The Radiant Dark

by Alexandra Oliva

Arrival meets Wild Dark Shore in this captivating novel that follows a family for over fifty years—a bold and compassionate exploration of the universe around us and what it truly means to be human.

It’s March 1980, and Carol Girard and her husband are living an ordinary life in a small town in the Adirondacks. They have just had their first child, and though Carol is struggling with the challenges of new motherhood, her future seems clear. Until something extraordinary happens: an inexplicable flickering of light in the sky, which is ultimately determined to be communication from intelligent life on another planet. But these beings are eleven light-years away, and nothing is known about them other than the fact that they seem to know we exist too. And so begins a decades-long exchange of messages with this mysterious, faraway civilization.

As humanity reels from a shifting understanding of its place in the universe, we follow the stories of the Girard family: Carol, whose fascination with this other life sparks a desperate search for spiritual meaning; Michael, her loyal son, who finds solace not in the stars above his head but in the ground beneath his feet; and Ro, Carol’s bright and ambitious daughter, whose childhood goal to work in interstellar communication will evolve into something far grander.

Tracing five decades of love, loss, ambition, and self-discovery, The Radiant Dark is a stunning examination of a family navigating their lives with the knowledge that we are not alone.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Literary Fiction, Contemporary, Historical Fiction, Audiobook

416 pages, Hardcover

First published April 28, 2026

About the author

Alexandra Oliva is the author of The Radiant Dark, Forget Me Not, and The Last One. She grew up in a small town in New York's Adirondack Mountains. A first-generation college graduate, she has a BA from Yale University and an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School University. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family.

Though she is not active on Goodreads, Alexandra can be reached via Instagram (ali.oliva) and her website.

Reviews

[Liana Gold · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 4 ⭐️ Based on the premise, I thought this would be a science fiction novel about a family who begins a long line of exchanges with a mysterious, faraway civilization. Perhaps I was mistaken and thats on me, but I could have sworn I've picked this one up from the 'sci-fi' genre section. I was under assumption that we are going to read some exchanges between the aliens and the humans and run along the promised Arrival meets Wild Dark Shores vibes but this was neither of those things. First and foremost, I don't want anyone to be misguided but the Radiant Dark is nowhere near the sci-fi genre. It's more like general/women's fiction that centers on a family from a small town of Adirondacks that explores generational trauma, motherhood, spouses with a very small sprinkle of a possibility of life on other planets.

It opens with an isolated and overwhelmed mother, Carol who learns that Earth received a message from an alien civilization about eleven light years away. Carol just gave birth to Michael and the weight of motherhood is growing heavy. With no help from her husband, she's growing increasingly lonely and the weighted blanket of expectations is drowning her. She feels overwhelmed and adrift. Jake is the typical 1980's male--give me my beer, 'let me be woman' and make me my dinner type of a man and you can't help but feel Carols sadness and frustration. Carol learns that she is pregnant again & gives birth to her baby girl, Rosanna, who is named after the exoplanet Ross 128. She raises both kids in the shadow of the 'Rossians' and we follow the events that span 50 years. In essence it's a family saga/family drama that follow a family over the course of 50 years.

Initially disappointed, the story picks up around 40-45% mark and I couldn't put it down. It's a deep dive into a character study that feels rich and emotional, perhaps frustrating at times. Its grounded in fears, lots of hope and how some events impart our lives in different ways. It's about what we carry and how we pass it down the generations. It superficially explores the relationship between space and humans--How does it feel knowing that we are not alone? That there is life beyond our universe?What exactly is there beyond the stars and what does it mean to be human in the face of the unknown?

Alexandra Oliva takes us through large time span, 1980's to 2034 and ends with an epilogue thats ends in 2138 that is emotionally powerful.The Radiant Dark is quiet, it's literary, it will be personal for some. Underneath it all, it looks at humanity and how we need and look for a much deeper connection with ourselves and each other.


Many thanks to NetGalley, Zando Projects and the author, Alexandra Oliva for an early copy.

Publication date: April 28, 2026

[Alisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn’t wait to finish this book. Something pushed me to finish reading it, I think I was hopeful for an interesting conclusion. The payoff was just okay. Comparing this to Arrival and Wild Dark Shore (one of my favorite books) is really just a marketing trick. This book was about a very selfish and toxic mother and her relationship with her kids. I’m so glad it’s over and everyone escaped relatively unscathed.

[Shantha (ShanthasBookEra) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars "Arrival meets Wild Dark Shore in this captivating novel that follows a family for over fifty years—a bold and compassionate exploration of the universe around us and what it truly means to be human."

This luminous novel explores a family and life on a planet eleven light years away. Communication is closely examined over the course of five decades - between family members and also between planets. This family saga is unique and highly thought-provoking. The parallels between life on other planets and family members feeling "alien" to us at times is brilliant. I highly recommend adding this to your TBR.

[Debbie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ I really enjoyed this family drama set against the backdrop of contact with an alien race and the science community.

The story follows the Girard family, Jake, Carol, Mike, and Ro, over 50 years through the first contact and ends with the epilogue 158 years later in space.

The family slowly unravels as Carol becomes obsessed with the first transmission received from the Rossians. As her marriage to Jake comes apart she abandons her children and destroys her relationship with her children especially her daughter Ro. This is a major theme throughout the book.

Each family member takes a different path searching for connection, Jake finds solace in friends, Carol becomes a member of a cult, Ro a Harvard graduate and famous scientist, and Mine a conservationist. With the threads of family trauma, grief, motherhood, cults, spirituality, and space throughout, this story kept me engaged and turning pages! It’s heartbreaking at times, with a great ending, especially the emotional epilogue.

Thanks NetGalley and SJP Lit publishers for the eARC in exchange for my honest review

[Lauren W · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 I’m torn on this one. I expected heavy-leaning sci-fi plot, but instead found a serious, character-heavy novel focused on the complexities of motherhood and identity. While the writing is quite good, the lack of character growth and somber tone made it a challenging read at times. The sci-fi elements are subtle threads rather than the main focus. Great for fans of literary speculative fiction, but it’s a heavy one.

[book_reviews_with_lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐.5

I don’t even know where to start with this 🤩

So many layers, so much depth, so much emotion 🏆

An epic tale of space, intelligent life, spirituality, trauma, belief systems, motherhood, family relationships, cults…. And all told with an authenticity that makes all of it SO real. I couldn’t put this book down 🥇

This is my first read by Alexandra and I will certainly be reading more by her!

What an amazing read ✨

I am so grateful for being approved to read this ARC via @NetGalley

This is released on April 28th 2026- save the date! 🙏🏼

[Fran Hawthorne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The NYTimes book review warned me that this is not your typical "Earthlings meet aliens" novel, which was fine with me. While I rarely read sci-fi, I enjoyed this book's unusual combination of sci-fi with more down-to-earth family drama, and I'm in awe of authors who create totally new worlds.

Besides, I truly believe that intelligent life exists somewhere else in the universe, and I deeply hope I live to see First Contact. So, I loved the way this novel tries to explain the scientific process of discovery.

The problem, for me, lay in the book's non-sci-fi aspect.

Basically, the novel has two key narrative threads: the painful estrangement between a working-class mother named Carol Girard and her scientist-daughter, Rosanna; and the sci-fi narrative about a decades-long, growing communication between Earth and what seems to be advanced intelligent life on an exoplanet that human scientists have named Ross 128 b.

Carol and Rosanna's conflict, however, is only the nub of a three-generation family saga that would probably need at least 600 pages to explore all the personalities and subplots it throws at readers. Unfortunately, the book tries to squeeze this saga into barely 400 pages--and that 400 includes all the sci-fi parts, as well.

Too much ink is spent on the opening narrative about Carol's postpartum depression and growing unhappiness in her marriage to Jake, a carpenter. Then zoom! Rosanna whips past a high school trauma, past a curt reference to the awkwardness of being the only scholarship-hillbilly kid at Yale, and is suddenly a soaringly successful astrophysicist. The impact of Carol and Jake's split-up on Rosanna and her brother Michael is tapped at only occasionally, mainly through the prism of Rosanna's annoyance and Carol's growing immersion in a cult. There's not much more space left to explore dramatic changes in the lives of Michael, Jake, and Carol's sister. And why are there so many side characters?

Despite all my kvetching, I'm also saying that I wish I could have spent more time with this book. Which is actually a compliment.


Meanwhile, Rosanna's brother also goes through a couple of career and living-situation changes, there are some romances thrown in, Carol's sister also changes careers and boyfriends, Jake slips in and out...

[Hannah Decker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did. It explored so many different concepts like the possibility of other planets, generational trauma, what makes a good mother, cults, etc. I was attached to some of the characters and couldn’t stand some of the others. A one of a kind read.

Thank you, NetGalley!

[Bonnie Margolies · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED.

I’m such a sucker for a space-y book and this one is fantastic. I know I’ll be thinking about it for a long time.

Thanks to Book Huddle and Zando Projects for the ARC!

[Hannah Chaussee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow wow wow this was easily the most relatable space-adjacent book I’ve ever read. The descriptions of motherhood and relationships in general were so accurate in my opinion. This book discussed environmental concerns, religion, relationships of all kind, humanity’s future, and so much more in such a graceful, perfect manner.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was better than I expected. It’s more of a multi-generational family drama than a science fiction novel, but it is set amidst the discovery of extraterrestrial life. The only thing I didn’t care for was the last dozen pages, set 100+ years in the future. I thought it unnecessary and a little silly…..but that’s probably just me.

Don’t let the sci-fi element throw you if you’re not a fan - it doesn’t go too much into the weeds.

[Breanne Burch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coming off the high of Artemis and Project Hail Mary, I needed another spacey read and this one delivered. But it was so much more than just space. It unraveled like an onion, layer by layer… touching on motherhood, postpartum, messy family dynamics, cults, belief systems, and extraterrestrials 👽👾🛸

[Kaitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this. Wow, I actually had to sit in silence for a few minutes after it ended to just gather thoughts....or let reality come back to me. I really thought halfway through that I was going to rate it lower because I was constantly wanting more of the stars and science and space but it ended up being the most beautiful thread throughout the story of such a dynamic family. I kept getting drawn in deeper and deeper with every shift in the timeline and it ended in such a perfect full circle. I'm so pleased with my recent Aardvark picks!

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Radiant Dark is about how first contact, and the knowledge of extraterrestrial life, impacts a single family through generations. But at its heart, it is an examination of the relationship between a mother and daughter, motherhood, and generational trauma. We follow Carol (the mother) and Ro (the daughter) for much of the book, starting with Carol as a new mother, struggling through postpartum in the 80’s with no support, on the night of first contact. We spend some time with the dad (but so minimally I can’t remember his name) who is emotionally absent and the brother, Mikey, who keeps his focus on the earth. But for me, this is really about the mother-daughter relationship. It examines the mistakes a mother makes over time, how it impacts her daughter, and how when the daughter has a daughter of her own, it can change the perspective on her mother’s experience. As a woman that is no-contact with my own living mother, the toxicity and emotional immaturity of Carol through Ro’s life was like reading a story about my own childhood. The way Carol undermines her daughter and consistently centers everything around herself and her own experience, was like looking at my own mother. Then when Carol lands in a cult, because she is searching for answers and belonging, she fails to see her children as they are, and it draws parallels to today’s Q-anon and MAGA cults.

I found the dynamic between Ro and Carol beautiful and heartbreaking since we as readers get to experience both sides. We can see the damage Carol does to Ro, but we can also see the immaturity of Carol. It brought some perspective to my own circumstance and helped me see my mom as a woman. And all the while, the “Rossians” exist in the background, driving time forward, impacting each family member differently.

I was particularly touched by the depictions of new motherhood for both Carol and Ro. It was incredibly honest and dark. Those early days of new motherhood are both a singular experience and a universal one. Carol’s motherhood journey had no support. She was totally alone with no one to help guide her through it or notice her. Ro had a supportive spouse and family that she could lean on when her feelings during postpartum got dark. Because of the difference, they grow through new motherhood so differently and their relationships with their daughters show it.

All that to say, this is slow and meandering, deeply complicated and emotional, beautifully written, and a unique read. Yes, it is sci fi and yes there are aliens, but really, Oliva examines how time passes no matter what. Families grow, evolve, change, live and die, because time waits for no one, even aliens. It is both hopeful and heartbreaking, and I recommend it.

[Emilie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a heavy contender for my favorite book of the year.

The blurb described it as Arrival meets Wild Dark Shore but I’d say it’s more like a sci fi concept from Andy Weir but written by Kristin Hannah.

Earth received a beacon from a planet 11 light years away. Due to distance, the exchange of messages takes a total of 22 years minimum for a message to be sent and receive a reply. The novel is character driven and focuses on one multi-generational family and the ways the beacon affects their lives and relationships.

The novel begins in our 1980 and even has then president Jimmy Carter holding a press conference to announce that the beacon is sign of intelligent life and we are not alone. The novel focuses early on Carol and her experience with postpartum depression as the entire world copes with and celebrates the news.

This is a breathtaking and heartbreaking book.

[Mira]

Absolutely wrecked by this beautiful book. Difficult mothers and alien contact. Who knew this would break me?!

[Alyssa McKnight]

Comparing this book to Wild Dark Shore is WILD and should be illegal. I’m angry.

[Angelica · Rating 4 out of 5]

In reading the description of this book, I knew it would be a science fiction-adjacent book (not science fiction per se) in that it would relate to humans and how their lives would be impacted by potential contact with extraterrestrials. And the book did not disappoint in that regard. We have Carol, who at the start of the book, has just given birth to her son Michael. Her post-partum delirium struck a chord and reminded me of my early days as a new mother. She then learns that Earth has received a message from an ailen civilization and that becomes her fixation, what she clings to in order to forget her own situation (which is a lonely new mother with husband Jake who's not very present - which makes sense for the crazy 1980s). She gets pregnant again soon after and names her new baby (a girl) Rosanna, named after the exoplanet Ross 128 that is suspected to be the origin of the communications.

The book follows Carol's continued spiral of unhappiness in her marriage, her two kids (Michael, who loves everything about Earth and Rosanna, who dreams of exploring space), and her increasingly absent husband. As the children get older, Carol's unhappiness flows over. She asks Jake for a divorce and goes to live with her sister for a time (leaves the children with Jake). Carol subsequently gets involved with a cult that obsesses over the Rossians and it overtakes her life in many ways. Her relationship with her children is strained and there comes a time when her new husband threatens the well-being of Ro's daughter.

It was a heavy read in many ways as it relates to Carol - the sadness of undiagnosed post-partum depression, the loneliness of being a mother, the lack of communication in her marriage. And when she breaks away, she is mentally weak and is glamorized by the cult and what it says it can offer her - that she is "special" in having given birth to Michael when the first communication came through and conceived Ro soon thereafter. She is brainwashed to believe she had a unique importance in this cult and that made her feel seen for the first time. Her children don't understand her and she feels alone again after realizing that her new husband is obsessed with having a place of power in the cult. I can only imagine how lonely her entire life must have felt. It just made me sad, actually.

The epilogue, set in 2138, is interesting and gives more light about what happens in the 100-year interim between 2034 - 2138. For all the sadness, loneliness, and darkness that the family went through, there was a light at the end of the tunnel (well, if you believe in living happily every after on a different planet).

I received an ARC copy of this book through NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

[Megan Cummins · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gave it a 100 page chance... I can get behind unlikeable characters when there is either a good/important story being told, or if it's one of those delightful train wreck situations you can't look away from. But this unlikeable main character just felt flat and tired and annoying. Although I was excited about the "contact from outer space" element, the comparison of this novel to Arrival is wayyyyyyy off. This was a deep character dive (into an unlikable character) with the sci-fi bits getting brief mentions every now and again.

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't my favorite. I liked the sci-fi angle, but the characters were an obstacle in so many ways.

They didn't evolve. Yes, they grew older, but certainly not wiser. They hung on to their assumptions as if they were the only life line within reach. The author tends to rely on this one thing to carry the story and it's never my favorite. It takes away from any satisfaction in the conclusion.

Overall, this one didn't work for me. So 2 stars.

[Inês Beato · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 ⭐️

[Erik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on the synopsis of this book, I was concerned how much it would be like Contact, by Carl Sagan, which is a great book that you should definitely read. But this book wasn't like Contact - there were some similar story elements, but the real story is about the relationships between a mother and her two children, set against an interstellar communications backdrop. Both parts were well executed and I really enjoyed this book.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

A moving and fascinating look at motherhood, life on other planets and complex mother-daughter relationships. I'm quite enjoying the recent trend of books about space exploration and this was an interesting take on the possibility of intelligent life in outer space. Good on audio, this spans decades and is told from multiple POVs. Highly recommended for fans of the movie, Contact with Jodie Foster.

[Sydney Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐ A really well written character study with interesting commentary on familial relationships and communication. I liked the sci-fi backdrop. Unfortunately I really didn't enjoy following any of the main characters.

[Jason Musko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relatable characters, realistic (dysfunctional) family dynamics, even a few gasp-out-loud moments! make this sweeping multigenerational book set against the backdrop of First Contact is a complete winner. Had me actually thinking, “what if we are not alone?”

[Krissi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was far from what I expected, but I loved it! While the plot is centered around the concept of alien communication with earth, it is NOT necessarily the primary focus of the book. Really what readers will experience is a story about what happens over the span of many decades while anxious, excited, and worried families and individuals wait for next contact points. How does each person internalize alien contact? How do they build their lives around it? The book mostly focuses on one family and how each person processes their personal journey forward, their relationships with each other, and their futures.

Really great read if you are interested in complicated family dynamics. Note that this is pretty light on the sci-fi, but is a beautifully written, literary book.

[Megan Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oliva has tenderly crafted a family story framed by world-changing events. She's able to hold two truths in your mind at once: things happen that completely shift the global paradigm and these events do not change individuals' struggles with their lives. However, she also slips a third situation into the mix--were it not for the paradigm shift, I wouldn't have had another child. Expertly juggling these three truths with dreamy prose and strong character development, The Radiant Dark is a fantastic literary fiction novel. The writing grounds each portion of the story in a specific place and time that unspools over a lifetime.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family drama and science fiction are my two favorite genres and The Radiant Dark is both. A story spanning many generations of one family, and centered around contact with a planet many light years away from earth. It’s deep, complex, and heartbreaking, but everyone has one goal, and that is to find out what’s out there.

[Andie · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s an insult to science fiction. Literally. Aliens are landing which is an interesting premise, then all we get as readers is a condescending woman who just gave birth and realizes she hates being a mother and who is pregnant again and somehow shocked. She keeps blaming her husband and keeping him around when she secretly hates him. Literally the most irksome character I have ever came across. Like stop publishing books. Seriously this is such a waste of paper. I’m not buying books anymore and unsubscribing from all bookclubs. This is so stupid. What is wrong with this author she could have made this such an interesting story. She has the potential because when she first introduced the star pulsing it was good, but just focusing on this new mom instead was just barbaric

[Jennie Hays · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story so much! What I thought was going to be action and aliens was more about motherhood, trauma, forgiveness, understanding, humanity and SOME aliens. I loved it.