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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
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.
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
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.
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 :)
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.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love these characters, but between the climate crisis and the transphobia I found it was amping up my current anxieties too much to keep reading... couldn't say why this one was harder than any other on the same subjects but I feel like stepping away is the right choice.
‘’There are three suns in the sky and it is the last day of autumn- perhaps for ever.’’
Since Dystopian Fiction is one of my favourite genres, The Sunlight Pilgrims had been on my list for quite some time. When one has read a significant number of Dystopian novels, the risk to feel that what you read is one of the same is always present. Thankfully this is not the case with Jenni Fagan’s brilliant novel. It is beautifully written, full of emotions and with brilliantly developed themes that center around human beings and their feelings within the context of a threatening environment as Nature takes her revenge on the ones who have been violating her mercilessly for decades and decades.
The year is 2020 and we are in Scotland, in a place called Clachan Fells that corresponds to the area of Campsie Fells, in central Scotland. The heaviest winter in the last 200 years has arrived and with it a terrible threat all over the world.An enormous iceberg is rapidly heading towards Britain and the casualties begin only to progress to unimaginable numbers. Three exquisite characters come together at this point. Constance, a bright young woman, feisty and brave. Stella, her daughter, who hides a shocking (to some) secret of her own. Dylan, a young man, full of doubts and despair. The relationship and the feelings of these characters are the focal point of the novel, making it as rich and fascinating as it is.
‘’It’s old Mother Frost. She wants her wolves back.’’
The story is beautiful and terrifying. The white of an endless winter, the dark of the longest night compose a striking canvas upon which the lives of our characters unfold. How can something so beautiful be so threatening? How did we come to this? Why do humans destroy everything they touch? Why do they vilify everything they don’t understand? These are the questions Stella asks, reflecting on her own life and the danger she faces, not from Nature but from humans who are the greatest criminals, hypocrites, destroyers. It is recklessness and narrow mindedness that has brought everyone to point zero and the children still aren't taught to respects the others. Therefore, what kind of future can really exist?
Fagan’s talent is more than evident. Without missing the importance of the setting she created, she finds the balance between a potentially apocalyptic world and the fact that emotions know no such boundaries. Love, hope, fear, regret still exist and bring us together if we let our own ice melt for a moment. She creates vivid dialogues with a poetic touch and an almost whimsical language, particularly in Stella’s speech and thoughts. While Fagan describes the casualties, the riots, the havoc that has affected the citizens of the planet (...would that they had known better….), she creates images of the Bonfire Night, the fairy lights and the Christmas decorations, the snowflakes in all their quiet beauty. We have unique autumnal and wintry scenery descriptions and, possibly, the finest passage about sexual intercourse I’ve ever read. She deals with issues and themes, which would have appeared mundane or even gross in the hands of an incompetent writer, with grace and raw emotions where needed. This is how a good book is written.
A good book, friends, doesn’t restrict itself into labels. Is it YA or not? I don’t know. Is every novel that includes a teenage character a YA story? Who cares? Why is this important? What we should find attractive in The Sunlight Pilgrims is the fact that the themes of acceptance, tolerance and self-discovery within a world in danger are masterfully communicated. The rest are for argumentative reasons just because. This is not a post- apocalyptic universe. This is a very tangible reality that is closer than we think.
‘’...a woman who polishes the moon.’’
I can’t begin to describe my admiration for the character of Constance. A dreamer, an idealist and a pragmatist. A mother who goes above and beyond to create a safe haven for her child, both physically and psychologically. And this is what terrifies most of those who come in contact with her. This is why Dylan- a wonderful character- falls in love with her. Because, he is honest with himself and unafraid to face his demons.
‘’She is the fire and her daughter is wind.’’
Stella must be one of the most unique, most complex and sympathetic characters ever written. Faced with a seemingly impossible choice, she is sure of herself and her needs and fights for her beliefs. A true child of her mother, she has the unfortunate fate to live in a world that doesn't understand. So, she makes it her mission to make them understand. Not only for herself but for the future of all those she loves.
If one wants to read a story where creatures like the White Walkers invade a frozen planet of where frozen zombies chase rugged-clothed survivors, then this book isn’t a suitable read. You can watch Hollywood productions. If you want to read one of the most hauntingly poetic novels, then The Sunlight Pilgrims will not disappoint you.
“...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.”
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com
Since Dystopian Fiction is one of my favourite genres, The Sunlight Pilgrims had been on my list for quite some time. When one has read a significant number of Dystopian novels, the risk to feel that what you read is one of the same is always present. Thankfully this is not the case with Jenni Fagan’s brilliant novel. It is beautifully written, full of emotions and with brilliantly developed themes that center around human beings and their feelings within the context of a threatening environment as Nature takes her revenge on the ones who have been violating her mercilessly for decades and decades.
The year is 2020 and we are in Scotland, in a place called Clachan Fells that corresponds to the area of Campsie Fells, in central Scotland. The heaviest winter in the last 200 years has arrived and with it a terrible threat all over the world.An enormous iceberg is rapidly heading towards Britain and the casualties begin only to progress to unimaginable numbers. Three exquisite characters come together at this point. Constance, a bright young woman, feisty and brave. Stella, her daughter, who hides a shocking (to some) secret of her own. Dylan, a young man, full of doubts and despair. The relationship and the feelings of these characters are the focal point of the novel, making it as rich and fascinating as it is.
‘’It’s old Mother Frost. She wants her wolves back.’’
The story is beautiful and terrifying. The white of an endless winter, the dark of the longest night compose a striking canvas upon which the lives of our characters unfold. How can something so beautiful be so threatening? How did we come to this? Why do humans destroy everything they touch? Why do they vilify everything they don’t understand? These are the questions Stella asks, reflecting on her own life and the danger she faces, not from Nature but from humans who are the greatest criminals, hypocrites, destroyers. It is recklessness and narrow mindedness that has brought everyone to point zero and the children still aren't taught to respects the others. Therefore, what kind of future can really exist?
Fagan’s talent is more than evident. Without missing the importance of the setting she created, she finds the balance between a potentially apocalyptic world and the fact that emotions know no such boundaries. Love, hope, fear, regret still exist and bring us together if we let our own ice melt for a moment. She creates vivid dialogues with a poetic touch and an almost whimsical language, particularly in Stella’s speech and thoughts. While Fagan describes the casualties, the riots, the havoc that has affected the citizens of the planet (...would that they had known better….), she creates images of the Bonfire Night, the fairy lights and the Christmas decorations, the snowflakes in all their quiet beauty. We have unique autumnal and wintry scenery descriptions and, possibly, the finest passage about sexual intercourse I’ve ever read. She deals with issues and themes, which would have appeared mundane or even gross in the hands of an incompetent writer, with grace and raw emotions where needed. This is how a good book is written.
A good book, friends, doesn’t restrict itself into labels. Is it YA or not? I don’t know. Is every novel that includes a teenage character a YA story? Who cares? Why is this important? What we should find attractive in The Sunlight Pilgrims is the fact that the themes of acceptance, tolerance and self-discovery within a world in danger are masterfully communicated. The rest are for argumentative reasons just because. This is not a post- apocalyptic universe. This is a very tangible reality that is closer than we think.
‘’...a woman who polishes the moon.’’
I can’t begin to describe my admiration for the character of Constance. A dreamer, an idealist and a pragmatist. A mother who goes above and beyond to create a safe haven for her child, both physically and psychologically. And this is what terrifies most of those who come in contact with her. This is why Dylan- a wonderful character- falls in love with her. Because, he is honest with himself and unafraid to face his demons.
‘’She is the fire and her daughter is wind.’’
Stella must be one of the most unique, most complex and sympathetic characters ever written. Faced with a seemingly impossible choice, she is sure of herself and her needs and fights for her beliefs. A true child of her mother, she has the unfortunate fate to live in a world that doesn't understand. So, she makes it her mission to make them understand. Not only for herself but for the future of all those she loves.
If one wants to read a story where creatures like the White Walkers invade a frozen planet of where frozen zombies chase rugged-clothed survivors, then this book isn’t a suitable read. You can watch Hollywood productions. If you want to read one of the most hauntingly poetic novels, then The Sunlight Pilgrims will not disappoint you.
“...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.”
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com
I read this during a snowstorm, and while it was cold, it certainly wasn't -56 degrees. It put a little perspective on the Boston Winter of 2015 Snowpocalypse. Rarely when you read books about the end of the world, do you get this kind of snapshot of humanity, of people dealing with their daily lives while they get snowed into their trailer park. I imagine that most people when facing the worst winter in recorded human history might change, might become more philosophical, but I got the impression that Stella, Constance, Dylan, and Barnacle are always like this.
I loved the ending. That it's just ambiguous enough to have hope, and yet the reality is that 4 people whose lives are connected and both love and hate one another because of those connections, are sitting on the couch, potentially waiting out the end of the world. That Stella took her first hormone blocker on the last day of the world. That Dylan has to spend it with his half cousin, who is Constance's lover, and Stella's father. It isn't ironic so much as it is what it is: dealing with humanity and nature.
Although it took me a while to get in to this book, I really enjoyed it by the time I finished it. I think I had trouble connecting with Dylan for a while. I expected more from the environmental apocalypse aspect (but this probably would have been a much longer book), but it’s really a backdrop for character interaction. I did like the characters quite a bit, everything felt believable and human. However, I can understand why people might not like this. Ultimately, nothing really happens in this growing winter wasteland and it’s really about family dysfunction and love.