Rating: 
Summary: A compelling story that spotlights humanity's basic insanity
Review: At first glance, it would seem that this is a book wholly sympathetic to the American Indian, and I use that term because that is how it is used in this book. Through the eyes of True Son Whites are perceived as narrow-minded, land-stealing bigots who haven't got a clue as to how to treat the earth, treat each other or even how to live their lives. As the story unfolds, it doesn't particularly show the Indians in too good a light either however. While the author does not describe the actual scalping of a child, the aftermath of the act is enough to give the reader the shivers. I don't want to spoil the ending by revealing it here for anyone who has not read the book, but suffice it to say that it sucked. I think both the whites and the Indians could have done with some basic human kindness, never mind how to treat a confused adolescent boy. True Son, or John Butler as he was christened, is a victim here and while the story is a good read, it's not among my favorites. In fact, it raises my blood pressure.
Rating: 
Summary: A really good book with a bad ending
Review: The Light in the Forest is an outstanding book. It really gets you interested in it because the author portrays the characters so real that you can't stop reading it. What I liked the most about this book is that is explains peculiar topics with details, and it gives you a good understanding of how the Indians and whites were back then. One of the things I disapproved of was the ending of the book because it left me in deep thought about what would happen next. I also disagreed with the stereotypes and slurs throughout the book concerning Native Americans and whites. Although there were some parts that could have been done better, The Light in the Forest increased my understanding of history. Compared to other books I've read, The Light in the Forest ranks higher. One of the books I would compare it to is Shabanu by Susan Fisher Staples, because it also has a frustrating ending. The Light in the Forest is better because it has more history in it.
Rating:
Summary: A good book to help you understand part of history
Review: The Light in the Forest is an excellent book. It shows how whites discriminated against Indians and how Indians fought for respect from the whites. The best thing about this book is that the action begins right away in the first chapter, when True Son is forced against his will to return to his white family. The only part of the book that I didn't like was the ending. True Son was forced, once again, to return to the whites. But he really couldn't go back, so you don't know how his life will turn out. This book really helped me learn about the history of Native Americans. The Light in the Forest showed how the whites thought the Indians were inferior. It also showed me how the whites stole the Indian land and left them with diseases.
Rating:
Summary: a classic tale of the encounter of Indians and Europeans
Review: Light in the Forest in an accurate depiction of life in thecolonies prior to the Revolutionary War. So few books have beenwritten about the relationship of Native Americans and Europeans who took their land. This book humanizes Indians.I find a great gap in American literature concerning American Indians. James Fenimore Cooper writes about the same era as Conrad Richter, but where was the American Indian between l765 and l900? He was being murdered. We don't want to recognize that in our history books or our literature. Not until Laughing Boy by Oliver La Farge published in the l930's, did we discover another view of Native Americnas. Conrad Richtner is a brilliant storyteller whose foreshadowing technique is perfect.
Rating: 
Summary: This book is boring and unmeaningful.
Review: The light in the forest, was incredibly boring until the middle/end where it got SLIGHTLY good. But the ending was very bad, so bad that I threw it across the room, and wanted to burn the book, in disgust. Also, I don't understand why they have middle/high school children reading this book, because the book has the word scalping, or something to that effect,every other word. It is so REPULSIVE. I do not recommend this book to any one. If you must read it I suggest that you don't if are a girl. Guys would probably love the graphic violence in some parts of the book. Please do not waste your time on this book, even though it is short.
Rating: 
Summary: super duper excellent
Review: i think this book was really good but what i really learned about it was that you shouidn't be so selective because i know i will be really happy to live with my own parents.
Rating:
Summary: This book was so bad and boring!
Review: YUCK YUCK YUCK! Can you say BORING
Rating:
Summary: a young man has to return to his original family
Review: This story shows that the Indian culture and the white man culture may have been very different, but people are still people. True Son had to leave his Indian family to return to his white family. I realized through his dilemma that the same people we use as scapegoats, could be our own family. Although the real history of settlers and Indians was more violent, we learn in this book that its hard to co-exist without tolerance for others that are different. This book makes the reader think about their own actions and feelings toward others.
Rating:
Summary: i think this was a decent story
Review: It ties in with some of the life issues on people that i know. I like how the story takes place and where it takes place. We have not finished the book yet but it has interested me so far through the story.
Rating:
Summary: it was terrible
Review: I dislikeThe light in the Forest by Conrad Richter. The book is a bad example of how the Indians and the white people got along. Some of the Indians were very hostile toward the white men. But,some Indians were very nice to the white men. I didn't like the book because it sends wrong messages about how things were back then. Because there were more white men that picked on Indians than vice versa. I feel the book was not very well written, I feel that if the author had researche Indians more he would have written a better book and made it sound more real. I would not recommend this book for anyone because it was not well written it didn't have any details as to why the white men wanted John back. The Light in the Forest is the worst book i've ever read.
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