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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.
katealane's review
3.0
I was expecting this book to focus much more on the plight of the characters, trying to survive in sub-zero conditions, than it did. The weather is obviously an important part of the book, but I feel like the characters are given much more importance. Luckily the author, Jenni Fagan, does a great job with character development and I definitely felt a connection to the characters. Thanks to Netgalley and Crown Publishing for the ARC.
rachael_amber's review
4.0
I received a copy of this book for free to read & review via Goodreads Giveaways.
'The Sunlight Pilgrims' is a novel set in a Scottish caravan park in the near future, that takes place during a freak winter. In centers around three main characters; Dylan, a man moving to the park who inherited a van from his mother, Constance, a long term resident of the park and Stella, Constance's teen daughter who is struggling with bullies after coming out as transgender.
The book is written in the present tense, which I don't usually like as I find it more difficult to read and get into. There are also no speech marks throughout the book and it doesn't always say who is speaking. However, despite all this, after a couple of chapters I got into the flow of it and found it a surprisingly easy and fun read.
The characters are fantastic and so well developed. I especially loved Stella, and I think the author very sensitively dealt with transgender issues. Although bullied by her peers, Stella is very confident with who she is and the book was more about her as a person than as a victim.
The issues of climate change, whilst having a huge impact on the story, were not the main focus. The characters were very much the central part of the story, which I really liked.
A very engaging read that will definitely leave you thinking about the future. I would definitely read more from this author :)
'The Sunlight Pilgrims' is a novel set in a Scottish caravan park in the near future, that takes place during a freak winter. In centers around three main characters; Dylan, a man moving to the park who inherited a van from his mother, Constance, a long term resident of the park and Stella, Constance's teen daughter who is struggling with bullies after coming out as transgender.
The book is written in the present tense, which I don't usually like as I find it more difficult to read and get into. There are also no speech marks throughout the book and it doesn't always say who is speaking. However, despite all this, after a couple of chapters I got into the flow of it and found it a surprisingly easy and fun read.
The characters are fantastic and so well developed. I especially loved Stella, and I think the author very sensitively dealt with transgender issues. Although bullied by her peers, Stella is very confident with who she is and the book was more about her as a person than as a victim.
The issues of climate change, whilst having a huge impact on the story, were not the main focus. The characters were very much the central part of the story, which I really liked.
A very engaging read that will definitely leave you thinking about the future. I would definitely read more from this author :)
tiltedwhirled's review
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. The concept of the novel is that in the near future an ice age has descended upon the earth and the inhabitants of one small town in the north of Britain are struggling to survive. The pace of the story is quick. I kind of hated the ending though.
fscolli93's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0