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A review by meeranair_54
The Sunlit Night by Rebecca Dinerstein Knight
3.0
Thank you Bloomsbury India for sending me a copy of this book for review.
Frances and Yasha’s paths cross at the top of the world. One of them has come to Norway to get away from family troubles by immersing herself in the Yellow Room art project. The other is here on a family mission, one that pains and disturbs him a great deal. While Frances must deal with her family splitting apart due to various reasons, Yasha has to put up with his mother’s sudden appearance with her boyfriend in tow. Finding comfort in a stranger’s embrace, the two forge a relationship that help them cope with their respective worries. The Sunlit Night is a realistic fiction about finding light even in the darkest of times from unexpected sources.
I had earlier picked up this book but couldn’t get past the first few pages because it is a bit slow in the beginning. But the synopsis is so heartrending that I had to give it another try. This book is extraordinary in its simplicity. I felt that there is no looming sense of a structured plot or characters brought to life. What I really liked about the book is the very normal and endearing way the lives of two people have been followed. You sort of forget that they are fictional characters and begin to believe in their story. The book alternates between Yasha and Frances’ perspectives. The author’s writing style is different and lovely. Not too long sentences and fantastic descriptions. The references towards the midnight sun are so mesmerizing even though you can only picture it through Frances’ eyes. I felt that it depicted their polarized states. Frances and Yasha, who lived in US, have come so far for different purposes to a common end – peace. I didn’t quite understand Nils character and Frances’ connection with him. He was her mentor but his behavior was a bit odd and the way his story ends puzzled me as it felt incomplete. The abrupt shift (uncaring to persistently pursuing) in Yasha’s feelings towards Frances also seemed rushed. Nevertheless they made sense together. Its a cute story with a different air compared to the usual contemporary book. You should give it a go..
Frances and Yasha’s paths cross at the top of the world. One of them has come to Norway to get away from family troubles by immersing herself in the Yellow Room art project. The other is here on a family mission, one that pains and disturbs him a great deal. While Frances must deal with her family splitting apart due to various reasons, Yasha has to put up with his mother’s sudden appearance with her boyfriend in tow. Finding comfort in a stranger’s embrace, the two forge a relationship that help them cope with their respective worries. The Sunlit Night is a realistic fiction about finding light even in the darkest of times from unexpected sources.
I had earlier picked up this book but couldn’t get past the first few pages because it is a bit slow in the beginning. But the synopsis is so heartrending that I had to give it another try. This book is extraordinary in its simplicity. I felt that there is no looming sense of a structured plot or characters brought to life. What I really liked about the book is the very normal and endearing way the lives of two people have been followed. You sort of forget that they are fictional characters and begin to believe in their story. The book alternates between Yasha and Frances’ perspectives. The author’s writing style is different and lovely. Not too long sentences and fantastic descriptions. The references towards the midnight sun are so mesmerizing even though you can only picture it through Frances’ eyes. I felt that it depicted their polarized states. Frances and Yasha, who lived in US, have come so far for different purposes to a common end – peace. I didn’t quite understand Nils character and Frances’ connection with him. He was her mentor but his behavior was a bit odd and the way his story ends puzzled me as it felt incomplete. The abrupt shift (uncaring to persistently pursuing) in Yasha’s feelings towards Frances also seemed rushed. Nevertheless they made sense together. Its a cute story with a different air compared to the usual contemporary book. You should give it a go..