Reviews with content warning for Sexual violence - The Sunshine Court

NORA SAKAVIC THE WOMAN YOU ARE!!! a fucking genius. fighting back tears at every moment but simultaneously giggling and kicking my feet at every Neil & Kevin mention. everyone being queer is how it should - no straight people allowed here 🙏🤧

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queeniejalexander's review

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challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I had many thoughts while reading this book but the most prevailing was that this is one of the most emotionally draining and difficult reads I have ever went through. At the same time the author still managed to make me cling to every word with desperate need, savoring the slow process of Jean’s recovery that’s still a worlds away but she gave me hope that with Jeremy by his side it will happen.

This book also made my love for Neil fiercer than ever, his frank swiftness when it comes to dealing with threats is just beautiful to watch.

Cannot wait for the second book because I need more from these characters.

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iam's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

3.0

This is the story of Jean after he leaves (or is taken from, rather) the Raven's Nest. It is the story of how he finds hope again after everything was taken from him so many years ago.

It is a good story, but I have to admit it was not what I expected, or wanted, from it.

In comparison to the original trilogy, it is very slow, introspective and focussed on the past. A long time is spent on Jean's (re-)living and remembering and reacting, and maybe even starting to process his trauma and the horrific abuse he suffered at the Moriyamas' hands. It reaches only a couple month's past the end of The King's Men, and doesn't reach past Jean finding that first spark of hope and realizing he really is free of Riko.
It's that what left me feeling really unsatisfied.

Not a lot of questions left over from the original trilogy are answered. Instead, a whole new slew of questions arrise, and very few of those are answered too.

Part of that is Jeremy. He is also a POV character, but less so than Jean. We get glimpses into the personal life, his struggles and hopes, and the issues he has going on too... but his main focus in on Jean. I honestly don't think his POV adds much other than more questions about what's going on with him, just to not get much info other than vague hints, and no closure. Why even open that can of worms when there isn't even an attempt to close it? We could have found out about him from Jean's POV as well.

I guess the issue is that just Jean's POV would have been really bleak, and he wouldn't have paid so much attention to the Trojans, so maybe Jeremy's POV is a blessing in disguise. Still, that was another reason why the book felt really unsatisfying to read.

Overall, this felt much more like a beginning than an ending. I get that it's supposed to be about closure, about closing one chapter of one's life and beginning a new one. But only getting teased with so many threads of it and how it could continued.... I hate that. I want definite happy endings. I won't want all these old and new questions to be left unanswered. If there really is a sequel (can't find any definite source on that) I sure hope they will be answered.

Beyond that, reading this was also heavy. So much focus is on Jean's trauma, and he's got a lot of it. The original trilogy is already heavy on the trigger warnings, but there, due to the characters' personalities, the faster pace, and the constant presence of Exy, there isn't as much in-depth lingering and focus on the horrible abuse. For Jean, it's different. He is much more introspective, and is constantly remembering the horrific things that happened to him. And it's so much worse than what's alluded to in the original trilogy. This made it a very bleak, heavy, sad and uncomfortable read.

The overall direction of the broader picture story about the Ravens, Foxes, Trojans, and Exy as a sport is very unsettling too - Jean is not too concerned with it, so there are not many details, but seeing it from his perspective rather than Neil's makes me antsy.

The Trojans are of course a beam of light in all that darkness, but as I said, the book ends right when Jean finds that first spark of real hope. We don't get to see him heal, we don't get to see him thrive, we don't get to see him fall in love or be loved, we don't get to see him claim his own life for himself. All that good stuff that I want to read about when I read about such an abused character is just omitted. Sure, it's in the future, but... yeah, it's just not satisfying!!

It is still good. Still emotional and heart-breaking but also giving hope. I also want to specifically recommend the author's writing style - it excells at being in a character's head incresibly organically. No exposition is given where a character wouldn't give it. It can be a bit frustrating at times when it's clear the character knows something the reader doesn't, but it also feels rewarding. And it's overally just super fun to read!

Absolutely hoping there will be a sequel answering all the open questions and threads. As a first book to a new story it works amazingly. As a standalone, it's not for me.

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unnamedreptile41's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Loved this book. Hate it. Would definitely read again. Would not recommend. I honestly think Nora got better at writing. Love the continuation. Cant wait for TSC2.

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