What do you think?
Rate this book
The All-Night Sun
A lonely young woman gets too close to her charismatic female student in this propulsive debut, culminating in a dangerously debauched Midsommar’s Eve.
“Memorable and meaningful.”—Claire Messud, New York Times bestselling author of The Burning Girl
Lauren Cress teaches writing at a small college outside of Washington, DC. In the classroom, she is poised, smart, and kind, well-liked by her students and colleagues. But in her personal life, Lauren is troubled and isolated, still grappling with the sudden death of her parents ten years earlier. She seems to exist at a remove from everyone around her until a new student joins her class: charming, magnetic Siri, who appears to be everything Lauren wishes she could be. They fall headlong into an all-consuming friendship that feels to Lauren like she is reclaiming her lost adolescence.
When Siri invites her along on a trip home to Sweden for the summer, Lauren impulsively accepts, intrigued by how Siri describes it: “Everything will be green, fresh, new, just thawing out.” But once there, Lauren finds herself drawn to Siri’s enigmatic, brooding brother Magnus. Siri is resentful, and Lauren starts to see a new side of her friend: selfish, reckless, self-destructive, even cruel. On the last night of her trip, Lauren accompanies Siri and her friends on a seaside camping trip to celebrate Midsommar’s Eve, a night when no one sleeps, boundaries blur, and under the light of the unsetting sun, things take a dark turn.
Ultimately Lauren must acknowledge the truth of what happened with Siri and come to terms with her own tragic past in this gorgeously written, deeply felt debut about the relationships that come to us when things feel darkest–and the transformative power of female friendship.
“Memorable and meaningful.”—Claire Messud, New York Times bestselling author of The Burning Girl
Lauren Cress teaches writing at a small college outside of Washington, DC. In the classroom, she is poised, smart, and kind, well-liked by her students and colleagues. But in her personal life, Lauren is troubled and isolated, still grappling with the sudden death of her parents ten years earlier. She seems to exist at a remove from everyone around her until a new student joins her class: charming, magnetic Siri, who appears to be everything Lauren wishes she could be. They fall headlong into an all-consuming friendship that feels to Lauren like she is reclaiming her lost adolescence.
When Siri invites her along on a trip home to Sweden for the summer, Lauren impulsively accepts, intrigued by how Siri describes it: “Everything will be green, fresh, new, just thawing out.” But once there, Lauren finds herself drawn to Siri’s enigmatic, brooding brother Magnus. Siri is resentful, and Lauren starts to see a new side of her friend: selfish, reckless, self-destructive, even cruel. On the last night of her trip, Lauren accompanies Siri and her friends on a seaside camping trip to celebrate Midsommar’s Eve, a night when no one sleeps, boundaries blur, and under the light of the unsetting sun, things take a dark turn.
Ultimately Lauren must acknowledge the truth of what happened with Siri and come to terms with her own tragic past in this gorgeously written, deeply felt debut about the relationships that come to us when things feel darkest–and the transformative power of female friendship.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published July 14, 2020
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 315 reviews
July 27, 2020
Oh my...*wipes tears from eyes*
Imagine being an 18 year old young woman when tragically both of your parents, your only family, are killed in a car accident? You are now alone in the world trying to navigate a life for yourself with no one to help and no one to answer questions.
That happened to Lauren Cress who now teaches writing at a small college. She grapples with depression and loneliness since the loss of her parents when in walks Siri. She is a student from Sweden and she brings such light to Lauren's life that they begin a friendship that definitely tests the boundaries of comfort. Siri invites Lauren to spend the summer with her in Sweden and Lauren accepts but there will be devastating consequences.
"Lying had become second nature in my adult life. It was a way to spare strangers difficult conversations. The lies only ever pertained to my own information, and nothing I said was ever that important; the lies only served to keep me smiling, to keep the conversation from going off the cliff of sympathy, and to keep me from breaking down."
The writing in this book is is awe-inspiring and exquisite. I was absolutely moved by Lauren's story. I wanted to reach into the pages to hug her. Her pain and anguish is palpable and my stomach was in knots and tears streamed down my face on more than one occasion. A very poignant story on grief and acceptance. Also, that cover is stunning. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for being so kind as to grant me my *wish* to read this ARC.
Imagine being an 18 year old young woman when tragically both of your parents, your only family, are killed in a car accident? You are now alone in the world trying to navigate a life for yourself with no one to help and no one to answer questions.
That happened to Lauren Cress who now teaches writing at a small college. She grapples with depression and loneliness since the loss of her parents when in walks Siri. She is a student from Sweden and she brings such light to Lauren's life that they begin a friendship that definitely tests the boundaries of comfort. Siri invites Lauren to spend the summer with her in Sweden and Lauren accepts but there will be devastating consequences.
"Lying had become second nature in my adult life. It was a way to spare strangers difficult conversations. The lies only ever pertained to my own information, and nothing I said was ever that important; the lies only served to keep me smiling, to keep the conversation from going off the cliff of sympathy, and to keep me from breaking down."
The writing in this book is is awe-inspiring and exquisite. I was absolutely moved by Lauren's story. I wanted to reach into the pages to hug her. Her pain and anguish is palpable and my stomach was in knots and tears streamed down my face on more than one occasion. A very poignant story on grief and acceptance. Also, that cover is stunning. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for being so kind as to grant me my *wish* to read this ARC.
November 2, 2019
I was extremely lucky to receive an advance reader’s copy of this debut novel, because this is the book I have been waiting for since reading Charlotte Bronte’s VILLETTE thirty years ago. A mesmerizing, disturbing, and heart-wrenching read about loneliness and grief, THE ALL-NIGHT SUN follows a troubled young adjunct professor as she embarks on an intense friendship with a Swedish international student, both of them having been orphaned young, and ends up also entangled with the student’s distrusting friends and mysterious older artist brother. Zinna writes sentences that will break you, and then suddenly everything on the page lights up again, and you go on the rollercoaster that is love, and loss, and life. At some point I cancelled the rest of my day’s plans to reach this debut novel’s compulsive end. But in addition to the tightly-wound and unpredictable plot, Zinna ingeniously conveys for the reader the fun-house distortion of the human mind as it reels from trauma and yet fights through the pain to try to see clearly again. With poetic and hypnotic prose, THE ALL-NIGHT SUN is an essential addition to fiction on grief and a compelling story about female friendship, its limits and constraints, and the surprising ways it can make us whole.
November 26, 2019
The All-Night Sun is a testament to the power of storytelling. In much the same way that she pursues her emptiness across an ocean, the rawness of Lauren’s pain will have readers chasing her through the pages. The lies she tells herself—and others—about her past become the ghosts which simultaneously accuse and exonerate her. As she unravels and cuts through the tangles of her experience, we can’t help but cheer.
January 28, 2021
I listened to the audible production of “The All-Night Sun” by Diane Zinna, narrated by Brittany Pressley. I was disappointed. It is longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and has received good press. Perhaps my expectations were too high.
I felt the narrator, 28-year old Lauren, was an unreliable narrator. To me, she had some mental/emotional issues. She’s an instructor at a small school, teaching writing to international students. She becomes obsessed with a Swedish student, Siri. Although it’s not a sexual attraction, it’s an obsession much like a sexual attraction. It’s very inappropriate.
Additionally, Lauren’s parents died in a very bizarre accident ten years prior to Lauren’s Siri obsession. Lauren’s internal dialogue about her parent’s accident led me to feel something was amiss. And then Lauren spends a summer in Sweden with Siri and Lauren’s obsession grows. Events happening during the summer seemed strange, strange enough that I felt that Lauren was mentally ill.
At any rate, the ending left me perplexed. Can’t say I’d recommend it. The narrator was great though.
I felt the narrator, 28-year old Lauren, was an unreliable narrator. To me, she had some mental/emotional issues. She’s an instructor at a small school, teaching writing to international students. She becomes obsessed with a Swedish student, Siri. Although it’s not a sexual attraction, it’s an obsession much like a sexual attraction. It’s very inappropriate.
Additionally, Lauren’s parents died in a very bizarre accident ten years prior to Lauren’s Siri obsession. Lauren’s internal dialogue about her parent’s accident led me to feel something was amiss. And then Lauren spends a summer in Sweden with Siri and Lauren’s obsession grows. Events happening during the summer seemed strange, strange enough that I felt that Lauren was mentally ill.
At any rate, the ending left me perplexed. Can’t say I’d recommend it. The narrator was great though.
June 24, 2020
Explores the space between dreams and nightmares, life and death, the brilliance of the midnight sun and the darkness when you shut your eyes. A tender, aching, and unforgettable story.
April 30, 2020
Diane Zinna's The All-Night Sun is one of the most haunting and beautifully written books I have ever read. And let me just put this out there: I will be buying this book because I need to have that cover in my book collection.
Lauren Cress teaches an international class at a small Catholic college outside Washington, DC. She is charismatic and well-liked by her students. But she is also deeply lonely and still grieving her parents' deaths from ten years before. Everything changes when Siri, a charming eighteen-year-old fresh from Sweden, enters her classroom. Lauren is immediately taken with her and forms a boundary-crossing friendship.
When Siri invites Lauren back home during the summer break for her Midsommar festival, the lines between teacher and student get even more blurred. She is drawn to Siri's brooding older brother, Magnus, and sees a new side to her friend: one that is self-centered, destructive, and cruel. But Lauren is desperate to hold on to the only friend she has. And when things take a dark turn on the last day of the trip, Lauren escapes home in a state even worse than when she left. And the cost of her actions may be too high to recover from.
I typically read books quickly, especially if they're quickly-paced thrillers. I've found that I don't need to dwell on the writing, especially if it's not that memorable. Some have even lent themselves to "the skim," because they're full of filler that adds nothing to the plot.
The All-Night Sun forced me to slow down. I read this over a couple weeks rather than days, because I was just so captivated by Zinna's writing. If the cover is art, then her prose is a masterpiece. It's a quiet sort of book that doesn't rely on plot explosions, and I found myself lingering on each sentence. The reader is immersed in the setting with her rich descriptions and eye for detail.
There is a note in Zinna's acknowledgments about books with unlikable characters, and I've seen reviews that make note of this as well. I think because Lauren and Siri...let's say, don't always act in the most mature ways. But I didn't find them unlikable and I think that's down to how Zinna has given them life. Lauren is achingly lonely and obviously depressed and it's clear Siri is suffering as well. It's no wonder these two women found each other, regardless of how ill-advised their relationship may be. And though I didn't always agree with how they behaved, I could understand their motivations. And that's really all I needed.
I really recommend this to everyone. Even if the premise doesn't sound like something that's right for you, Zinna's immersive writing is something you should experience.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for allowing me this copy to review. It was truly a privilege.
Lauren Cress teaches an international class at a small Catholic college outside Washington, DC. She is charismatic and well-liked by her students. But she is also deeply lonely and still grieving her parents' deaths from ten years before. Everything changes when Siri, a charming eighteen-year-old fresh from Sweden, enters her classroom. Lauren is immediately taken with her and forms a boundary-crossing friendship.
When Siri invites Lauren back home during the summer break for her Midsommar festival, the lines between teacher and student get even more blurred. She is drawn to Siri's brooding older brother, Magnus, and sees a new side to her friend: one that is self-centered, destructive, and cruel. But Lauren is desperate to hold on to the only friend she has. And when things take a dark turn on the last day of the trip, Lauren escapes home in a state even worse than when she left. And the cost of her actions may be too high to recover from.
I typically read books quickly, especially if they're quickly-paced thrillers. I've found that I don't need to dwell on the writing, especially if it's not that memorable. Some have even lent themselves to "the skim," because they're full of filler that adds nothing to the plot.
The All-Night Sun forced me to slow down. I read this over a couple weeks rather than days, because I was just so captivated by Zinna's writing. If the cover is art, then her prose is a masterpiece. It's a quiet sort of book that doesn't rely on plot explosions, and I found myself lingering on each sentence. The reader is immersed in the setting with her rich descriptions and eye for detail.
There is a note in Zinna's acknowledgments about books with unlikable characters, and I've seen reviews that make note of this as well. I think because Lauren and Siri...let's say, don't always act in the most mature ways. But I didn't find them unlikable and I think that's down to how Zinna has given them life. Lauren is achingly lonely and obviously depressed and it's clear Siri is suffering as well. It's no wonder these two women found each other, regardless of how ill-advised their relationship may be. And though I didn't always agree with how they behaved, I could understand their motivations. And that's really all I needed.
I really recommend this to everyone. Even if the premise doesn't sound like something that's right for you, Zinna's immersive writing is something you should experience.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for allowing me this copy to review. It was truly a privilege.
December 31, 2020
NO SPOILERS...
My recommendation... go in blind...
have a little patience...
allow yourself to fall....
....fall into the storytelling...
No rush reading.... but it is addictive- becomes more addictive about half way....
This review is safe to read - for those considering reading it....
Audiobook narrated by Brittany Pressley
.....synced with the ebook.
Terrific debut by Diane Zinna....
an author to watch... to read again.
There was a sentence in this novel that rings sooooo true to me:
One about ‘this’ story- this book- and.....others:
“Some people won’t hear our stories, they won’t get the ‘depth’ of it, but some people will”.
I DO...
I DID ..... feel- get-“hear” the depth of this story.
My goodness—this book had me pondering thoughts upon thoughts....
There were a couple parts - about half way—where I felt soooo much anger towards a character- the emotion felt ‘real’.
‘real anger’ and -‘hatred’ for this character—
I hesitate to say who/which character... ( happy to discuss this book with other readers of it)...
But....
I hesitate mentioning the names of any of the characters ‘because’ I just shared I ‘hated’ one of them — more hatred than I remember feeling towards any character in any novel I’ve read in years—
And...
I don’t want to influence others prematurely.
I didn’t ‘hate’ this character at all— until I did. But.... I had a lot of suspicion about all of the characters.
“The All-Night Sun” is a 5 star-debut novel for me — both the written words - and the audiobook.
A few tidbits—
...we learn of a horrific death early on which never left me.
...we learn of another death ...
( similar to the first?—debatable)
...a very complicated - odd - friendship- between a teacher and student - not romantic relationship - rather a friendship- two women of different ages.
...the supporting characters add mystery.
... the writing was gorgeous— not to rush-
The prose really is often lyrical and beautiful— and the dialogue is engaging and powerful.
To me — this book is a tribute
to the greatness ‘women’ are ....how complicated we - women are — as individuals - as friends.
It’s filled with captivating, imperfect characters — charismatic characters—who, in one moment, made me laugh out loud, and the next... pierced my heart!
Themes of love, friendship loss, grief (daunting grief), and dazzling moments are lushly woven together....
There is also shame, disgrace, regret, and
...sultry, shrewd, magnetism....
capturing the volatility of misunderstandings.
Intimacy- danger - risks ....
the unctuous past makes for an almost impossible future.
An intoxicating seductive novel.🤫
New Year wishes! 🥳
Off to sleep 😴
My recommendation... go in blind...
have a little patience...
allow yourself to fall....
....fall into the storytelling...
No rush reading.... but it is addictive- becomes more addictive about half way....
This review is safe to read - for those considering reading it....
Audiobook narrated by Brittany Pressley
.....synced with the ebook.
Terrific debut by Diane Zinna....
an author to watch... to read again.
There was a sentence in this novel that rings sooooo true to me:
One about ‘this’ story- this book- and.....others:
“Some people won’t hear our stories, they won’t get the ‘depth’ of it, but some people will”.
I DO...
I DID ..... feel- get-“hear” the depth of this story.
My goodness—this book had me pondering thoughts upon thoughts....
There were a couple parts - about half way—where I felt soooo much anger towards a character- the emotion felt ‘real’.
‘real anger’ and -‘hatred’ for this character—
I hesitate to say who/which character... ( happy to discuss this book with other readers of it)...
But....
I hesitate mentioning the names of any of the characters ‘because’ I just shared I ‘hated’ one of them — more hatred than I remember feeling towards any character in any novel I’ve read in years—
And...
I don’t want to influence others prematurely.
I didn’t ‘hate’ this character at all— until I did. But.... I had a lot of suspicion about all of the characters.
“The All-Night Sun” is a 5 star-debut novel for me — both the written words - and the audiobook.
A few tidbits—
...we learn of a horrific death early on which never left me.
...we learn of another death ...
( similar to the first?—debatable)
...a very complicated - odd - friendship- between a teacher and student - not romantic relationship - rather a friendship- two women of different ages.
...the supporting characters add mystery.
... the writing was gorgeous— not to rush-
The prose really is often lyrical and beautiful— and the dialogue is engaging and powerful.
To me — this book is a tribute
to the greatness ‘women’ are ....how complicated we - women are — as individuals - as friends.
It’s filled with captivating, imperfect characters — charismatic characters—who, in one moment, made me laugh out loud, and the next... pierced my heart!
Themes of love, friendship loss, grief (daunting grief), and dazzling moments are lushly woven together....
There is also shame, disgrace, regret, and
...sultry, shrewd, magnetism....
capturing the volatility of misunderstandings.
Intimacy- danger - risks ....
the unctuous past makes for an almost impossible future.
An intoxicating seductive novel.🤫
New Year wishes! 🥳
Off to sleep 😴
April 30, 2020
I was fascinated by this debut novel. Yes, it's about grief and loneliness, but it's also an exploration of the limits of memory, and the stories we tell ourselves to get through the night. As the main character becomes involved in her friend's world and unhinged in their shared sorrows, she must revisit the formative episodes in her early life and revise her own story in order to heal. I loved the dreamlike and spiraling narrative structure and I'm still thinking about Lauren and Siri.
May 7, 2020
I feel like I read this book with my soul, instead of my eyes. The writing style of this book is dark, sure, but its also visceral and real and importantly heavy - like reading someone's train of emotions as they go through a series of emotionally-taxing events, both happy and sad. The best way I can describe the setting is "normal life, without emotional reservations or floodgates." I remember thinking that I was actually grieving with our narrator, as she walked us through several of the most personal experiences a person can have - and ones that I once thought would not have had anything to do with each other.
The book explores the idea of relationships themselves and how lack-thereof - through both prolonged and sudden losses - can affect our lives, personalities, and relationships with others. The book explores true friendship, the "dark side of friendship"(description from the author, and it's totally accurate), love for others, love for one's profession and how it defines you, and love for oneself.
Overall, this book was a wonderful experience and I highly recommend for anyone wanting to try a new writing style and isn't afraid of heavy subject-matter.
The book explores the idea of relationships themselves and how lack-thereof - through both prolonged and sudden losses - can affect our lives, personalities, and relationships with others. The book explores true friendship, the "dark side of friendship"(description from the author, and it's totally accurate), love for others, love for one's profession and how it defines you, and love for oneself.
Overall, this book was a wonderful experience and I highly recommend for anyone wanting to try a new writing style and isn't afraid of heavy subject-matter.
April 6, 2020
This one will stick with me.
When I first opened this book I meant to read a few pages of the first chapter just to whet my appetite for later. I had lots to do today and reading a novel could wait. But once I sat down for the first chapter I couldn’t stop.
Written in first person, the author drew me into the character’s life with her lyrical and insightful prose.
This isn't a book to rush through or to read a little at a time here and there, Instead it’s one that grows like a relationship. I wish I had the eloquence to describe this beautiful heart-wrenching novel the way it deserves. What I CAN say is - THIS one will stick with me.
When I first opened this book I meant to read a few pages of the first chapter just to whet my appetite for later. I had lots to do today and reading a novel could wait. But once I sat down for the first chapter I couldn’t stop.
Written in first person, the author drew me into the character’s life with her lyrical and insightful prose.
This isn't a book to rush through or to read a little at a time here and there, Instead it’s one that grows like a relationship. I wish I had the eloquence to describe this beautiful heart-wrenching novel the way it deserves. What I CAN say is - THIS one will stick with me.
July 23, 2020
This novel felt like breathing honeyed pain. Beautiful hurt on every page.
May 11, 2020
The All-Night Sun is a beautifully written novel of love, grief and the pain of intimacy.
Lauren, an adjunct professor of English for international students at Stella Maris College in Massachusetts makes most of her money via technical writing contracts. Even with these two jobs she makes barely enough to support herself. She loves teaching but with only a master's degree she doubts she can ever get a permanent tenured position at the college. She is very personable with the students, gives her all in feedback to assignments and tries to come up with creative ideas to stimulate the students' learning. During one semester she becomes close with a Swedish student named Siri and they begin a friendship.
Lauren appears to have things together but in reality she has little self-esteem and is very self-deprecatory. She has been living in a world of grief since her parents died in an automobile accident when she was a teenager. The grief has taken over her life and she can't find a way to recover - that is, until she meets Siri. Lauren is an accomplished liar. She finds that lying allows her to provide a mask of normalcy to others. When she finds out that Siri has also been orphaned at a young age, she feels a true kinship and closeness to her.
Stella Maris is a Christian school and, as such, has very particular rules and expectations about student-teacher relationships and boundaries. Siri invites Lauren to spend part of the summer with her in Sweden and on a whim, Lauren agrees even though she knows that this choice could get her in trouble with the college.
What follows during the summer is a desperate effort for Lauren to keep Siri close to her. Siri's family dynamics are conflicted and Siri's set of lifelong friends are put off by Lauren who is several years older than Siri and a newcomer to their established group. Siri is willful, adventurous and impulsive. Siri's sister wants Lauren to watch over her, a task that feels impossible to Lauren. The more Lauren takes on the role of 'protector', the more she loses her sense of self. Her attempts to connect to Siri, often unsuccessful, create a lack of balance in Lauren's worldview. She begins to lose herself and doubt her perceptions.
The writing is poetic and the inclusion of Swedish language and poetry make this book very special. I felt that I was in Sweden, part of its magic and mythology, enjoying the customs and beauty of a land I've never actually seen. This book is a gem and I highly recommend it.
Lauren, an adjunct professor of English for international students at Stella Maris College in Massachusetts makes most of her money via technical writing contracts. Even with these two jobs she makes barely enough to support herself. She loves teaching but with only a master's degree she doubts she can ever get a permanent tenured position at the college. She is very personable with the students, gives her all in feedback to assignments and tries to come up with creative ideas to stimulate the students' learning. During one semester she becomes close with a Swedish student named Siri and they begin a friendship.
Lauren appears to have things together but in reality she has little self-esteem and is very self-deprecatory. She has been living in a world of grief since her parents died in an automobile accident when she was a teenager. The grief has taken over her life and she can't find a way to recover - that is, until she meets Siri. Lauren is an accomplished liar. She finds that lying allows her to provide a mask of normalcy to others. When she finds out that Siri has also been orphaned at a young age, she feels a true kinship and closeness to her.
Stella Maris is a Christian school and, as such, has very particular rules and expectations about student-teacher relationships and boundaries. Siri invites Lauren to spend part of the summer with her in Sweden and on a whim, Lauren agrees even though she knows that this choice could get her in trouble with the college.
What follows during the summer is a desperate effort for Lauren to keep Siri close to her. Siri's family dynamics are conflicted and Siri's set of lifelong friends are put off by Lauren who is several years older than Siri and a newcomer to their established group. Siri is willful, adventurous and impulsive. Siri's sister wants Lauren to watch over her, a task that feels impossible to Lauren. The more Lauren takes on the role of 'protector', the more she loses her sense of self. Her attempts to connect to Siri, often unsuccessful, create a lack of balance in Lauren's worldview. She begins to lose herself and doubt her perceptions.
The writing is poetic and the inclusion of Swedish language and poetry make this book very special. I felt that I was in Sweden, part of its magic and mythology, enjoying the customs and beauty of a land I've never actually seen. This book is a gem and I highly recommend it.
December 29, 2022
This is a difficult book to rate, for me. It is dark, rife with utter loneliness and despair-I mean, heavy with it. Parts of it are gorgeously written, and parts of it are melodramatic. The story focuses on the narrator, Lauren, who is lost, depressed, bereft at the loss of her parents 10 years before when she was just 18. She is stunted and paralyzed and very, very alone with no family. She is unable to reach out, except for meaningless relationships. She eventually goes to college and wants to become a teacher, which she eventually does, and this is-she feels-the only thing with meaning in her life. She dresses the part, and walks the walk, but it is almost as though she is outside of herself watching herself being this smart and effective person. Enter Siri, Lauren’s junior by 10 years, a Swedish student, who becomes her whole world-sunshine, flowers, beauty, sparkling- who also lost both of her parents. To me, this relationship was over the top and silly, but this is the focus of the book-hence, my dilemma. Both Lauren and Siri have problems with telling the truth, but I believe this is a classic case of denial-“if I don’t say it, it didn’t happen.” Then Lauren goes home to Sweden with Siri that summer, and honestly, the relationship is so juvenile-“ does she really like me? Do her friends like me?” I suppose it could be that Lauren is so stunted and treading water, that she doesn’t know what friendship is, but I simply found this tedious. But there were some beautiful passages about grief, and loss, and some gorgeous descriptions of scenery and colors and art, and the Swedish countryside, and of course the all night sun, which is warm and shiny, but can burn you.
A decent read, but a bit too much with the angst.
A decent read, but a bit too much with the angst.
July 12, 2020
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Kaylie Seed
The All-Night Sun is an ode to grief from beginning to end that Zinna has written both brilliantly and breathtakingly. The author’s powerful prose paints picture after picture for the reader as they make their way through this phenomenal piece of literary fiction. It is clear to the reader the time has been taken to not only do the research about Sweden and Midsommar, but that Zinna has also effortlessly written a story that ebbs and flows so naturally.
REad the FULL REVIEW on The Nerd Daily
The All-Night Sun is an ode to grief from beginning to end that Zinna has written both brilliantly and breathtakingly. The author’s powerful prose paints picture after picture for the reader as they make their way through this phenomenal piece of literary fiction. It is clear to the reader the time has been taken to not only do the research about Sweden and Midsommar, but that Zinna has also effortlessly written a story that ebbs and flows so naturally.
REad the FULL REVIEW on The Nerd Daily
March 25, 2020
Zina offers readers a beautiful written and haunting look at life overwhelmed by loneliness and grief.
My copy was a gift through Goodreads First Reads.
My copy was a gift through Goodreads First Reads.
June 16, 2020
Amazing book! Had me captivated where I wanted to keep reading to find out what happens. A great story of friendship, grief and how one woman finally learns how to be free from her past.
August 26, 2020
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Pub. Date: July 14, 2020
Min-Review
The book’s title comes from the Swedish holiday, Midsummer Eve, which takes place during Sweden’s summer solstice and is celebrated all day and all night under the light of Sweden’s midnight sun. The story revolves around a troubled 28-year-old female adjunct professor and her unlikely friendship with an 18-year-old female Swedish student who invites her teacher home for the summer. The story is actually about grief for they have both lost their parents and are mentally struggling. The teacher stays hidden in the background. The student craves attention to fill her empty emotions. The author shines when capturing her characters' loneliness and grief. Zinna’s best writing is in the strong sensory imaginary that allows the reader to experience Midsummer Eve with its maypoles, crown flower wreaths, singing, and dancing. As well as the turmoil created when an adult is trying to fit into a teenage world that celebrates as if the holiday is the infamous Woodstock festival from the 1960s. However, although the prose is deep the story manages to drag. As a fan of literary fiction, I am aware that the novel will be a slow-paced character-driven read that usually focuses on the human condition, and less concerned with a fast-paced plot, which some readers prefer. So, I understand why fans of popular fiction could be turned off by “All Night.”Still, for literary fiction to keep your interest one needs to be invested in the protagonist’s growth, which I was not in this novel. Still, this is a debut novel and the author shows talent with its beautiful prose. I look forward to reading her next novel.
Find all my book reviews at:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
https://books6259.wordpress.com/
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/review...
https://www.facebook.com/martie.neesr...
https://www.instagram.com/martie6947/
https://www.pinterest.com/martienreco...\
https://www.amazon.com/
https://twitter.com/NeesRecord
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Pub. Date: July 14, 2020
Min-Review
The book’s title comes from the Swedish holiday, Midsummer Eve, which takes place during Sweden’s summer solstice and is celebrated all day and all night under the light of Sweden’s midnight sun. The story revolves around a troubled 28-year-old female adjunct professor and her unlikely friendship with an 18-year-old female Swedish student who invites her teacher home for the summer. The story is actually about grief for they have both lost their parents and are mentally struggling. The teacher stays hidden in the background. The student craves attention to fill her empty emotions. The author shines when capturing her characters' loneliness and grief. Zinna’s best writing is in the strong sensory imaginary that allows the reader to experience Midsummer Eve with its maypoles, crown flower wreaths, singing, and dancing. As well as the turmoil created when an adult is trying to fit into a teenage world that celebrates as if the holiday is the infamous Woodstock festival from the 1960s. However, although the prose is deep the story manages to drag. As a fan of literary fiction, I am aware that the novel will be a slow-paced character-driven read that usually focuses on the human condition, and less concerned with a fast-paced plot, which some readers prefer. So, I understand why fans of popular fiction could be turned off by “All Night.”Still, for literary fiction to keep your interest one needs to be invested in the protagonist’s growth, which I was not in this novel. Still, this is a debut novel and the author shows talent with its beautiful prose. I look forward to reading her next novel.
Find all my book reviews at:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
https://books6259.wordpress.com/
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/review...
https://www.facebook.com/martie.neesr...
https://www.instagram.com/martie6947/
https://www.pinterest.com/martienreco...\
https://www.amazon.com/
https://twitter.com/NeesRecord
July 7, 2020
Written in a beautiful, descriptive, and almost poetic style, this book explores the world of love, loss, grief, and possible implications of one’s inability to properly cope with the loss of a loved one(s). This slow moving tale of an adjunct teacher, who builds an unconventional and quite disturbing relationship with one of her students, while trying to cope with the loss of her parents, left me emotional and conflicted at times. The main characters are imperfect and unlikable at times, and yet I could not help myself but to root for them and hope for a happy ending, even though deep down I knew that their inappropriate relationship must end with devastating consequences. What made this book even more compelling for me was the stunning and vivid descriptions of Sweden’s landscapes. With her whimsical and immersive writing style, the author has an uncanny way of transporting the reader into the book’s pages.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a slow burn, character-driven, literary fiction.
Thank you NetGalley, Random House and the author for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a slow burn, character-driven, literary fiction.
Thank you NetGalley, Random House and the author for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 11, 2020
Review // The All-Night Sun by Diane Zinna
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The Facts: Literary Fiction, Debut Novel
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The Feel: Haunting, Compelling, Descriptive, Complex, Brilliant
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The Focus: Lauren is grieving the sudden death of her parents, who were her only real family. Working as an adjunct professor in DC, she meets a student named Siri, who is also dealing with the death of her mother. Lauren clings to Siri for hope and support, eventually accompanying her home to Sweden for a debauched Midsommar festival. This is ultimately a study in grief, loneliness and consequences.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Things To Know:
🇸🇪 I've finally found it - my favorite book of 2020! I know I say this a lot, but this really was the most beautiful book I've read in a very long time. Zinna's writing is incredible - smooth, descriptive, vivid, guttural. As soon as I started reading, I was in it, traveling to Sweden, swirling around in Lauren's anguish, wondering how I would possibly get by in a similar situation. I couldn't put it down.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🇸🇪 I've never read a book that so perfectly and hauntingly captured grief. I felt it in the pit of my stomach. I cried more than once. I wanted to reach through the pages and hug Lauren, take her in and protect her. This is a story of loss and yearning, for family and home, for a place to belong. It's a story about spiraling into obsession. It's a story about how hurt people hurt people. It's incredibly sad and incredibly brilliant.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🇸🇪 As always, I loved how immersive and escapist this book was. I love to travel far and wide through the stories I read, experiencing as many countries and cultures as possible. I was right there in Sweden, exploring the underground art, making flower crowns, watching the sun finally start to set at 11:00 p.m. Siri's siblings and home life were fascinating, as was the truly debauched Midsommar festival they attend on the last night of Lauren's trip.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Read If You Like:
🇸🇪 Midsommar (without the horror)
🇸🇪 The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
🇸🇪 Complex character studies
🇸🇪 Catharsis
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I'm still shocked that this was a debut. Brilliant and beautiful. ALL THE STARS!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The Facts: Literary Fiction, Debut Novel
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The Feel: Haunting, Compelling, Descriptive, Complex, Brilliant
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The Focus: Lauren is grieving the sudden death of her parents, who were her only real family. Working as an adjunct professor in DC, she meets a student named Siri, who is also dealing with the death of her mother. Lauren clings to Siri for hope and support, eventually accompanying her home to Sweden for a debauched Midsommar festival. This is ultimately a study in grief, loneliness and consequences.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Things To Know:
🇸🇪 I've finally found it - my favorite book of 2020! I know I say this a lot, but this really was the most beautiful book I've read in a very long time. Zinna's writing is incredible - smooth, descriptive, vivid, guttural. As soon as I started reading, I was in it, traveling to Sweden, swirling around in Lauren's anguish, wondering how I would possibly get by in a similar situation. I couldn't put it down.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🇸🇪 I've never read a book that so perfectly and hauntingly captured grief. I felt it in the pit of my stomach. I cried more than once. I wanted to reach through the pages and hug Lauren, take her in and protect her. This is a story of loss and yearning, for family and home, for a place to belong. It's a story about spiraling into obsession. It's a story about how hurt people hurt people. It's incredibly sad and incredibly brilliant.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🇸🇪 As always, I loved how immersive and escapist this book was. I love to travel far and wide through the stories I read, experiencing as many countries and cultures as possible. I was right there in Sweden, exploring the underground art, making flower crowns, watching the sun finally start to set at 11:00 p.m. Siri's siblings and home life were fascinating, as was the truly debauched Midsommar festival they attend on the last night of Lauren's trip.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Read If You Like:
🇸🇪 Midsommar (without the horror)
🇸🇪 The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
🇸🇪 Complex character studies
🇸🇪 Catharsis
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I'm still shocked that this was a debut. Brilliant and beautiful. ALL THE STARS!
July 28, 2022
4/5
Knyga tikrai kaip saulė – ir nemaloniai spigina į akis, ir nervina, ir maloniai šildo. Ir tikrai skaitydama patyriau visą puokštę emocijų, o pabaiga viską tobulai sudėliojo į vietas. Mano skoniui – tai nebūtinai pliusas. Iki pabaigos autorė ėjo ne visuomet taip, kad baisiai džiaugčiausi: buvo daug labai erzinančių veikėjų, labai paaugliško elgesio net ne iš paauglių, labai daug „myliu-noriu-negaliu“. Visgi, vis buvo naudinga sau priminti, kad visų pirma tai – knyga apie sielvartą. Visa apimantį, gyventi neleidžiantį, smaugiantį, tirštą. Todėl daug elgesio kliurkų, kurios užknisa, visgi norisi atleisti – kai skauda, žmonės dar ne tokių dalykų pridaro. Ir nors knygos aprašymas gąsdinančiai priminė „Midsommar“ filmą, apart veiksmo vietos ir šventės, o ir stipraus akcento ant netekties, daugiau panašumų čia nėra. O ir valio.
Turiu pagirti autorę dėl to, kad sukurti nepatogius veikėjus, kas, kaip ji teigia, ir buvo tikslas, jai pasisekė. Norisi juos ir purtyti ir su jais nebūti, ir paprotinti, ir iš viso nuo jų atsitraukti. Visgi, labai įdomus priekabiavimo temos perkėlimas ant veikėjos moters – tai literatūroje, ar kur kitur, vis dar nėra dažna tema. Ir nors knyga parašyta gana literatūriškai, vietomis man kliuvo pats tekstas. Vertimas kaip ir geras, tačiau kažkas iki galo nesiklijavo. Visgi, turiu pagirti ir dėl labai ryškaus Švedijos portreto, dėl puikių netektį ir jos skausmą išduodančių simbolių, dėl visos lavinos emocijų, kurias Nakties saulė sugeba sukelti. Tai – didelis literatūrinis laimėjimas, nutikęs tuo pat metu jai kovojant su vėžiu - įspūdinga. Ir jei toks yra debiutas, nekantrauju sužinoti ką autorė sukurs toliau.
Knyga tikrai kaip saulė – ir nemaloniai spigina į akis, ir nervina, ir maloniai šildo. Ir tikrai skaitydama patyriau visą puokštę emocijų, o pabaiga viską tobulai sudėliojo į vietas. Mano skoniui – tai nebūtinai pliusas. Iki pabaigos autorė ėjo ne visuomet taip, kad baisiai džiaugčiausi: buvo daug labai erzinančių veikėjų, labai paaugliško elgesio net ne iš paauglių, labai daug „myliu-noriu-negaliu“. Visgi, vis buvo naudinga sau priminti, kad visų pirma tai – knyga apie sielvartą. Visa apimantį, gyventi neleidžiantį, smaugiantį, tirštą. Todėl daug elgesio kliurkų, kurios užknisa, visgi norisi atleisti – kai skauda, žmonės dar ne tokių dalykų pridaro. Ir nors knygos aprašymas gąsdinančiai priminė „Midsommar“ filmą, apart veiksmo vietos ir šventės, o ir stipraus akcento ant netekties, daugiau panašumų čia nėra. O ir valio.
Turiu pagirti autorę dėl to, kad sukurti nepatogius veikėjus, kas, kaip ji teigia, ir buvo tikslas, jai pasisekė. Norisi juos ir purtyti ir su jais nebūti, ir paprotinti, ir iš viso nuo jų atsitraukti. Visgi, labai įdomus priekabiavimo temos perkėlimas ant veikėjos moters – tai literatūroje, ar kur kitur, vis dar nėra dažna tema. Ir nors knyga parašyta gana literatūriškai, vietomis man kliuvo pats tekstas. Vertimas kaip ir geras, tačiau kažkas iki galo nesiklijavo. Visgi, turiu pagirti ir dėl labai ryškaus Švedijos portreto, dėl puikių netektį ir jos skausmą išduodančių simbolių, dėl visos lavinos emocijų, kurias Nakties saulė sugeba sukelti. Tai – didelis literatūrinis laimėjimas, nutikęs tuo pat metu jai kovojant su vėžiu - įspūdinga. Ir jei toks yra debiutas, nekantrauju sužinoti ką autorė sukurs toliau.
December 8, 2022
Pavadinčiau niūria ir slogia knyga, kuri tiesiogine to žodžio prasme užkrauna.. Sielvartas netekus abiejų tėvų, ir visą laiką kabinimasis į gyvenimą, nors ir nieko nebesinori - praeitis ir prisiminimai vis gryžta.
Akimirkos spindulys, kai rodos radai savo giminingą sielą. Žmogų, kuris išgyveno tą patį. Gali būti šalia, kalbėtis ir žinai, kad būsi suprastas. Deja, išvykus iš įprastos aplinkos tas žmogus parodo kitą savo veidą ir niekas nebebūna kaip anksčiau.
Žavi Švedijos vasara ir papročiai. Vasarvidžio šventė, kurioje nutinka dar viena nelaimė. Kas ten nutiko, supranti anksčiau už pagrindinę knygos heroję.
Gražus knygos viršelis ir labai sudėtinga istorija.
..neria į pačias netekties, sielvarto ir draugystės gelmes..
🖋 ..visas mano gyvenimas buvo lyg liūdnas niūniavimas sučiauptomis lūpomis.
🖋 Skausmas niekada nepraeina.
🖋 Liūdesys būna ilgas. Visada ilgas. Ilgas siūlas iš didžiulio kamuolio, kurį vis ritini ir ritini.
🖋 Turi praeiti tamsų tunelį, kad išeitum kitame jo gale.
🖋 Kartais pakanka pabūti su tais, kurie mylėjo tą patį žmogų kaip ir tu.
Akimirkos spindulys, kai rodos radai savo giminingą sielą. Žmogų, kuris išgyveno tą patį. Gali būti šalia, kalbėtis ir žinai, kad būsi suprastas. Deja, išvykus iš įprastos aplinkos tas žmogus parodo kitą savo veidą ir niekas nebebūna kaip anksčiau.
Žavi Švedijos vasara ir papročiai. Vasarvidžio šventė, kurioje nutinka dar viena nelaimė. Kas ten nutiko, supranti anksčiau už pagrindinę knygos heroję.
Gražus knygos viršelis ir labai sudėtinga istorija.
..neria į pačias netekties, sielvarto ir draugystės gelmes..
🖋 ..visas mano gyvenimas buvo lyg liūdnas niūniavimas sučiauptomis lūpomis.
🖋 Skausmas niekada nepraeina.
🖋 Liūdesys būna ilgas. Visada ilgas. Ilgas siūlas iš didžiulio kamuolio, kurį vis ritini ir ritini.
🖋 Turi praeiti tamsų tunelį, kad išeitum kitame jo gale.
🖋 Kartais pakanka pabūti su tais, kurie mylėjo tą patį žmogų kaip ir tu.
March 30, 2020
This book was provided as a giveaway.
It was well written but oh-so-tedious. I like my books to have drama, and move right along. It was not the case with this book. I did not like the main characters at all. Siri was immature and childish while Lauren was annoying and immature as well. Much of the book could be written in fewer words. I suspected what had happened in the latter part of the book but it dragged on and on. It felt like the characters were playing cat and mouse throughout.
It was well written but oh-so-tedious. I like my books to have drama, and move right along. It was not the case with this book. I did not like the main characters at all. Siri was immature and childish while Lauren was annoying and immature as well. Much of the book could be written in fewer words. I suspected what had happened in the latter part of the book but it dragged on and on. It felt like the characters were playing cat and mouse throughout.
April 16, 2020
4 STARS!!!!
I won this as a Goodreads giveaway in return for my honest review.
This story was not at all what I expected. Throughout there was an underlying eeriness. Something that made me continue with caution.
Lauren Cress teaches english to international students at a small college in Washington D.C. She's not a professor, she's an adjunct. She's 28 years old with no family or friends. She has been isolated, lonely and depressed ever since the deaths of her parents 10 years before...until Siri walks into her class. Siri is vibrant and ebullient, and like Lauren has experienced profound loss. They become fast friends but keep it quiet due to frowning on teacher/student relationships.
For summer holiday, Siri invites Lauren to her home in Sweden. From that point on chaos ensues.
This is a difficult review to write without giving anything away. Suffice it to say, this author gives insight into complex friendships, jealousy and how the mind blocks out devastation after trauma.
This was an intense and captivating read you won't want to miss!
I won this as a Goodreads giveaway in return for my honest review.
This story was not at all what I expected. Throughout there was an underlying eeriness. Something that made me continue with caution.
Lauren Cress teaches english to international students at a small college in Washington D.C. She's not a professor, she's an adjunct. She's 28 years old with no family or friends. She has been isolated, lonely and depressed ever since the deaths of her parents 10 years before...until Siri walks into her class. Siri is vibrant and ebullient, and like Lauren has experienced profound loss. They become fast friends but keep it quiet due to frowning on teacher/student relationships.
For summer holiday, Siri invites Lauren to her home in Sweden. From that point on chaos ensues.
This is a difficult review to write without giving anything away. Suffice it to say, this author gives insight into complex friendships, jealousy and how the mind blocks out devastation after trauma.
This was an intense and captivating read you won't want to miss!
April 18, 2020
The promotional materials pegged this as a story about female friendship and Midsommar but more than that it was a wonderful and moving story of grief. The narrator is erratic and at times unreliable as she lives with the grief of the drowning death of her parents and her friendship with a young Swedish student.
October 13, 2022
„Vienintelis dalykas, svaiginantis labiau nei buvimas su žmogumi, su kuriuo trokšti būti, yra artimas ryšys su tuo, kuris atrodo toks pats nesuprastas kaip tu."
Mane patraukė per visą naktį šviečianti saulė, Švedijos gamta ir folkloras, vasaros šventė Midsommar. Saulėje spindintys ežerai, troliai, Pepė Ilgakojinė, skalūno paplūdimiai, folkloras ir vandens dvasios. O pavadinimą suprantu kaip vilties simbolį tamsoje, šviesą juodžiausioje neviltyje.
Autorė šią knygą rašė 12 metų, per tą laiką ji dirbo, susilaukė dukros ir kovojo su vėžiu. Joje labai daug sielvarto, vienatvės ir melo. Pagrindinė veikėja Lorena nėra iš tų moterų, kurias paprasta pamėgti. Greičiau ji priklauso tam nepatogiųjų ir keistųjų ratui. Jai sunku pritapti prie bendruomenės, būti priimtai ir suprastai. Ir mane nuolat lydėjo jausmas, jog ji sirgo ar turėjo emocinių sunkumų.
Užsimezgusi nauja draugystė su studente, priverčia Loreną patikėti, jog ir ji gali būti normali, suprasta ir saugi. Jų atvejis trikdo ir kelia nemalonius klausimus: ar dėstytojas ir studentas gali būti draugais, kada peržengiama riba ir sulaužomos nerašytos taisyklės? Tačiau ryšys su kitu žmogumi keičia, žaloja arba gydo.
Sielvartas šiame pasakojime lydi iki pat pabaigos, jis tai iškyla tarsi akinanti saulė, tai panyra į tamsias vandenyno gelmes. Ar yra nustatyta, kiek turi trukti gedulas, kiek normalu liūdėti dėl tėvų netekties? Kai Lorena kalbasi su savo studentės Sirės broliu Magnusu, jis pasako jai: „kažkas negerai su pasauliu, jei jis mano, kad dešimt metų yra per ilgai".
Pasakojime melas, sapnai, košmarai ir tikrovė susimaišo, nuolat persekioja vaiduokliai iš praeities. Draugystė ir meilė gydo, tačiau labiausiai padeda sąžiningumas pačiam sau ir drąsa sakyti tiesą. Hipnotizuojantis, melancholiškas ir vaizdingas rašymo stilius. O pabaiga buvo graudi, bet tuo pačiu ir viltinga, tad man labai patiko.
www.profesionalimama.wordpress.com
https://www.facebook.com/profesionali...
https://www.instagram.com/profesional...
Mane patraukė per visą naktį šviečianti saulė, Švedijos gamta ir folkloras, vasaros šventė Midsommar. Saulėje spindintys ežerai, troliai, Pepė Ilgakojinė, skalūno paplūdimiai, folkloras ir vandens dvasios. O pavadinimą suprantu kaip vilties simbolį tamsoje, šviesą juodžiausioje neviltyje.
Autorė šią knygą rašė 12 metų, per tą laiką ji dirbo, susilaukė dukros ir kovojo su vėžiu. Joje labai daug sielvarto, vienatvės ir melo. Pagrindinė veikėja Lorena nėra iš tų moterų, kurias paprasta pamėgti. Greičiau ji priklauso tam nepatogiųjų ir keistųjų ratui. Jai sunku pritapti prie bendruomenės, būti priimtai ir suprastai. Ir mane nuolat lydėjo jausmas, jog ji sirgo ar turėjo emocinių sunkumų.
Užsimezgusi nauja draugystė su studente, priverčia Loreną patikėti, jog ir ji gali būti normali, suprasta ir saugi. Jų atvejis trikdo ir kelia nemalonius klausimus: ar dėstytojas ir studentas gali būti draugais, kada peržengiama riba ir sulaužomos nerašytos taisyklės? Tačiau ryšys su kitu žmogumi keičia, žaloja arba gydo.
Sielvartas šiame pasakojime lydi iki pat pabaigos, jis tai iškyla tarsi akinanti saulė, tai panyra į tamsias vandenyno gelmes. Ar yra nustatyta, kiek turi trukti gedulas, kiek normalu liūdėti dėl tėvų netekties? Kai Lorena kalbasi su savo studentės Sirės broliu Magnusu, jis pasako jai: „kažkas negerai su pasauliu, jei jis mano, kad dešimt metų yra per ilgai".
Pasakojime melas, sapnai, košmarai ir tikrovė susimaišo, nuolat persekioja vaiduokliai iš praeities. Draugystė ir meilė gydo, tačiau labiausiai padeda sąžiningumas pačiam sau ir drąsa sakyti tiesą. Hipnotizuojantis, melancholiškas ir vaizdingas rašymo stilius. O pabaiga buvo graudi, bet tuo pačiu ir viltinga, tad man labai patiko.
www.profesionalimama.wordpress.com
https://www.facebook.com/profesionali...
https://www.instagram.com/profesional...
July 29, 2020
This elegant debut novel is lyrical, haunting, and beautifully constructed. A wonderful read (and the cover is gorgeous)!
December 8, 2020
The All-Night Sun is an incredible fiction debut that gets stronger and stronger as it goes on. The protagonist Lauren is an adjunct professor who befriends a student, Siri, and takes a haphazard trip with her to Sweden. Lauren and Siri both connect on the ghosts of grief they carry, and start out as likable relatable characters, but as the book carries on, their ugly sides begin to show. Neither has healthily coped with loss, and they both have their selfish, controlling sides. They both make mistakes, but it’s these flaws that make them all the more human and resonant as characters.
Lauren starts out as the likable teacher, but as she returns from Sweden, the way she treats Siri’s friend Frida shocked me. It was disturbing and initially confusing. But as the pieces of the narrative come together, I began to understand why she acted this way. I was so distracted with Siri’s ugly side that I didn’t realized Lauren’s ugliness was creeping in too: her selfishness, her obsessive need for love and affirmation, her paranoia. What grief does to us, making us like those monsters Siri’s brother Magnus drew. Yet this is what I love so much about this book: it’s so human, real and relatable.
Maybe I say this in part because I’m also an adjunct professor, and elements of Lauren’s journey, including her melt-down and staff responses, felt way too close to home. They made me feel less alone. Being an adjunct can be so degrading; there’s little respect, little chance for upward mobility, and Chuck E Cheese tokens as payment for the investments you’re making in future lives. This career choice for Lauren further reinforces how lost and lonely she feels, the stability she needs but doesn’t have. Even though I haven’t experienced the grief Lauren has, I found myself connecting to her good, bad and ugly sides. As someone who started teaching when she was the same age as her students, the falling into a friendship with a student, the lines crossed, the need for that relationship felt very relatable and believable.
It took me a little bit to get into the beginning, but once I was in a few chapters, I was hooked. Siri is like a siren, pulling you in. I felt entranced like Lauren. And for the ending, Lauren is the one who pulls me in, the memory of Siri, and Lauren’s inability to cope, haunting. This is a book I will carry inside me for the rest of my life.
Lauren starts out as the likable teacher, but as she returns from Sweden, the way she treats Siri’s friend Frida shocked me. It was disturbing and initially confusing. But as the pieces of the narrative come together, I began to understand why she acted this way. I was so distracted with Siri’s ugly side that I didn’t realized Lauren’s ugliness was creeping in too: her selfishness, her obsessive need for love and affirmation, her paranoia. What grief does to us, making us like those monsters Siri’s brother Magnus drew. Yet this is what I love so much about this book: it’s so human, real and relatable.
Maybe I say this in part because I’m also an adjunct professor, and elements of Lauren’s journey, including her melt-down and staff responses, felt way too close to home. They made me feel less alone. Being an adjunct can be so degrading; there’s little respect, little chance for upward mobility, and Chuck E Cheese tokens as payment for the investments you’re making in future lives. This career choice for Lauren further reinforces how lost and lonely she feels, the stability she needs but doesn’t have. Even though I haven’t experienced the grief Lauren has, I found myself connecting to her good, bad and ugly sides. As someone who started teaching when she was the same age as her students, the falling into a friendship with a student, the lines crossed, the need for that relationship felt very relatable and believable.
It took me a little bit to get into the beginning, but once I was in a few chapters, I was hooked. Siri is like a siren, pulling you in. I felt entranced like Lauren. And for the ending, Lauren is the one who pulls me in, the memory of Siri, and Lauren’s inability to cope, haunting. This is a book I will carry inside me for the rest of my life.
July 5, 2020
"The All-Night Sun" is a well written novel but wasn't very memorable. I can't even recall basic plot points. I think the reason is because of the protagonist, Lauren. I found Lauren to be so insufferable. There's a lot of backstory about her parent's demise a decade before, which is fine, but Lauren dwells on it to the point where it was making me uncomfortable (especially during these uncertain times). Her inappropriate friendship with a female student was intriguing but once it got to the Midsommar celebration in Sweden, the plot kind of unraveled from there. Diane Zinna has a beautiful way with words, but I felt like this book was too draggy and melodramatic for my taste. I kept waiting for something big to happen and it never came. This book is worth it alone for that gorgeous cover though. Wow.
Thank you, Netgalley and Random House for the digital ARC.
Release date: July 14, 2020
Thank you, Netgalley and Random House for the digital ARC.
Release date: July 14, 2020
December 28, 2022
Oh, this book! My last reading session was a long one - awake til 3:30 this morning, unable to put it down!
Right from the start I felt a connection with Lauren (and a little pity) and often said, out loud, "Lauren, don't be such an idiot! Stop lying!!" I was so angry with her! I couldn't understand why she felt so compelled to lie all the time. I'm still not certain. The death of her parents had something to do with it, but it was so much more than that. This book can be deep - cavernous even - and maybe I just wasn't willing to explore it more deeply, to protect myself. BUT PLEASE don't let that turn you off! I sincerely believe this is the kind of book that can be equally enjoyed by reading it very deeply or by staying on the surface. I hope that makes sense? At any rate, the relationship between Lauren and Siri may have been the oddest I've ever read. It was so complex and multi-layered which, I'm sure, is what made it so interesting.
I found it quite surprising that it was the author's first novel! She's either hugely talented, very troubled, or both (and by that I mean no disrespect whatsoever)! Enormous kudos to Diane Zinna for writing this absolutely magnificent novel. You will LOVE it!!
Right from the start I felt a connection with Lauren (and a little pity) and often said, out loud, "Lauren, don't be such an idiot! Stop lying!!" I was so angry with her! I couldn't understand why she felt so compelled to lie all the time. I'm still not certain. The death of her parents had something to do with it, but it was so much more than that. This book can be deep - cavernous even - and maybe I just wasn't willing to explore it more deeply, to protect myself. BUT PLEASE don't let that turn you off! I sincerely believe this is the kind of book that can be equally enjoyed by reading it very deeply or by staying on the surface. I hope that makes sense? At any rate, the relationship between Lauren and Siri may have been the oddest I've ever read. It was so complex and multi-layered which, I'm sure, is what made it so interesting.
I found it quite surprising that it was the author's first novel! She's either hugely talented, very troubled, or both (and by that I mean no disrespect whatsoever)! Enormous kudos to Diane Zinna for writing this absolutely magnificent novel. You will LOVE it!!
August 4, 2020
Such authentic storytelling, straight from the heart. Diane Zinna's The All-Night Sun is a history of grief and loss but it is also an ode to the necessity of deep, essential friendship. Moving and important, this story never shies away from intense emotions. The narrator lets us all the way in to the heart of the main character, the way a true friend does. This is one to be savored page by turning page.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 315 reviews