I had read the print copy of this and really enjoyed it as a story. The audio version was just as good - sometimes the chosen narrator can make a book seem totally different but in this case, I loved the narrator. The narration definitely enhanced that story rather than detracting from it.

A little disclaimer to start off: I had no idea what this book was going to be about. At first it just seemed like a very quirky and fun account of an incredible bond between two sisters. Hannah is the perfect big sister who seems to have it all. She’s hardworking with a successful career, a charity project on the side, a loving boyfriend, she’s popular, kids love her - yada yada yada ...She’s also the best friend and a parent figure to her little sister, Ruth.
Ruth on the other hand is her total foil; wild at heart, a failed artist, who dropped out of her degree, with no love life to speak of, and antisocial tendencies. Don’t you just love Ruth instantly? I know I do. At least she seems complex and well.. human.
Then halfway through the book, I realised that this was going to be a painful, heart-wrenching story about coping with grief, which clearly I did not sign up for...! It gets really intense and although the characters seem rather flat, you can’t help but really sympathise with Ruth’s feelings as she tries to put her life back together. There is a rawness of emotions from love to utter despair which does resonate with anyone that's ever lost a loved one.
Jessie Cave really nails the depiction of a painful loss which in part seems to be based on her personal experience, while Bebe Cave’s narration is spot on too. I don’t usually enjoy audiobooks, but listening to this one felt more like listening to someone talk to you, or someone’s internal monologue as opposed to someone reading a book. It’s not pleasant, it’s not easy but there’s something cathartic about it and somehow manages to leave you with a ray of hope.

Sunset follows Ruth and Hannah who are sisters. They have always been really close and have had a special bond. They are different with Hannah being hard working and organised, whereas Ruth is chaotic. But one summer on their yearly sister holiday something tragic happens that will change everything.

This is a story about sisterhood and grief. It’s a compassionate story focusing on the pain and struggle of dealing with grief especially when it is someone who you are so close to. The feelings of grief seem really real and realistic, showing that the process of trying to put yourself back together after something tragic is messy. Hannah and Ruth’s lives were so intertwined and they were dependent on each other in so many ways, that it was hard to read about the guilt and damage that was being felt in the aftermath.

However, this book was told in a casual way and I really enjoyed that. It made it easier to get through the sad subject matter. The humour that was present in the novel really worked and worked for this to be an insightful and reflective read. I really grew to love the main character and all her flaws and quirks. It did take me a little while to get into this at first but once I got to grips with the switching of timeline, I really enjoyed it.

I am interested to read from Jessie Cave in the future if she publishes more novels.

Note: I did not listen to the audiobook in it's entirety as I found that the audio wasn't very clear when I tried to listen to it, but I was fortunate to have a physical arc to read from as well.

Thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. It’s a beautiful depiction of raw, painful grief. The intense relationship between sisters Hannah and Ruth is so well depicted, it’s utterly relatable to the point that you feel the pain of learning to live without her after the accident.
As a debut novel it is well written and Jessie Cave finds her unique style and stays true to it throughout the book. It took me a while to get into, but once I had it became much easier to understand the characters. It is brutally honest and at times difficult to hear, but I think that’s what makes the book so good. It is emotional and powerful, and will make you question your own relationships.

An interesting narrative but a clumsy construction - felt like a vanity project. I wanted to like this more, but the characters were underdeveloped and it felt more written for the screen than written as a novel.

I am a big fan of Jessie Cave's work and was very happy to get a chance to read Sunset. The novel is a beautiful tale of siblings, love, loss, grief and healing told with real emotion but, also humour and honesty, even remembering the flaws and dislikes of a lost loved one. You can really hear that the story and words come from a place of experience by the author. I cannot recommend this beautiful book enough.