Has life ever beaten you down to a point where you feel like getting back up is simply impossible? A point where you believe there's nothing more to life but somewhere along the line, this view changes? It may not magically change one day but everyday comes with a new hope? This is basically what the book “100 Days of Sunlight" by the lovely author Abbie Emmons centers on.
Judging from the title, I thought this book was going to be an apt description of rainbows and sunshine from the very first page to the last. But the book started with a seemingly dark hook and I knew I was in for a fun ride.
The story centers on 16 year old Tessa Dickinson, a passionate poetry blogger whose life takes a sharp turn after a car accident that leaves her temporarily blind for 100 days. Terrified that her sight may never return, Tessa spirals into anger, despair and isolation, pushing away her grandparents who love her very much.
Her grandparents become very desperate to help her reclaim the only thing she loved doing before the accident; writing. In their quest, they place a newspaper ad for a typist. Weston Ludovico, a very cheerful teenager who equally lost his legs to an accident answers the ‘call for a typist’ even after the ad was immediately taken down.
Tessa, who still cannot see and who doesn't know about Weston’s condition, unleashes her frustrations on Wes, treating him with contempt. At some point, she demands he should leave and never return but Weston persists.
Their relationship evolves as Weston challenges Tessa to make use of her other senses: smell, taste, sound and touch, drawing from his own experiences of overcoming challenges. As their bond deepens, family dynamics and personal secrets add layers to the story. The moment of truth presents itself when Tessa eventually regains her sight.
At its heart, this novel throws so much light on resilience. This is seen when both Tessa and Weston get back up after life-altering losses. Disability is represented as an occurrence that can be managed and not an excuse for being miserable with oneself and the world at large. Some other themes portrayed in this book include trauma, anxiety, growth, gratitude and empathy.
The two protagonists are such adorable characters but I was particularly taken by Weston. To reiterate, Weston lost both his legs due to an accident but he was the most optimistic and cheerful character in the book. Somehow, even without legs, he managed to walk through life with ease. Something that many people find hard to do. I particularly liked how contagious his presence was and how happy he made everyone around him.
However, this book’s plot was very predictable. Without giving it too much thought, one could already tell where it would all culminate. Be that as it may, the journey to the peak was a very enjoyable one.
This is a book made for anyone and I believe everyone who reads it would learn a thing or two from it. Overall, I will give 100 days of sunlight a solid 4.5 out of 5.0 rating as the feel good book is heartwarming, uplifting, transformative and has a bit of everything.
