Sunshine

By: Robin McKinley

Narrated by: Laural Merlington

There are places in the world where darkness rules, where it's unwise to walk. Sunshine knew that. But there hadn't been any trouble out at the lake for years, and she needed a place to be alone for a while. Unfortunately, she wasn't alone. She never heard them coming. Of course you don't, when they're vampires.

They took her clothes and sneakers. They dressed her in a long red gown. And they shackled her to the wall of an abandoned mansion -within easy reach of a figure stirring in the moonlight.

She knows that he is a vampire. She knows that she's to be his dinner and that when he is finished with her, she will be dead. Yet, as dawn breaks, she finds that he has not attempted to harm her. And now it is he who needs her to help him survive the day.

©2003 Robin McKinley (P)2008 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A gripping, funny, page-turning, pretty much perfect work of magical literature." (Neil Gaiman, New York Times best-selling author of Anansi Boys)
"McKinley knows very well - and makes her [audience] believe - that 'the insides of our own minds are the scariest things there are.'" ( Publishers Weekly Starred Review)

An absolutely riveting, addictive tale

I've been a member of Audible for a few years now, and have downloaded and listened to over 100 audiobooks, but this is the first time I've been inspired to write a review.

I frequently check Audible's inventory to see if any of my all-time favorite authors have been added. After having read, on the recommendation of a friend, the first of the "Twilight" series, I looked again for "Sunshine" by McKinley. Imagine my delight to find that it has just been added to the Audible library.

On the cover of the print edition I have, Neil Gaiman (another favorite author) writes "A pretty near perfect book." That about sums it up for me.

This is by far the best vampire tale I have ever read. It is the Brothers Grimm to the Disneyesque teen books by Meyer. If you like your tales with gripping characters, suspense, deep mythic depths and a cracking plot that whisks you along, this is the book for you.

I've read Sunshine three times and listened to it once. My only complaint is that there has not been a sequel, which is apparently feedback McKinley has often heard about this book. Along the corridor of the plot, the reader keeps getting glimpses into fascinating rooms where the story might be further developed, and then the book ends without the reader being able to go back and explore those areas. This is an appetizing tale in so many ways, and definitely leaves the reader wanting MORE! (In a good way -- like one wants to go back to a five-star restaurant and order another entree by the same chef, even though the one you had was perfect.)

What I don't understand, with the runaway success of the Twilight series (2 credits per book? Really?) and Buffy, and the Ann Rice books back in the day, why THIS book is not at the top of all the bestseller lists. I envy you if Sunshine is still in your future

Enjoyable read/ listen

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book as it was so much different than my normal reads. The author does a great job with the world building of an alternate reality. I really hope she decides to make a sequel to this.
The narrator does a good job although Sunshine is supposed to be in her mid twenties and the narrator sounds like she is in her mid fifties.

An all time favorite

Once a comfort read, now a fun comfort listen. Maybe not quite the way my own voice sounds in my head, but pretty close! Greta writing, and a pretty good performance too. Draws me right in!

Great listen

Liked this take on vamps. Good story, characters have a life and a full story. Pity there is not a second book.

Fun read!

I liked the story --- not your usual romantic vampire tale --- and the main character. I will go back to the print version to clarify some points that I didn't quite get, as I am more of a visual learner. The performance was generally well done, though I did not much care for the voice of the main vampire. A sequel would be nice, but I understand that there are no plans for one, so we will just have to use our imaginations as to the future of Sunshine and her world.

It's just ok

A girl, a hard-working baker, gets snatched by vampires and ends up in chains. A promising start, but it then slows down. This book was quickly demoted to "fall asleep to at night, don't worry about missing anything important". At least it's only sort of a vampire romance and doesn't hit that angle as hard as many in the genre.

The narrator has an endearing way of saying "cinnamon rolls" the first dozen times or so, but then changes it partway through the book.

it was deep

I want more, lol the story ended I wonder what happened next. I enjoyed the twists and turned of her life where it touched all the other characters in her storty.

Love the book, annoyed by the narrator

I read, and loved, this story when it first came out and have been recommending it unabashedly ever since. I enjoy the way the backstory and world is introduced and explained, I like Sunshine, and I really appreciate that the vampires are not all about sex appeal.

I did not like the narration for this at all. The voice Merlington used for Sunshine did not mesh in the least with the voice "heard" when I first read the book. She made Sunshine sound whiny and far less practical than I read her as. Lines that come across as dry and ironic in the book were delivered in a way that made them sound desperate and self-pitying.

It is nice to have this to listen to when I'm driving or plying, but the print book is head and shoulders better than the audio one.

Not a teen drama, thank God!

Would you listen to Sunshine again? Why?

I have both the print and audible versions of this book. I am a huge McKinley fan, and wish that more of her books were available on audible. Her skill at world-building is second to none. Definitely a keeper, and each time I read this I notice something new that makes the story even richer.

What did you like best about this story?

The story is written from the first person perspective, and Sunshine just starts talking to you like you live in her world an know what she knows. At first it is a little disconcerting, because she makes references to unfamiliar places, people and events. But there's no question from the first chapter that this is her story, and as a result you become really invested in each and every one of her experiences, thoughts and fears...and even come to be amused by her frequent rambling digressions.

Which scene was your favorite?

Every scene with Con. I wish we'd seen more of him.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Every time Sunshine made a decision that took her further and further into conflict, or further divided her allegiance. That's the mark of a good story--nothing is cut and dry, lack and white.

It's alright

I like the novel enough but there are times when I hate Sunshine as a character. I really don't like how it's hard to distinguish between her multiple mental monologues and self pity. All in all, it's alright but maybe a break from Sunshine's constant, at times sporadic, and "family Guy-ish" narration would be a relief. However, I love the moments when she rises to the occasion and stops being overly difficult. It's a well told story, Maybe it just needed a variety of points of view.