The Naked Light: Exclusive Edition
Hardback Published on: 25/09/2025
Price: £18.99
Bookseller Reviews
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A beautifully written story of trauma, folklore and forbidden love!
The Naked Light is a captivating blend of genres as it is both a haunting historical novel about the trauma and devastating impact of the First World War, ... READ MORE
Creepy folk horror AND the trauma of War!
I received an early copy, and having loved everything else Bridget Collins has written went into it with high hopes. A creepy chalk face and malevolent spi... READ MORE
Beautifully written but not enough folklore
3.5* rounded up
This was very much a slow burn, its spends a lot of time establishing the characters of Florence and Kit so that you feel really investe... READ MORE
Synopsis
A village haunted by stories. Two women bound by a secret.
Watching over the village of Haltington is an ancient carving in the ground, known to locals simply as the Face. It was first etched into the chalk when lives were ruled by superstition and stories; by fear of the unknown, of the shadows.
For centuries, the inhabitants of Bone Cottage have tended to it. But now that the Great War has decimated the population of even this most isolated of places, the Face stands neglected and overgrown.
When enigmatic outsider Kit moves into the cottage, the villagers are suspicious of her androgynous appearance and bohemian ways. In defiance of their disapproval, the vicar’s unmarried sister-in-law Florence finds herself inexplicably drawn to Kit, and the friendship that grows between them becomes a light in the dark for her.
But the Face calls things to it, and now Florence and Kit are in its path…
Publisher information
- Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
- ISBN: 9780008800277
- Number of pages: 384
- Dimensions: 240 x 159 x 38 mm
- Weight: 600g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View allThe Naked Light
I have read several of Bridget Collins previous books and enjoyed them but I'm afraid this one just didn't do it for me. I was attracted to it by the idea ... READ MORE
What an ending!
I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.
I loved how integral place and time were to this story. This tak... READ MORE
Absorbing read
I went through a whole gamut of feelings whilst reading this book. and at one stage I didn't think I would finish it. I am very pleased that I continued an... READ MORE
history, folklore and interesting characters
Bridget Collins is a superb story teller who crafts tales which blend history, folklore and interesting characters. The Naked Light is another great exampl... READ MORE
A story of grief, longing and horror
This is a book that doesn't fit neatly into any particular genre. It is part historical, with it's setting being the years after the First World War. It is... READ MORE
War trauma, love and folklore
Thank you so much HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | The Borough Press for the arc!
**3,5/5**
„She had wanted to make the viewer feel small: look, sh... READ MORE
The Naked Light
Having read The Binding which I enjoyed and The Silence Factory which I loved, I was very happy to be offered The Nake Light by Bridget Collins to read and... READ MORE
If you loved The Binding, you’ll adore this.
I went into this one nervous — I loved The Binding & The Betrayals, but The Silence Factory didn’t quite hit for me. Turns out I didn’t need to worry
Not for me
The story sounded interesting but it never became interesting for me. It started slowly and I hoped it would it would get better but unfortunately it didn’... READ MORE
Excellent
1920: On the chalk hill above Haltington is carved, in four strokes, a face. It’s been there longer than anyone remembers, tended – almost ritualistically ... READ MORE
Love in the shadow of war
In contrast to Bridget Collins’s other books I’ve read, The Naked Light has a stated time and place: East Sussex as the First World War comes to an end. I ... READ MORE
Gothic Horror
Overlooking the village of Haltington is an ancient chalk carving in the ground, known simply as the Face. It was created during a time when superstition a... READ MORE
Spooky, literary, lesbian romance
Bridget Collins brings us an unexpected, genre-busting literary novel that merges love story with the gothic to thrilling effect.
The 3 central female c... READ MORE
Romance and supernatural horror at the end of WWI
This is the third Bridget Collins book I have read – and like the others, it is a full five star read. There are three main female characters: Phoebe, Ki... READ MORE
Beautiful and highly recommended
I absolutely loved this - beautifully written, oddly yet perfectly paced, this is a brilliant and unexpected read.
Initially set in 1919, the backdrop ... READ MORE
atmospheric and a little bit spooky
I was already a big fan of this author having absolutely loved The Binding so I had high hopes for this book and it didn't disappoint. I loved the spooky/... READ MORE
Slow paced, more romance than gothic horror
The Naked Light feels like two books competing for attention. One is a period sapphic romance set after the First World War when such things were heavily f... READ MORE
An atmospheric read
3.5 stars
Haltington, Sussex.
The Haltington Face is carved into the ground, its eyes are flat ovals and the mouth a horizontal line. Whilst it lacks... READ MORE
Another excellent book by Bridget Collins
Bridget Collins books are always well-written and a wide array of topics with a supernatural element. In "The Naked Light" we see how World War 1 decimated... READ MORE
Wonderful
A wonderful, insightful look at the impact of the Great War on the cruelly damaged men who came home and the women who were left with little or no hope of ... READ MORE
Aftermath of the Great War
Artist Kit, traumatised by her work in Paris making masks for disfigured ex-soldiers, has fled back to England and takes a cottage in a Sussex village In t... READ MORE
Captivating
I must admit that books set during WWI & II and the interwar period are ones that I ordinarily shy away from. However, I have loved everything else Bridget... READ MORE
Creepy and gripping
The Naked Light by Bridget Collins is an eerie, creeping novel that turns a village landmark into a source of unease. The Haltington chalkface, long cared ... READ MORE
Brilliant - as expected!
I was sent a copy of The Naked Light by Bridget Collins to read and review by NetGalley. Once again Bridget Collins brings us an immersive tale full of at... READ MORE
Delightfully eerie and emotionally haunting
Wow this book has a lot going on at once! Part historical reflection on post-WWI trauma, part gothic sapphic romance, and part supernatural thriller, it we... READ MORE
Haunting
This book was quite a surprise. Part love story, part Gothic/spooky horror and all wrapped into the plight of women at the end of the First World War. Aft... READ MORE
Another success for Bridget Collins - post WW1 novel about relationships
.
Kit is an artists, at first working in Paris during the First World War, then living in a small cottage in Sussex in the aftermath. Here she becomes i... READ MORE
A Beautifully Written Folklore Inspired Narrative But A Lack Of Character Connection Made Me Struggle With This One
In the past Bridget Collins has written two books that I utterly adored (I still need to pick up 'The Betrayals') so I was over the moon when I received th... READ MORE
A dark tale of overcoming trauma
I studied English Literature for A Levels and one of the modules was War Literature. I have read a lot of Sigfried Sassoon and Robert Graves. I also studie... READ MORE
A story to feed your imagination
This is an excellent story. It has everything. Gothic horror, superstition, beliefs in golems and the age old land in which it’s set; which helps to create... READ MORE
A bit slow
The Naked Light by Bridget Collins, was based during the First World War.
Beatrice lives in the vicarage with her brother in law Horace and her niece Ph... READ MORE
Good period details
I enjoyed the writing style and the period details of this book and the discussion of the effect war had on both families and communities. However, I did f... READ MORE
An enthralling and atmospheric novel
I found The Naked Light an enthralling read as it is a wonderfully descriptive novel and so atmospheric. I enjoy historical fiction as not only does the re... READ MORE
Slow burn supernatural
I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.
I loved how integral place and time were to this story. This tak... READ MORE
Great Read
I went through a whole gamut of feelings whilst reading this book. and at one stage I didn't think I would finish it. I am very pleased that I continued an... READ MORE
Absorbing feminist, lesbian, Gothic folk horror with a 1st World War lens
I do, generally, really enjoy Collins’ fine writing and inhabitation of worlds not quite as we know them. And so it was here.
Though nothing has QUITE t... READ MORE
Enjoyable spooky historical fiction tale
In post war Paris, Kit an artist works creating masks for soldiers disfigured in the war.
In Haltington, a chalk face carved into the hillside was the resp... READ MORE
Compelling
This is a compelling portrait (if you'll forgive the pun) of the trauma left by WW1. The supernatural elements form a powerful metaphor for the hollowness ... READ MORE
An unflinching portrayal of grief, and a classic-feeling ghost story
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a book that pulses with melancholy, sorro... READ MORE
Haunting
A small village on the South Downs is 'protected' from unnatural forces by a chalk face carved into the hill but as the family who tended this have died du... READ MORE
An enjoyable gothic sapphic horror/romance
As World War 1 comes to an end Kit leaves France where she has been painting face masks for injured soldiers. It has left her traumatised and she moves to... READ MORE
Another fabulously creepy read
The Naked Light is another absolute triumph from Bridget Collins. The characters are varied and fascinating and the core romance and friendship is beautifu... READ MORE
Gothic
An ancient carving seems to watch over the village of Haltington rumoured to keep it safe providing it is looked after, For years it was until the last of ... READ MORE
Amazing!
I love Bridget Collins writing and thoroughly enjoyed The Naked Light. It’s a very creepy story set just after WW1. Bridget’s writing as always is atmosphe... READ MORE
More romance than supernatural
It didn't grab and grip me as much as I thought it would. Maybe my expectations were too high. It was a real slow burner. I found it to be more focused on ... READ MORE
An interesting take on the gothic genre
'The Naked Light' by Bridget Collins is set in a small village in post first world war Britain. There, a chalk image of a face has been marked out on a hil... READ MORE
Brilliant
A brilliant read. Five stars. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC.
Chilling read.
I love a gothic novel and this had elements I really enjoyed. Set in the aftermath of the First World War, artist Kit arrives in Haltington after having be... READ MORE
Supernatural meets post-WW1 women's reality to great effect
Florence and Kit meet in the aftermath of World War 1, when women are realising that there are too few men to go round and that men aren't always the answe... READ MORE
A World War folk horror
A beguiling read, a World War horror story of sorts. It’s more character-driven than others of Collins’ I’ve read, but still compelling. Collins’ writing i... READ MORE
excellent read
Bridget Collins’ The Naked Light is a masterclass in literary alchemy—where memory, identity, and desire are distilled into prose that glows with quiet int... READ MORE
Five stars!
In the quiet village of Haltington lies an ancient chalk carving known as the Face, etched into the earth in a time when life was ruled by superstition, st... READ MORE
Didn't enjoy as much as I expected to
Not enough about the work and masks made for men disfigured in WWI, slow progression despite the intriguing characters, The Gothic chill arrived late in th... READ MORE
Romantic... and creep
At the end of World War One, Bone Cottage in the village of Haltington finds itself empty after the last of the Bone family, the caretakers of the Haltingt... READ MORE