Remember, I’m a late-comer to romance in all it’s genres and sub-genres. Before 2007, all I’d read were the Bronte sisters, Jane Austen and Louisa May Alcott – all of which I categorize in my mind under the term Classics.
Way back in 2003, Penguin (actually a sub-division of Penguin) published Sunshine, by Robin McKinley. I’d never heard of the book before it was recommended. But what an outstanding recommendation it’s turning out to be.
The book is a Can’t Put Down, a Want To Read It While I’m Driving And Grocery Shopping, kinda book.
The reasons – The author’s voice is unique, kind of stream of consciousness and addictive… hooks me in the same way Cormac McCarthy’s voice caught me and reeled me into All the Pretty Horses.
The story is beautifully opaque. By that I mean it’s not an easy read. There are no short cuts, there’s no way to skim this book. If you try, you’ll miss the rich narrative and you’ll only have a superficial understanding of the complex characters and the alterna-world Robin McKinley has created.
Reading Sunshine, I suddenly grokked the relatively recent explosion of vampire fiction. I don’t know what came before Sunshine… maybe there was something else. What I do know is that Sunshine, by Robin McKinley, is like the universe’s Big Bang. Everything expands from this book. In her words, I see the beginning and the evolution of the vampire revolution.
In other news – Dear sweet Tom Stronach, all the way over in Great Britain, read my book of poetry. He’s talking about it here.
And last but not least, Team Shane Forever.
