The Radiant Dark Book Review

by Catalina Bonati

4.5/5 stars ★★★★⯪

The Radiant Dark by Alexandra Oliva (to be published April 2026) is a generational story of mother-and-daughterhood that starts with Carol in 1980 as she holds her first days-old child when a message is intercepted from Ross 128b, an exoplanet 11 light-years away in another galaxy. She raises her two children in the shadow of the Rossians and of the back-and-forth messages between Earth and Ross 128b. Her daughter, Rosanna, is so inspired by these interactions that she grows up to work in a space agency. Her scientific pedigree is later in stark contrast to her mother’s devotion to a space cult, which is detrimental to their relationship. Ro’s own child Lydia works to both bring them together and to separate them even further. The last person in this generational story is Mica in 2138, who finds old pictures of people who she suspects are family members in an old book from 1980, and she sets out on a quest to find out their identities.

This story is quite interesting in its depiction of characters. They are all very well-built and characterized, and they grow and change organically and realistically as the story progresses. This family has strong relationships that develop both with love and exasperation, as well as contempt. None of these character are perfect or completely good people, but the reader feels and empathy for all of them, including Carol in her somewhat crazy stage. As Carol’s character progresses, she becomes more and more esoteric as she joins a cult and firmly believes in its message. The process that leads her into the cult is understandable and although she becomes somewhat moronic in her later stages, the reader can still feel sympathy for her plight, even if she does not know herself that she is in a strange situation. Carol meets Theodore in the cult, and both of their lives are narrated from within the cult and their own point of view as well as from the outside point of view of their families. This is interesting and adds another dimension to the tension in their family dynamics.

Ro’s own story is a bit harder to understand. She progresses from sweet, smart child to a somewhat bitter and unempathetic woman. Her success and passion for her work is nice to see, and it is also good to read about a slow upwards ascent in her work. Sometimes she makes debatable choices which she overcomes. She remains like a petulant teenager throughout her life towards her mother and is very disrespectful. It is understandable how she wants Carol away from the cult, but she shows no sympathy for Carol’s tough position, only contempt, and does not help in any way. Later, after an awful event involving Theodore, Carol chooses her husband over Ro and seemingly justifies Ro’s lack of trust in Carol.

This book is very well-written. It is sprinkled here and there with scientific explanations of what it takes to communicate with Ross 128b, but these explanations are not hard science notes, but rather softly scientific reflections. It is a little inspired by Mary Doria Russell’s The Sparrow (1996) through its mentions of Arecibo, its interest in Proxima b and its approach to a newly discovered alien life. The narration has steady pacing throughout and is pleasant and easy to read. The style of prose is strong and beautiful. 

Overall, this book is an excellent read. Both plot and characters carry the story forward, and there is intense character development that is organic and sincere. Oliva is a masterful writer who has put forward a reflective story that is both soft and violent. The science fiction element of aliens (Rossians) is a mere backdrop to the development yet it is the whole context in which their mindscape is shaped. This book will eventually be a classic. It is strongly recommended to readers of literary fiction and science fiction, to fans of Samantha Harvey, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Mary Doria Russell.