Overall, what did you think of Days of Sun and Shadow? (No spoilers in this topic, please.)
I could not put this book down! I enjoyed the characters and settings. Such an easy read and constantly in motion, i.e. what’s going to happen next? The main character Emilie is amazing and really enjoyed her relationship with horses. Wonderful story!
I was hooked immediately. The story and the history are fascinating to me because I did not know much about Arkansas during that time period. The prose is majestic as it makes me feel like I am there in the coral with horses, or on the trail in their wagons or on the packet boat. I did not have to imagine - it was all on the page!
Accidentally erased my post!
I found the book captivating throughout. It’s a fascinating and in-depth story of specific places and characters in the early to mid 19th century in the Southern United States. It was obviously well researched and created comprehensive picture of the time. The novel is excellent and a wonderful read.
I really enjoyed this book. I combined both the book and audiobook for a more immersive read. The narration was well done. The writing is lyrical and brought the frontier setting to life. The characters are memorable and I appreciated the subtle magical realism woven into the story. I questioned some of the things Emilie did, but overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
I’m glad I requested this book! The subject of a coming-of-age girl from about 1813-1850 in the southern U.S. who bucked convention made for an interesting character and exciting read. Bits of history (both legal and geographical) and lots of horse training set it apart from the pack. Atmosphere is vivid and all the characters were colorful. While their colloquialisms were charming and spot-on for time and place; each character did start to sound the same after a while. Lots of families to keep up with in this story and births and funerals, almost melodramatic towards the end. “Oh, Susanna!” My rating would be a solid 4.
I liked this book and wanted to keep reading once I’d started. The characters and history were very interesting. There were many characters to keep straight, but it wasn’t unmanageable. I was interested in the extra stories, such as Jolie and Jaques’ story. The Sight aspect of Emilie was added a very different aspect of this book. I would recommend it.
There were a lot of characters to keep track of but somehow the author did not lose me. I must say, the book was a little violent times, which took me by surprise. I am still trying to understand why she never went to her father for help.
I enjoyed the book. I liked the characters especially Emilie. She was a brave woman and she knew what she wanted to do with her life. I must say there was a lot of heartache!
This morning before I put the book away I gave it one last look with all of my notes and when looking at it as a whole this book has a lot to digest and think about. There is physical and mental abuse; patriarchy, history, law, determination and sorrow. What more can you ask from a story?
I got this book late. I think it arrived last Thursday or Friday so I’m a bit behind. I have begun the book though. First, I want to say that this is MY KIND OF BOOK! I have found the prose to be exceptional. I also feel that it is full of symbolism and I love that. What a wonderful writer India Hayford is. The book was worth the wait.
Cheryl_T, you’re absolutely right, but add love. There was a lot of love from a few people, and horses, to make the story stand out and be very relatable
Donna- Yes! Love Especially love of self Such a good book
I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the time period and learning about the history of that time and region. It was heartwarming to see how a few extraordinarily kind and loving people can make a huge difference in the lives of others, especially those who feel unloved and unnoticed. I should also mention that the love of animals also makes a huge difference. I think that people who feel disconnected often have a special interest that fills a void, like horses did for Emilie. I liked that jonquils were mentioned because Washington, Arkansas has a jonquil festival each year. I will have to visit it next year.
This book was very compelling. You could see the landscapes and the people were drawn very well. It was so easy to hate some contemptible characters and to feel such love for the good ones. This author has a gift for creating a setting and storyline that keeps moving, but does not feel rushed or forced. There are so many people in the book that at times, it was challenging to keep them all straight. I loved learning more about the Arkansas geography and the horse-training aspects of the book, and there were times where I was literally amazed by this author. However, I struggled with certain inconsistencies in the characters’ choices and decisions, and this made the book more of a 4 than a 5 when it was all said and done. Overall, very much enjoyed this book.
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When I finished this book I had such strong emotions. It was a beautiful story. The ending both happy and sad. I am curious as to why Emilie was unaware of the fate of her father and Susanna, though a blessing I am sure.
I enjoyed the book, although I must admit there were an over abundance of characters to keep track of, which for me, took away some of the enjoyment of the story and the writing. I did enjoy the history and learning about the land.
I love to read stories about people who claim to possess “sight” but I don’t believe a person can predict what will happen in the future. For reasons of known medical conditions may make it possible to see ones death is close but to predict out of nowhere I think is very unlikely. In the book Days of Sun and Shadow the aspects of sight really added to the story as did the owl.
This was a page turner for me. I enjoyed the lyrical prose and learning about horses and a period of time and place that I knew very little about. Yes, there were difficult things that happened, but I thought it was well written and certainly realistic especially for that period of time. I would never have made it to live in that time period, but I sure did enjoy visiting it via this book!
I enjoyed this book enough to recommend it to my neighborhood Bookclub. I believe there is enough in this book to lead to lively discussions. The characters have depth which comes from their interactions with a wide range of personalities. The storyline moves along with a nice balance of strength, humor, joy, and sorrow. It has everything that a good historical novel should have including making the reader feel present in another time and place.