Shine a Light

A True Story

Non-Fiction - Animals
292 Pages
Reviewed on 04/20/2022
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    Book Review

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Shine A Light is a work of non-fiction in the true-life drama subgenre. It is suitable for the general reading audience and was penned by author Corrine Wilson. The book tells the true story of Corrine and Ingrid, who sit on either side of the dark history of South Africa. However, during an expedition to rescue vulnerable animals in Cape Town, they slowly learn about each other and realize their similarities. As they meet the animals who need their help and the humans behind them, Ingrid helps Corrine confront her preconceptions about the world and the harsh realities faced by the people living in it.

I’m always in awe of autobiographical writers who are able to bare their souls so deeply and so openly that the ensuing written work they create becomes an unmissable and thought-provoking journey into an experience I couldn’t imagine sharing any other way. Such a writer is Corrine Wilson, who vividly relives an important formative experience from her own life in which her perspective is challenged repeatedly through her relationship with Ingrid and interactions with the people that society usually ignores. There’s an important message in Corrine’s journey that she explores beautifully throughout Shine A Light, a message of unity and looking past the things that divide us to identify what makes us all one species. It’s only through recognizing that humans can celebrate their cultural differences whilst remembering that we are all one people that we can begin the work of making life better for all, and Corrine Wilson’s writing is a furthering of that goal.

Vincent Dublado

Shine a Light: A True Story is Corrine Wilson’s touching experience, in conversation with Ingrid De Storie, about the lives of impoverished canines as the result of social and economic deprivation in Cape Town. With a keen eye for detail, the author recounts how afraid they were at the beginning to venture into the crowded streets while nervously looking over their shoulders. You put yourself into the author’s shoes and you feel empathy when she writes how easy it is to feel lost in such a place, a community that is entirely foreign. While images of weary citizens and neglected animals can prove heartbreaking, it is a story that also gives you a reason to smile. Despite the tremendous adversity in a nation that struggles with contrasts, hope and a sense of humanity still persist. It’s a true story that pulses with life, and it will make you feel so involved that you wouldn’t mind the slimy trails of dog drool on your pants

It’s a page-turner filled with reality-biting moments. After reading this book, I give my respect to Corrine Wilson and Ingrid De Storie for their profound humane concerns, and for their caring for neglected animals that are victims of Cape Town’s political and social unrest. Wilson’s narrative hits you like an arrow on a bullseye as it opens your eyes to the realities existing in a different part of the world. It is a testament to the adage that the world can only heal through love. By helping animals, Wilson and De Storie have gotten to know people closely as well and understand their trauma and sentiments. One country’s reality can spark a reflection deep within each of us. Shine a Light deserves a global audience.