I just finished this, and I'm melancholy and feel like weeping. The author writes beautifully, layers of words that combine effortlessly into thoughts and feelings and tastes. Probably 20 times while reading this I had to pause and reread a sentence or a paragraph because it struck me as something special. This is a gift, not one that many have or know how to use.

Spoiler alert:


The whole last part of the book left me terribly sad. It felt like there was nothing positive for anyone to look forward to. Actually, not true, as Violet's character showed immense growth and self-awareness.

This is a book I'll remember for a long time.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Cunningham's latest novel takes place partly during the pandemic and follows a brother, sister and her family, and another family friend and the mother of his young son. It's a contemporary, timely novel where the brother-in-law and sister's life more or less evolve around their gay brother who lives with them until he takes a trip to Iceland and is unable to return during the pandemic. The dynamics of raising children, trying to survive as artists, and falling out of love meander throughout this novel. The prose became much more vivid and rich during the lockdown section of the novel, partly because there were letters written, songs started, and there just seemed to be an ease from the daily routines, and it seemed senses became more keen, and there were more intense observations occurring as family dynamics and individual lives changed.

I'm a huge fan of Michael Cunningham, but this wasn't his best, though still beautifully written. Day is set in New York City, and takes place before, during and after COVID, on three days in April. It's about love and relationships and survival, but the characters just didn't feel as believable to me, as his ones have.

A beautiful, melancholy novel of a family navigating a difficult three separate days, each one year apart: pre-pandemic, early pandemic, and late pandemic. I found myself rooting for and being angry with each character at different times, and the emotional journeys were intimate and ultimately satisfying. And, as with every Cunningham novel, the writing is superb.

Until now, I’ve only experienced Michael Cunningham’s work through his cinematic adaptations. So I figured it was time to check the author out in print (as author intended) and grabbed this latest book of his from Netgalley.
It’s a concept as simple as the title: the novel follows characters around for one April day in 2019, 2020, and 2021. The timing is obviously auspicious, and turbulence is expected and presented.
On paper (pardon the pun), Cunningham is plainly good, great even perhaps, as a prose stylist and a character writer. The language flows beautifully, the scenes are rendered expertly, with linguistic precision and a striking emotional palette. It’s all very well done, very accomplished. And yet…for how emotionally intelligent the writing is, it doesn’t quite emotionally engage. There’s a sort of disconnect with the characters. And since the almost-nothing-happens plot is ALL about the characters, that’s kind of a detractor.
I would have liked to care more than I did. I would have liked to find the reading experience more compelling. Instead, it was sort of like gallery reading…as in you stand in the gallery and take in the artwork, admiring the brushstrokes, but at a remove. As opposed to diving into it for proper immersion.
This was definitely very literary. A high literature, New York Times review section literature. But a rather dispassionate one. For this reader, anyway. User milage may (and likely will) vary. Thanks Netgalley.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. And this is an HONEST review.

This rating shows that I am torn between recognizing that this is a beautifully written book by a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and having to admit that I did not enjoy reading it. This is, of course, my own opinion, uninfluenced by the reviews of others. The characters, Isabel and Dan, Chess and Garth, Robbie and the children, Nathan and Violet, did not catch my interest or empathy. At times I had to go back to recall who was married to whom and who was just a father to an infant (later toddler).

Dan is is a former almost rock star who still bleaches his hair years after his career ends, still writing songs. What is it that Isabel does as her career? What exactly is the problem between Chess and Garth that she doesn't want him to be involved in her son's life - or maybe she does?

Cunningham is obviously a fine and well-regarded writer. For a reason I can't explain, this book just left me unable to appreciate it. Its format of three Aprils in three parts, one of which is 2020 during Covid lockdown. It never mentions the virus itself, though it impacts all the characters. Robbie's trip to Iceland has me confused. How did he die (of Covid) while so isolated?

Please allow me to encourage you to read this novel and then tell me what I missed. You might form a better connection..

First, I'd like to thank NetGalley and Random House for allowing me early access to this wonderful novel.

Day is a book to be savored. Though not long in length it provides an intimate view of a family in flux. The novel is in three parts, all during the month of April, but in three different years - 2019, 2020, 2021 - pre Covid, Covid, and post-Covid.

Dan and Isabel live in Brooklyn with their two children, Violet and Nathan, and Isabel's brother Robbie. Robbie is the bright star, the glue that holds the family together. He is loved and worshiped by all. The problem is that he has to move from his upstairs room and find his own apartment because Violet and Nathan are getting too old to share a room and the family needs the space that Robbie occupies. His preparation for moving puts the family in overt flux, a change in the covert dynamics that existed previously.

Robbie has an Instagram following for his creation of Wolfe, a character he posts about regularly. Isabel is very preoccupied with Wolfe, to the point that she ignores her family and work responsibilities to check her phone repeatedly.

The novel focuses on the difficult intimacies and charged interactions between family members. During Covid, Violet is very frightened about letting the virus come through the windows and insists that all windows remain closed. Nathan is entering puberty and is rebellious with his parents, only wanting to be with his school friends. Through letters that Isabel writes to her children for future reading, we understand her feelings of inadequacy and the problems she faces with mothering. Dan is lamenting his lost chances to be a rock star. The marriage is rocky and they both wonder when they fell out of love.

Isabel works full-time as a photo editor and is burnt out with her job at the magazine. She finds herself crying on the subway, imagining another life for herself. Dan is a singer songwriter, once semi-popular. He is now a house husband who takes care of Isabel and the children while trying to imagine a new rise to fame at 40 years old.

Robbie is the centrifugal force in the family dynamic. He is loved and adored by Dan and Isabel both in a semi-erotic and covert way. He is gay and has just broken up with his boyfriend, Isabel hopes that Nathan will be gay when he grows up, viewing his potential relationships with men to be less jealousy-provoking than heterosexual relationships with women.

Cunningham's language and his ability to discern the inner lives of his characters are what makes this novel special. Though there is not much overt action, the inner lives of each character is explored and come alive. We feel the presence of each character and understand the futility of their efforts to reconnect despite good intentions. This is a beautiful novel and one that I highly recommend.

There is no doubt that Michael Cunningham writes luminous, crackling prose. You will never be disappointed in his use of language. At times, though, this book felt like it didn't know what to be. In his afterword, Cunningham said it went through many incarnations, and I can see some of the fossils left behind. Robbie's fake Instagram account as "Wolfe," felt out of place, as did his referring to his online persona as a real person.

When you only spend one day a year with your characters, a lot of information has to be conveyed in an organic way (David Nicholls' One Day did this quite well). SPOILER ALERT: After Robbie passes away, Isabel offhandedly mentioned his heart condition, which never came up before and was never talked about again. It seemed like a plot contrivance that was inserted to make his sudden death more believable.

Summaries of this book focus heavily on the phrase "chosen families." The family at the center of the novel is certainly unorthodox, and I felt like it skimmed the surface of their relationships to each other without diving as deep as I would have liked. Dan admits he's in love with Robbie, even though he's heterosexual and married to Robbie's sister, Isabel. He and Robbie even kiss each other on the mouth. There appears to be nothing sexual in his feelings for his brother-in-law, and Isabel, who says she is in love with her brother as well, is not bothered by their closeness. I wish Cunningham had explored this more.

Early on in the book, Isabel can't sleep, and she stares out the window at an owl perched in a tree. She fears what the owl portends, but doesn't an owl symbolize wisdom? Athena? Owls reappear throughout the story, most memorably near the end, when Isabel and Dan's son Nathan wades into a cold lake in an attempt to see what death feels like. I was wondering what others thought about the recurring use of owls?

With vivid language and sharp character development, Michael Cunningham tells a riveting narrative that takes place on one day over several years. A beautiful novel about love, loss and family,

It's 2019 in Brooklyn and Isabel and her husband need to move Robbie, her younger adult brother out of the attic to make room for their growing family. Robbie is however, the center of their family and perhaps the glue that holds this family together. When the pandemic hits, everyone is forced to look at their life, confront their loneliness and make choices that will impact everyone going forward.

Cunningham is a magician - he has conjured a story of people you will never forget living a time that we are still collectively grieving. Using the foils of social media as well as the Gen X nostalgia, Cunningham brings you into one family's nexus and you will be absolutely entranced. If you love great literature and adore exquisite writing, Day is the book of the year for you! #MichaelCunningham #Day #RandomHouse

Before, during and after COVID. This book is fairly straight forward. A small family in NYC deals with the trials and tribulations of everyday life, then the new norm.
Thank you Net Galley for the ARC and this book that we all can relate.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the Kindle ARC. Day is the story of love, losing someone and an imploding marriage. Dan and Isabel are married, living in NYC. They have two preteen children and Isabel's beloved brother Billy lives with them in an upstairs attic apartment. The story is set in the early days of the Covid pandemic. The decision is made that Billy will get his own apartment, so that Dan and Isabel's son can have his own room in their small space. Billy is a teacher that has created an internet identity - a fantasy person that he and his sister work on together - part of their fun. Day is a slow, quiet story of family, raising children, loving siblings and losing love in a marriage without wanting to acknowledge it.

A Luminous Journey through "Day" by Michael Cunningham

I am immensely grateful to Netgalley and Random House for providing me with an advanced digital copy of "Day" by Michael Cunningham. I was privileged to take a journey through the pages of this book, a journey that was nothing short of a gift, wrapped intricately with masterful storytelling, nuanced characters, and thought-provoking themes.

From the first page, I found myself captivated by Cunningham's singular voice that elevates "Day" far beyond the standard boundaries of literature. The prose is beautifully crafted; it flows almost like a song, with an almost lyrical rhythm that transports the reader into the heart of the story. This is not a book that one simply reads - rather, it's a book that one experiences, and the experience is truly transformative.

What struck me most about "Day" was the depth of the narrative. This is a book that challenges its readers, not just to follow the plot, but to engage with its layers of meaning, to wrestle with its complexities, and to savor its subtle intricacies. Reading "Day" is like peeling an onion - every layer reveals a new perspective, a new insight, a new understanding. It is a book that demands attention and rewards it richly.

Beyond the beauty of its prose and the depth of its narrative, "Day" is a testament to Cunningham's profound understanding of the human condition. The characters are vividly drawn, their struggles are real, and their experiences resonate deeply. Cunningham has a knack for exploring the human heart - its hopes, its fears, its triumphs, and its tragedies. He holds up a mirror to our own lives, enabling us to see ourselves more clearly, more compassionately, more humanly.

In conclusion, I cannot recommend "Day" by Michael Cunningham enough. It is a beautifully written, deeply moving, and thought-provoking book that I believe will stay with its readers long after they have turned the final page. It is one of those rare books that truly improves the reader, offering insights and reflections that will continue to reverberate for years to come. If you have the opportunity, do yourself a favor and experience this book - I promise, you won't regret it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read Day by Michael Cunningham. Cunningham is a writer of memorable, lyrical, poetic, razor sharp words which become memorable, lyrical, poetic, razor sharp novels. I loved this book.

I'm a Michael Cunningham fan, Flesh and Blood remains a favorite novel, that I have read several times though I am not generally a re-reader. The structure of Day reminds me a bit of The Hours and works very well. Set on the same day, April 5, in three successive years, pre and during the pandemic, each section starting out a different time of day - morning, afternoon, then evening - we are with Isabel and Dan, who are married, with two children, Nathan and Violet, and in the attic apartment upstairs lives Isabel's younger brother Robbie, an elementary school history teacher. Choices made in life, the effect parents, love between siblings, motherhood, marital angst, the past and the present, the effects of the pandemic, told with tenderness and caring in short chapters that provide a window into a particular kind of family dynamic, into their hopes and dreams, their successes and failures.

A beautiful book. A talented writer. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Four stars. I liked how I felt reading this story.

OK, first I'd like to thank the folks at NetGalley and this novel's publisher, Random House, for granting me access to a digital advance readers copy of this novel very early (Day isn't released until January 2024) in exchange for my honest review.

I've been a fan of Michael Cunningham's for a long time, starting (as I suspect is the case for most of his readers) with The Hours. I first came to that novel after seeing the film adaptation and marveled at how spectacular the book was (even better than the film, and the film is excellent).

I imagine it's extremely difficult for the writer of a singular novel as iconic as The Hours to "live up to" (as it were) that kind of success, and in terms of cultural impact none of Cunningham's novels after The Hours has really *hit* in the same way. I've ready every novel that Cunningham has published since The Hours (Specimen Days, By Nightfall, The Snow Queen, and now Day), and I would go out on a limb and say that this latest novel, Day, comes the closest to fulfilling that promise of the Great Book to follow The Hours, though I'll explain why (for me at least) while it comes close it still doesn't quite achieve that status.

Day begins on an April day in 2019 (so, pre-pandemic). Isabel and Dan are your typical Brooklyn couple. She works as a photo editor for a magazine, and Dan (who seems not to hold down any kind of day job) is working on songs to revive his career as a singer-songwriter, a career which never really took off in the first place. Their children, Violet (age 5) and Nathan (age 10) are at different stages of development. Violet, who is quiet and inquisitive, is still exploring the world around her, while Nathan, who is beginning to develop friendships with boys his own age, is on the cusp of separating from the cocoon of their close-knit family unit.

Tying them altogether is the children's Uncle Robbie (Isabel's sister), who is a secondary caretaker of the children, as well as a close confidant of both Isabel and Dan, living in their attic apartment as the novel opens. When Isabel and Dan decide to reallocate Robbie's space to their son Nathan, Robbie begins looking for a new place to live and the family lurches toward a new reality where their Sun, the body around which they all orbit, Robbie, is absent.

This makes up the most compelling aspect of Day: the fascinating dynamic between Isabel, Dan, and Robbie, who are a kind of spiritual throuple, even though Isabel and Robbie are siblings and Dan has no physical or sexual relationship with Robbie. As Dan and Isabel are drifting apart, Robbie is the glue that just barely holds them together, and his looming absence spells disaster for each of them in different ways.

Day is structured in three parts. The first and longest part is also the best, lingering in tight close-up on the dynamics between our central trio of protagonists. The second part, set in April 2020 (the early days of the pandemic), explores the isolation and fracturing of relationships that the pandemic brought about in many cases. While Isabel and Dan carry on in Brooklyn, their relationship increasingly strained (passages about Isabel's inclination to sit, near-catatonic, on the stairs are particularly poignant illustrations of the effects of lockdown), Robbie is stranded in Iceland, having traveled there on vacation and ended up stuck due to travel restrictions. A significant portion of the second part of the novel is epistolary in nature, and those letters are really effective - especially when Uncle Robbie writes to his niece and nephew about how much he misses them.

Without completely spoiling the third part of the novel, set in April 2021, let's just say that quite a shocking twist occurs, which affects all three of our lead protagonists (as well as the kids). I can't quite say if the one star I've deducted from a perfect five here is due to my own unhappiness about the turn of events or a downturn of the novel's effectiveness - but ultimately, I felt that the promises of Parts 1 and 2 of the book didn't *quite* come together by the novel's end. The dynamic of Robbie's involvement with Isabel and Dan is one that I haven't often seen in other novels. But I didn't quite feel that Cunningham plumbed that relationship to the fullest, hinting only briefly through sort-of flashbacks at the development of their dynamic trio. Given the departure that the third section of the novel takes, Day never quite came together fully for me. Individual themes are carried through to the end, but as a reader I didn't quite feel like the individual threads gave me that "Hmmm, wow," feeling that I want at the end of a truly standout novel.

Now - here's the section of my review where I contradict myself somewhat. I enjoyed Sections 1 & 2 of this novel so much - and the novel is short enough - that I still really recommend reading Day. I think fans of Cunningham's thus far, especially if they've enjoyed his post-Hours novels, will really dig this book. What Cunningham really excels at is close-up portraits of complex and deeply human characters, and his greatest accomplishment in this novel is the character of Uncle Robbie, who really stands out within the context of this book. You will absolutely feel for Robbie throughout the book, and miss him when you're through reading, and there's something to be said for a novel that evokes those kind of strong feelings.

Day
A Novel
by Michael Cunningham
Day is a beautifully written book. So very deep and touching the very soul. It is POV from the year before Covid and the two years following. How love, loss, and living are so difficult. I felt this one in so many ways. Bravo.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review. Day is a story of a family and told over the course of three days, each separated by a year. The family at the center grapples with life before, during, and after COVID-19 and we see the many ways that it affects them and what they ultimately learn about life and each other.

This was an excellent book! It is seemingly simple in its construction and plot line but, these simple sentences are packed with so much meaning and really have quite an effect; these lines are worth savoring and I found myself highlighting quite a bit. The author made it very easy to see yourself in these characters and to relate to moments in the story. For example, one of my favorite scenes with one of our main adult characters, Isabel, where she experiences an onslaught of emotions in a public subway car was so moving; it was so easy to “see” and feel that scene and to get swept up in Isabel’s emotions— the grief and feeling of overwhelm, despite trying your best to keep it all together. This is one of those stories that makes you really evaluate the “every day” and what it means to experience love, grief, and other human emotions. I also especially loved that all characters, both adults and kids, faced some sort of real, relatable issue rather than just focusing on the adults.

Overall, a very enjoyable read and one that I’d recommend!

Another beautifully written book under the pandemic.
I think the COVID changes us all, and life never will be the same.

Day has a really simple structure and plot, but with really deep thoughts.
I think we can all learn from it.
How to embrace the changes. How to live with the loss. How to cherish the past and move on.
You'll know the answer when you read this book.