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jaclyncrupi's review
4.0
Day 5, book 5. I love the start of the year where I can reliably read a book a day. It won’t last much longer. J.P. is a master of tension and I’ve been pretty stressed out as I read this. It’s edge of your seat, nail-biting suspense. Come for the culty darkness, stay for the chilling conclusion.
geauxgetlit's review against another edition
4.0
I decided to read this before the new series on Hulu comes out on May 24th, The Clearing. After reading…I’m now really excited for the shows premiere.
I love a good cult book and this one hooked me from the start, with a kidnapping of a 7 year old girl. They have some twists and turns during the way, but a couple in particular I did not see coming!
TW: There is child abuse depicted in the book, but living in a cult it’s expected.
All in all, a fantastic cult based thriller read.
I love a good cult book and this one hooked me from the start, with a kidnapping of a 7 year old girl. They have some twists and turns during the way, but a couple in particular I did not see coming!
TW: There is child abuse depicted in the book, but living in a cult it’s expected.
All in all, a fantastic cult based thriller read.
anniekinowolf's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Gritty, tense, compelling.
More twists that a game of twister, most of which just whacked me in the face as I'm looking the other way.
More twists that a game of twister, most of which just whacked me in the face as I'm looking the other way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Murder
ihateprozac's review
4.0
This was so enthralling. If you like thrillers about cults, pick this up!
There are two storylines at play here. The first POV is Amy, a young girl who's been indoctrinated into a cult and is helping to bring other children in. The second POV is Freya, a mother living in regional Victoria who's untangling a dangerous web of exes, a past connection being released from jail, and someone creeping around her property. It's fascinating trying to theorise how the two storylines might converge if at all!
Both narrators are really interesting. I highly recommend listening via audiobook if only for Amy's narration, as the younger narrator really heightens your sense of revulsion and unease for this young girl. Freya herself was an interesting combination of unreliable narrator and toxic mother. You want to root for her but you know she did something bad to her first son, and it makes for an interesting exploration into motherhood, unresolved trauma, and starting over.
I love a cult thriller and I love an isolation thriller and this gave me the best (or worst?) of both worlds! You'll oscillate between fear for Amy at the hands of adults, and a sense of hopelessness and anxiety for Freya as things go awry at her rural property. In The Clearing is tense, enthralling, and had me physically gasping as I listened along.
This was my first JP Pomare but it won't be my last!
CW: child abuse, murder, pedophilia,
There are two storylines at play here. The first POV is Amy, a young girl who's been indoctrinated into a cult and is helping to bring other children in. The second POV is Freya, a mother living in regional Victoria who's untangling a dangerous web of exes, a past connection being released from jail, and someone creeping around her property. It's fascinating trying to theorise how the two storylines might converge if at all!
Both narrators are really interesting. I highly recommend listening via audiobook if only for Amy's narration, as the younger narrator really heightens your sense of revulsion and unease for this young girl. Freya herself was an interesting combination of unreliable narrator and toxic mother. You want to root for her but you know she did something bad to her first son, and it makes for an interesting exploration into motherhood, unresolved trauma, and starting over.
I love a cult thriller and I love an isolation thriller and this gave me the best (or worst?) of both worlds! You'll oscillate between fear for Amy at the hands of adults, and a sense of hopelessness and anxiety for Freya as things go awry at her rural property. In The Clearing is tense, enthralling, and had me physically gasping as I listened along.
This was my first JP Pomare but it won't be my last!
CW: child abuse, murder, pedophilia,
hinkle's review
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
celiapowell's review
4.0
Clearly inspired by the Family cult (which I've always found fascinating), this is a very absorbing thriller that I burned through in one evening.
bgray98's review
4.0
Ooft. The twist in this book? Didn’t see it coming. Cleverly written, a compelling and pulse-pounding book. Loving JP Pomare’s work!
mollierats's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bookiebook's review
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
lunaseline's review
3.0
Streamingjätten (nej, inte den - den andra) släppte en ny serie med blekta blondiner.
Så jag plockade fram boken.
Läste ju Pomare nyligen och var sur på att han inte placerade sin historia i Australien, vilket denna sekt-roman ändrade på. Tyvärr är det mer just en sekt-roman än en Aussie-roman, så förutom "det är varmt" och "akta er för ormarna" fick man inte särskilt mycket Down Under-känsla.
Inte så mycket andra känslor heller, faktiskt. Det är rätt snyggt upplagt och jag såg inte riktigt twisten komma - å andra sidan var jag inte särskilt engagerad, så jag letade inte heller.
Nu låter boken supertråkig, men jag är rätt säker på att den är bättre än Disneyversionen (they usually are...). Och första halvan var ändå underhållande och välskriven.
Gillar du sekter gillar du säkert.
Så jag plockade fram boken.
Läste ju Pomare nyligen och var sur på att han inte placerade sin historia i Australien, vilket denna sekt-roman ändrade på. Tyvärr är det mer just en sekt-roman än en Aussie-roman, så förutom "det är varmt" och "akta er för ormarna" fick man inte särskilt mycket Down Under-känsla.
Inte så mycket andra känslor heller, faktiskt. Det är rätt snyggt upplagt och jag såg inte riktigt twisten komma - å andra sidan var jag inte särskilt engagerad, så jag letade inte heller.
Nu låter boken supertråkig, men jag är rätt säker på att den är bättre än Disneyversionen (they usually are...). Och första halvan var ändå underhållande och välskriven.
Gillar du sekter gillar du säkert.