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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