but beautifully written.
923188
Mr. Blow's story is difficult at times, but beautifully written.
1143457
It is courageous, it is beautifully written!
3623553
Written from the heart. Very beautiful poetry.
1137431
Beautifully and skillfully written...sentences flow like music.  The literary artistry reminded me of Snow Falling on Cedars.  A joy to read.  Good story line, but the strength is in the art of the writing.
2055722
Quick and beautiful read.  Seriously, this writing is absolutely stunning. The only reason I'm not giving it a 5 star, is because at times it felt a bit fleeting and disconnected.
8828
My Sunshine Away by M.O. Walsh is a book that doesnt neatly fit into any genre, but one in which the writing is so beautiful I think anyone interested should read it. The story is about a girl named Lindy Simpson, who was raped at the age of fifteen in her Baton Rouge neighborhood, and is told from the point of view of one of the suspects, who just happens to be in love with her. Yet while this is a mystery novel to discover who the culprit is, its much more than that. My Sunshine Away gives readers an inside look to a southern neighborhood that is replete with fascinating characters and somewhat unbelievable events.

I first want to discuss the age group for which this book is appropriate. Ive seen My Sunshine Away listed in both the young adult and adult sections of bookstores. While the story does follow the protagonists teenage life, for the most part, I personally consider this an adult novel. There are many graphic scenes, and I think the content is more appropriate for an older audience. That being said, I would recommend the book for the ages of 16 and up, but, as always, thats a choice every individual reader has to make.

In terms of the story itself, I have to say Ive never read anything quite like this before. The writing is very well done. I felt as if the protagonist was speaking directly to me, but in a way that is more poetic than colloquial. There are many quotable passages, and there is a depth to the writing as well. I don't read literary fiction often, so I did struggle to find some of the metaphors and how they connected to the story. My paperback edition contains a discussion section, and I found that really helpful. It added to my understanding of the book, and also increased the storys rereadability.

My Sunshine Away did have a slow pace, especially at the beginning, despite being a short book of about 300 pages. I think this is mainly due to the way time is used in the book. Instead of following a linear format, the protagonist jumps forward and backward in time. This does help to create a vivid picture of his childhood, but also made me slow down to ensure I got all of the details in order.

My favorite part of the novel is definitely getting to see inside a neighborhood in the south. Im from the northeast, and am so interested with the southern culture that is in some ways quite different from my own. The characters in the novel are so richly written, and they are beyond unique. The author does an amazing job at mixing in shocking and disturbing moments with the normalcy of everyday events. It balanced out the story well to have a rape on page one, and then childhood games between the neighborhood children for the following chapters.

Similarly, I loved how real life events, such as the Challenger explosion, are included in the book. This makes everything seem so real and vivid. I had an easier time picturing our characters as real people, and that made my emotional connection to them grow strong.

Finally, the ending was a bit hot and cold for me. I do really love how the book wrapped up, but I was let down by the mysterys resolve. I recognize that Lindys rape is not the sole focus of My Sunshine Away, but I almost feel like she wasn't given the respect she deserved when the rapists identity was just glossed over in the end. Its definitely something to think about after completing the book.

Overall, I did really enjoy My Sunshine Away, and I highly recommend it. I think this is a good book for those who want to break into the mystery genre, and those who love family dramas. You will get all of that and more in this novel. I look forward to reading more form M.O. Walsh in the future, and giving this one another read at some point, too.

*This review originally posted on Adventures in Polishland
2999325
Beautiful is not a word I would use for a novel. Yet, this novel is so beautifully written I could not put it down. Just when you think your head cannot grasp the tale, moonlight slivers through the clouds to guide the reader. Echo Moon is worth the read. Enjoy. Have a tissue handy!
71302
This book is so gorgeous and sneaks up on you - there is lightness and beautiful imagery, but moments of heartbreak lurk in the lines. Modlin has a way of noticing, of taking in small moments that many of us might otherwise ignore. This book is haunting and so beautifully written, and I'd highly recommend it.
1117797
Beautifully written. You can really feel the writers energy when she wrote this. I'm not usually a big fan of poetry but I changed my mind after reading her poems. Her life experience put into words.
2322069
This is one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read. And one of the saddest. Sandra Lambert has used words to paint, sculpt, and carve backwoods Florida river water into the souls of her readers. Metaphors and simile, pungent adjectives and  evocative adverbs bring the natural world into the house.

But this book isn't just about frogs and herbs and clay. There are women. Lesbian, bisexual, straight, they are varied in their eras and lifestyles, united by location, and for me, sadness. They are fierce, scared, lonely, bold, jaded. And the sadness hangs around like Spanish Moss - not always mentioned or even noticed, but quietly there, part of the scene.

After reading her book, I want to go to that river. I want to look at the fish and swim in the spring and smell the leaves. And I want to comfort those women. I want to hug their likablenesses and soothe their pricklinesses.

Read this book to feel a depth of emotion, to uncover and experience your suppressed powerlessness. Then let the richness of nature sooth you. Let the continuity of nature comfort you. Let the thought of change, change you. Let your old bones and chards of pain transform into beauty and art.
1864346
This is a lovely, beautifully written book. The plot has been reviewed here, I will not do that again.  The very talented author has created a hard, beautiful life in Alaska, but in addition has given us a magical story of love, devotion, belief in things not understood but made real by determination, devotion, hope, love...those things that are so difficult to maintain, when we feel forgotten, or missed by life. The characters are REAL in all the human way so many stories miss. I want to read more by this very talented author.  This is a wonderful, beautiful book I will read many times.
251204
This is not so much a book of plot as it is a book of remembering and poking the feelings of growing up and learning about the world. I found much of the writing to be very beautiful and thought provoking.
718452
The writing in this book is so beautiful and haunting.  It wraps and spins around and through your mind--not sure where it's leading.  The supernatural element gave me pause, but the end was very satisfying.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
1290455
Well developed characters, plot and beautifully written.
4882160
Lovely book! I wish it didn't end so suddenly, but the story that is told is beautiful.
4545849
Incredibly crafted. A beautifully written story..highly recommend reading it.
3281205
Not many books can make you feel the way Dickens can make you feel in his. Not many books can move you to tears by an author so expertly conveying the feelings he wants you to feel. His powerful imagery is, at times, long and daunting, but it is worth every second spent decoding his rhetoric. His writing is rich in meaning and emotion, such that there will never be writing like that again.

Beautiful, composed, and engaging, there are not many stories written at this level of emotion and depth, and less stories written with such mastery of English as this one.