In “Dazzled by Darkness: Seeing Things in Brooklyn” by Erica Miles, Sara, a 25-year-old Jewish girl who works in the Art Museum, falls for Gavilan, a 19-year-old black art museum student. The story, although mostly told through Sara’s point of view, takes the reader into the minds of two opposites who decide to come together during the Sixties. As an immigrant from South America, of Italian origin, I was fascinated to read about an era in the United States when racial, cultural, and sexual differences began blending together through art and love to clash with society.
Miles does a great job presenting the readers with smart, complicated, well-developed characters. On one hand, the reader will experience the troubled mind of Sara, who suffers with mental illness. On the other hand, the reader will get a close encounter with a dark and creative mind through Gavilan (G, as known by Sara) and his art.
These two characters’ futile relationship combined with the times and the setting their story takes place in has all the elements of a great read. But there’s much more, as Miles takes the reader for a ride through time travel to meet the minds of art geniuses such as Leonardo and Picasso. The only complaint I have about the book is maybe its length, but thanks to the beautiful art displayed throughout, going through the pages was as captivating as going through the story.
“Dazzled by Darkness: Seeing Things in Brooklyn” is definitely a great read for those who enjoy unique points of view and styles. I invite those readers to take a ride into dark minds, time travel and a troubled romance while enjoying beautiful art in this unique and captivating story placed in one of the most controversial eras in the United States. Definitely one of the most interesting reads I have encountered in a long time!