Threads of Ivy’s Life. – The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog

June 10, 2025

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Book Review for “Days of Light” by Megan Hunter.

Summary: “Easter Sunday, 1938. Ivy is nineteen and ready for her life to finally begin. Her sprawling, bohemian family and their friends gather in the idyllic English countryside for lunch, arranging themselves around well-worn roles. They trade political views and artistic arguments as they impatiently await the arrival and first sight of Frances, the new beau of Ivy’s beloved older brother, Joseph. In this auspicious atmosphere of springtime, Ivy’s world feels on the cusp of something grand–but neither she nor those closest to her predicts how a single, enchanted evening and an unexpected tragedy will alter the rest of their lives. A radiant, philosophical, and intimate journey through time, “Days of Light” chronicles six pivotal days across six decades to tell the story of Ivy’s pursuit of answers—to the events of this fateful Easter Sunday and to the shifting desires of her own heart. Moving through the Second World War up to the close of the 20th century, Hunter captures the galvanic love and transformative moments that define a winding, beautiful life.”

Age: Adult; Genres: Literary Fiction; Settings: Era/s: Historical-Modern; Location/s: Great Britain – Mostly a fictional area of Sussex, and some London; Other Categories: Novel, Relationships, Loss, Trauma, LGBTQIA+, Religious (Christian), Romance.

When I read the review for this by What Cathy Read Next, I was sure that this was going to be my kind of book. So, I immediately looked for it, and lo and behold, there it was on NetGalley, and available for me to request. Well, imagine my surprise when Grove Atlantic/Grove Press accepted my request almost immediately! Since I suddenly had a window in my reading list (due to a lack of approvals on both NetGalley and Edelweiss), I realized I could read it in more than good time to review it before publication. I love doing that! So, here we go, with one day before publication, and you’re getting my review.

Well, I have to state right at the outset that this is one of the most beautifully written books I’ve read in a very long time. Hunter’s prose is lusciously poetic, and ultimately evocative, as we delve into these separate days in Ivy’s life. From a fateful day in 1938, with England on the brink of a second World War, through another Easter Sunday in 1999, Hunter builds up Ivy’s life through Ivy’s eyes. These vignettes could almost be stories on their own, but as they come, chronologically, we get a comprehensive portrait of Ivy, where we’re able to understand what is in her heart, what moves her, as well as who Ivy thinks she is, what Ivy is to those around her, and how she feels about all these things.

I really enjoyed this format, although it is nothing innovative. But in Hunter’s hands, it becomes more like a window into Ivy, but in small, easily digestible pieces. This is exactly what literary fiction is about. Building a character and taking them through their lives. I know that many people dislike literary fiction because they say that “nothing happens” but in this case, quite a bit happens to Ivy throughout her life, although because of the gaps between the days included in this story, we aren’t witness to all these events. On the other hand, how we find out about those things that happened is recounted with the lens of hindsight, so that Ivy is able to judge her own actions and reactions to those events, while at the same time, being in her present. This might sound strange, but I assure you, it works very well.

Now, with all this, you might be wondering why I didn’t give this a full 5/5 stars. I mean, I truly enjoyed this book, and I’m sure that it will be a huge hit with many readers. Cathy described this as “Intimate, intense, emotional” and yes, it is all that. However, at one point this took a turn that made me uncomfortable. That has to do with my labeling this as being Religious (Christian) fiction. Don’t get me wrong, this is probably the least preachy of any religious fiction I’ve read, but I have a personal problem with the genre, no matter which religion is involved, including my own. So, while I had started to feel an affinity for Ivy, that bit distanced me from the story, and frustrated me somewhat. Obviously, if these types of things don’t bother you, you’ll probably adore this book. That said, I still really loved Hunter’s writing, and (most of) the story, and emphasized with Ivy to a certain extent – especially at the end, which means that I’m very much recommending it, and giving it four and a half stars out of five.

The US release from Grove Atlantic/Grove Press for “Days of Light” by Megan Hunter is June 10, 2025. This book is available (via the following affiliate links) from Amazon, Blackwell’s (prices include international shipping), Waterstones, WHSmith, Kobo US (eBooks and audiobooks), Booksamillion.com, Barnes & Noble, iTunes (iBooks and audiobooks), new or used from Alibris, Awesome Books (not an affiliate link) or Better World Books (promoting libraries and world literary), as well as from Bookshop.org and UK.Bookshop (to support independent bookshops, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic). I would like to thank the publishers for sending me an ARC of this novel via NetGalley.