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abookishtype's review
4.0
Jenni Fagan’s The Sunlight Pilgrims has, in all of the reviews I’ve seen so far, been billed as the latest climate fiction must-read. According to the reviews, the world as we know it is coming to an end as a new Ice Age arrives. We watch the weather get colder and colder through the eyes of a man, a woman, and the woman’s daughter. I expected characters that would be busy with worries about the future. How would they grow food? How would they stay warm? But the climate, while a constant concern, is not what occupies the characters’ minds. Instead of a book about apocalyptic winter, Fagan gave me a moving story of a transgender teenager in the midst of her transition and a young man struggling with grief over the loss of his mother and grandmother. The Sunlight Pilgrims is a bait and switch, but I don’t mind a bit...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review consideration.
kayleighoneillonwheels's review against another edition
dark
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? No
4.0
ariereads's review
4.0
“...the child of a wolf may not feel like she has fangs until she finds herself facing the moon, but they are still there the whole time regardless.”
There is absolutely no question: the writing here is stunning. Stella is also a fantastic, engaging character - I just wish the others had the same depth. There's a little manic-pixie-dream syndrome going on here, along with a good solid case of insta-love, and on reflection I found I had very little attachment to either Dylan or Constance.
To be fair, we only ever see Constance through the eyes of those around her, while Stella and Dylan let us into their deepest thoughts - almost. There's always that hint of a wall up, barred against the reader and maybe even their own minds.
But oh the words are so gorgeous - a whole extra star simply for the images, the silent, frozen word Fagan conjures up, the stunning, haunting turns of phrase.
One last thing - and this is not related to the book so much as the reviews of it: an apocalypse is not automatically a dystopia, and vice versa. The Sunlight Pilgrims is set in an apocalyptic world (or on the edge of it), not a dystopian one. Google has some pretty succinct explanations of the differences here and yes I am indeed a petty grammar-freak, no apologies.
moomoomeadowss's review
1.0
Ultimately, the book seemed pretty pointless. BUT WAIT THERES MORE: allow me to air m y grievances. For one, the writing of the book is either random and vague or excruciatingly descriptive. The book also had really weird formatting which made the dialogue come out really weirdly? Like people don’t actually talk like that. Or swear as much as these characters do. As usual, there’s my (not) favorite, sudden, out of nowhere, almost entirely based on attraction romance. The characters kept acting out of character? Like you’d meet them and they’d act one way and then later on they act very differently. There was constant talk of sexual topics and constant use of drugs and alcohol. The events seemed random and had no real purpose/connection. And lastly, the real kicker, NORMALIZATION OF INCEST. THERE WAS INCEST BETWEEN MAIN CHARACTERS AND IT WAS JUST,,,A THING??? LIKE WHAT EVEN. *deep inhale* This book got one star only for the quality representation, but I still do not recommend this book to anyone. Just don’t read it guys.
bryceoc's review
3.0
I received an uncorrected ARC of this book through NetGalley.
This was more of a 3.5 for me, but still very enjoyable. I liked the main characters a lot, and this is a book that lives and dies on the strength of its characters. Stella seemed a little too precocious/wise beyond her years at first (really not a fan of those types of kid characters), but I ended up really liking her, and it was awesome to see a young trans person presented in such a respectful way. The author doesn't shy away from issues that a person like her would likely face (bullying, etc.), but she's not defined by her gender identity. She's a well-rounded character and one of the highlights of the book for me.
The ice age-like apocalyptic backdrop adds some drama and tension to a story that otherwise wouldn't have much, but I would have liked some more answers regarding that. As is, The Sunlight Pilgrims is a good character-driven story about family that just happens to be set during what is most likely the apocalypse. I liked it.
This was more of a 3.5 for me, but still very enjoyable. I liked the main characters a lot, and this is a book that lives and dies on the strength of its characters. Stella seemed a little too precocious/wise beyond her years at first (really not a fan of those types of kid characters), but I ended up really liking her, and it was awesome to see a young trans person presented in such a respectful way. The author doesn't shy away from issues that a person like her would likely face (bullying, etc.), but she's not defined by her gender identity. She's a well-rounded character and one of the highlights of the book for me.
The ice age-like apocalyptic backdrop adds some drama and tension to a story that otherwise wouldn't have much, but I would have liked some more answers regarding that. As is, The Sunlight Pilgrims is a good character-driven story about family that just happens to be set during what is most likely the apocalypse. I liked it.
cnyreader's review
3.0
The next Ice Age is upon us. We've destroyed the polar ice caps, the climate is rebelling, and it's -20 degrees at the beginning of November. Dylan moves out to the caravan after his mother and grandmother die and the cinema is repossessed. He discovers a world he never knew, including love, friendship, and lots and lots of snow.
This book isn't about climate change. It's about people, and survival in the face of daunting circumstances. I found the story pretty slow to start, and by the time I was really invested, it was over. The ending was a little abrupt, but not distressingly so.
This book isn't about climate change. It's about people, and survival in the face of daunting circumstances. I found the story pretty slow to start, and by the time I was really invested, it was over. The ending was a little abrupt, but not distressingly so.
bookhoarder_alissa's review
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
3.75
I love a good character-driven book and this was one. I guess I was a bit disappointed as I had just expected a novel that falls more into the cli-fi section but that was just me. The aspect of the freezing earth is more than just a minor backdrop to the plot but it is also not a novel about a change in climate. Fagan writes beatifully and both the descriptions of nature and the frozen surroundings as well as the characters are well written. Stella is just such a badass teenage girl that you got to love her for it.
lbolesta's review against another edition
2.0
I found this book dull, partially because I don't like things written from the POV of children. Stella is one of the more interesting 13 year olds you could have and it was still boring. Even the Big Family Drama bit was dull.