wellssie's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
maddydaisy's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Murder, Sexual assault, Rape, War, and Sexual violence
Minor: Homophobia
nadia_g's review against another edition
4.0
Knowing the truth has weighty consequences for the four protagonists of Bitter Sun, born and raised in a close-knit community in mid-West America where silence and complicity are the bread of everyday life.
The crime around which the novel is build functions like a boomerang: four children investigate a crime that no one cares about, and end up being the hunted.
Bitter Sun is narrated by John who recounts how in the summer of 1971, he, his sister and their two best friends found the body of a murdered girl. That year, they were around 12 years of age, and believing they could help the Sheriff, they set about finding clues. They are quickly baffled that no one appears interested in the murder, and soon they begin to eavesdrop and hunt for the killer themselves. Little do they realise that it is they who have become the prey.
Bitter Sun carries its title to perfection. The tale is a bitter one for these children. I felt such strong empathy for them. Beth Lewis has captured a deeply touching group dynamic and bond. John and his sister Jenny have been friends with Gloria and Rudy for years. The four are devoted to each other, and all experience similar problems at home. Alcoholism, low income, and petty violence are the realities to which they are confronted daily.
What gripped me most was the rippling effect of the murder on the innocent. As Johnny reflects early on in the novel, the murder was the first domino to fall. And the question that drives the entire novel is: will these kids escape from the crash.
The crime around which the novel is build functions like a boomerang: four children investigate a crime that no one cares about, and end up being the hunted.
Bitter Sun is narrated by John who recounts how in the summer of 1971, he, his sister and their two best friends found the body of a murdered girl. That year, they were around 12 years of age, and believing they could help the Sheriff, they set about finding clues. They are quickly baffled that no one appears interested in the murder, and soon they begin to eavesdrop and hunt for the killer themselves. Little do they realise that it is they who have become the prey.
Bitter Sun carries its title to perfection. The tale is a bitter one for these children. I felt such strong empathy for them. Beth Lewis has captured a deeply touching group dynamic and bond. John and his sister Jenny have been friends with Gloria and Rudy for years. The four are devoted to each other, and all experience similar problems at home. Alcoholism, low income, and petty violence are the realities to which they are confronted daily.
What gripped me most was the rippling effect of the murder on the innocent. As Johnny reflects early on in the novel, the murder was the first domino to fall. And the question that drives the entire novel is: will these kids escape from the crash.
damppebbles's review against another edition
5.0
All of my reviews can be found at https://damppebbles.com/
I saw Bitter Sun mentioned on a number of blogs last year and my FOMO well and truly kicked in. I really can’t help myself when it comes to literary crime fiction at the moment and as soon as I clapped eyes on this book, I knew I had to read it. And oh my goodness, I’m so glad I did. Heartbreaking and emotive, this is a wonderfully consuming piece of fiction which I lost myself in.
A group of young teenage friends make a harrowing discovery one day whilst wasting time down by the lake. The body of a young woman. Their discovery is both horrifying and fascinating. They’re repulsed but drawn to the corpse. No one seems to particularly care who the victim is or why she was killed. So the friends take it upon themselves to find out. From the point of their shocking discovery and for the rest of their lives, life will never be the same for John, Jenny, Gloria and Rudy…
Set in a small, claustrophobic mid-Western town in the early 1970s, Bitter Sun is an all-consuming novel about family, friendship and the cruel hand fate can deal you, among other things. This is a powerful, character-driven coming-of-age novel which, in parts, broke me. Our lead character is John Royal. At the ripe old age of 13, John holds sole responsibility for the family farm (unless you count the endless ‘pigeon pa’s’ who fly in, sh!t all over the place and then fly out again!) and is determined to return it to its former glory. His mother is a man-hungry drunk who has all the time in the world for her son but a confusing, turbulent, sometimes hateful relationship with John’s younger sister, Jenny. It makes for uncomfortable reading at times but the author shows the reader exactly how things stand between these two characters. Poor John, who adores both his mother and his sister, is very much stuck in the middle of this warzone.
The day the kids discover the body is the day everything changes. John sees a new side to his sister. She reacts strangely to the discovery and he struggles to understand what is going on. The friends, as one would expect from a group of 13-year-olds in this situation, make the wrong decision – making a bad situation ten times worse. From here, the intricate unravelling of these four lives begins. We see life in Larson over several skin-blistering Summers. Each year brings more change, more bad news, more revelations. My heart ached for John. The author has done an exceptional job in writing this character. I wanted to look after him, protect him from more hurt and shield him from more bad news.
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Bitter Sun is an engrossing tale which really got under my skin. Heart-breaking at times and chock full of emotion, it was exactly the right book at the right time for me. If you’re a reader who thinks characters are key then get yourself a copy of this beautifully written novel. I can promise you, you won’t regret it. Completely immersive, unforgettable and utterly mesmerising. Recommended.
I saw Bitter Sun mentioned on a number of blogs last year and my FOMO well and truly kicked in. I really can’t help myself when it comes to literary crime fiction at the moment and as soon as I clapped eyes on this book, I knew I had to read it. And oh my goodness, I’m so glad I did. Heartbreaking and emotive, this is a wonderfully consuming piece of fiction which I lost myself in.
A group of young teenage friends make a harrowing discovery one day whilst wasting time down by the lake. The body of a young woman. Their discovery is both horrifying and fascinating. They’re repulsed but drawn to the corpse. No one seems to particularly care who the victim is or why she was killed. So the friends take it upon themselves to find out. From the point of their shocking discovery and for the rest of their lives, life will never be the same for John, Jenny, Gloria and Rudy…
Set in a small, claustrophobic mid-Western town in the early 1970s, Bitter Sun is an all-consuming novel about family, friendship and the cruel hand fate can deal you, among other things. This is a powerful, character-driven coming-of-age novel which, in parts, broke me. Our lead character is John Royal. At the ripe old age of 13, John holds sole responsibility for the family farm (unless you count the endless ‘pigeon pa’s’ who fly in, sh!t all over the place and then fly out again!) and is determined to return it to its former glory. His mother is a man-hungry drunk who has all the time in the world for her son but a confusing, turbulent, sometimes hateful relationship with John’s younger sister, Jenny. It makes for uncomfortable reading at times but the author shows the reader exactly how things stand between these two characters. Poor John, who adores both his mother and his sister, is very much stuck in the middle of this warzone.
The day the kids discover the body is the day everything changes. John sees a new side to his sister. She reacts strangely to the discovery and he struggles to understand what is going on. The friends, as one would expect from a group of 13-year-olds in this situation, make the wrong decision – making a bad situation ten times worse. From here, the intricate unravelling of these four lives begins. We see life in Larson over several skin-blistering Summers. Each year brings more change, more bad news, more revelations. My heart ached for John. The author has done an exceptional job in writing this character. I wanted to look after him, protect him from more hurt and shield him from more bad news.
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Bitter Sun is an engrossing tale which really got under my skin. Heart-breaking at times and chock full of emotion, it was exactly the right book at the right time for me. If you’re a reader who thinks characters are key then get yourself a copy of this beautifully written novel. I can promise you, you won’t regret it. Completely immersive, unforgettable and utterly mesmerising. Recommended.
nadiasfiction's review against another edition
4.0
Knowing the truth has weighty consequences for the four protagonists of Bitter Sun, born and raised in a close-knit community in mid-West America where silence and complicity are the bread of everyday life.
The crime around which the novel is build functions like a boomerang: four children investigate a crime that no one cares about, and end up being the hunted.
Bitter Sun is narrated by John who recounts how in the summer of 1971, he, his sister and their two best friends found the body of a murdered girl. That year, they were around 12 years of age, and believing they could help the Sheriff, they set about finding clues. They are quickly baffled that no one appears interested in the murder, and soon they begin to eavesdrop and hunt for the killer themselves. Little do they realise that it is they who have become the prey.
Bitter Sun carries its title to perfection. The tale is a bitter one for these children. I felt such strong empathy for them. Beth Lewis has captured a deeply touching group dynamic and bond. John and his sister Jenny have been friends with Gloria and Rudy for years. The four are devoted to each other, and all experience similar problems at home. Alcoholism, low income, and petty violence are the realities to which they are confronted daily.
What gripped me most was the rippling effect of the murder on the innocent. As Johnny reflects early on in the novel, the murder was the first domino to fall. And the question that drives the entire novel is: will these kids escape from the crash.
The crime around which the novel is build functions like a boomerang: four children investigate a crime that no one cares about, and end up being the hunted.
Bitter Sun is narrated by John who recounts how in the summer of 1971, he, his sister and their two best friends found the body of a murdered girl. That year, they were around 12 years of age, and believing they could help the Sheriff, they set about finding clues. They are quickly baffled that no one appears interested in the murder, and soon they begin to eavesdrop and hunt for the killer themselves. Little do they realise that it is they who have become the prey.
Bitter Sun carries its title to perfection. The tale is a bitter one for these children. I felt such strong empathy for them. Beth Lewis has captured a deeply touching group dynamic and bond. John and his sister Jenny have been friends with Gloria and Rudy for years. The four are devoted to each other, and all experience similar problems at home. Alcoholism, low income, and petty violence are the realities to which they are confronted daily.
What gripped me most was the rippling effect of the murder on the innocent. As Johnny reflects early on in the novel, the murder was the first domino to fall. And the question that drives the entire novel is: will these kids escape from the crash.
angela_reade78's review against another edition
5.0
Such a sad but beautiful tale. I couldn’t put it down.
booktwitcher23's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
sednadragon35's review
4.0
I found this book interesting and it sounds something that you would like if you are a Stephen King fan.
franreads's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Coming of age, small-town America
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Pedophilia, Murder, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Child death, Child abuse, Bullying, Alcoholism, and Addiction