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myriadreads's review
4.0
So well crafted. A brilliant but believable story with deep characters and really poetic prose. It left me hanging, though, and I didn't feel satisfied at the end of the book. I thought, up until the last chapter, that it would be a 5-star rating.
jilly7922's review
3.0
This book is about three people coming together in a time where the world is freezing over. Dylan who is grieving over the loss of his mother and grandmother goes on a mission to bury them, in their homeland. On his way he ends up in a small caravan town, where he comes across Estella and Constance, a mother and daughter who are prepared to survive during this cold winter. Dylan's presence in their lives will bring on new emotions and change the perspectives of everyone involved in this story.
Overall I rated this book three and a half stars out of five. This book was so beautifully, artistically and creatively written. It had drops of dystopian, apocalyptic descriptions, love, transgender, fantasy and local folklore of which fit in this book perfectly. The characters in this book were strong, especially Estella, who you can't help but fall in love with her by the end. There were times in this book that I felt it was too wordy with description of which made some parts read slower. But it was the beauty of the language of which this story was told, is what I most appreciated. This book is not one that I would normally pick up and read, but I am glad that I expanded my horizons in choosing to read this book.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Jenni Fagan, and Crown Publishing/Hogarth for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Come and read my blog at http://turnthepagereviewsbyjill.blogspot.com/
Overall I rated this book three and a half stars out of five. This book was so beautifully, artistically and creatively written. It had drops of dystopian, apocalyptic descriptions, love, transgender, fantasy and local folklore of which fit in this book perfectly. The characters in this book were strong, especially Estella, who you can't help but fall in love with her by the end. There were times in this book that I felt it was too wordy with description of which made some parts read slower. But it was the beauty of the language of which this story was told, is what I most appreciated. This book is not one that I would normally pick up and read, but I am glad that I expanded my horizons in choosing to read this book.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Jenni Fagan, and Crown Publishing/Hogarth for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Come and read my blog at http://turnthepagereviewsbyjill.blogspot.com/
islandkate763's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This book. Somehow it was dark without being heavy. It was bleak without being depressing. Occasionally the prose would get a little purple and the narrative structure confusing, but overall I loved it. The characters were so compelling I didn’t really care that there was no obvious plot. Just a snapshot of complicated relationships as the world goes into a deep freeze. I usually HATE an unclear ending, but I was even ok with this one. Did they die? Did winter ever end? Was Constance holding Alastair’s hand too?! Who knows and honestly, I don’t care. Jenni Fagan is magic and I’ll read anything she writes.
caitgriff's review
3.0
For such an enticing premise, there was little movement, interpersonal growth, or sense of traditional story-arc to this book.
I felt that each of the two POV characters, Dylan and Stella, were charming and kept me engaged in an otherwise banal telling of an unprecedented environmental collapse. However, the relationship between Dylan and Constance felt like a telling-not-showing sort of relationship, one built on Dylan's distant pining after Constance, and her relaxed acceptance of his affection.
I didn't get much of a sense of resolution from the story at all, and I struggle to even think of a way the narrative could have been resolved, given the way it presented itself. Maybe it was getting somewhere, near the end, but then it just ended. It was fine.
I felt that each of the two POV characters, Dylan and Stella, were charming and kept me engaged in an otherwise banal telling of an unprecedented environmental collapse. However, the relationship between Dylan and Constance felt like a telling-not-showing sort of relationship, one built on Dylan's distant pining after Constance, and her relaxed acceptance of his affection.
I didn't get much of a sense of resolution from the story at all, and I struggle to even think of a way the narrative could have been resolved, given the way it presented itself. Maybe it was getting somewhere, near the end, but then it just ended. It was fine.
hectaizani's review
3.0
I was very disappointed in the way this book ended. The writing was beautiful and evocative, the characters were flawed and very human, the setting was bleak and then ...
Spoiler
There was no resolution whatsoever, did they live? die? did Spring ever come? did Dylan kill Alastair? make peace with Alastair? did Stella ever complete her transition? I will never know.cosmith2015's review
This book wasn't for me, but it may be for you.
I gave it about 80 pages. My usual is 100, but when I was reading Dylan's time on the mountain and realized the whole time I was thinking about how I didn't want to be reading this book. I was hoping for a more genre focused novel instead it seemed more literatury. Focused on the characters and their emotions.
I gave it about 80 pages. My usual is 100, but when I was reading Dylan's time on the mountain and realized the whole time I was thinking about how I didn't want to be reading this book. I was hoping for a more genre focused novel instead it seemed more literatury. Focused on the characters and their emotions.
krobart's review
4.0
See my review here:
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2022/03/04/review-1812-the-sunlight-pilgrims/
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2022/03/04/review-1812-the-sunlight-pilgrims/
erincataldi's review against another edition
5.0
It's 2020 and the world is entering another ice age. In Scotland there is a small caravan park in the mountains preparing itself for the coldest winter anyone has ever seen in their lifetimes. Dylan lost his mother, his grandmother, and the family movie theater in London. The only place he has to go is a small caravan he had no idea even existed, thankfully his mother had the foresight to buy it in cash before her death. Armed only with a suitcase Dylan arrives in the cold, godforsaken, but oddly beautiful park. He is immediately smitten with the young mother next door and her ridiculously cool daughter. Constance and her daughter Stella, are immediately smitten with their new neighbor Dylan, enjoying his tall stature, beard, tattoos, and London stories. They slowly start to invite him into their lives where he discovers that Stella is in the process from transitioning from a boy to a girl and Constance is looked down upon because for years she's always had two lovers. Can this odd trio band together and survive the coming subzero temperatures? Cute, quirky, and honest, this book had me hooked from the beginning. Personally I had a crush on Dylan and would love to have shared his caravan with him. Stella was a breath of fresh air and is wonderfully developed as is her mom who is imperfectly perfect. A fantastic read!
I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in return for my honest, unbiased review.
I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in return for my honest, unbiased review.
nerissassippi's review
4.0
I was completely charmed by this book. Such interesting yet realistic characters.