“Lights All Night Long” is a novel by Lydia Fitzpatrick that tells the story of a Russian teenager named Ilya who goes to live with a host family in Louisiana¹. The story is told in a dual timeline, with one being Ilya’s time in Louisiana and the other being his childhood/adolescence in Russia¹. The novel explores themes of family, belonging, and the bond between brothers¹.

Fifteen-year-old Ilya arrives in Louisiana from his native Russia for what should be the adventure of his life: a year in America as an exchange student². The abundance of his new world—the Super Walmarts and heated pools and enormous televisions—is as hard to fathom as the relentless cheerfulness of his host parents². And Sadie, their beautiful and enigmatic daughter, has miraculously taken an interest in him².