September 09, 2016

The Sunlight Pilgrims - Jenni Fagan


Crown Publishing, July 19, 2016.



Five Stars



In the winter of the year 2020, freak storms are occurring all over the world. This novel focuses on northern Scotland, where the snow is falling furiously and an errant iceberg is heading rapidly for the Atlantic shore. The setting is apocalyptic, with the onset of a new ice age – but this is not the main story. The Sunlight Pilgrims is really a character study with a focus on gender identity and unconventional yet powerful relationships. The threat of a fatal winter pulls all the other issues into focus, creating a clarity of emotion with great impact.


Dylan grew up in London, where he lived in a movie theatre with his mother and grandmother. After both die from sudden illnesses, Dylan inherits nothing but the deed to a caravan in a park in northern Scotland. Movies are how he relates to the world, and his social interactions are limited – but when his new neighbour, eleven-year-old Stella, appears at his door, they make a surprising connection. Dylan is a large man, covered in tattoos, but at heart he is gentle and soft-spoken. He bonds with Stella, who also feels like an outcast in her world – until recently, Stella was Cael. Born a boy, Stella is transitioning into a girl, and her strength of conviction is inspiring.


Stella’s mother, Constance, doesn’t fit in to their small town of Clachan Fells either. She has spent most of her adult life in relationships with two different men, alternating between them. Stella’s father is one of the men, but he refuses to acknowledge that she is now a girl. Dylan’s first encounter with Constance is as a witness to her sleepwalking, as she wandered outside and attempted to polish the moon. This kind of imagery is sprinkled throughout the book, where myth and folklore are interspersed with everyday reality. It is almost magic realism, but with an emphasis on the real.


The small community of Clachan Fells is a microcosm of the world, and each character is complex and multifaceted. The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Dylan and Stella, who, along with Contance, are strong individuals who find their real strength in their willingness to support each other no matter what. As they face a deadly harsh winter, it is their bond to each other that may help them survive. The ending is ambiguous, yet somehow hopeful.


In her second novel, Fagan’s writing is more conventional than in Panopticon, but it is again filled with quirky, personalized characters. The language is beautiful and lyrical, yet peppered with slang and swearing – in short, it feels real. The writing is smooth and easy to read, and you can’t help caring about Dylan, Constance and Stella. With so much to offer, this is truly a book to get lost inside.


I received this novel from Crown Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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