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lisacanteven's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The cult vibes were great though, so I rated it higher than I would have normally I think. I wanted a cult book, and I got one. It was pretty predictable the whole time, even without as much context as we deserved as readers. I didn't love it, but I didn't dislike it as much as I was expecting based on other reviews. I'm not sure I would read another book by this author though.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
melaniereadsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was a very high-intensity thriller. This deals with some really tricky subjects, and does a good job expressing the feelings of loss, grief, and loneliness that are preyed upon by Lev and his cult. Though I can't really say I liked the characters, I did enjoy reading about them, and I was on the metaphorical edge of my seat while racing through this book! I really enjoyed the way this ended, as well. I'm definitely scoping out this author's other books to read.
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
mydearwatsonbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Lo Denham works for a fledgling newspaper. When she sees a man commit suicide after quoting a Bible verse, her decision to reach out to the cult he was a part of—the same one her sister is in—changes her life.
This book is what you might call “slow burning”, which is normally not my style, but it works here. Summers alternates between two voices, Lo and her sister, Bea. Each voice is in a different timeline: Bea’s is in the past, and Lo’s is more or less in the present (the novel ends in 2018).
After Lo is in a car accident that kills her parents, Bea ends up at The Unity Project, a cult run by Lev Warren. Lo sets out to discover if the rumors she has heard about The Unity Project are true or not. I do wish that some of the characters involved in the cult had been a little more skeptical before joining, but the need for something to believe in is certainly relatable. I also appreciate that the author recognizes how hard it is to condemn something when that thing has also gone so much good in the world.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s, and Wednesday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Suicide
magsapt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Summers' wonderful words still seduced me and kept me gripped to the story. Her prose is simple, yet she manages to involve you in her narrative. Her books are very plot-driven, and she only writes descriptively when necessary which makes her books fast to read, even though the usual themes are dark and heavy. I think that's Courtney Summers' true power: her ability to write about tough subjects without making the book too dense. She writes what she must - there are no unnecessary scenes or long detailed pointless moments. Summers' gives you enough freedom to imagine things on your own, leaving you clues to solve the mystery, every gap intentional.
However, on this particular occasion, she made the plot too predictable. Nothing was surprising or unexpected. In the beginning, I saw the whole story unfold and unfortunately, all my hunches came true. Adding this to the fact that there was barely any character development equals a two star read for me.
Lou started as this fierce character who was willing to do everything to find her sister and then becomes her sister. One might've thought that one woman's actions were another's lesson, but I was wrong. I kept being naive and thinking Lou has something up her sleeve, but it turns out she was just an ignorant brat who always makes the worst decisions available. Her lack of progress and improvement baffled me, and the only two things that kept me going were: a) Courtney Summer's marvellous writing; and b) my hope that the author would redeem herself. Thing b) didn't happen, so here I am, hea
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Torture, Violence, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity and Murder
Psychological abuse; cultdanielghurst's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Summers' writing is vibrant and gritty, the story is intriguing, and the characters are complicated. I could appreciate Lo's cynicism and bluntness that she uses to mask her trauma and pain. If you enjoy stories about cults, questioning faith/religion, or sisters, you might just love this book!
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, and Religious bigotry