Because of the Sun

Jenny Torres Sanchez

Jan 2017 · Sold by Delacorte Press

About this ebook

“An absorbing page-turner, equal parts light and dark, and filled with the sweetest, swooniest ache. Everyone needs to read Jenny Torres Sanchez. Now.” —JENNIFER NIVEN, New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places and Holding Up the Universe
 
From the backyards of suburban Florida to the parched desert of New Mexico, Because of the Sun explores the complexity of family, the saving grace of friendship, and the healing that can begin when the truth is brought to light.

Dani learned to tolerate her existence in suburban Florida with her brash and seemingly unloving mother by embracing the philosophy Why care? It will only hurt. So when her mother is killed in a sudden and violent manner, Dani goes into an even deeper protection mode: total numbness. It’s the only way she can go on.

But when Dani chooses The Stranger by Albert Camus as summer reading for school, it feels like fate. The main character’s alienation after his mother’s death mirrors her own.

Dani’s life is thrown into further turmoil when she is sent to New Mexico to live with an aunt she never knew she had. The awkwardness between them is palpable. To escape, Dani takes long walks in the merciless heat. One day, she meets Paulo, who understands how much Dani is hurting. Although she is hesitant at first, a mutual trust and affection develops between them. And as she and her aunt begin to connect, Dani learns about her mother’s past. Forgiving isn’t easy, but maybe it’s the only way to move forward. 

Ratings and reviews

Because of the Sun is a complex novel about family, dissociation, and toxic relationships. Told primarily from the POV of Dani, a girl who has had an abusive upbringing thanks to a mother who seemed to hate her, it tells the story of a girl who doesn't feel like she has a place in the world. Before you jump to "ah, another angst novel", it is to be noted that this is a character who has dissociated from the world and whose favorite way of getting numb is getting a sunstroke on a semi-regular basis. The book doesn't shy from displaying toxic parenting, whether it is the one from Dani's mother, or from Dani's grandfather to his two daughters: the theme is to connect two people who were hurting the same, in this case, Dani and her aunt Shelley. There is also a lot of symbolism going on, with the bear and the constant hallucinations and dreams - it was past my bedtime when I was reading it, so forgive me for not going deep into it. But the fact is that it detracts from the main storyline a lot - it is written well when it comes to being in the mind of the character, but it suffers from an imbalance when it comes to progressing the story. The romance, too, seemed superfluous, and I felt it was there for the sake of it. Overall, I would recommend this book if you love emotional stories about family and healing.

About the author

JENNY TORRES SANCHEZ is a full-time writer and former English teacher. Her novel, WE ARE NOT FROM HERE (Penguin Young Readers/Philomel Books) is a Pura Belpré 2021 Young Adult Author Honor Book. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, but has lived on the border of two worlds her whole life. She lives in Orlando, Florida, with her husband and their children. Visit her online at jennytorressanchez.com and on Facebook and follow her on Twitter at @jetchez.