The Sunlight Pilgrims is an
inventive story, set in Scotland as an unprecedented harsh winter sets in. The
main character, Dylan, has arrived to a caravan owned by his mother after
moving from London after her death. As the winter worsens and Dylan becomes
acquainted with his neighbors, he gradually sees a previously
unknown family connection, unsettling and at the same time comforting. The
other main characters, Constance and Stella her teenaged child, are a
connection to the rest of the village, Clachan Fells. Stella is in the midst of
a gender change and has to contend with the ignorance and abuse from the rest
of the school kids and the community. These are characters with faults and
their lives are far from perfect, but they find community and understanding
through the harshness of the environment they have been assaulted by. The
weather is a common enemy through the story. The reasoning for the winter is
not clearly identified, and the presence of a huge iceberg heading for the town
seems more of a distraction than a necessary plot device. The emotional
development of the characters feels a bit lacking, leaving the overall story a
bit sterile, seeming at times more a reporter account than a fully-developed
novel. It could have benefitted from being longer with a better development and
a resolution to the story. Overall, a solid effort, but a bit disappointing
that it could have been more.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review from Blogging for Books