The All-Night Sun

Dianne Zinnas debut novel, THE ALL-NIGHT SUN, pulls you into the story from the first sentence and holds you captive until you reach its stunning and heartbreaking conclusion. Ten years after the death of her parents, 28-year-old Lauren is still reeling from their passing. With no close friends or companions in her life, the one thing she has to fill the emptiness is her job as a writing teacher for international students at a small college. Lauren soon befriends Siri, an 18-year-old Swedish art student. Though its considered inappropriate for teachers and students to spend time together socially, Siri offers Lauren what shes most missing: connection. Siri invites Lauren to join her for vacation in Sweden … and overseas, Lauren quickly learns that her confident friend also has baggage. The girls relationship is not at all romantic, but Zinna writes their friendship with the intensity of a first love. Siri is more than just a friend to Lauren: shes a beacon and helps pull Lauren out of her depression. However, Siri is, well, only human and still a teenager … and to Laurens surprise, isnt always the person whom Lauren put on a pedestal. Zinna plays every beat in their friendship, creating multifaceted heroines. Theyre not always likable or make good choices, but Lauren and Siri are fully realized with flaws and passions. The author also treats Sweden as a character presenting descriptions so detailed that you can practically smell the grass and feel the sun on your back. The beauty of the landscape serves as a stark contrast against Laurens ongoing grief. Zinnas first work is a bittersweet treat and the perfect midsummer read. I eagerly await for her next book!

I\’m halfway through this wonderful book, but felt compelled to write a review when I woke up this morning! The book, on the level of the sentence, is beautifully crafted and ebbs and flows with a voice that feels like water. I read every night before going to sleep, and there were times I couldn\’t put the book down (and yet, I am still ONLY halfway through). The voice of book is so honest, it felt as though a friend were sharing a secret with me., and the story itself is a complex one that isn\’t always rainbows, but there is light illuminating (like an \”all night sun\” ;D ) throughout the text to create meaning and happiness despite grief. I can\’t wait to finish this book, and despite not having finished I had to let people know this simple message: buy this book! It\’s beautifully written and feels so very human. 10 out of 10, would recommend.

Virginia author Diane Zinna earned her MFA from the University of Florida, taught creative writing at the college level, served with the Association of Writers & Writing Programs, and created the Writer to Writer Mentorship Program, matching writers. She has also help develop #WritersServe hosting workshops in shelters, prisons, hospitals and elsewhere. THE ALL-NIGHT SUN is her debut novel. An indication of one of the many themes of this luminous novel is the cycle of life, and respecting that, Diane has sectioned her story like the seasons: Spring (beginnings), Summer (developing nuances), Fall (changes of color and emotions) and Winter (denouement). The music of her prose is audible even in the Prologue: When I accepted Siris invitation to travel home with her for the summer, it was like taking her up on a beautiful dare. I can still see her with her backpack, eighteen years old, lightly crossing transoms of age and language to make me feel comfortable among her teenage friends. In dreams Siri leads the way through Gamla Stans crowded caramel streets, turning to smile at me as I follow behind. Back in the United States, before I impulsively accepted her invitation, I had been Siris teacher. Like the midnight sun that does not set, my decision to go to Sweden with her spread its undying light over everything. My grief was like that, too. I fell asleep to it. I awakened with it Somehow placing this scene in one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe adds a timeless resonance to the story that follows a tale of how grief, loss, loneliness, the intimacy of friendships, and the need to be understood sculpt us. The story flows as smoothly as the prologue promises and has been distilled into the following synopsis: Lauren Cress teaches writing at a small college outside of Washington, DC. In the classroom, she is poised, smart, and kind, well liked by her students and colleagues. But in her personal life, Lauren is troubled and isolated, still grappling with the sudden death of her parents ten years earlier. She seems to exist at a remove from everyone around her until a new student joins her class: charming, magnetic Siri, who appears to be everything Lauren wishes she could be. They fall headlong into an all-consuming friendship that makes Lauren feel as though she is reclaiming her lost adolescence. When Siri invites her on a trip home to Sweden for the summer, Lauren impulsively accepts, intrigued by how Siri describes it: green, fresh, and new, everything just thawing out. But once there, Lauren finds herself drawn to Siris enigmatic, brooding brother, Magnus. Siri is resentful, and Lauren starts to see a new side of her friend: selfish, reckless, self-destructive, even cruel. On their last night together, Lauren accompanies Siri and her friends on a seaside camping trip to celebrate Midsommars Eve, a night when no one sleeps, boundaries blur, and under the light of the unsetting sun, things take a dark turn. Ultimately, Lauren must acknowledge the truth of what happened with Siri and come to terms with her own tragic past. Eloquent and hypnotic, this very special novel deserves a wide reading audience: there is food for thought for all of us. Grady Harp, August 21

A deep-seated, fully realized, cerebral exploration of a soul-stirring story where nothing is left unattended. In the hands of author Diane Zinna, grief leads to uncommon yet plausible connections as a friendship between teacher and student builds, crosses continents, and takes unexpected turns. The story of longing for connections in pursuit of filling a void, The All-Night Sun was recommended to me by author interviewer Annie McDonnell, of the popular book page, The Write Review. This sort of recommendation speaks for itself, and Annie\’s praise for this well-written book was right on it!

I loved this book so muchfrom the gorgeous cover to the haunting prose. While I did receive a review copy through NetGalley from Random House, I had to buy a copy so that I could read it again (and have that cover!). Laurens story is one of aching loneliness and grief. And though its not a typical feel good story, it is uplifting in other ways. This is a wonderful debut.

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