Reviews of 'Stealing Heaven From The Lips Of God'

'Of the forty-odd novels I've read in the past year, Mr. Sunshine's "Stealing Heaven" is certainly among my favourites'
Todd Vandenberg (from a review in Underground Window)
Read the entire review here.

'With Stealing Heaven from the Lips of God, Dee Sunshine has created a compelling work... a highly entertaining and thought provoking work this reviewer recommends highly.'
Richard Blaise (from a review in Literati Magazine)
Read the entire review here

'Sunshine has created an arresting, believable, and even at times sympathetic character in Robbie. I have no frame of reference for drug use (I have never tried "soapbar," but if anyone could actually tell me what that is, then maybe I have), but I can very much empathise with Sunshine's Robbie in the love department. Which one of us (unless you are a poet or living under a rock somewhere), has not experienced the palpable AGONY that comes with opening your heart to another'
Marie Lecrivain (from a review in Poetic Diversity)
Read the entire review here

'Meant to email you sooner, to tell you I finished your novel (actually read it in a day and a half, and am now re reading it). It's remarkable. Was more than a little misty-eyed at the ending... You're right to be proud of it. It's just unfortunate that a mainstream publisher wasn't interested, but this must represent something nebulous like "market demands" or some such shite. It certainly should not be taken as a poor reflection on the book, which compares very favourably with everything I've read over the last few years.'
Allan MacDonald

'I was, very generously, sent the e-book version of Stealing Heaven by the author..and with no word of a lie, it blew me away. I don't know what I was expecting, but certainly not something this damn good. It says that it was originally published as a fake blog on LiveJournal, and I know that, had I known about it at the time, I would've been addicted. It's a story of depression, drug abuse, love, redemption, lack of hope, finding hope..but no, it's more than that. It's very difficult to put into words, but for anyone who has even danced around the edge of the world of drugs and parallel, reality avoiding, lifestyles, it will be a roller coaster of familiar emotions. And did I mention that it's well written? Sunshine has a way with words that refuses to compromise; would rather you throw down the book in disgust than censor it's language. In my view, it laughs in the face of Trainspotting and books of that ilk, although I'm sure some will compare the two. I, personally, see more similarities with Requiem for a Dream - a far superior animal.
Heidi

'You show great courage, and a self-lacerating honesty, in the depiction of Robbie's mental and physical breakdown into spiritual redemption'
Simon Harrison

'I have just finished reading your book Stealing Heaven from the Lips of God. I thought it was very readable, sensitvely expressed, (importantly) non-setimental statement on the transcendental potential of human beings. Congratulations.'
Alan Charles Gay

'Stealing Heaven From The Lips Of God' is a grainy, black and white portrait of personal disintegration and reassembly, death and resurrection, alienation through relationships, and the art of self-consumption. It is unmistakably "bloggish" - a journal of immediate pain and urgent self-discovery. It glitters and is drenched in urban smells and sounds and expletives. It is a remarkably poignant love story with a happy end and a tragic rest and a lot of pornish sex. Like an expressionistic film, it is both hallucinatory and exquisitely detailed and like a film noir, it keeps you on edge and guessing. It is not easy to love the protagonist (the inevitable question: is it autobiographical?) and all but impossible to hate or judge him. This book is also a medieval morality play and the anti-hero gets his comeuppance as we grieve for the lives - his and those around him - that he so cavalierly shatters. Buy it now, before the author regrets his morbid generosity'
Sam Vaknin (author of 'Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited')

'I work for Roehampton university doing a rather drab and dull admin job and one day amongst all of the usual e-mails about prospectus requests and open day bookings your e-mail showed up telling of the immenant publication of your novel. Quite how this happened I have no idea but glad that it did I very much am. Intigued after reading the brief synopsis I went to the website to find the five sample chapters, 'I expect they think I'll buy the book after reading these sample chapters', I cynically said to myself as I clicked on the link to the first chapter. After the first five I was hooked. None of my local bookshops stock it though, in fact one of the guys that ran one of them said that he's never even heard of the publishing house! But order it I managed to and wait for it I also had to.Needless to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. You seem to be very much my sort of writer. I love the idea of the anti-hero come good. The flawed character who we can all identify with who knows his short-comings, does not seek forgiveness, just understanding. To me you seem to follow in the fantastic tradition of Scottish writers (you are Scottish are you not?) who do just this- Irvine Welsh, Alan Warner and Louise Welsh are perhaps my favourites.
Tom Webb

'I just got your book a couple of days ago, it looks fab. Have only read the first few pages and already I'm enjoying it. Well done'
Rebecca Wright

'I have just started reading your book and even though I have already read it when you sent it to me as an attachment it seems different. I think that having it in book form makes it more of a luxury. Whatever the reason, it is coming across as very vibrant and your prose is incredibly visual. Sometimes too visual, but you are not one to pull punches...I just wanted to let you know how impressed I am with the book.'
Karen Campbell

'Your book is amazing. You are a fantastic wordsmith and I love the illustrations'
Sue Porter

'Thank you so much for the copy of Stealing Heaven From The Lips Of God, which I read right away. It was grimly authentic and though I can't exactly say it was an enjoyable read (it wasn't meant to be, I know) it was a memorable one, well-written and designed to put off anyone who thinks it might be a laugh to experiment with drugs.'
Laura Sheridan (editor of Pennine Ink)

'O_O I LOVE YOU! *flings self at you* n_n; Eheh! Anyway, I just finished reading "Stealing Heaven From the Lips of God", and fucking hell, it is -good-. One of the better books I've read in my time. I suppose this isn't the place to be asking this, but what, exactly, are your drug experiences?! Making a book with so many drugs so realistic, it would be impossible for you to be a complete drug virgin. ^.^ Anyway, back the point: Excellent read, awesome first person perspective, great to relate to and learn from if you're a drug user (like myself). I give it five stars. ^.^'
dorismustdie711 (Live Journal user)

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