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Days of Light
She marvels at the way a single day can unravel everything, like ribbon pulled from a present.
Easter Sunday, 1938. Ivy is nineteen and ready for her life to finally begin. At Cressingdon, her sprawling, bohemian family and their friends gather for lunch and to await the arrival of a longed-for guest. Britain is on the cusp of war, but in the idyllic Sussex countryside anything feels possible.
It is a single, enchanted afternoon that ends in tragedy and will change Ivy’s life forever.
Chronicling six pivotal days across six decades, Days of Light moves through the Second World War and into the twentieth century on a radiant journey through a life lived in pursuit of love and in search of an answer.
Easter Sunday, 1938. Ivy is nineteen and ready for her life to finally begin. At Cressingdon, her sprawling, bohemian family and their friends gather for lunch and to await the arrival of a longed-for guest. Britain is on the cusp of war, but in the idyllic Sussex countryside anything feels possible.
It is a single, enchanted afternoon that ends in tragedy and will change Ivy’s life forever.
Chronicling six pivotal days across six decades, Days of Light moves through the Second World War and into the twentieth century on a radiant journey through a life lived in pursuit of love and in search of an answer.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published April 17, 2025
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About the author
Megan Hunter
3 books385 followersMegan Hunter’s first novel, The End We Start From, was published in 2017 in the UK, US, and Canada, and has been translated into eight languages. It was shortlisted for Novel of the Year at the Books Are My Bag Awards, longlisted for the Aspen Words Prize, was a Barnes and Noble Discover Awards finalist and won the Forward Reviews Editor’s Choice Award. Her writing has appeared in The White Review, The TLS, Literary Hub, BOMB Magazine and elsewhere. Her second novel, The Harpy, will be published in 2020.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 198 reviews
July 19, 2025
This novel, which follows six days in the life of a woman, is very well written. With such a concept, the writer does manage to do the right thing and initially go to unexpected places. Unfortunately, the second half is too predictable, and the dynamics within the brother-sister-same-girlfriend relationship come a little too close on the heels of The Safekeep, even though I consider this the superior book.
July 1, 2025
Megan Hunter’s story was inspired by a visit to Charleston the Sussex site that’s close to sacred for followers of the Bloomsbury Group. Here Virginia Woolf’s sister, artist Vanessa Bell, lived with her children and her lover, fellow painter Duncan Grant. Hunter’s novel revolves around Ivy a character loosely based on Bell’s daughter Angelica, a peripheral figure in Bloomsbury circles. Set over decades but centred on six separate April days, this opens on Easter Sunday 1938 and concludes on Easter Sunday 1999. The structure’s consciously indebted to Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway; but there are echoes too of works like The Years.
Each section boasts stretches of lyrical, sometimes elliptical, imagery and enigmatic scenes - potent reminders of Hunter’s grounding in poetry. Although there were times when her style was a little too languid, too self-consciously literary, for my personal taste. Hunter’s narrative parallels but doesn’t entirely correspond to the actual facts of Angelica’s life. I found tracing the connections between Ivy and - what I know about - Angelica Garnett and husband David ‘Bunny’ Garnett fascinating. Bunny, one of Duncan Grant’s former lovers, spent a great deal of time at Charleston. Here Bunny becomes Bear, like Garnett he’s much, much older than Ivy. Bear too is revealed to have been embroiled with Duncan’s equivalent Angus. Hunter’s adept at teasing out the unsettling dynamics of Ivy and Bear’s subsequent marriage: Ivy’s initial innocence, her gradual slide into disillusionment. But, at the same time, the architecture of the piece made it difficult to fully immerse myself in Ivy’s experiences and emotions.
Hunter’s particularly preoccupied with the intricacies of relationships between mothers and daughters: Ivy and her mother; and, later, Ivy and her own daughters. She’s interested in examining tensions between art and the everyday especially for women; the divide between inner worlds and desires and domestic demands. All of these are worthy enough subjects but, despite a Sapphic storyline, I didn’t find Hunter’s perspective that engaging – perhaps because my own ideas around art and artistic creation just don’t mesh with the author’s. Another area where our worldviews essentially clash links to the novel’s marked spiritual dimension. Hunter’s drawing on aspects of her personal history – her period of study for ordination in the Anglican ministry, something she later decided not to pursue. There’s an emphasis on questions of “faith” originating in a tragedy that, for Ivy, sparks a strange, otherworldly epiphany. All tangled up with Ivy’s attempts to come to terms with grief, loss and her ongoing, existential uncertainties. Again, perfectly valid avenues of exploration just not ones that really resonated with me. Some reviewers have compared Hunter’s narrative to books like Graham Swift’s hugely successful Mothering Sunday - another piece I struggled with. So, not the right fit for me but anyone who enjoyed the Swift, or similar, shouldn’t be put off by that.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Pan Macmillan/Picador for an ARC
Rating: 2.5
Each section boasts stretches of lyrical, sometimes elliptical, imagery and enigmatic scenes - potent reminders of Hunter’s grounding in poetry. Although there were times when her style was a little too languid, too self-consciously literary, for my personal taste. Hunter’s narrative parallels but doesn’t entirely correspond to the actual facts of Angelica’s life. I found tracing the connections between Ivy and - what I know about - Angelica Garnett and husband David ‘Bunny’ Garnett fascinating. Bunny, one of Duncan Grant’s former lovers, spent a great deal of time at Charleston. Here Bunny becomes Bear, like Garnett he’s much, much older than Ivy. Bear too is revealed to have been embroiled with Duncan’s equivalent Angus. Hunter’s adept at teasing out the unsettling dynamics of Ivy and Bear’s subsequent marriage: Ivy’s initial innocence, her gradual slide into disillusionment. But, at the same time, the architecture of the piece made it difficult to fully immerse myself in Ivy’s experiences and emotions.
Hunter’s particularly preoccupied with the intricacies of relationships between mothers and daughters: Ivy and her mother; and, later, Ivy and her own daughters. She’s interested in examining tensions between art and the everyday especially for women; the divide between inner worlds and desires and domestic demands. All of these are worthy enough subjects but, despite a Sapphic storyline, I didn’t find Hunter’s perspective that engaging – perhaps because my own ideas around art and artistic creation just don’t mesh with the author’s. Another area where our worldviews essentially clash links to the novel’s marked spiritual dimension. Hunter’s drawing on aspects of her personal history – her period of study for ordination in the Anglican ministry, something she later decided not to pursue. There’s an emphasis on questions of “faith” originating in a tragedy that, for Ivy, sparks a strange, otherworldly epiphany. All tangled up with Ivy’s attempts to come to terms with grief, loss and her ongoing, existential uncertainties. Again, perfectly valid avenues of exploration just not ones that really resonated with me. Some reviewers have compared Hunter’s narrative to books like Graham Swift’s hugely successful Mothering Sunday - another piece I struggled with. So, not the right fit for me but anyone who enjoyed the Swift, or similar, shouldn’t be put off by that.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Pan Macmillan/Picador for an ARC
Rating: 2.5
April 13, 2025
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ ½
Genre: Historical Fiction
This novel follows the life of the main protagonist, Ivy, in six important days of her life across six decades. The story begins in 1938, in the English countryside, when Ivy was 19 years old, and continues until 1999, during Easter, as she nears the end of her life.
The story is set against many backdrops, like World War II and how England as a country has gone through changes. Ivy herself goes through many changes during those years, such as marrying Bear, later getting a divorce, and then retiring to a convent in 1965. These events make her evaluate her past choices.
Days of Light is a well-written novel with a unique structure that could make an intriguing movie. The author’s lyrical prose is elegant and fits the themes of the story. There are many themes here because the character goes through all the different stages of life. Themes like love, loss, faith, separation, and self-discovery are a few examples.
The author transports readers through different atmospheres and various settings, including the English countryside, the war, and the serene lifestyle of a convent. This setting creates a richly atmospheric experience. Although the pacing feels slow at times, it aligns well with the themes. Overall, Days of Light is a beautiful novel with its merits and imperfections, but the experience of reading it is ultimately rewarding.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC of this book.
The Review
Genre: Historical Fiction
This novel follows the life of the main protagonist, Ivy, in six important days of her life across six decades. The story begins in 1938, in the English countryside, when Ivy was 19 years old, and continues until 1999, during Easter, as she nears the end of her life.
The story is set against many backdrops, like World War II and how England as a country has gone through changes. Ivy herself goes through many changes during those years, such as marrying Bear, later getting a divorce, and then retiring to a convent in 1965. These events make her evaluate her past choices.
Days of Light is a well-written novel with a unique structure that could make an intriguing movie. The author’s lyrical prose is elegant and fits the themes of the story. There are many themes here because the character goes through all the different stages of life. Themes like love, loss, faith, separation, and self-discovery are a few examples.
The author transports readers through different atmospheres and various settings, including the English countryside, the war, and the serene lifestyle of a convent. This setting creates a richly atmospheric experience. Although the pacing feels slow at times, it aligns well with the themes. Overall, Days of Light is a beautiful novel with its merits and imperfections, but the experience of reading it is ultimately rewarding.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC of this book.
The Review
March 4, 2025
We first meet Ivy at Easter time in 1938 when she is 19 years old, living with her Bohemian family in Sussex, England. A tragedy that day stays with her forever, shaping much of her life. We visit her again at Easter in 1944, 1956, 1965 and 1999. It’s a love story but also a depiction of how women’s life choices changed in the West over these years. It’s a very spiritual book with much reflection on the nature of God.
The writing and the imagery lulled me along. I didn’t want to stop reading. I found myself lost in Ivy’s world yet there was little in her life with which I could identify. I didn’t much care what choices she made and I finished the book feeling totally unmoved. Why is that? I don’t know. I liked the style of writing but hated the dialogue being in italics with no quotation marks. Sometimes the italicised sentences were thoughts rather than speech which was momentarily confusing. I’m not blown away but nevertheless I enjoyed the experience of reading it.
With thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for a review copy.
The writing and the imagery lulled me along. I didn’t want to stop reading. I found myself lost in Ivy’s world yet there was little in her life with which I could identify. I didn’t much care what choices she made and I finished the book feeling totally unmoved. Why is that? I don’t know. I liked the style of writing but hated the dialogue being in italics with no quotation marks. Sometimes the italicised sentences were thoughts rather than speech which was momentarily confusing. I’m not blown away but nevertheless I enjoyed the experience of reading it.
With thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for a review copy.
April 14, 2025
But Ivy wondered, still–she had read of the star of Bethlehem, of the shepherds, the glory of God shining around them. Of Moses and the burning bush. Angels descending to earth. Extraordinary things have happened, on extraordinary days. But what of all the other days? she wondered. It was time that was the difficulty: plain, ordinary time with its toast forks and milk upset on the floor–Baby had just flung hers, in a great, dismissive gesture–this was when she needed transcendence the most, and yet it evaded her. What sort of God would choose to be absent? She wanted to ask Reverend Giles this question, again. She wanted, in fact, to run to a headland–they were miles from the real sea–and shout it into the horizon. But she knew she would not.
Megan Hunter’s debut novel “The End We Start From” was a ruthlessly pared back and fragmentary novella/prose poem which was a mythological and religious text infused oblique meditation on new motherhood and climate change set in a future dystopian submerged London.
Her second novel (again really more a novella) “The Harpy” was a razor sharp examination of infidelity, parenthood and female revenge which draws very heavily on the legend of the Harpy.
This is her third novel – due out later in 2025 – and, particularly early on seems very different to her earlier writing with languid, reflective and almost mannered prose which contrasts to the jaggedness of her first two novels. Motherhood is present but less so than before and while mythical/religious elements are central they are more explicitly Christian/spiritual here (particularly as the novel progresses – although an opening epigraph from John 1:5 sets both the religious and thematic tone: “And the light shineth in darkness: and the darkness comprehended it not”.
And some of this also I think reflects the temporal setting – this book actually steps forwards in time over many decades, but unlike her near future first novel or contemporary second, this is all in the past – taking place from the 1930s to the 1990s – the Guardian’s Alex Preston in his fiction preview of 2025 describing it (not entirely inaccurately) as “One Day written by (and starring) Virginia Woolf”.
The novel opens in Easter Sunday 1938 – at Cressingdon, a large house in the Sussex Countryside where a bohemian family group of artists and writers gather: Ivy the novel’s main protagonist; her older brother Joseph (back from his Oxford college); his girlfriend Frances (who the family will meet for the first time but whose arrival is delayed); mother Marina (an artist) and her lover (and better known/more successful artist) Angus; father Gilbert (who lives away from the family home with the latest in a series of female partners) and Bear (the family’s nickname for their old family friend Rupert), Marina’s sister and brother in law (a novelist and occasional playwright respectively).
Much of the initial section can feel very old fashioned and over wrought reflecting both Ivy’s uncertainty on the verge of adulthood and her mother’s artistic temperament and pretentions “for Marina, food and art were incompatible in some way, just as religion and art where, and even politics and art to a certain degree. The borders of art needed to be policed, it seemed, kept safe from intruders of body or mind” – with increasingly ominous world events at best a background.
The culmination of the chapter and the episode around which Ivy’s life (and the novel) then revolves is when she and Frances go for a traditional first swim in the river that runs through the grounds – only for Ivy to be overcome by an unworldly light while Joseph disappears (assumed drowned).
For her whole life, she would wonder how to describe the light. It was not like a torch beam or a lantern. It had neither the gentleness of fire nor the simple glow of electricity. It was a sound, as well as a light, and more than this: it was feeling, pressing and shifting, a pattern that moved and seemed to move her with it. Ivy would never be able to say, even to herself, what made this light so different from all those she had ever seen before. It was an animal, she would have said, if she knew of any animal that moved or looked anything like it. It was a creature from elsewhere, she felt, without asking herself what that meant. It was visiting. Or— She looked again, one long, last, greedy look, in which she felt that the light was a person, in some way, was love itself
From there we move to Joseph’s funeral and an impulsive relationship Frances forms with Bear – and then we start to move forward a decade or so at a time (but longer at the end):
April 1944 and Ivy now marrieds to Bear and settled into motherhood (of two young daughters) but a lightning storm, a rooftop vigil watching for bombs and then a fire at Cressingdon throw Ivy and Francis unexpectedly but thrillingly together.
April 1956 and the newly widowed Ivy, at a loss when Frances decides to put domestic life first, finds herself in church for a Maundy Thursday service which proves a transformative experience.
April 1965 and Ivy is in a convent but with her mother dying re-encounters Frances.
And then Easter Sunday 1999 as Ivy approaches the end of her own life.
All through though she is drawn back to that first fateful Easter, seeing to understand what the light she encounters was, what it tells her of this world and of God – drawn back both to her own memory of her beloved brother and her relationship with his erstwhile lover (and now hers), to understand her own mother and children. Images of the past recur as does in particular the titular idea of light and also that of love.
But Ivy does not think of the future, now. She is only here, in the present, or the long, stretching country of the past. She thinks of certain days–Easter Sunday, in particular–over and over again, feeling her way along its hours like rooms she has lived in. She has learnt that she can occupy a day again, if she pleases, can move within it slowly, its walls sticky with time. She knows that certain images rise, floating, above the others. As she remembers, she marvels: at heaven from the window, at her whole laughable existence. Most of all: at the way a single day can unravel everything, like ribbon pulled from a present, the way it all opened in an instant.
Overall, an intriguing novel and not one I was really expecting: I was perhaps most reminded of the writing of Francis Spufford and his “Light Perpetual” than I was of the author’s earlier works and I will be interested nearer the time of publication to understand more of the drivers behind her writing and conception of the novel.
My thanks to Picador for an ARC via NetGalley
Ivy closes her eyes: she sees now, more clearly than she ever has, that all time exists at once, no beginning or end to it. The eternal now, Mother Superior used to say. Eternity is right here with us. Now, still, though no longer a nun, Ivy can feel God so close: just at her elbow. How much she is forgiven, she knows: how much they are all forgiven, in the end. Her life flows around her, it lifts: the night Joseph died, the funeral, watching from the roof during the war, sitting in that small bedroom so many years later, a tear rolling down her cheek. It falls: a gramophone. A shining hallway. A pie with a bird. Her daughters: their faces at birth. Bear. Marina. Gilbert. Genevieve. Angus. Anne. And Frances, and Frances, and Frances–in so many moments, so many gifts of happiness. Ivy feels it all gather, gather, a wash of life, of grace and welcome. There is light, as mysterious as that which she glimpsed overhead, so many decades ago, still unknown to her. And there is love, above all: that which she saw in the darkness, and at the height of the sky. She moves towards it. She does not stop.
January 14, 2025
Days of Light is a curious read- hard to classify as contemporary fiction in some senses because there is a gentle 'old -fashioned' /timeless feel to the book.
This is the story of Ivy told over six April days across her life.
Beginning in 1938, Ivy and her family await the arrival of brother Joseph's first girlfriend (Frances) to come to the family home( Cressingham) in Sussex.
Ivy and Joseph's parents- Angus and Marina- have separated and live with new partners- sexuality is fluid and there is a feel of the Bloomsbury group as art figures largely in the lives of all. Mother- Marina - exists for her work and lives in a bubble that appears to be oblivious to those around her Life is controlled by housekeeper Anne.
Events on this first Easter Sunday begin with a joyful anticipation and end in tragedy - impacting upon Joy and her future life.
There is a written style that evokes the work of Elizabeth Jane Howard - middle class privilege but Megan Hunter digs deep to tell the story of a woman searching for meaning and light in her life following a very personal deep misfortune - trying to discover her true self (childhood isolation and in the shadow of her brother ) whilst attempting to find understanding in faith.
A longer novel exploring more about the other characters within the book could have been good as the impact of events upon them was not always developed but focussing on six days over the following decades did not leave gaps in the narrative in the life of Ivy.
Ultimately, a clear message prevails- love will conquer all.
This is the story of Ivy told over six April days across her life.
Beginning in 1938, Ivy and her family await the arrival of brother Joseph's first girlfriend (Frances) to come to the family home( Cressingham) in Sussex.
Ivy and Joseph's parents- Angus and Marina- have separated and live with new partners- sexuality is fluid and there is a feel of the Bloomsbury group as art figures largely in the lives of all. Mother- Marina - exists for her work and lives in a bubble that appears to be oblivious to those around her Life is controlled by housekeeper Anne.
Events on this first Easter Sunday begin with a joyful anticipation and end in tragedy - impacting upon Joy and her future life.
There is a written style that evokes the work of Elizabeth Jane Howard - middle class privilege but Megan Hunter digs deep to tell the story of a woman searching for meaning and light in her life following a very personal deep misfortune - trying to discover her true self (childhood isolation and in the shadow of her brother ) whilst attempting to find understanding in faith.
A longer novel exploring more about the other characters within the book could have been good as the impact of events upon them was not always developed but focussing on six days over the following decades did not leave gaps in the narrative in the life of Ivy.
Ultimately, a clear message prevails- love will conquer all.
August 27, 2025
Days of Light is a beautifully written novel that takes place over six separate days from 1938 to 1999. We first meet nineteen-year-old Ivy on Easter Sunday, 1938. Her family is dining together for the holiday at their estate in the English countryside. They are expecting the arrival of Joseph’s girlfriend, Frances. The storyline explores how a tragic event shaped Ivy’s entire life. The novel is loosely based on the Bloomsbury Group of artists. It combines themes of art, faith, love, relationships, and loss. It portrays the many ways we try to make sense of random events. Recommended to those who enjoy slow-paced, lyrical, character-driven stories.
March 7, 2025
Some people are going to really love this book. It's elegantly and delicately written, with real compassion for its characters. For me, it was a little pedestrian and some of the themes were not my thing really. But I appreciated what the author was doing and the execution is pretty good.
April 30, 2025
While there is a refined elegance to the writing, this novel felt like one I had read before. It reminded me in some ways of The Safekeep, a superior novel in my humble opinion, both in style and substance. I wasn’t a huge fan of the author’s acclaimed work The End We Start From, so perhaps this was always going to be an uphill struggle for me.
The religious epiphanies were grating, and by the time our protagonist decided to become a nun, I was ready to put the book aside. I probably should have seen it coming from the biblical epigraph.
I did plough on to the end but not without eye-rolling. I love a mid-century novel exploring class and sexuality but the format of this one, being set on six days over a period of years, and the emphasis on religious faith didn’t light my fire. 2/5 ⭐️
*Many thanks to the publisher Picador books for the arc via @Netgalley. As always, an honest review.
The religious epiphanies were grating, and by the time our protagonist decided to become a nun, I was ready to put the book aside. I probably should have seen it coming from the biblical epigraph.
I did plough on to the end but not without eye-rolling. I love a mid-century novel exploring class and sexuality but the format of this one, being set on six days over a period of years, and the emphasis on religious faith didn’t light my fire. 2/5 ⭐️
*Many thanks to the publisher Picador books for the arc via @Netgalley. As always, an honest review.
May 19, 2025
The tragedy that occurs on Easter Sunday 1938 affects many lives. For Ivy, what promised to be a day of celebration is now associated with loss and guilt. But also incomprehension because she experienced something that day she can’t explain: a sudden burst of light that mesmerised her. Was its source something prosaic or more profound, divine in nature even?
‘For her whole life, she would wonder how to describe the light. It was not like a torch beam or a lantern. It had neither the gentleness of fire nor the simple glow of electricity.‘
We revisit Ivy on five other days over the course of the next six decades exploring how that single event influences her life, her relationships and even her faith. (The fact each of the six days are at Easter seems significant, evoking the idea of sacrifice but also resurrection.) We learn not just about the events of that particular day but what has happened in the intervening years. In many cases, the changes in her life – marriage, motherhood, emotional awakening – have come about not through conscious decisions but in response to others.
Ivy is someone who seems to be on a perpetual quest for fulfilment but unsure of where to find it. And she cannot let go of the mystery surrounding the tragedy or her own misgivings about her role in it, searching for answers (or a revelation) in all sorts of different ways.
The word I most often associated with Ivy was unmoored. ‘This is how life happens, Ivy realized, like a crowd of things and houses and people pushed by a tidal wave, moving towards her, over her. Life took place, and she was within it, but there seemed to be no control, no choice.’ At times Ivy seems to welcome the act of submission, the removal of personal choice.
She experiences a betrayal that I found particularly cruel and difficult to forgive. Only later in life does she take events into her own hands with an act that requires courage and a belief in the future.
Days of Light is a beautifully written story of love and loss, with a strong spiritual element and in which light is a recurring motif. It’s one of those books that reveals its many layers in a quiet, insightful way.
‘For her whole life, she would wonder how to describe the light. It was not like a torch beam or a lantern. It had neither the gentleness of fire nor the simple glow of electricity.‘
We revisit Ivy on five other days over the course of the next six decades exploring how that single event influences her life, her relationships and even her faith. (The fact each of the six days are at Easter seems significant, evoking the idea of sacrifice but also resurrection.) We learn not just about the events of that particular day but what has happened in the intervening years. In many cases, the changes in her life – marriage, motherhood, emotional awakening – have come about not through conscious decisions but in response to others.
Ivy is someone who seems to be on a perpetual quest for fulfilment but unsure of where to find it. And she cannot let go of the mystery surrounding the tragedy or her own misgivings about her role in it, searching for answers (or a revelation) in all sorts of different ways.
The word I most often associated with Ivy was unmoored. ‘This is how life happens, Ivy realized, like a crowd of things and houses and people pushed by a tidal wave, moving towards her, over her. Life took place, and she was within it, but there seemed to be no control, no choice.’ At times Ivy seems to welcome the act of submission, the removal of personal choice.
She experiences a betrayal that I found particularly cruel and difficult to forgive. Only later in life does she take events into her own hands with an act that requires courage and a belief in the future.
Days of Light is a beautifully written story of love and loss, with a strong spiritual element and in which light is a recurring motif. It’s one of those books that reveals its many layers in a quiet, insightful way.
May 7, 2025
I really enjoyed the beginning and the writing was great and very descriptive which I like, but then it suddenly became all about god?? I don’t really get why that had to happen but I was really struggling with getting through the last 30%
Thanks to the publisher for the e-arc!!
Thanks to the publisher for the e-arc!!
November 22, 2024
In Days of Light we follow Ivy through her life by witnessing 6 single days that define the course of her entire being. How monumental are these days if they shape the form of an entire existence? How exciting!
Each chapter is dedicated to one of these days; starting with Ivy in her youth and progressing all the way through her life.
The style of writing is stunning in this book, the author manages to pull the reader into the scenery and even if sometimes outside events are rare, still keep readers engaged and enthralled by the story of a character that slowly starts taking shape throughout the entirety of this book.
To me the pace was fitting for the setting and the aspiration to fit an entire life into six chapters of single days, although in some parts the derivation from the original timeline by jumping to even more settings by means of memories it did drag a little bit.
As I truly enjoyed the descriptive style of writing and the story kept me fascinated through all of its chapters, this was a really good 4 out of 5 stars read for me.
Thank you to the publisher, the author and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
Each chapter is dedicated to one of these days; starting with Ivy in her youth and progressing all the way through her life.
The style of writing is stunning in this book, the author manages to pull the reader into the scenery and even if sometimes outside events are rare, still keep readers engaged and enthralled by the story of a character that slowly starts taking shape throughout the entirety of this book.
To me the pace was fitting for the setting and the aspiration to fit an entire life into six chapters of single days, although in some parts the derivation from the original timeline by jumping to even more settings by means of memories it did drag a little bit.
As I truly enjoyed the descriptive style of writing and the story kept me fascinated through all of its chapters, this was a really good 4 out of 5 stars read for me.
Thank you to the publisher, the author and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 6, 2025
I have no doubt that some people will enjoy this book and find the writing poetic. Unfortunately, I felt it was overwrought to the extent that reading it was an aggravating slog. Each to her own.
April 20, 2025
This didn't work for me. Yes, it was beautifully written, and that was enough to get me to the end, but the religious musings were unexacting and unwelcome, the six day 'snapshots' really didn't work, and I found the narrative voice incredibly irritating. There was no character development, and the whole thing felt very derivative.
June 8, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel! It read like a classic, with a lyrical prose and complete characters. I enjoyed that there were no quotations to resemble speech, but instead speech was in italics. It made the novel feel dreamy, or like a memory.
Often times this novel felt like a warm breeze on a summer evening, and I enjoyed the way the author spoke of guilt, grief and faith.
Often times this novel felt like a warm breeze on a summer evening, and I enjoyed the way the author spoke of guilt, grief and faith.
September 29, 2025
I don't remember how this book made it on my list, but it was gorgeous, vivid, feminine. 6 days of a woman's life, each a major turning point. Hard to believe the characters aren't real.
March 26, 2025
3.5
This is an atmospheric book, enveloping the reader in six important days in the life of the protagonist, beginning just before WWII and ending in the 1990’s. The scene is reminiscent of Bloomsbury, and the writing, at times, approaches Woolf, in that this is a very interior kind of narrative. However, despite enjoying the arc of the story, the observations of living through grief and the impacts that has on one’s choices, I didn’t really connect with the characters despite finding several of them Interesting and/or appealing. I viewed them all at a distance; none of them brought me in.
Thanks to Netgalley & Grove Press for the ARC.
This is an atmospheric book, enveloping the reader in six important days in the life of the protagonist, beginning just before WWII and ending in the 1990’s. The scene is reminiscent of Bloomsbury, and the writing, at times, approaches Woolf, in that this is a very interior kind of narrative. However, despite enjoying the arc of the story, the observations of living through grief and the impacts that has on one’s choices, I didn’t really connect with the characters despite finding several of them Interesting and/or appealing. I viewed them all at a distance; none of them brought me in.
Thanks to Netgalley & Grove Press for the ARC.
June 7, 2025
Rating: 3.5
Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the eARC!
In Days of Light, we follow our main character Ivy across 6 days throughout different decades, starting in 1938 and always occurring in April. The first 2 days take place around Easter 1938, and those 2 days set the trajectory of Ivy’s path, showing how tragedy can shape you for the rest of your life.
I loved the reflections on grief and longing! I also enjoyed Ivy’s introspective ruminations on not always feeling like a person and questioning who you’re meant to be/what you should be doing in life.
This character driven novel was beautifully written; it felt quiet and, at times, claustrophobic.
While I was initially pulled in by the novel, it really loses momentum around day 3 or 4. I began to feel bored and struggling to stay connected, especially as the story went in a confusing direction. It also felt as if Ivy’s development stilted and we only got to know so much about her (despite staying with her the entire time and being in her head).
The book had so much potential and started off strong but lost me along the way, ending with a not so satisfying story. I felt the same way about The End We Start From so I’m unsure if it’s worth reading more from Hunter or if her storytelling just isn’t for me.
TW/CW: death, grief, age gap relationship, suicide attempt, war, death of parent, fire
Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the eARC!
In Days of Light, we follow our main character Ivy across 6 days throughout different decades, starting in 1938 and always occurring in April. The first 2 days take place around Easter 1938, and those 2 days set the trajectory of Ivy’s path, showing how tragedy can shape you for the rest of your life.
I loved the reflections on grief and longing! I also enjoyed Ivy’s introspective ruminations on not always feeling like a person and questioning who you’re meant to be/what you should be doing in life.
This character driven novel was beautifully written; it felt quiet and, at times, claustrophobic.
While I was initially pulled in by the novel, it really loses momentum around day 3 or 4. I began to feel bored and struggling to stay connected, especially as the story went in a confusing direction. It also felt as if Ivy’s development stilted and we only got to know so much about her (despite staying with her the entire time and being in her head).
The book had so much potential and started off strong but lost me along the way, ending with a not so satisfying story. I felt the same way about The End We Start From so I’m unsure if it’s worth reading more from Hunter or if her storytelling just isn’t for me.
TW/CW: death, grief, age gap relationship, suicide attempt, war, death of parent, fire
June 9, 2025
It was a beautiful read, captivating, and held my attention to the end.
The writing was also beautiful and sensual. The idea that we are following Ivy for one day at a time throughout her life is great; it's like looking through a window.
Ivy is a nicely written character. She is troubled and full of pain, especially after the day that truly changed her life. She is looking for something even though she doesn’t know what it is and we are uncovering that with her.
I love how relationships are done here, every one is unique, and showing us the intricate ties that bind this family.
This is also a book about faith and looking for God, asking questions about him, and telling us that sometimes, believing is a way to hide ourselves from hurting.
Thanks to Grove Press and NetGalley for an eARC!
The writing was also beautiful and sensual. The idea that we are following Ivy for one day at a time throughout her life is great; it's like looking through a window.
Ivy is a nicely written character. She is troubled and full of pain, especially after the day that truly changed her life. She is looking for something even though she doesn’t know what it is and we are uncovering that with her.
I love how relationships are done here, every one is unique, and showing us the intricate ties that bind this family.
This is also a book about faith and looking for God, asking questions about him, and telling us that sometimes, believing is a way to hide ourselves from hurting.
Thanks to Grove Press and NetGalley for an eARC!
November 13, 2024
Originally told through six days in Ivy’s life, this book takes the reader on a journey of life and loss. Initially the writing style was a little difficult for me to comprehend but as the book carried on it became easier to lose myself in the beauty and lightness of the writing. Ivy’s life takes on many twists on turns, from pre WWII to just before the 2000s. We follow her as she grieved, finds love, loses love and finds herself. I really enjoyed this form of storytelling that put focus on these six days in her life. By the end of the book I felt attached to Ivy, I had been following her life since she was 19 and I almost didn’t want to leave her. This was emotionally charged and full of gorgeous quotes and relationships, a real reflection of life and all of its complications.
(Also, what a beautiful cover!)
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #DaysOfLight #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
(Also, what a beautiful cover!)
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #DaysOfLight #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
November 4, 2024
I’m not really sure what to say about this book. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't particularly good either. I think the premise ended up being much better than the execution. The book presents six days in the life of Ivy, a young woman who is 19 on the eve of World War II. The first chapter, which recounts the tragic events of Easter 1938, is very strong, and I hoped it would set the tone for the rest. Unfortunately, as the story progressed, I felt that this intensity faded.
The idea of depicting long-term grief through a few random days in the protagonist’s life sounds intriguing, but it resulted in a situation where most significant events were told rather than shown. I also didn't feel a sense of continuity, especially regarding the protagonist's emotions and her relationships. Although Ivy is constantly grappling with her loss from 1938, she also builds her life with others; however, these relationships lacked emotional depth for me because we know almost nothing about them beyond descriptions of six moments in her life. Sadly, particularly in the second half, the book became dull at times.
I don’t deny that the author had an interesting idea, and the book does hold some value in discussions about grief and love as factors driving life choices. However, I wish these themes had been more strongly emphasized.
Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The idea of depicting long-term grief through a few random days in the protagonist’s life sounds intriguing, but it resulted in a situation where most significant events were told rather than shown. I also didn't feel a sense of continuity, especially regarding the protagonist's emotions and her relationships. Although Ivy is constantly grappling with her loss from 1938, she also builds her life with others; however, these relationships lacked emotional depth for me because we know almost nothing about them beyond descriptions of six moments in her life. Sadly, particularly in the second half, the book became dull at times.
I don’t deny that the author had an interesting idea, and the book does hold some value in discussions about grief and love as factors driving life choices. However, I wish these themes had been more strongly emphasized.
Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 10, 2025
Beautiful, beautiful book. I will definitely be reading this one to my book group.
June 28, 2025
What a lovely book.
Days of light follows Ivy through her life by narrating specific impactful days throughout the years. Days, on which the trajectory of her life changed in some way or another.
The writing in this was deliciously atmospheric, lots of purple prose that pulled me right in. I myself felt like a family member inside the cottage or a fly on the wall in Ivy’s bedrooms. I found the characters very endearing overall as well.
I do have to admit that some of the decisions Ivy makes were not 100% understandable to me specifically her becoming a nun as well as the book’s theme generally shifting to becoming very religion centered but surprisingly that didn’t bother me so much.
This reminded me a lot of The Safekeep a lot of the time, another novel that I enjoyed a lot.
This book is not something Id usually go for but it worked very well for me. Great writing and nice narrative concept.
4.25 Stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the ARC.
Days of light follows Ivy through her life by narrating specific impactful days throughout the years. Days, on which the trajectory of her life changed in some way or another.
The writing in this was deliciously atmospheric, lots of purple prose that pulled me right in. I myself felt like a family member inside the cottage or a fly on the wall in Ivy’s bedrooms. I found the characters very endearing overall as well.
I do have to admit that some of the decisions Ivy makes were not 100% understandable to me specifically her becoming a nun as well as the book’s theme generally shifting to becoming very religion centered but surprisingly that didn’t bother me so much.
This reminded me a lot of The Safekeep a lot of the time, another novel that I enjoyed a lot.
This book is not something Id usually go for but it worked very well for me. Great writing and nice narrative concept.
4.25 Stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2025
Firstly, the cover is so pretty, and it was definitely a deciding factor in my decision to read this novel.
The actual story itself was interesting and the flow of the novel was calming. The writing is easy and pretty, which I enjoyed and I think is its strongest suit. I understand the decision to structure the narrative in following Ivy through days from multiple years, but because of that decision, it was difficult for me to pinpoint exactly who Ivy was as a character. I really wished that we got to see more of Ivy and a certain character (iykyk) and their dynamic.
Many thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for this ARC!!
April 13, 2025
Six days in Ivy's life, told over 60 years. We start with a pivotal day of her youth, a tragedy that follows her across the decades.
It's hard to review this book because I just finished it and it's already left no impression. The first chapter had promise, and i was intrigued to see how the interesting structure would build on it. But, despite some beautiful writing, I was not grabbed by the characters or the story. Ivy left me cold.
I liked the writing enough that I still intend to go back to some of the author's previous work. maybe the speculative plots will grab me more.
It's hard to review this book because I just finished it and it's already left no impression. The first chapter had promise, and i was intrigued to see how the interesting structure would build on it. But, despite some beautiful writing, I was not grabbed by the characters or the story. Ivy left me cold.
I liked the writing enough that I still intend to go back to some of the author's previous work. maybe the speculative plots will grab me more.
May 29, 2025
My reading experience was imbued with prolonged days of darkness. I am confounded that this book, as it is, was approved for publishing, that it passed the editing phase to see its own days of light.
There is no doubt that the strongest asset of this book, perhaps its only one, is also what did it the most disservice: the purple writing. Beneath the flowery prose and the ornate imagery, sewn so carefully into the fabric of the narrative so as to convey a sense of transcendence, lies a story so mindless and vapid, of no tangible substance for its name.
Bedecked with an impressionable cast of characters, each far less developed than the other, Days of Light chronicles, or at least attempts to, the life of our protagonist Ivy, who glides through life with such flatness and passivity, spanning six days across six decades. Her resolutions are immaterial, arising only when the author deems them essential to carry on with the story, to make matter out of nothingness, without much success.
While it is evident that these narrative choices seek to underscore the conditions in which women lived, shaped by the novel’s historical and cultural milieu, attributing to the author a deliberate or substantive engagement with these contexts, as either critical reflection or meaningful commentary, risks overstating the depth of Hunter's intervention.
One can’t help but suspect that a rigorous round of editing (conspicuously absent here) might have transformed this work into something more compelling, where language serves a purpose beyond ornamentation, and the text aspires to more than merely inflating a publication record.
There is no doubt that the strongest asset of this book, perhaps its only one, is also what did it the most disservice: the purple writing. Beneath the flowery prose and the ornate imagery, sewn so carefully into the fabric of the narrative so as to convey a sense of transcendence, lies a story so mindless and vapid, of no tangible substance for its name.
Bedecked with an impressionable cast of characters, each far less developed than the other, Days of Light chronicles, or at least attempts to, the life of our protagonist Ivy, who glides through life with such flatness and passivity, spanning six days across six decades. Her resolutions are immaterial, arising only when the author deems them essential to carry on with the story, to make matter out of nothingness, without much success.
While it is evident that these narrative choices seek to underscore the conditions in which women lived, shaped by the novel’s historical and cultural milieu, attributing to the author a deliberate or substantive engagement with these contexts, as either critical reflection or meaningful commentary, risks overstating the depth of Hunter's intervention.
One can’t help but suspect that a rigorous round of editing (conspicuously absent here) might have transformed this work into something more compelling, where language serves a purpose beyond ornamentation, and the text aspires to more than merely inflating a publication record.
August 5, 2025
🎧𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠: @groveatlantic @simon.audio | #partner Listening to 𝗗𝗔𝗬𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 by Megan Hunter felt almost like a reading respite to me. This historical fiction begins on Easter Sunday in 1938 and follows Ivy, then 19, for more than 50 years. On that day, Ivy and her very unconventional family are happy to be together and delighted to be meeting her older brother’s girlfriend, Frances, for the first time. Things don’t go quite as planned, and events of that Easter never cease to reverberate through the entire family’s lives. But, this is Ivy’s story.
Hunter followed Ivy right up until 1999, focusing on 6 singular days in her life, and within those, dipping back into other pieces of her life. I found Ivy’s trajectory to be both surprising and thought provoking. She was a character I felt compassion for, but also occasionally wanted to shake! The writing was often beautiful, with a theme of light popping up here and there, never overdone.
The story itself was quiet, a little sparse, and sometimes on the slow side. In this case, that worked for me. My mind needed something quieter. 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 reminded me of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 by Yael van der Wouden, but without the tension. That lack let me sort of float through this book without ever becoming truly connected. It needed something more to make it truly memorable. While the listening experience worked well for me at the time, it’s not a story I expect to stay with me for long. Sometimes that’s exactly what’s needed! ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫✨
Hunter followed Ivy right up until 1999, focusing on 6 singular days in her life, and within those, dipping back into other pieces of her life. I found Ivy’s trajectory to be both surprising and thought provoking. She was a character I felt compassion for, but also occasionally wanted to shake! The writing was often beautiful, with a theme of light popping up here and there, never overdone.
The story itself was quiet, a little sparse, and sometimes on the slow side. In this case, that worked for me. My mind needed something quieter. 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 reminded me of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 by Yael van der Wouden, but without the tension. That lack let me sort of float through this book without ever becoming truly connected. It needed something more to make it truly memorable. While the listening experience worked well for me at the time, it’s not a story I expect to stay with me for long. Sometimes that’s exactly what’s needed! ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫✨
January 27, 2025
Days of Light is Megan Hunter's first foray into historical fiction and what a treat it is. This novel is sublime. I read Megan's previous release, The Harpy, and loved that also so I was keen to read her next release without delay. There's a quality to her writing that sets her apart from the masses. The way this story unfolds as well, six chapters, six days, over six decades, was such a unique way to tell a story, but it worked, it worked so well.
Days of Light is a story of love and loss, of seeking that one thing that is meant to fulfil, of seeking answers to the mystery of a life changing loss. There is a spirituality to this story that I appreciated and a vulnerability to Ivy, the protagonist, that was deeply affecting. The sense of time and place was richly realised throughout, no mean feat as the story took place across so many decades. Throughout this story, I was reminded, over and over, that it is never too late, for anything, and that sometimes, the answer is quite simply, that there is no answer.
Beautifully written, Days of Light is a stunning novel, and it left me with a serious book hangover that was impossible to shake.
Thanks to the publisher for the NetGalley copy.
Days of Light is a story of love and loss, of seeking that one thing that is meant to fulfil, of seeking answers to the mystery of a life changing loss. There is a spirituality to this story that I appreciated and a vulnerability to Ivy, the protagonist, that was deeply affecting. The sense of time and place was richly realised throughout, no mean feat as the story took place across so many decades. Throughout this story, I was reminded, over and over, that it is never too late, for anything, and that sometimes, the answer is quite simply, that there is no answer.
Beautifully written, Days of Light is a stunning novel, and it left me with a serious book hangover that was impossible to shake.
Thanks to the publisher for the NetGalley copy.
October 17, 2025
“…had she not been two women, all her life? [Her] the dreamer, then the nun - and [she] who lived in the world of objects, was surrounded by it. But, she thought then, was she not caked with God, and with [her]? Did both not love her, and see her as she was?”
💌 Thank you so much to @groveatlantic for sending me with a copy of this novel!
I’ve been absolutely demolished by this novel. oof.
Grief, love, faith and secrets can and do live, together, within the life of Ivy. In many ways her life begins with a terrible, pivotal tragedy. Each relationship is shaped and changed by her grief… and their own, radiating from that moment. Watching Ivy learn herself through these six days, from 1938 till 1999 is powerfully effective. It’s achingly human, quiet and normal — and for that is exceptional. By extension I appreciated seeing those in Ivy’s orbit, her bohemian family comprised of those she was born to and those collected through time and circumstance. How everyone “becomes” feels quite real and touching.
I mean wow. You truly get a few for the scope of this life in such small and enduring moments. A favorite of the year. For sure.
💌 Thank you so much to @groveatlantic for sending me with a copy of this novel!
I’ve been absolutely demolished by this novel. oof.
Grief, love, faith and secrets can and do live, together, within the life of Ivy. In many ways her life begins with a terrible, pivotal tragedy. Each relationship is shaped and changed by her grief… and their own, radiating from that moment. Watching Ivy learn herself through these six days, from 1938 till 1999 is powerfully effective. It’s achingly human, quiet and normal — and for that is exceptional. By extension I appreciated seeing those in Ivy’s orbit, her bohemian family comprised of those she was born to and those collected through time and circumstance. How everyone “becomes” feels quite real and touching.
I mean wow. You truly get a few for the scope of this life in such small and enduring moments. A favorite of the year. For sure.
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