The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
tess76's review against another edition
slow-paced
4.0
A book that is very focused on the setting, the Australian Outback, and the characters that inhabit it. The lost boy is almost secondary, a loose plot through which to explore the characters and setting.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Colonisation, Death, and Infidelity
Minor: Animal death
deedireads's review against another edition
challenging
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.
TL;DR REVIEW:
The Sun Walks Down is a super atmospheric, polyphonic novel set in 1800s Australia about a boy lost in the desert and how the members of his town respond. I liked it a lot.
For you if: You like books where the setting becomes a character in and of itself.
FULL REVIEW:
Thank you to FSG for the review copy of this book! Its awesome blurbs (and the fact that FSG put so much detail/budget into the ARCs) convinced me to pick it up, and I really enjoyed it.
The Sun Walks Down is interesting because it’s one of those books where the setting is the main character. It’s told through the voices of probably a dozen different members of a late-1800s colonial town in South Australia after a young, neurodivergent boy named Denny goes missing. That includes his family (I think his badass and queer-coded sister, Cissy, was my favorite), but also the police constable’s new wife, a painter visiting the area, Denny himself, and more. The story looks at not just how the community responds to the crisis, but also racism, colonization, class, and more.
One thing to know going in is that this is a slower-paced book and asks for your patience. The 7-day structure moves the story forward, not the prose — that lingers with the members of the town. So if you’re primarily interested in books where you’re invested in individual characters, this may not be for you. That said, it does what it’s trying to do very well.
Finally, I also listened to this one on audio as I read along, and thought it was performed very well. It had me entranced behind the wheel of my car a few times!
TL;DR REVIEW:
The Sun Walks Down is a super atmospheric, polyphonic novel set in 1800s Australia about a boy lost in the desert and how the members of his town respond. I liked it a lot.
For you if: You like books where the setting becomes a character in and of itself.
FULL REVIEW:
Thank you to FSG for the review copy of this book! Its awesome blurbs (and the fact that FSG put so much detail/budget into the ARCs) convinced me to pick it up, and I really enjoyed it.
The Sun Walks Down is interesting because it’s one of those books where the setting is the main character. It’s told through the voices of probably a dozen different members of a late-1800s colonial town in South Australia after a young, neurodivergent boy named Denny goes missing. That includes his family (I think his badass and queer-coded sister, Cissy, was my favorite), but also the police constable’s new wife, a painter visiting the area, Denny himself, and more. The story looks at not just how the community responds to the crisis, but also racism, colonization, class, and more.
One thing to know going in is that this is a slower-paced book and asks for your patience. The 7-day structure moves the story forward, not the prose — that lingers with the members of the town. So if you’re primarily interested in books where you’re invested in individual characters, this may not be for you. That said, it does what it’s trying to do very well.
Finally, I also listened to this one on audio as I read along, and thought it was performed very well. It had me entranced behind the wheel of my car a few times!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Infidelity and Animal death
Minor: Sexual content
More...