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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Pregnancy
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I’m surprised I finished this book. The uneven character development frustrated me most of all. Some plot lines were wonderfully written and kept me engaged. But too often the book felt like a slog. 1.5 stars.
I have mixed feelings about this one. The comparisons to Geek Love and White Oleander are apt, to the point where this one almost felt overshadowed and slightly derivative. I also found it had a pretty slow start. And yet! the second half I read entirely in one sitting; Lacey was a compelling protagonist, and the prose caught hold of me. It's clear Bieker is very talented.
Thank you Netgalley for the arc.
Thank you Netgalley for the arc.
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Godshot is marketed as a book about a cult, but it shines best as an examination of womanhood, motherhood, faith, and desperation. As a cult novel, I don't think it accomplishes what I wanted. We come into the narrative after Vern has firmly established himself as the savior of the town and requests blind obedience from his followers, and because of this, I had a hard time believing why the town was going along with it. Conceptually, of course, I understand how people fall victim to cults, and how it eventually becomes easier to believe than confront the reality of their decisions, however we don't get enough of the buildup of Vern's status before Lacey gets hints of his misgivings and the reader sees through his ploys. When we get to his larger plans, they feel more for shock than actually believable because we didn't arrive to this point along with the people of Peaches.
As an examination of womanhood and motherhood, I loved what Bieker is saying. Womanhood has unavoidable suffering, from conforming to or rebelling against societal expectations, to the contradiction of purity culture with sexual expression, being an object of the male gaze and therefore somehow responsible for their actions, the actual physical suffering of childbirth. But womanhood is also full of incomparable joy and strength - women supporting women, motherhood, vulnerability, starting new and rebuilding. Bieker's female characters are complex and real, a stark contrast to her male characters who blindly obey, lack agency in their own lives, and blame others.
The most impactful depiction of this is how Lacey consumes warm soda and canned scraps of foods like pig feet within Peaches - processed, unfulfilling, and ultimately detrimental. With other women who accept and support her, Lacey drinks cool, filtered water, experiences comforts deprived from her in her normal life. She dips her feet in the sea, she bathes in a jacuzzi tub. She experiences true 'baptism' and rebirth in the comfort of other women who allow her to exist as she is without expectations, versus the fake baptisms in warm soda that occur for show within the church . Womanhood is nourishing, it is a necessity.
If I went into this book expecting the cult to be a backdrop instead of the main show, I likely would've enjoyed this a lot more. However, I still really enjoyed the message and outcome.
As an examination of womanhood and motherhood, I loved what Bieker is saying. Womanhood has unavoidable suffering, from conforming to or rebelling against societal expectations, to the contradiction of purity culture with sexual expression, being an object of the male gaze and therefore somehow responsible for their actions, the actual physical suffering of childbirth. But womanhood is also full of incomparable joy and strength - women supporting women, motherhood, vulnerability, starting new and rebuilding. Bieker's female characters are complex and real, a stark contrast to her male characters who blindly obey, lack agency in their own lives, and blame others.
The most impactful depiction of this is how Lacey consumes warm soda and canned scraps of foods like pig feet within Peaches - processed, unfulfilling, and ultimately detrimental. With other women who accept and support her, Lacey drinks cool, filtered water, experiences comforts deprived from her in her normal life.
If I went into this book expecting the cult to be a backdrop instead of the main show, I likely would've enjoyed this a lot more. However, I still really enjoyed the message and outcome.
Oh my gosh. I started slow with this book and struggled getting into it and wasn’t all obsessed over it or anything, but recently I’ve been reading more and haven’t been able to put it down. When I told my dad about the book I was reading he said it sounded depressing, and yeah a little but it’s an incredible read. I did get teary-eyed at the end haha. I don’t regret reading this book at all.
I didn’t get on with the writing style
challenging
dark
emotional
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
sad
tense
medium-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
girl what was this