Scan barcode
A review by _isabel_
The Sunshine Court by Nora Sakavic
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.
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) (
< “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:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Death, Emotional abuse, Torture, Suicide attempt, and Suicide
Moderate: Child abuse