I really wanted to like this book. The synopsis held so much promise, but the book failed to deliver as much as I hoped for from it. I enjoyed it well enough, but with a few tweaks it could have been an even more enjoyable read.

2.5 stars
I did not really like the wierd magical relam-ish what it had going on there. It made the story unessesarily wierd... but some parts of it was enjoyable.

David Almond never fails to deliver a quiet poignance about what it means to grow up, especially with cruelty. A stroll through the countryside reveals little moments of sadness and tragedy for our protagonist.

Interesting story, middle schoolers might find it intriguing. This may sound weird, but it reminds me some movies I've seen over the years where the whole film is a conversation between various people to discover more about themselves and others. It's an interesting read for the right kids. It is well written and has an element of magical realism I have enjoyed in stories by Hispanic authors.

I just didn't understand the point of this book. The story wanted to be poetic and lyrical but ended up being a disappointment. Really.
The whole conversation was bland and boring and I couldn't relate to the story or the characters. The writing wasn't my favorite thing either.
I don't know but this book wasn't for me. The blurb sounded really exciting but the book didn't provide me that.

I’ve always liked David Almond’s writing because of his unique way of looking at things. But as I read The Color of the Sun I felt like I was re-reading a story I already knew but didn’t remember clearly. Then it came to me - this is similar, perhaps too similar, to Joe Quinn’s Poltergeist. So it’s not that The Color of the Sun isn’t good, it’s absolutely David Almond excellent.

Almond sets young Davie off an an odyssey through his hometown of Tyneside on a hot summer day. As he wanders, Davie thinks about his father, who has recently passed away. While walking, he is told that a boy has been murdered, and Davie heads to the place the body was found. It turns out to be a boy Davie knows, who was also the town bully, part of a gang. Davie decides he knows who probably killed the boy, and heads to a nearby hill, believing the murderer also headed
that way. As he goes, he meets a variety of different townspeople, a dog, the girl he may grow up to love, and the spirit of his father. As Davie explore questions about life and what it means, and if love can help you though hard times and heartbreak. Needless to say, by the time he returns home at the end of the day, Davie is a changed person.

Davie’s odyssey is a metaphor for trying to find his place in the world now that his dad is gone, making this a true coming of age tale as Davie tries to find his way back home.

This book is recommended for readers age 13+
This book was a eARC gratefully received from NetGalley

I thought this book had potential but it was executed in a very poor manner. This book covers some serious topics like murder and mourning for a middle grade book, but I honestly did not care for Davie. The style of writing is very poor and I did not find myself invested with the plot or anything of the characters. I had to force myself to read this book which is unfortunate.

Sorry for the late review. I am just getting round to them now as I’ve had a rough few months.. I have notes for the books that I reviewed but they may be cut short to get through them.

I’m not sure how I felt About this book. I’ve enjoyed other books by David Almond; however I felt Something was missing here and like I couldn’t quite get into it even though I wanted too. It was hard as someone that loves to immerse themselves into books completely.
It is written well and that helped to get through it but I did struggle a bit (I’m not sure if that was the book to be honest, or the mental state I was in when I read it).

I am a very plot centered reader so maybe that is why I didnt like this book that much. I am not one for stories that are mainly focused on character as I feel it makes for a slow and boring read.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was a pretty cool story. Had a little bit of everything, I'm surprised we don't hear about it more. It was a nice little gem

Thank you Candlewick Press and NetGalley for this eARC

I loved the concept of this book but couldn't push myself through to finish it. May decide to comeback to it some later time when I feel more equipped to tackle it. Will update my review if I decide to do that!

This is a book that attempts to cover weighty topics of grief and mourning. Protagonist David goes on a journey in search of a murderer. The premise of the book is strong, but the execution did not resonate with me.



The Color of the Sun is a different kind of story. It's kind of a coming of age story but it's not really because it's set in a single day. It's kind of hard to grow up in one day. But it is also a coming to terms with death story with a little bit of mystery and a little bit of the supernatural.



Davie leaves the house one morning a few weeks after his father passed away. He's gathered some of his childhood things and heads out to just wander about and ends up on a search for a supposed murderer.



He sees the dead boy in the morning with his mate, Gosh Todd, and travels from town out to the hills and back searching for the boy who everyone believes murderers him.



Along the way he comes across several interesting people, a slobbery dog and a pickup game of futball.



Any one of these meetings through out the day individually seem a bit normal and mundane but putting them together in a single day's events makes it seem extraordinary.



From a love struck priest to a tale of buzzard baby snatching, Davies day brings a changed feeling within himself.



Is he the same boy that set out that morning with a satchel full of childish things and and his mother's fresh baked bara brith?



As a whole this story was fantastical and just a bit different than anything I'm used to and that was a bit refreshing. The writing was a little hard for me to follow at times but was able to use context to figure it out pretty quick. The story was clever and neat in it's messiness if that makes any sense.



This was a quick and entertaining read. I give The Color of the Sun a solid 3 stars.



Thank you NetGalley for supplying a copy of this book for a fair and honest review.

How much do we really know about our neighbors and the people around us? Why do family feuds continue for generations? Follow Davie as he wanders his community after witnessing the dead body of a kid in the rubble of a construction site. Davie spends the day leaning about himself and understanding others.

I really wanted to like "The Color of the Sun." I have never read a book by this author but noted that he has a lot of popular books. This is quite an ambitious book- there really isn't a plot. The story follows Davie, a teenager who has recently lost his father. The whole book centers around one day in which he wanders around the town he lives in making observations about life and loss as he talks to the people in his town. It's an ambitious project and it takes a lot to write a book about... not really anything. As an audience, I imagine that the author wants us to consider what Davie learns from each conversation and take some wisdom from it before moving on. For example, Davie stops to talk to a priest that questions his faith. In another instance, Davie stops to talk with two young girls who are playing "fairies and monsters."

I don't know if this will appeal to someone in mourning. I'm sure that there are some people who will like he meandering pace. I did not enjoy it. At first, I would have rated it one star because I finished it and was frustrated with its lack of form or plot. I had some time to think about it though, and I bumped the rating up because A) it was a short (and easy!) read, B) there were a couple conversations that I enjoyed, and C) I liked the 'dreamy' setting of parts of the book.

I wish I could have enjoyed this more, but it is what it is.
Thank you to Netgalley and Candlewick Press for an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Candlewick Press and Net Galley for this e-book to read, in exchange for my review.

I did not enjoy this book. I was unable to connect to characters, and following the story I felt very distant. More than the story itself, I think it was the writing. I hoped to enjoy this more, but I simply did not. That doesn't mean it's a bad book, but just that it was not for me. I appreciate the opportunity to read though.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Davie's father had passed only weeks earlier. As someone who lost their father and remembers all to well how complicated and hard those first few weeks (months, years) are, I was interested to read this.
The book was trying to capture that different few that one has in those weeks. Reality is different for you then, but the book comes up short.
There is a lot going on in this book. It is almost as if the author wasn't sure exactly what he wanted the book to be so to speak.

This book just came up short for me.

I enjoyed this read, I thought it reminded me a lot of Patrick Ness’ “a monster calls”. I think it would be a helpful book for a child dealing with grief and loss.

*Book received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

One hot summer morning, only weeks after his father's death, Davie steps out his front door into the familiar streets of the Tyneside town that has always been his home. But this seemingly ordinary day takes on an air of mystery and tragedy as the residents learn that a boy has been killed. Despite the threat of a murderer on the loose, Davie turns away from the gossip and sets off toward the sunlit hill above town, where the real and imaginary worlds begin to blur around him. As he winds his way up the hillside, Davie sees things that seem impossible but feel utterly right, that renew his wonder and instill him with hope. Full of the intense excitement of growing up, David Almond's tale leaves both the reader and Davie astonished at the world and eager to explore it.

Unfortunately, this book was a bit of a miss for me. There really wasn't a lot of plot to follow.

Well, what do I say about this book? It was weird and meant well, but I couldn't enjoy it at all.

Davie is searching for Zorro Craig who was suspected to have murdered a boy causing rift between two families who were already on opposite ends. His search takes him uphill and he encounters a lot many people, including his dead dad and many others, and Davie learns a thing or two from them.

Davie might have benefitted from his journey, but I didn't. The conversations seemed bland and boring and I was often lost on where the plot was headed. I understand what the author tried to do though, by letting us understand the grief Davie was going through after his dad died. But really, there was little characterization I could see. It might be more of a its-me-not-the-book kinda experience but I honestly couldn't stop thinking why I was forcing myself to complete it.