Originally written in English, but I read the german translation, Das Dritte Licht is a novella set in rural Ireland. It follows the story of a young girl who has been sent to live with
her family's distant relatives for the summer while her mother gives birth to another sibling. The story is told through her eyes and we experience a world of tenderness and care that contrasts
sharply with the neglect she is accumstomed to at home.
Keegen is a masterful storyteller and uses language to evoke deep emotion, and she delicately crafts the relationship of the young protaganist with her foster family beautifully. The story
explores themes of loss, love, family and belonging. The young girl flourishes under the care of her foster family, and the reader is brought along, feeling the warnth of the newfound security
she has been given.
