Sunshine: The Author's edition

by Alyssa Cooper

When ozone levels plummeted, the world changed. There’s no going back.


This is a world where sunshine can kill. Where there are heavy steel shutters on every window, and underground tunnels for safe passage. Where citizens nourish themselves with synthetic vitamins and rationed food, living a life in darkness, never seeing the sun.


This is the only world that eighteen-year-old Manda has ever known. As this strong, passionate girl struggles to bloom in a hard and unforgiving world, she finds a single comfort; Jordy, a man who delicately shows her how beautiful life can be. But then the letter comes.


Everything is changing, all over again.


Manda will soon be evacuated from her home, transported across the country to a place where the days are shorter, where it still rains, where the sun is less deadly. There’s only one catch; Jordy may not be going with her.


She bides in agony, fighting to fit as much living into her last few weeks as she can, while she waits to learn if she will soon lose the only man she's ever loved.

ebook

First published August 8, 2012

About the author

Alyssa Cooper is a Canadian author and poet currently living in Kingston, Ontario. First published in 2008, she is the author of four novels, a short story collection, and two poetry collections. An active spoken word performer, she currently holds an executive position in the Kingston Poetry Collective and the Queen’s Poetry Slam planning committee.

Reviews

[Anton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written memoir of a young teenage girl living in a world where it's too dangerous to go out in the sunlight due to a depleted ozone layer. I highly recommend this story to young adults, and adults alike, because of it's coming of age themes, and reflections on the growing pains we all endure--whether as teenagers or well into our adult hoods. Alyssa Cooper is an absolutely brilliant writer, with a knack for wax poetic prose that is beautiful to the eyes and ears. Recommended!

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm currently wishing there was a novel in the works.

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

This long-ish short story or novelette has a love story as a significant story thread, but the main story conflict is the protagonist Manda’s struggle living in the world the author has imagined. It isn’t clear why, but with rare exceptions, people are not exposed to the sun. Maybe the world is different due to climate change. (The rarity of rain and shortage of water argues for this.) Possibly it is due to government intervention for health reasons. Most likely a combination of both. Avoiding the sun is possible through a change in habits (most sleep during the day, with waking hours at night) and infrastructure (blackout blinds and underground tunnels to get from place to place). A thought-provoking story.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **

[Kirstin Pulioff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A small story that packs a big punch... This is a well written short story that pivots around a teenager name Amanda as she struggles with a required move, and the impact on her relationships. The dystopian world of a nocturnal society unfolded naturally, and as we learned more about the reasons for the move, we learned more about the characters. The story felt very organic, and real... as if we were watching a documentary of those moments rather than a fictional story.

This story is about giving up, and yet finding more... I am happy with the tone of the story, and pleasantly surprised with the ending.

Overall a 4.5

[Alannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is perfect short fiction. The writing is smart and beautiful, the story is unique and well thought out. It's not niche writing, absolutely any reader can and should enjoy this amazing story. It's one of my personal favourites.