What a lovely book.

Days of light follows Ivy through her life by narrating specific impactful days throughout the years. Days, on which the trajectory of her life changed in some way or another.

The writing in this was deliciously atmospheric, lots of purple prose that pulled me right in. I myself felt like a family member inside the cottage or a fly on the wall in Ivy’s bedrooms. I found the characters very endearing overall as well.

I do have to admit that some of the decisions Ivy makes were not 100% understandable to me specifically her becoming a nun as well as the book’s theme generally shifting to becoming very religion centered but surprisingly that didn’t bother me so much.
This reminded me a lot of The Safekeep a lot of the time, another novel that I enjoyed a lot.

This book is not something I’d usually go for but it worked very well for me. Great writing and nice narrative concept.

4.25 Stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the ARC.

Very much enjoyed The End We Start From and its movie adaptation but didn't find as much thrill in this one. Still a very good book I simply am not a huge fan of such divide in chapters. Overall great.

This is a deep novel, one that depicts beautifully the many stages of the life of a unique woman. This novel is one that does not sound like a piece of writing form the 21st century but rather like a period piece written in a small cottage in the Cotswolds. It is also a novel which is set in different years and during different historical events. All of it follows Ivy and the people in her life, her loves, needs and desires.

The characters are many, which is interesting and especially in the beginning a wee bit puzzling. However, all of the characters are rather unique, while at the same time not being novel at all as they simply remind me of Brontë and Austen. That’s a win in my book. The scenery and atmosphere is daintily described and with much detail endowed. I also feel like reading a piece by Oscar Wilde when observing the characters, their peculiar relationships to both each other as well as themselves.

Unfortunately the plot started off rather boring. Not much happened, it was based more on descriptions of people and situations and I had a hard time getting immersed. Luckily I endured the first sections as the second one and the ending of the first drew me in. The mediation on loss amongst many other topics is so deep and poetic. And then there is also the condescension of Bear towards Ivy, his looking at her as a simple being and telling her as much, his predatory behavior. The passion Ivy starts to feel towards an unexpected person is tangible, very well written - desire, closeness in times of distress and war…and beyond. I was so rooting for them.

The last 20% of the book extinguished my interest somewhat. I don’t know why I don’t like the transition from a woman in love, disappointed by love and her life to religion. Maybe it is because I have no real relationship with religion that I feel like this life choice does Ivy an injustice. I just disconnected, I guess.
But again, I’m glad I persevered because it took a turn I hoped for but wasn’t sure would happen.

I came into this book with little to no expectations, and was pleasantly surprised with what I was reading. We follow the life of a single woman across six specific days throughout her life, and we see how some things have changed, while others are a constant. It's a smart way to analyze an entire life through some of the most momentous periods of her story, although the pacing was a bit off in some sections of the book, making it more difficult to get through in certain sections. Overall, though, I enjoyed this one a lot!

Days of Light was my first Megan Hunter book but it certainly won't be my last. A beautifully told, tender story of a young English woman in the late 1930s, excited to see where life takes her. So begins the next 6 decades of Ivy's life, and Days of Light dips into one for each decade, letting us take Ivy from innocence through the complicated days, leaving us in 1999 at the turn of the millennium.

It was a beautiful read, captivating, and held my attention to the end.
The writing was also beautiful and sensual. The idea that we are following Ivy for one day at a time throughout her life is great; it's like looking through a window. 
Ivy is a nicely written character. She is troubled and full of pain, especially after the day that truly changed her life. She is looking for something even though she doesn’t know what it is and we are uncovering that with her.
I love how relationships are done here, every one is unique, and showing us the intricate ties that bind this family. 
This is also a book about faith and looking for God, asking questions about him, and telling us that sometimes, believing is a way to hide ourselves from hurting.

4.5/5 Stars. When I read the review for this by What Cathy Read Next, I was sure that this was going to be my kind of book. So, I immediately looked for it, and lo and behold, there it was on NetGalley, and available for me to request. Well, imagine my surprise when Grove Atlantic/Grove Press accepted my request almost immediately! Since I suddenly had a window in my reading list (due to a lack of approvals on both NetGalley and Edelweiss), I realized I could read it in more than good time to review it before publication. I love doing that! So, here we go, with one day before publication, and you’re getting my review.

Well, I have to state right at the outset that this is one of the most beautifully written books I’ve read in a very long time. Hunter’s prose is lusciously poetic, and ultimately evocative, as we delve into these separate days in Ivy’s life. From a fateful day in 1938, with England on the brink of a second World War, through another Easter Sunday in 1999, Hunter builds up Ivy’s life through Ivy’s eyes. These vignettes could almost be stories on their own, but as they come, chronologically, we get a comprehensive portrait of Ivy, where we’re able to understand what is in her heart, what moves her, as well as who Ivy thinks she is, what Ivy is to those around her, and how she feels about all these things.

I really enjoyed this format, although it is nothing innovative. But in Hunter’s hands, it becomes more like a window into Ivy, but in small, easily digestible pieces. This is exactly what literary fiction is about. Building a character and taking them through their lives. I know that many people dislike literary fiction because they say that “nothing happens” but in this case, quite a bit happens to Ivy throughout her life, although because of the gaps between the days included in this story, we aren’t witness to all these events. On the other hand, how we find out about those things that happened is recounted with the lens of hindsight, so that Ivy is able to judge her own actions and reactions to those events, while at the same time, being in her present. This might sound strange, but I assure you, it works very well.

Now, with all this, you might be wondering why I didn’t give this a full 5/5 stars. I mean, I truly enjoyed this book, and I’m sure that it will be a huge hit with many readers. Cathy described this as “Intimate, intense, emotional” and yes, it is all that. However, at one point this took a turn that made me uncomfortable. That has to do with my labeling this as being Religious (Christian) fiction. Don’t get me wrong, this is probably the least preachy of any religious fiction I’ve read, but I have a personal problem with the genre, no matter which religion is involved, including my own. So, while I had started to feel an affinity for Ivy, that bit distanced me from the story, and frustrated me somewhat. Obviously, if these types of things don’t bother you, you’ll probably adore this book. That said, I still really loved Hunter’s writing, and (most of) the story, and emphasized with Ivy to a certain extent – especially at the end, which means that I’m very much recommending it, and giving it four and a half stars out of five.

I loved this book. It was introspective and page turning. I could not put it down! Perfect for summer reading.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel! It read like a classic, with a lyrical prose and complete characters. I enjoyed that there were no quotations to resemble speech, but instead speech was in italics. It made the novel feel dreamy, or like a memory.
Often times this novel felt like a warm breeze on a summer evening, and I enjoyed the way the author spoke of guilt, grief and faith.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the eARC!

In Days of Light, we follow our main character Ivy across 6 days throughout different decades, starting in 1938 and always occurring in April. The first 2 days take place around Easter 1938, and those 2 days set the trajectory of Ivy’s path, showing how tragedy can shape you for the rest of your life.

I loved the reflections on grief and longing! I also enjoyed Ivy’s introspective ruminations on not always feeling like a person and questioning who you’re meant to be/what you should be doing in life.

This character driven novel was beautifully written; it felt quiet and, at times, claustrophobic.

While I was initially pulled in by the novel, it really loses momentum around day 3 or 4. I began to feel bored and struggling to stay connected, especially as the story went in a confusing direction. It also felt as if Ivy’s development stilted and we only got to know so much about her (despite staying with her the entire time and being in her head).

The book had so much potential and started off strong but lost me along the way, ending with a not so satisfying story. I felt similarly about The End We Start From so I’m unsure if it’s worth reading more from Hunter or if her storytelling just isn’t for me.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Days of Light by Megan Hunter

Book review. 4*

The book begins on Easter Sunday, 1938. Ivy lives with her unconventional family at Cressingdon. Events on that day and the days that follow shape Ivy's life from then on.

The novel covers Ivy's life from that day until her approaching death through marriage, love, death,a life of religion and dedication and back to love again, all the while with her brother, Joseph a presence in her mind. Light and the power of light is also a main theme.

I really enjoyed following Ivy's life and her different relationships throughout the book. I liked the characters in the book and the subtle descriptions of them and their lives.

A lovely gentle read.

I give the book 4*

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Grove Atlantic, for the ARC e-book of Days of Light in return for an open and honest review of the book.

Ivy is 19 in 1938 when the book opens. She's the daughter of a Bohemian British family with beloved older brother, Joseph. Unlike everyone else in her family, Ivy has little ambition and believes she has little talent. A tragedy on Easter Sunday is destined to impact Ivy for the rest of her life. The book follows her on a series of days throughout the rest of her life.

For the most part, I would describe the writing in this book as ethereal, making it difficult to get a clear understanding of Ivy or the circumstances of her life. There are religious undertones that emanate from the tragedy and impact Ivy's life choices, but it's never clear just what she believes and exactly what happened on the day of the tragedy. This is a short book that felt long.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

What a wonderful story! So beautifully written, so tender and bright, and honest, and human.
Ivy's story moves through eras and decades, hardships and happiness. Seeing her character 'living' at last when she thought she didn't know how to live was so bittersweet.

The only thing I didn't enjoy was the parts about religion and faith in the end. I know it was important for the character, but I didn't really connect with it.

Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for this ARC.

a novel like falling asleep in the bath, like reading messages from someone you used to love, like growing out of old clothes. Days of Light is about Easter, a series of them, across the decades from the 30s to the 90s, as Ivy suffers a terrible loss that follows her throughout her life. we see her at 19 in an idyllic country house, like the setting of The Go-Between; surviving the Blitz as a young mother; joining a convent in search of a light she’s always felt. throughout the years, she falls in and out of touch with Frances, her older brother’s university girlfriend.

the novel is preoccupied with grief, but also love: from family, romantically, and unexpectedly, never blaming partners we might judge but instead trying to find meaning. Ivy is a drifting narrator who struggles to admit what she wants, but the novel is so poetic that this doesn’t slow it down. a really lovely, short read that feels like the oil painting on its cover.

i was sent a review copy by NetGalley.

Days of Light by Megan Hunter is a beautiful, lyrically written book. This novel tells the story of Ivy over the course of several days following an unexpected tragedy. It explores the long range consequences and human struggle with tragedy and grief. This is also a hopeful book and one that will stay with me. Megan Hunter is sure to be an auto-buy author for I simply love her writing. It is poetic yet accessible and it is haunting yet hopeful. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reading copy.

Lyrical, haunting, and deeply intimate, Days of Light explores motherhood, survival, and love in the quiet aftermath of crisis. Megan Hunter’s sparse, poetic prose captures the small, beautiful moments that persist even in the darkest times. A meditative and atmospheric novel that lingers long after the last page.

The overall was interesting but it didn't work for me in the long run. I felt that many topics were covered unnecessarily.

This book has become quite a discovery to me, and I can now say after having finished that it is one of my favourite books. When it first started with the disappearance of Joseph I didn’t know what to expect from it, what direction was the book going to follow, and when everything started to unravel, I started feeling increasingly attached to the book. The characters were sublime in my opinion, and I loved both Ivy and Frances as their lives were evolving. I find this book a perfect narration of the human condition and the constant attempts at trying to find a place in a world that keeps evolving.

This story is about Ivy, her family and spanned across six decades, starting at Easter 1938.

I am sorry to say that I just couldn't seem to totalling engage with the storyline and tried on a few occasions to continue.

I am sure that others will love this book, but unfortunately it wasn't for me.

this book follows a main character Ivy and how one night changes her future forever. we then visit her on interim over the next few decades. we begin with Ivy and her family living in the countryside. she is 19 years old at this point. and we follow her right towards the end of her life. all the events in Ivy's life follow the many changes that happen in the world. and it was interesting to get a zoomed in view of another person. as after all we only ever know this much depth of a life when we think of our own. so to follow someone through the ages we all hit and see the difference was really interesting. obviously i wasnt in the war years though! so this again held my interest. we also see her marry and then divorce.
i was completely capture bu this story. Megan's writing held me all the way through, and it felt like i was learning of a family members story.
there are diaries now that span many years and you simply put a small input into each day. then you can go back and see over many years the differences. this felt a lot like that and i really enjoyed it.