Take my advice and don't pay too much attention to this book review listed at the top of the page!
"Buffyesque baker Rae "Sunshine" Seddon meets Count Dracula's hunky Byronic cousin in Newbery-Award-winner McKinley's first adult-and-then-some romp through the darkling streets of a spooky post-Voodoo Wars world"
Robin McKinley is my FAVORITE author and since I have (like Sunshine) a certain "affinity" for vampires, I looked at this book with anticipation and trepidation. See, I only like a certain brand of vampires and I was worried to see a darker, sicker side of my favorite author. All my fears were banished by the end!
I never cared much for the Buffy series, Angel was more my speed. Ok, yes, in this novel there is a good vampire among a world teeming with bad ones. And yes, Sunshine was born with a unique gift. BUT her personality, lifestyle and vampire experiences are COMPLETELY different!
WARNING: Spoiler Alert!!! (at least for the beginning of the novel)
Synopsis: Rae (Sunshine) is a completely ordinary twenty-something baker in a city called New Arcadia. She comes from an ordinary family, has a tatooed, motorcycle-riding boyfriend who loves to cook just as much as she loves to bake. They have a "need" to feed people so Sunshine, along with all her friends and family, work at her stepdad's bakery, restaurant and coffeeshop called Charlie's. Then one night, at her family's old cabin by the lake, Sunshine is abducted by yep, you guessed it, vampires. The lake has been abandoned since after the Voodoo Wars, fought between humans, magical beings, Wizards and Vampires. The war greatly reduced the human population, the cities, and made what are called "bad spots" where no human can bear to go.
Sunshine, rather than being sucked dry, is chained to a wall in an abandoned house (wearing a stunning gown) with what she assumes is another prisoner - until she sees his liquid-quick movements. "Speak. Remind me you are a rational creature." he says. Turns out the vampire ("names have power") is imprisoned for a reason and he doesn't want his enemy to win (giving into hunger means he loses). They strike a wary alliance, Sunshine telling him stories through the day "Scheherezade had it easy!" to stave off his madness as he scoots around on the floor to avoid contact with the sun.
The next night, she has a dream in which she recalls visits to the lake and her grandmother who taught her magic - transmutation. Not having practiced her forgotten gift for 15 years, Sunshine is able to transform her pocketknife (hidden in her bra) into a key that unlocks her shackle. With a deeply-ingrained belief that vampires are evil, she unlocks his shackle also, telling the vampire "I don't like bullies". Knowing he would be unable to escape when all other vampires are awake, Sunshine takes his hand and pulls him out into the sun.
So, I'll omit the details here, but suffice it to say Sunshine winds up back at her apartment: tired, wounded and nearly delerious but alive. Sounds like the end right? Except, there's a cut on her chest that won't heal and the uncomfortable sense that something, or somethings, are still looking for her.
You'll have to read the book to learn the rest. Just believe me, you'll be surprised at what happens to Sunshine's life, her past, and her relationship with vampires! And, given the vampire stereotypes set out in this book, Sunshine's new acquaintance will take you to a whole new view of vampires as we know them!
This book is a constant treat for me, saved for special occasions and relished with much satisfaction when read. When I finish it, I'm reluctant to face the end and have to pick up another book in it's place. Sunshine fills a vampire space in my persona I didn't know I possessed. And if the whole dead-sexy (no pun intended), vampire romance books don't quite do it for you, read this book! Ok, there's the usual touch of romance and some kinda hot scenes (won't say whether they're human or vampire) that Ms. McKinley normally inserts into her books but this does NOT fit into ANY vampire-novel stereotype hanging around out there. Deeper, more intellectual, lots of confusion, coping and coming to terms with a new reality. Robin McKinley truly does the BEST job of writing about women coming into their own as newly-discovered special people. The struggle, confusion, denial and thought-processes are definitely worth the read!
Sunshine has become one of my top most favorite books of all time. Along with The Blue Sword, The Hero and the Crown, Spindle's End, Beauty, the Harry Potter series, the Chronicles of Narnia, L.M. Montgomery books (Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon series and The Blue Castle), Jane Eyre, Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials, Garth Nix's Abhorsen trilogy, Patricia McKillip's Alphabet of Thorn, Caroline B. Cooney's Time Quartet, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Dark Tower series and a few others!
Trust my book sense on this one, don't pass up Sunshine! It's great vampire material and another absolute masterpiece from Robin McKinley!
Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with fast, free delivery
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
Frequently bought together
$9.99
Get it as soon as Friday, May 17
In Stock
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Similar items that may deliver to you quickly
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Popular Highlights in this book
“The touch of evil poisons by the idea of it. Reject the idea and you have rejected the evil.”Highlighted by 270 Kindle readers- “It’s not silly at all. The insides of our own minds are the scariest things there are.”Highlighted by 244 Kindle readers
- I didn’t know you could go on finding out you’d had stuff by losing it. This didn’t seem like a very good method to me.Highlighted by 233 Kindle readers
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Reviews with images
Damaged item.
The pages inside the book were completely separated on one side of the spine, its an easy fix but still frustrating to receive in this condition.
Top reviews from other countries
Natalia
Sunshine. E a capa do livro brilha. Haha
Reviewed in Brazil on February 7, 2017
