Reviews with content warning for Blood - The Sunshine Court

Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Sunshine Court by Nora Sakavic

84 reviews

so_many_books's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-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

5.0

I have to say, after seeing some other reviews, I feel a bit less awkward sharing my deepest, darkest feelings about this book. It might not always make sense, though.

I honestly didn't know I needed this book. I made my peace with Jean's ending at the end of The King's Men. Oh, boy, was I wrong?!

This book totally destroyed me emotionally and put me through a wringer. But I inhaled it. Jean and Jeremy's story is exactly what was missing from the original trilogy.
I can assure you it is just as tragic and dark and emotionally loaded as anything Nora writes, but it also has the one thing that Nora does best: HOPE.
The hope is palpable in the writing and in all the emotions that are depicted in this book. It's almost overwhelming, yet it's the most precious thing ever.
Hope to live.
Hope to feel.
Hope to have something good.

Jean went through unspeakably horrible times. Things were done to him that would break anyone. The fact that he's still standing, even though the tons of baggage he brings, is a miracle and shows that deep down, hidden even from himself, is a man who hasn't given up yet. It shows in his progression of letting in the world, piece by piece, person by person, after being kept away from it for so long.
I bowled my eyes out multiple times, reading his most vulnerable thoughts about the slivers of hope and beauty he discovers. I am a wreck, yet I am somehow happy.

Of course, none of Jean's progress would be possible without Jeremy. Our golden boy, our sunshine captain. Oh, how he is good. His want to take care of Jean in any way he lets him is so palpable and honest. His kindness is EVERYTHING. I want to see his smile thaw the icy loneliness around Jean.
Adding in the Trojans and their overall good nature is the perfect contrast to Jean's previous reality. And, of course, Cat and Laia are the best chaotic lesbians out their. I low-key adore them. The way they immediately took Jean into their circle, the subtle ways they made him feel at home. It radiates their goodness.

I cannot string together thoughts. This book is just simply good. I want more of it. I want the second book now. I want to know Jeremy's story. I want to have more of the ridiculously queer Trojans. I want more Cat and Laia. I want Jean to smile. At Jeremy preferably. I want him to feel safe. I want to see Jeremy show Jean what it's like when someone loves him. I. Want. More.

Content Warnings

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.

Content Warnings

kaydee_reads's review

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challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

I don’t really know how to rate a book in the AFTG series. Is the plot completely chaotic and absolutely unrealistic? Yes. Is it grounded in very real, aching grief and hurt and comfort and gritted-teeth survival instincts, and so well written that you forget how far fetched it all is? Also yes.

Did I devour it in a day? Also yes.

The main characters are so flawed and so human and so, so loveable. The found family vibes are impeccable. The weird blend of made up collegiate sports and a mafia thriller shouldn’t work but somehow does. 10/10. 5 stars. I love them. I’m horrified by at least 50% of the plot. I need Jean to have all the hugs. I don’t even know how to review this book.

Content Warnings

annebonnie's review

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dark inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

nora sakavic writes ptsd like none other. this series will always be a comfort to me, it has been since I was 16. i loved this. my heart ached and i'll spend the rest of today in a sort of haze having just finished this book. i can't wait to find out how jean continues to unfold.

Content Warnings

_isabel_'s review

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challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

Where do I start?
I've read "The Sunshine Court" twice in a row, and I'm still not sure what to say or where to begin.
I tried to keep the spoilers hidden, but just in case: some spoilers ahead.
My brain has been completely taken over by this book, and by this whole series (and to be fair, that isn't new, since it happens at least once or twice year; I swear it's like crack in book form), and it's been on a constant loop of giddy (and sometimes anguished; sometimes frustrated; sometimes unbelievably, ridiculously happy) squeals/screeches/screams since Monday.
I don't know how am I ever supposed to recover; maybe I should re-read it a third time? Or wait, maybe I should re-read the previous three books for the umpteenth time, and for the second time in *counts weeks* a month. Yep, a new record for me.
One thing I know I want to say is: thank you, Nora. Thank you for gifting us Jean's story. Thank you for not giving up on this series, this world, despite how ridiculous and obsessive, and sometimes mean and toxic, the fandom is. Thank you.
I still can't believe this story is in our hands, and not only that, we have A SECOND BOOK COMING? Special editions of AftG with shorts stories on the way?! I feel like these two things, the anticipation of them being in my grabby little hands in just a few months, have made my life infinitely more brighter.

Back to "The Sunshine Court" though. Where do I start?
This story was exactly what I was hoping for, but it also absolutely exceeded my already high expectations.
It's Jean's story, but it's also the Trojans' story.
It's a story of healing, of a boy who's finally able to start picking up the pieces of a tortured, unhappy life, who's starting to see, one small miracle at a time (thank you Renee, my queen), finally, slowly, torturously, that happiness and health and friendship and safety, and yes, even love, might be something that's not earned or snatched away at a whim, but given freely, kindly, wholeheartedly.
It's also, mainly, a story about broken bonds, healing bonds, creating bonds; a story about friendships, and I absolutely would not want it any other way.
Jean's perfect for the Trojans, and the Trojans are perfect for Jean. I seriously wanted to start sobbing more than once, because oh god, found family as a trope will be the absolute death of me one day. My heart can't take it; and the way Nora writes found family? Absolutely crushing, absolutely masterful, absolutely brilliant.

I had high expectations for this book, and I was also worried that maybe after loving that feral, unhinged, complex, beautiful man that Neil Josten is, and his beatiful, complicated Foxes, for counts years eight, nine years now, I wouldn't be able to love a new AftG protagonist, and his new team, as much.
Oh boy, how glad I was to be wrong.
I'd literally die for Jean, but I'd also literally die for the other protagonist Nora has gifted us, Jeremy (my precious angel), and I'd also literally die for the whole Trojan team too, no exceptions (no okay, maybe one, but I'm okay with redemption arcs!).

Jean's head, his thoughts, his personality, his whole character was everything I expected it to be, and then some: awful, lonely, brutally unfair, traumatized and traumatizing; but also snarky and resilient, and so damned brave and unexpectedly sweet, I wanted to tear my heart out. I also wanted to jump into the book, resuscite Riko, and get somebody (maybe Neil?) to murder him again. And also the whole of the Raven lineup; also that despicable, monstrous coach of theirs.
My precious son Jean, I loved him so damned much. Seeing the Trojans through his eyes was a treat, and seeing the Foxes and especially Kevin and Neil through his eyes even more so. I had everything on my bingo card, but not <spoilers> him having a soul-wrenching crush on Kevin for years, and also absolutely not this quote about Neil: "He was Jean’s misplaced forever partner, an unfulfilled promise Jean had stopped believing in years ago." I cried. A whole lot.

Also, I know this has been said a lot, but Jean's POV finally shows us (for real this time, fandom lore aside) what an unreliable narrator Neil was. Jean's not normal, by any standards, but his head is screwed on very differently from Neil's, and it definitely shows. My feral sons, my gangster sons, my traumatized baby girls, I love you so much <3

And this also shows how absolutely brilliant Nora was and is at character building, and writing it general. Absolutely brilliant, no notes, chef kissing all around. And here, all of the Trojans, even the ones that appear briefly, make a lasting impression: I loved them all to bits.
And one Trojan in particular. Jeremy Knox, where do I start?
I haven't read much Jerejean fanfiction these past few years, because I try to steer clear of non-canon pairings to save my sanity. That Nora made Jeremy our other protagonist was already a dream come true. The fact that they're set up as love interests makes me want to pinch myself just to check it's true.
The thought of what (I'm assuming/hoping/crossing all my fingers and toes/praying/ready to sacrifice a few organs praying) will happen with them in the next book, them finally becoming canon, has my heart palpitating and in general, me wanting to jump on a roof to squeal from happiness. The signs are all there, the chemistry is DEFINITELY there, as is the attraction, the leaning on each other, the slow build-up to friendship, trust, happiness: Jean trusting Jeremy with his health, his safety, his words (and then, to come, his body and his heart) made me so, so, so happy, and I still cannot believe it is happening. I need Nora to confirm it though, because I fear this could be a mass hallucination.

Anyway, Jerejean aside.
Jeremy Knox, the man you are. The beautiful, silly, golden retriever, kind, gentle, generous man you are. He's the literal best. He's also, still, a bit of a mystery. Our Captain here has a lot of hidden issues: I've just read a post on Tumblr where somebody said that Jeremy might have "I'm fine" Neil Josten, the king of deflection and avoidance, beat here. Something's going on with Jeremy, but he'll lie to himself and he absolutely won't shows us WHAT IS HAPPENING. Nope.
I fear the second book will crush us.
Anyway, I adored that man, I'd walk under a bus for him. He's silly and serious, funny and wacky and absolutely wonderful. He and Jean are a pairing of the ages, and I can't wait to get more of their interactions, of the bond slowly building between them.

< “If you say you deserved it, I’ll trip you,” Jeremy warned him. “You wouldn’t,” Jean returned. “Maybe not,” Jeremy allowed. “But I’ll think about it really hard.” >

And the other Trojans? The sunshine court indeed.
Laila and Cat: you're everything I hoped you'd be. Iconic, hilarious, absolutely wonderful. The way they were with Jean, fiercely protective, indignant and furious on his behalf, the easy way both Jeremy and them included him in their group, reminded me of how Dan was with Neil. Both Laila and Cat were unforgettable side characters, and I seriously cannot wait to have more time with them on page. I think I might have underlined half of the group interactions, but a few of these scenes will remain with my for months. Also, how I cackled. This book is definitely trauma packed, but the Trojans and their easy, just, kind, silly (THE FLOOZY LINE) demeanor gave the story a much needed lighter tones at times.

< “Sorry, sorry! His English is a little hit and miss still. That’s why you never see him talking to the press, you know?” She waggled her fingers at Jean to get his attention and said in as serious a tone as she could muster, “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?” >

I loved this book, and I also loved how packed it is with parallels. The original AftG trilogy was absolutely teeming with them already, and god, this one just made everything even better. The Neil/Jean parallels (also @Nora, give us the Neil/Jean friendship we deserve!!!!!), the conversations between Jeremy and Jean giving me all the Andrew/Neil feels (including the "I'll have your back" conversation and the consent one too sniffles) (minus all the Neil cluelessness, and plus all the bisexual panic from Jean and the reluctant horniness/attraction) (

both Jean and Jeremy startling because of shirts, low hanging shorts, shower-plastered hair and skin? YES PLEASE, gimme more of that

)

< “Will you help me?” he asked. “Anything you need.” “A blank check is a dangerous thing to offer.” “Try me,” Jeremy said. “I can afford it.” >

I have so many more thoughts, and since I refuse to engage in fandom shenanigans just yet, I think I'll be adding to this review in the upcoming days and weeks (and years).
Anyway, I loved this, and I need the second book LIKE AIR. I can't wait, I can't wait, I'm so excited I might cry.
Sorry for the rambling review friends, but this series is seriously my favourite thing.

TWs/CWs:

violence, child abuse, sexual assault and rape (past, but there's a violent encounter with the rapist on page), waterboarding (flashbacks), suicide and suicide attempt, hospitalisation, hazing, death of family members.

Content Warnings