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mallorypen's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
… What an odd experience. The premise sounded interesting - escaping a cult! Whoo! - and yet, swathes of the book was slice-of-life, going about one’s business finding a job, babysitting or making food outside of the cult. There was a lengthy section on learning how to scramble eggs … in between weirdly intense sex scenes where virginal characters behaved like porn stars, of course.
And the plot wiggle where Caleb was going to marry Miriam because she didn’t choose to leave with him when they escaped? And him forgetting he had asked her to escape with him and Josh in the first place?
Honestly, this felt like the author had the first scenes of living and escaping from the cult thought out in detail, and then needed to string plot points along to round out a novel after that.
Rough. But free!
And the plot wiggle where Caleb was going to marry Miriam because she didn’t choose to leave with him when they escaped? And him forgetting he had asked her to escape with him and Josh in the first place?
Honestly, this felt like the author had the first scenes of living and escaping from the cult thought out in detail, and then needed to string plot points along to round out a novel after that.
Rough. But free!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia and Violence
Minor: Rape
faerietrails's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book isn't groundbreaking. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've read several fanfics with approximately the same plot and feel. BUT it had me giggling and kicking my legs like a teenage girl at a slumber party. It is sexy, it is sweet, it is found family, it is religious trauma all wrapped up in a neat little package.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry and Kidnapping
Moderate: Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, and Homophobia
Minor: Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Vomit, Rape, and Sexual assault
Characters escape from a religious cult. One character is kidnapped and abandoned by this cult.silver_lining_in_a_book's review
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Sexism, Rape, and Homophobia
Minor: Mental illness, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Vomit, Violence, and Religious bigotry
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