Young LightPaints a delicate portrait of a twelve year old boy named Julian growing up in a mining community in 1960s Germany. First Light covers only a few summer weeks, following young Julians gradual social and sexual awakening amidst his parents financial and marital problems. Avoiding any overt drama in the description of his predicaments and observations, Rothmann instead creates a quiet sense of hope and new beginnings. His subtle, restrained prose