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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
I’m in awe. What a stunning, beautifully written, engrossing story about the bond between a mother and daughter. Lacey May is 14 and lives with her alcoholic mother in a drought-starved small town in California. Her mother and grandmother - and Lacy by default - are wrapped up in a cult where Vern promises to bring the rain again, if only they all follow his every word. When Lacy’s mother abandons her, Lacy is forced to live with her grandmother Cherry, and begins to realize how deeply affected she has become by Vern and how little she cares about anyone besides herself and her taxidermy animals. Lacy is alone and without hope. What follows is a remarkable story of strength and resilience. Of growing up and beginning to understand who you are and what you were made for. I loved this book.
I was straight up BEGUILED by this book. Not only is the voice throughout so incredibly enchanting but Bieker has captured the Central Valley unlike anyone since William Saroyan (who gets a glorious name check—alongside a Longs Drugs reference, no less! SWOON.) As a Fresno-born Portlander, I'm admittedly biased, but I think this novel holds up regardless. I'm not generally a fan of religious/cult stories but Lacey is so dang charming and the world she inhabits so wonderfully weird (and accurate!) that I was hooked from the get-go. I know it sounds like I am a shill for this author but as far as I know our paths have never crossed. I hope that changes soon.
Loved it!!!! This story is so interesting, and would truthfully do very well as a miniseries in my opinion. Such a compelling storyline about a young girl in the midst of a problematic cult. Amazing & reads so quickly!
I didn't like it.
I wanted to.
It was a novel that seemed to be poised to take on the limits of faith. But instead her characters were all over the top. Lacey and Lyle were able to coherently speak of their guilt and shame and faith in ways that completely belied the "man aren't white trash Christians dumb" tone of the rest of it.
Smart people join cults. Smart people stay in cults. Smart people fee guilt and shame and are coerced.
Stop pretending that blind faith is only for idiots. It's everyone who is susceptible to thinking that belonging is love and that that love isn't tied to specific behaviours and outcomes.
I promise. They will fucking drop you the minute you start to disappoint you and you will realize that jobs that say "We're like a family!" or social groups as thick as thieves are just waiting for you to show non conformity and you will be out on the street.
So no. I don't like this idea that cults are for brainwashed losers. They're for all of us. That's how they get us.
I wanted to.
It was a novel that seemed to be poised to take on the limits of faith. But instead her characters were all over the top. Lacey and Lyle were able to coherently speak of their guilt and shame and faith in ways that completely belied the "man aren't white trash Christians dumb" tone of the rest of it.
Smart people join cults. Smart people stay in cults. Smart people fee guilt and shame and are coerced.
Stop pretending that blind faith is only for idiots. It's everyone who is susceptible to thinking that belonging is love and that that love isn't tied to specific behaviours and outcomes.
I promise. They will fucking drop you the minute you start to disappoint you and you will realize that jobs that say "We're like a family!" or social groups as thick as thieves are just waiting for you to show non conformity and you will be out on the street.
So no. I don't like this idea that cults are for brainwashed losers. They're for all of us. That's how they get us.
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
This is a book everyone will be talking about. I really enjoyed it and the motley cast of characters. It is Flannery O'Connor with a dash of Carl Haissan but in draught affected California instead of the humid south. Not the type of boom I normally read because I’m drawn to thrillers and horror but this was really great.
dark
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Incest, Rape
Moderate: Alcoholism
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
3.5/5