The Colour of the Sun

by David Almond

Hardcover, 2018

Status

Available

Call number

823.92

Genres

Fiction

Collection

Accelerated Reader

Publication

Hodder Children's Books (2018), 240 pages

Description

Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML: Award-winning author David Almond pens the dreamlike tale of a boy rediscovering joy and beauty within and around him, even amid sorrow. 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..… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member oceancat

This is the sleepy and day dreamy book of one day in the life of a boy who recently lost his father. I honestly felt like I was in a dream the whole time I was reading it, but not in a bad way at all. Davie’s dad has died recently and he’s trying to just be a kid again, going out to wander

around for the day. But a local boy has been murdered and as he wanders he meets different people with opinions and stories to tell. I really enjoyed it!

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LibraryThing member SherylHendrix

The Color of the Sun chronicles one day in the life of Davie, a young British lad recently bereaved of his father, who goes out to explore his Tyneside town one day only to run into the unexpected murder of a local boy. He goes in search of the supposed killer, another young boy whose family has

had a long-time feud with the dead boy's family, and in his search discovers truth. I thought the prose style was exquisite, and while I, as a senior adult woman, could appreciate this book in many ways I nevertheless felt its intended audience - middle grade students - would be bored with the lack of action in the story and would quickly lose interest. Thus the three-star rating from me.

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LibraryThing member bonitajean

This book should be read by the young and the young at heart. David Almond takes you back, with the help of Davie the main character, to when your imagination could take you places you have never been, or have been but are seeing it in a totally new light. Davie who recently lost his father due to

illness, decides one bright and sunny morning to take a walk through his town, along the way meeting and interacting with those who he has always known. He runs across a dead body, a priest who is in love, and so many more wonderful characters. All in all, Davie it seems is making peace with the loss of his Dad in many way. Thank you Librarything for the opportunity to review this sweet novel.

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LibraryThing member jackiewark

Struggling with the death of his dad, Davie is now reeling with the news that a young acquaintance, Jimmy Killen has been murdered. The small town is buzzing about the death and the ongoing feuding between the Killens and the Craigs. Davie is sure that Zorro Craig murdered Jimmy.

That’s when lines

become blurred...is it imagination or hullicination? Is it fantasy or reality? Is it a real, concrete world or a world filled by dreams? Davie sets out, up a hillside, down, to discover the beauty that still lies within his world. Facts are spoken, but are they true?

In this coming-of-age story, The Color of the Sun will leave the reader searching for his or her own reality, as we see how death and tragedy can take a toll of the mind.

Thank you to Candlewick Press, David Almond, and LibraryThing Early Reviewers for this ARC.

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LibraryThing member Bitter_Grace

I wanted to love this book. Especially since so many other people loved this book. Especially since I’ve loved some of David Almond’s other books. But sadly I did not love this book. Untethered to any actual plot, Davie wanders around, running into assorted people and having assorted

experiences that all seemed to be heavy-handed symbolism for rediscovering light and colour and life in a world that has been greyed out by grief. I felt like Davie was simply not a compelling enough character to carry this book. He doesn’t really DO anything, just drifts around waiting for something to happen. The writing is lovely, and perhaps if I was in a more melancholic mood myself the atmosphere of the novel would have felt right. But I’m sorry to say that I was simply bored by the whole thing.

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LibraryThing member Whisper1

David Almond is one of my favorite authors. Thus, I was so very disappointed to read his most recent book The Color of Sun. It was a book that seemed to have little plot, and there simply was way too much meandering text. I'm glad this wasn't my first book I've read of his or I would not continue

to read others.

Sadly, this book was a trip to nowhere.

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LibraryThing member lilibrarian

Several weeks after his father's death, Davie walks out into his small town and finds that a boy has been murdered. He goes off on a walk, thinking of life and remembering his father, seeing all the contradictions, troubles and pleasures in daily life

LibraryThing member LauraEnos

The book is written well but I question if it's written for the correct age group. I found a lot of characters, symbolism and content to probably be over the head of the reading audience the cover and book itself is being marketed for. It just doesn't quite seem to match. On the back it says for

ages 12 and up but I'm not sure my students would be able to get into the book and see it in their heads.

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LibraryThing member managedbybooks

*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.

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LibraryThing member GRgenius

This was another curious tale indeed...and even now after having digested it fully, I'm still not quite sure about my feelings regarding it. What starts off as a story of a death (murder?) in a small, anything-but-quiet village, develops in turns and pages into a day of wandering, discovery, and

possibility for our leading lad Davie. Now, how can he travel out and about when there may be a murder on the loose? Easy because as we soon find out, there is more than just one unknown out and about in Tyneside. All the troubles Davie unearths, all the turmoil boiling below and above the surface of the townspeople, all the curiosities and unusual circumstances encountered, are building to show Davie and us all for that matter, that yes...bad things happen, sometimes to less than bad people, but there is still marvelous things to be found, truths that need to be heard, and memories that need to be carried onward into our own futures.

**ARC received for review; opinions are my own

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