Sunflowers in February by Phyllida Shrimpton
| Sunflowers in February by Phyllida Shrimpton | |
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| Category: Teens | |
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Reviewer: Nigethan Sathiyalingam
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| Summary: Although the writing is inconsistent, there's lots to enjoy here for fans of YA exploring the afterlife, in particular the superb conclusion. | |
| Buy? No | Borrow? Maybe |
| Pages: 384 | Date: February 2018 |
| Publisher: Hot Key Books | |
| ISBN: 9781471406881 | |
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When Lily wakes up on the side of the road, she knows immediately that something is wrong. Then she sees her body lying in the mud. Her dead body. Wrong doesn't even begin to describe it. A disembodied ghost, Lily finds herself helplessly spectating the horrid aftermath of her own death, as her friends and family struggle to deal with the fallout from the hit-and-run that killed her. With no idea how to move on, Lily starts to despair, until one night she finally manages to make her presence known. She's always had a strong bond with her brother Ben - a twin thing. Now that bond allows him to see her when no-one else can, and gives her the chance to return to the living world. Lily has a lot of unfinished business. And top on that list is making her killer pay.
I'm a big fan of YA books that deal with death and the afterlife. It's a chance to explore a fascinating perspective, one that comes with an unparalleled clarity, focus and insight, that you just can’t give your characters in any other situation. After days stuck watching, not being able to interact with anything or anyone, Lily takes the opportunity to possess her brother's body with both ghostly hands. The thrill that she feels, to be able to feel and taste and be heard by the ones she loves, is powerful and alluring, and overcomes the guilt she feels for displacing Ben, not entirely with his permission. But it's also one tinged with desperation, because Lily knows that there's a ticking clock somewhere - not least because of the urn full of her ashes sitting in the house.
The trials and tribulations of living in a boy's body, while providing some entertaining drama, lean too heavily into gender stereotypes, which was a little disappointing. It isn't helped by the fact that Lily doesn't come across as the sharpest or most sympathetic protagonist, at least at first. I also felt that Lily's relationships with her best friend and her boyfriend, both in terms of how they are built up before her death, and develop during her absence and pseudo-return, could've done with more substance. However, the strength of the family relationships, with her brother and her parents, form the emotional core of the book and more than make up for the rest.
Most of the book is told in first person, but it occasionally flips to third, jumping to characters other than Lily. The transitions don't always work, but a real highlight is the time spent with the killer. Their identity is revealed early on. Throughout the book, I wasn't sure where the author was planning to take this plot strand, but the way she wrapped it up was both surprising and highly effective.
I found this a hard one to come to a verdict about. It's very uneven. There are plenty of moments when it reads awkwardly, weighed down with clunky descriptions and stilted, clichéd dialogue. However, when the writing works, it's powerful, the imagery beautiful, the characters relatable. The first third of the book does a great job with setting up the premise and building up tension, and while the middle third flounders somewhat, it's redeemed by the last 100 pages which really step up the ante. Emotions run high and the pace picks up. Numerous characters and plot points converge in a superbly satisfying manner, for a powerful, evocative conclusion. For fans of the premise, there's enough to enjoy, that Sunflowers in February is still worth a look at.
Many thanks to the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag.
There are obvious similarities to If I Stay by Gayle Forman and The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, the former being one of my favourite YA novels, while the latter offers a darker take aimed more at older readers. Flip by Martyn Bedford is a brilliant YA thriller for fans of the body-swapping theme. Meanwhile, it's Mean Girls meets Groundhog Day in the wonderful Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, where a girl is forced to relive the day she died over and over again. Finally, Neal Shusterman's Everlost, with its wonderfully zany and imaginative limbo, remains my favourite depiction of afterlife in YA lit. You might also enjoy The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Sunflowers in February by Phyllida Shrimpton at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Sunflowers in February by Phyllida Shrimpton at Amazon.com.
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