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Sunblind #1
Sunblind
“Do you want to set the world on fire tonight?”
Sunblind is an anthology about the love of two boys on the verge of falling apart. Set in the modern world, the old legend of Icarus with a modern twist is told through the eyes of both lovers, and a collection of voicemails, texts, post-its and notes filled with unexpected twists and turns reminiscent of a leap of faith.
The book features over 70 pieces and is divided into three parts which piece together the life of Icarus and Apollo, and their story which struggles for love, dependency, fear and more.
Sunblind is an anthology about the love of two boys on the verge of falling apart. Set in the modern world, the old legend of Icarus with a modern twist is told through the eyes of both lovers, and a collection of voicemails, texts, post-its and notes filled with unexpected twists and turns reminiscent of a leap of faith.
The book features over 70 pieces and is divided into three parts which piece together the life of Icarus and Apollo, and their story which struggles for love, dependency, fear and more.
95 pages, ebook
First published August 3, 2016
6 people are currently reading
527 people want to read
About the author
Ramona Meisel
29 books193 followersRamona Meisel is an artist, writer and mythology nerd living in Germany. She’s a strange human hybrid of mended bones and a soul ripped apart at the edges. Her tongue is sharp enough to cut and her mind keen enough to bleed. When she’s not haunting the net she’s perfectly content to lose time in prose and poetry.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
January 14, 2022
edit: haha nevermind, i just learned abt all those plagiarism accusations against this author back on tumblr, which makes perfect sense & follows a pattern, given how many very siken phrases there are in this collection
it dances a thin line between pretentious and gorgeous. in vibes, it's literally a love child of crush and all for the game, with some phrases straight up borrowed from siken. very much imagery over substance (and it's all blood, bruised knuckles, scorched skin, drowned gods).
it dances a thin line between pretentious and gorgeous. in vibes, it's literally a love child of crush and all for the game, with some phrases straight up borrowed from siken. very much imagery over substance (and it's all blood, bruised knuckles, scorched skin, drowned gods).
May 28, 2021
"You're leaving the library with arms packed full of books about freedom and flying and birds who are chained to the sky"
Wow, that was really good ♡
Wow, that was really good ♡
December 15, 2018
5/5 stars
In the eyes of the sun human live barely eight seconds, isn't that what we call tragedy?
I felt destroyed yet strangely numb at the end of this book; that's when I realized I was ruined in the most beautiful way.
My heart ached for both boys and their love for each other. Turning pages, I couldn't believe it would ache even more for their breaking, their mending, their wings and their bones.
We're a collection of mistakes neatly tugged between our broken words and jet black ink.
Sunblind is a gorgeous collection of poetry that will shatter your heart and left you picking up the pieces. And reading it was totally worth every shard.
In the eyes of the sun human live barely eight seconds, isn't that what we call tragedy?
I felt destroyed yet strangely numb at the end of this book; that's when I realized I was ruined in the most beautiful way.
My heart ached for both boys and their love for each other. Turning pages, I couldn't believe it would ache even more for their breaking, their mending, their wings and their bones.
We're a collection of mistakes neatly tugged between our broken words and jet black ink.
Sunblind is a gorgeous collection of poetry that will shatter your heart and left you picking up the pieces. And reading it was totally worth every shard.
March 23, 2017
i struggled between giving this 3 or 4 stars but i finally settled on 4 because i think i would have liked it more if i didn't stubbornly sit down and read through the whole thing in one session [it's short! i like to feel like i've accomplished something today!]. basically if you like all the myth poetry stuff you see over on tumblr you'll love this. but maybe don't read it all in one go because, at least for me personally, that is like way too much doomed lover stuff all at once.
November 30, 2020
“It ends with his father telling Icarus to stop whatever it is they are doing because he doesn’t want to bury his son alive. It ends with Apollo’s sister laughing in his face and his mother’s pity tattooed on his bones.
It ends with Apollo cutting himself on Icarus’ shoulder blades and vomiting his feelings into the ocean. It ends with Icarus cutting himself on Apollo’s cheekbones and bleeding out on the rough carpet.
It doesn’t end like that. It doesn’t end at all.”
screams
this was very short (106 pages i think) and i would have been able to read it in one sitting but it was very obviously a story about doomed lovers so i took breaks to avoid the heartbreak. my heart still broke a little though 👍
this was so pretty and tragic though .... i can’t wait to read the rest of the little series. their love for each other hurt so much. apollo needed icarus a lot more than icarus needed him i think. it was very sad and i wish they were better for each other. they could have been something beautiful but they were too tragic.
the poems/chapters about the lies they told were the best in showing how they truly felt. which was a lot more than they let each other know.
i loved this a lot though especially the style of writing/poetry and i think the next one is about hades and persephone which im very much looking forward to !!!!!!!
It ends with Apollo cutting himself on Icarus’ shoulder blades and vomiting his feelings into the ocean. It ends with Icarus cutting himself on Apollo’s cheekbones and bleeding out on the rough carpet.
It doesn’t end like that. It doesn’t end at all.”
screams
this was very short (106 pages i think) and i would have been able to read it in one sitting but it was very obviously a story about doomed lovers so i took breaks to avoid the heartbreak. my heart still broke a little though 👍
this was so pretty and tragic though .... i can’t wait to read the rest of the little series. their love for each other hurt so much. apollo needed icarus a lot more than icarus needed him i think. it was very sad and i wish they were better for each other. they could have been something beautiful but they were too tragic.
the poems/chapters about the lies they told were the best in showing how they truly felt. which was a lot more than they let each other know.
i loved this a lot though especially the style of writing/poetry and i think the next one is about hades and persephone which im very much looking forward to !!!!!!!
read-not-owned
December 2, 2018This one is hard for me to give any stars to. (Just because I know it deserves all the stars, but I'm not ready to do that.)
While I loved the setting and the mythology and the relationship of it all, I feel like poetry is too high level for my brain to comprehend.
I was pulled in and I felt with them and it was beautiful and the different formats were perfect, but after a bit phrases kept repeating and the symbolism or impact most likely went over my head, but it kind of pulled me out of it.
So because I liked it and I don't want to take off stars for my own lack of taste, I'm not giving it any stars at the moment, though maybe I will change that later.
While I loved the setting and the mythology and the relationship of it all, I feel like poetry is too high level for my brain to comprehend.
I was pulled in and I felt with them and it was beautiful and the different formats were perfect, but after a bit phrases kept repeating and the symbolism or impact most likely went over my head, but it kind of pulled me out of it.
So because I liked it and I don't want to take off stars for my own lack of taste, I'm not giving it any stars at the moment, though maybe I will change that later.
September 15, 2017
Modern poetry is a hit and miss for me, but this hit it pretty damn well.
March 29, 2020
"He stares at that boy, all the time, as if he hung the sun in the sky. I wonder what made him become so tragic?"
read all of it in one sitting and a bit of my heart is gone forever.
read all of it in one sitting and a bit of my heart is gone forever.
July 31, 2021
Things I'm glad about:
i. That this book wasn't alive yet when I was 16 years old. I would have worshipped this and formed an unhealthy, romanticized picture of love. As humans, we have this uncanny inclination to glamorize tragedy.
ii. That I wasn't a tumblr teen. For some reason, I never did go into tumblr. I remember I did make an account but didn't go into depths to using it. For all it's worth, Tumblr has the best memes and reservoirs of accessible art and literature. But it also had contents that I, as an impressionable teen would have been exposed to without knowledge of its repercussions that manifest in adulthood.
iii. That I did not love this, because boy oh boy were the dynamics of their relationship a giant, badgering red flag. The two boys were so toxic.
I'm giving this 2 stars because I didn't completely hate it. There were some parts, some manipulation of words that I think were good. Although, I couldn't completely give credit to its brilliance because of allegations of plagiarism made by the author. I'd read a nice passage and think about whether or not the words were really hers. :(
Also, I don't know if this is a me thing--but it was kind of hard to navigate the point of views with which the story was told, it was kind of scattered, all over the place [do you see the reiteration, that is how the author mostly wrote this huhu] Words that she used and played with over and over again:
drown, shoulder blades, cut, bleed, melting wax, ichor, and +++
The book cover though-- 5 stars!
Also, thanks to the people who helped me get my hands on this book . You know who you are!
i. That this book wasn't alive yet when I was 16 years old. I would have worshipped this and formed an unhealthy, romanticized picture of love. As humans, we have this uncanny inclination to glamorize tragedy.
ii. That I wasn't a tumblr teen. For some reason, I never did go into tumblr. I remember I did make an account but didn't go into depths to using it. For all it's worth, Tumblr has the best memes and reservoirs of accessible art and literature. But it also had contents that I, as an impressionable teen would have been exposed to without knowledge of its repercussions that manifest in adulthood.
iii. That I did not love this, because boy oh boy were the dynamics of their relationship a giant, badgering red flag. The two boys were so toxic.
I'm giving this 2 stars because I didn't completely hate it. There were some parts, some manipulation of words that I think were good. Although, I couldn't completely give credit to its brilliance because of allegations of plagiarism made by the author. I'd read a nice passage and think about whether or not the words were really hers. :(
Also, I don't know if this is a me thing--but it was kind of hard to navigate the point of views with which the story was told, it was kind of scattered, all over the place [do you see the reiteration, that is how the author mostly wrote this huhu] Words that she used and played with over and over again:
drown, shoulder blades, cut, bleed, melting wax, ichor, and +++
The book cover though-- 5 stars!
Also, thanks to the people who helped me get my hands on this book . You know who you are!
September 18, 2017
I am sorry if this review reminds any of you of fangirling, but Ramona is one of my favourite writers and I really admire her style.
But let's start:
I am currently on my first reread of Sunblind, after I have read Sunchoked too. I wrote a review that is lost somewhere in the depths of tumblr when I first read it and thought that it might be a good idea to leave one here too.
Sunblind is a wonderful and yet cruel love story, describing the self-destructive attraction of two young men to each other. The style is amazing and pulls you in, painting colourful images in front of your inner eye.
I can't tell you why, but this book series always calms me when I read it, as if the gods brought into the 21st century by Ramona, were watching over me themselves.
I don't read much poetry, having trouble finding both style and topic I enjoy, but the whole "We were Gods"-series (while I haven't read everything yet, I can assure you that his statement will apply to the other parts as well) is something I greatly enjoy.
I want to add something about the design too: I am one of the people who are lucky to own a printed copy and I have to say, that I am incredibly proud and happy about it. While it's all quite minimalistic, it fits the story very well and all the covers I've seen till now fit together rather well.
I'll end my incoherent rambling now, but if you ever consider buying this book, or anything from Ramona, really, do it. You won't be disappointed.
But let's start:
I am currently on my first reread of Sunblind, after I have read Sunchoked too. I wrote a review that is lost somewhere in the depths of tumblr when I first read it and thought that it might be a good idea to leave one here too.
Sunblind is a wonderful and yet cruel love story, describing the self-destructive attraction of two young men to each other. The style is amazing and pulls you in, painting colourful images in front of your inner eye.
I can't tell you why, but this book series always calms me when I read it, as if the gods brought into the 21st century by Ramona, were watching over me themselves.
I don't read much poetry, having trouble finding both style and topic I enjoy, but the whole "We were Gods"-series (while I haven't read everything yet, I can assure you that his statement will apply to the other parts as well) is something I greatly enjoy.
I want to add something about the design too: I am one of the people who are lucky to own a printed copy and I have to say, that I am incredibly proud and happy about it. While it's all quite minimalistic, it fits the story very well and all the covers I've seen till now fit together rather well.
I'll end my incoherent rambling now, but if you ever consider buying this book, or anything from Ramona, really, do it. You won't be disappointed.
May 19, 2020
There's been an accusation of plagiarism against this author, and it seems to ring true. This author has more than a few accusations against her in the past, and there's no smoke without a fire. So, readers beware you're supporting someone who's ripping off someone else.
https://metvmorqhoses.tumblr.com/post...
https://metvmorqhoses.tumblr.com/post...
August 21, 2017
This was a very interesting re-telling of the relationship between Icarus and Appollo. To me, it read like David Levithan’s with the same punch to the gut emotions. What I love about Ramon’s writing is her ability to twist simple words, sentences, into the tightest tragedy you’ll feel. It’s hard not to get invested in the love and breaking between the two boys in this book.
Favorites:
“you’ll get better they say
you’ll live
wrong
they’re so wrong
you survive
not live
how brave of you”
**
“please just let me fucking breathe, you’re choking me with kindness.”
Follow me onCamilea Reads and on IG @camille.sedai for more bookish adventures.
Favorites:
“you’ll get better they say
you’ll live
wrong
they’re so wrong
you survive
not live
how brave of you”
**
“please just let me fucking breathe, you’re choking me with kindness.”
Follow me onCamilea Reads and on IG @camille.sedai for more bookish adventures.
December 4, 2022
I bought the book about... six? Years ago, but never picked it up. Found it again recently and decided to go ahead - nothing to lose, right?
Overall, it was not bad. Wasn't good either. Definitely the kind of writing that six years ago was deeply enjoyable for me (especially this sort of queer loosely poetry-ish narrative). Currently, I would classify it as queer but repetitive. I do not care to count how many times "skin like molten wax" came up, and honestly, does not even matter.
The good parts though - like previously mentioned, the narrative and the poetry is, well, poetic. I took notes of my favourite quotes and there were plenty of those as well. The first part of the book is evocative and strong, spicy and juicy in the best of ways.
Overall, it was not bad. Wasn't good either. Definitely the kind of writing that six years ago was deeply enjoyable for me (especially this sort of queer loosely poetry-ish narrative). Currently, I would classify it as queer but repetitive. I do not care to count how many times "skin like molten wax" came up, and honestly, does not even matter.
The good parts though - like previously mentioned, the narrative and the poetry is, well, poetic. I took notes of my favourite quotes and there were plenty of those as well. The first part of the book is evocative and strong, spicy and juicy in the best of ways.
September 8, 2017
This story has no happy ending, and you can feel it as you read it, the ache that slowly blooms inside your ribcage, the knowledge that you will be left with an overwhelming feeling of powerlessness when you finish this story, you can already feel the knot in your throat, the malaise that will permeate your mind for the following week. it is a story that will pain you, and you accept it gladly, not unlike Icarus himself.
March 18, 2018
Beautiful and haunting with a peculiar structure and style. A very nice read that gets one feelings through the journey of it's characters.
I must say I enjoyed the second half more than the first half of the book, that I found to be a bit too descriptive.
The atmosphere the author sets is very vivid, a greek mythology meets suburban gothic, you could say.
More than worth the read, don't hesitate to get a copy!
(thanks, Ramona, that was a gorgeous gift)
I must say I enjoyed the second half more than the first half of the book, that I found to be a bit too descriptive.
The atmosphere the author sets is very vivid, a greek mythology meets suburban gothic, you could say.
More than worth the read, don't hesitate to get a copy!
(thanks, Ramona, that was a gorgeous gift)
September 2, 2017
It took one excerpt from this to make me want to purchase it. Meisel has incredible skill with modern poetry. Her voice is entrancing. Literally the only thing that made me knock off a star was the fact that she reused several images over and over to the point where their effect waned. Happily reading the second volume now.
June 27, 2017
Sunblind is a cleverly crafted, mythology filled, LGTB+ poetry collection by the talented Ramona. The story follows the relationship between two boys, from their first meeting to the inevitable end.
It is an aesthetic delight from the moment you set eyes on the cover: the simple cover design a juxtaposition with the complexity of the story being told. Each poem is formatted to draw you physically into the narrative, and it is very successful at doing so. I’m a huge fan of challenging the traditional layout of texts as well as their impact on the reader.
The story unfolds with subtlety, tidbits of the past and present coming together, and then it knocks you down without warning; you can see the tragedy unfolding between Icarus, and Apollo, and you can do nothing but watch this modern Greek tragedy come to it’s climax. It keeps you hoping, wishing, and while you know the end is inevitable the trip there takes unexpected turns. Icarus, and Apollo are not quite what you initially expect, but I won’t spoil more than that :3 (JUST GO READ IT AND TALK TO ME ABOUT IT OK).
At the time of writing this, I have read the book from cover to cover twice, and several passages countless times. Sunblind is a skillfully written, heartfelt look at adolescence, relationships, and the inexorable forces of circumstance viewed through a myriad of rich mythological imagery. It is beautiful, and it pulls no punches.
Now I’m going to go wallow in feels.
It is an aesthetic delight from the moment you set eyes on the cover: the simple cover design a juxtaposition with the complexity of the story being told. Each poem is formatted to draw you physically into the narrative, and it is very successful at doing so. I’m a huge fan of challenging the traditional layout of texts as well as their impact on the reader.
The story unfolds with subtlety, tidbits of the past and present coming together, and then it knocks you down without warning; you can see the tragedy unfolding between Icarus, and Apollo, and you can do nothing but watch this modern Greek tragedy come to it’s climax. It keeps you hoping, wishing, and while you know the end is inevitable the trip there takes unexpected turns. Icarus, and Apollo are not quite what you initially expect, but I won’t spoil more than that :3 (JUST GO READ IT AND TALK TO ME ABOUT IT OK).
At the time of writing this, I have read the book from cover to cover twice, and several passages countless times. Sunblind is a skillfully written, heartfelt look at adolescence, relationships, and the inexorable forces of circumstance viewed through a myriad of rich mythological imagery. It is beautiful, and it pulls no punches.
Now I’m going to go wallow in feels.
August 4, 2017
my heart hurts rip
October 28, 2017
detailed review to come.
May 4, 2020
Perfection. Broke my heart which is what I expect all good poetry to do.
August 3, 2021
read this a long time ago, but i definitely should reread it bc i probably forgot things and i want to hurt again
November 22, 2025
see oleks olnud nii hea, kui ma oleks mingi 10 aastat noorem....
February 6, 2017
"Icarus: so there's a boy, I know - you probably know the story, told a million times but this one's different, this one is real. so there's a boy, with the most beautiful eyes - really bright, really really blue, like the sky on the hottest day of summer, a day so hot you can't even wear your shirt because it feels like molten wax on your back - so you get the idea yeah?"
First: Don't read this in one sitting.
In my opinion, it's more rewarding to pick and choose which poems look interesting or to read a couple and take breaks in between. (I'd still maintain a sort of chronological order though. Don't read the first half of Fly and skip to the end of Fall) If you read it straight through like I did the prose may feel a bit repetitive. Take your time to really appreciate the masterful language and metaphors!
"Tell me you're not ashamed, and this time the boy is clinging to your bones like a dead skin and you're trying to shake him off but he's persistent, almost begs with his hands roaming all over your face and his eyes blinded from the dying sun, Tell me you love me, please, tell me that all the flesh I burn and all the blood I swallow underwater is worth it."
Icarus and Apollo are tragic in a sort of inevitable, Shakespearean way. You want to root for them but they're so drowned in their personal sorrows it's obvious from the start how their relationship will end. Even so....among the angst ridden unsent texts and raw descriptions, there are several honestly tender moments that made my heart ache...like? the fact that A Collection of Things Icarus Loves About Apollo is situated right next to Crimescene N.4? ouch.
I love this take on the myth of Icarus partly because the idea of modern Greek mythology is always fun and partly because people always gender the sun as female while the sun has always been ruled by guys. Apollo? Ra? Helios? Icarus is gay my dudes.
I can see myself revisiting this collection frequently in the future. Meisel's style of harsh yet beautiful writing is endlessly appealing.
Some of my favorites:
Exit Wounds
Praying to The Sun
You, Me and the Rest of the Universe
A Collection of Things That Icarus Loves About Apollo
Crimescene N.4
We Could Have Been
February 4, 2017
Oh my, I really loved this book. I think Ramona has become one of my favourites writes. I find quotes and quotes and quotes that I love in almost every poem, but if I had to choose one I think it would be
"Skyscraper"
You realize, halfway through the fall, that falling is not a merciless thing.
-wind piping through all your gaping holes, your father's cries in the background an the sun so blinding, so perfect, so bright at the horizon that it lights your way down, your pulse aches with all the kisses he left on your skin and you know, you know you had to leave him and you will never get the taste of blood off your lips again even though you don't mind it as much as you should, water sloshes at your sides, every breath you take is a wailing disaster, can't get the stench of burned flesh of your clothes, bruised shoulders, bloodshot eyes, the sun at your fingertips, how strange to feel alive when the waves kiss the wings of your back and pray you're not the tragedy at the end of your story-
You realize, when you're falling you're at peace.
The only downside of the book, in my opinion,
"Skyscraper"
You realize, halfway through the fall, that falling is not a merciless thing.
-wind piping through all your gaping holes, your father's cries in the background an the sun so blinding, so perfect, so bright at the horizon that it lights your way down, your pulse aches with all the kisses he left on your skin and you know, you know you had to leave him and you will never get the taste of blood off your lips again even though you don't mind it as much as you should, water sloshes at your sides, every breath you take is a wailing disaster, can't get the stench of burned flesh of your clothes, bruised shoulders, bloodshot eyes, the sun at your fingertips, how strange to feel alive when the waves kiss the wings of your back and pray you're not the tragedy at the end of your story-
You realize, when you're falling you're at peace.
The only downside of the book, in my opinion,
December 20, 2020
2nd read in December 2020 :
I highlighted quite a lot the first time I read it and yet I managed to highlight even more during my reread. I'm sad Ramona Meisel's books are only available as ebooks because I'd annotate my physical copies so much.
1st read in May 2020 :
I can't believe I'm only hearing about Ramona Meisel's books now because this is the kind of stories I've been craving for y e a r s.
For Sunblind, Ramona Meisel decided to write a modern retelling of Icarus' myth. It's a poetry collection that depicts Icarus' toxic relationship with Apollo through poems, unsent texts, random notes...
I really loved how it was written, and even reminded me of Richard Siken's writing, which is one of the main reasons I loved this book so much.
I really can't wait to read all of her other books!
I highlighted quite a lot the first time I read it and yet I managed to highlight even more during my reread. I'm sad Ramona Meisel's books are only available as ebooks because I'd annotate my physical copies so much.
1st read in May 2020 :
"He was supposed to be a side effect of the sun - He was never supposed to burn me so much."
I can't believe I'm only hearing about Ramona Meisel's books now because this is the kind of stories I've been craving for y e a r s.
For Sunblind, Ramona Meisel decided to write a modern retelling of Icarus' myth. It's a poetry collection that depicts Icarus' toxic relationship with Apollo through poems, unsent texts, random notes...
I really loved how it was written, and even reminded me of Richard Siken's writing, which is one of the main reasons I loved this book so much.
I really can't wait to read all of her other books!
October 10, 2016
Honestly, this entire thing was exquisite. The tale of Icarus has ever been a favorite of mine, so I may be slightly biased, but I was stunned at the writing in this. There's language like, to pick out just a few from the text, "shoulder blades sticking out of his skin like wax wings" and "hands full of glittering ghosts and rainbow lights" are examples of the beautiful language demonstrated. It's all disjointed and mesmerizing and exemplary. The relationship between Apollo and Icarus is unhealthy and dysfunctional, and it's beautiful to watch it. I'm just incredibly in love with all of the language used, the way that the formatting illustrates it, the way their thought processes seemed muddled and eerie, almost. I adore all of Sunblind, and have since I first read it. I have nothing but profuse compliments to offer, as my review illustrates.
November 1, 2016
Reading this book is to feel, truly and viscerally feel, what Apollo, Icarus, and those in their orbit are experiencing. Using the foundations of Greek Mythology, Ramona rips the canvas from the wall and reworks it into a new and captivating image, and you can still see where the original brushstrokes fall.
Poetry is meant to be heard as well as read so be sure to take a moment and read aloud a few of the poems, especially Exit Wounds, one of my personal favorites in the book.
I carry these two broken boys around in my heart, and have every day since reading Sunblind. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Poetry is meant to be heard as well as read so be sure to take a moment and read aloud a few of the poems, especially Exit Wounds, one of my personal favorites in the book.
I carry these two broken boys around in my heart, and have every day since reading Sunblind. Thank you for sharing this with us.
November 28, 2016
Beautifully written and a true roller coaster of poignant emotions. Meisel blends the past and present seamlessly- the origins of the original myths remain clear throughout this incredible modernization. The love story left me breathless. You can truly feel the constant push and pull between Icarus and Apollo; I wanted to push them together and pull them apart all at once, which I think truly connected me with their struggle and the back-and-forth nature of their relationship. This book was wonderful.
April 27, 2018
"The sea weeps for tragedies before it swallows them."
I feel a little bit destroyed.
I feel like this book ripped the feelings from out of my chest and pressed them black and white in between the pages. You can feel everything they are feeling, you thrive and drown with them as their love crumbles and it's beautiful and terrible and you can't stop reading.
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