with circumspection having some doubts. I was not so convinced but the alternative and inviting synopsis has introduced me to this adventurous trip with Miquel Reina’s company.
Debut novel for this young Spanish author, who had been keeping for long time in his drawer a story, a project, until a day he decided to realize his biggest dream publishing this novel.
A surreal story, sometimes unlikely but with an infinite and disarmingly delicacy. I have immediately fallen in love with the two main characters, Harold and Mary Rose, a couple of elderly spouse forced to leave their unsafe home because of the rock that supports it erosion. That home on the seaside, painted yellow and clinging to the cliff has ever represented the past where is enclosed the memory of their son Dylan died in a tragic accident. The cliff has protected them from the little town inhabitants’ compassionate looks. Now just that cliff is obliging them to leave the only known refuge, who they love more than anything.
Harold and Mary Rose are preparing to spend the last night in their lovely house, resigned to a cruel fate falling asleep thanks a sleeping pill. In the meantime, a violent storm breaks down on San Remo and a lightning bolt hit the Grapes spouses’ house, who don’t notice their home is going to detach from the cliff, sinking in the stormy sea. Fortunately, the house doesn’t sink but floats like a boat and the spouses wake up in the drifting house. They are so shocked than they cannot explain themselves how the house is floating, how it has resisted and how they can solve their needs. Harold is able to give an explanation, volcano stone, which is the main matter of the house, has some air bubbles so they can float. They were floating as a cork.
The necessities become increasingly urgent, the climate is changing, the primary needs are now electricity and food and Harold, thanks to his experience, find the way to solve their problems. Despite the adverse conditions, the Grapes are still in love, maybe more than before bound by their memories, dreams and Dylan. They wanted to travel the world with the boat they were building with the son; but the cruel destiny broke their dreams when Dylan died. Mary Rose believes they survives for a reason also when there were no hopes. The Grapes are preparing to live the last moments of their life together but the wind bring them to get struck in ice and snow and a nomad community helps them.
This experience will change their souls for the lifetime. Their way of life forces the spouses to stumble across the priorities. They don’t need the protection of conventions: their relationships are true, now they are ready again to restart their lives because that night didn’t lose a son but also themselves. Harold and Mary Rose have imprisoned for years and years their dreams and freedom, thanks to this experience the spouses now are alive and happy and can watch the light that has help the for all the travel long. Dylan is waiting for them; they are not alone because sometime you need to loose someone to find again him.
Miquel Reina has passed the writing test brilliantly. This not simply novel has been able to explain the pain of loss with an extreme delicacy. Reina has told the story with a fluid, open and sincere writing where every reader can set sail on the floating house and stop living the life that others are expecting from you to start living the life you have always dreamed. We mustn’t give up anytime because life is a dream that deserves to be lived in full.
Plot
«It was a ray that triggered everything …». Everything begins Luces en el mar, an exciting novel that tells the story of Harold and Mary Rose Grapes, a couple of spouses that, after the tragic death of the son, left aside dreams of youth and was resigned to live on a remote island , away from everything. Now, the fate wants to test them again and the Grapes have to leave their home in a way they would never have imagined. Just the night before they would be evicted, because of a problem of the cliffs. While Harold and Rose are sleeping, a strong storm is unleashed and a lightning makes the house detach itself from the cliff and fall into the sea with them inside. In the most unexpected way, the Grapes become two shipwrecked sailors on a floating house. That’s the way begins an extraordinary journey where they have to fight together in the face of adversity if they want to survive. You must forget the ghosts and the past frustrations.
Author Miquel Reina
Miquel Reina was born in 1986 in Catalonia. He has studied Design and Cinema in Barcelona and Southampton. Always attracted by creative crafts, he was very young when began to gain experience as graphic designer, film-maker, 3D animator and art director. In 2014 one of his music videos was awarded at the Tribeca Film Festival. Since 2016 he has lived in Vancouver, Canada, where he works for a video production studio and digital strategies, during free time Miquel Reina loves working at his most gratifying passion: writing.
Lights on the sea
Miquel Reina
Editor: Espasa
Colection: ESPASA NARRATIVA
Book length : 336
