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sunbearbeam's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry and Death
Moderate: Sexual assault, Cannibalism, Suicide, and Death of parent
lillygabriella's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book is definitely not for everyone, and even though it's listed as a Young Adult book, I would not want my teens to read it. It's very dark, and the depictions of violence and sexual content are too graphic for younger teens in my opinion.
This was an absolutely gripping read from start to finish and I read it in three days. Every time I thought we were at peak WTF moments, it threw another curve ball at me. This is well marked as horror, and anyone considering reading it should definitely pay attention to the warning tags.
If you like dark and post apocalyptic stuff, this is probably right up your alley.
This was an absolutely gripping read from start to finish and I read it in three days. Every time I thought we were at peak WTF moments, it threw another curve ball at me. This is well marked as horror, and anyone considering reading it should definitely pay attention to the warning tags.
If you like dark and post apocalyptic stuff, this is probably right up your alley.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Blood, Gore, and Violence
ghostlyprince's review
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Gore, Animal death, Cannibalism, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Torture, Body horror, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Confinement, and Self harm
Minor: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
Honestly there is so much heavy stuff in this book it'd be impossible to list it all, this book is not for the feint of heart and if any of the tw's contain a trigger of yours I'd advise to steer clear from the book, it's a good book but it's extremely heavy and disturbingsarah984's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I was so excited to read this because I loved Sawkill Girls but this book did not work for me.
First of all I think it's kind of cowardly to set this book in the context it winds up being set in and not explicitly make the cult religion Christianity. The society isn't described particularly well; the book is so long and drags on but so many things are glossed over so there's not much of an idea what their everyday life is like. I kind of wish that Amity had had a few "normal" visitations and other duties as a saint before it all hit the fan.
The characters are all cardboard cutouts (the only one I found mildly interesting was thesecond POV character and she's only in a couple of chapters near the end), the witches feel pointless (their entire role could easily have been fulfilled by other characters who were already present) and the romance is very silly.
The magic system isn't well set up and basically just works however the plot needs it to. The plot itself just does whatever to get to the next point - I never understood why Amity was so set on meeting the devil in the first place.
Also it's annoying going into a book that says it's about revenge and righteous anger and then having the message be that we need to be nice to bigots because maybe they don't know that racism and misogyny are bad. I almost wish racism hadn't come up at all because it's handled so clumsily- there are like 3 (marginally) important Black characters because the founders of Amity's cult were white supremacists, but of those characters 1 dies and 1 is a villain, and since Amity only even found out Black people existed like last week the cult's racism isn't super plot relevant. Two different revolutions happen basically off page so the author doesn't have to try and explain how they did that without hurting anyone's feelings.
Also the sequel hook was stupid.
First of all I think it's kind of cowardly to set this book in the context it winds up being set in and not explicitly make the cult religion Christianity. The society isn't described particularly well; the book is so long and drags on but so many things are glossed over so there's not much of an idea what their everyday life is like. I kind of wish that Amity had had a few "normal" visitations and other duties as a saint before it all hit the fan.
The characters are all cardboard cutouts (the only one I found mildly interesting was the
The magic system isn't well set up and basically just works however the plot needs it to. The plot itself just does whatever to get to the next point - I never understood why Amity was so set on meeting the devil in the first place.
Also it's annoying going into a book that says it's about revenge and righteous anger and then having the message be that we need to be nice to bigots because maybe they don't know that racism and misogyny are bad. I almost wish racism hadn't come up at all because it's handled so clumsily
Also the sequel hook was stupid.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Child abuse, and Child death
Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Body horror, Blood, Bullying, Cannibalism, Confinement, Grief, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Racism, and Self harm
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Vomit, and War
kryzysowa_narzeczona's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Religious bigotry, Torture, Physical abuse, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Death, Child death, Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Confinement, and Infidelity
Minor: Homophobia and Sexual harassment
micaelamariem's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Last month, I ordered a one-time book box from the Unplugged Book Box. They are a book box focused on self-care, and in it I recieved beautiful smelling lotion and perfume as well as a copy of Extasia by Claire Legrand (published by Katherine Tegan Books). Due to the packaging, it made the read even more pleasant with a heady aroma on each page.
But more about the actual book.
Claire Legrand is a former musican turned author with eleven published novels under her belt. She tends to focus on darker and grittier subjects for middle grade and young adult audiences. However, her debut into the adult fantasy world is coming with the Middlemist trilogy, releasing in spring 2023.
Extasia is a young adult horror novel with a specific focus on religious trauma. When the World That Once Was came to an end, God spared one community of people to create Haven and live by His ways. The main character, who goes through a series of names, is about to be annointed a Saint. She hopes with her sainthood she can stop the evil that has been leaking into her village, killing men. But there are dark beasts that follow her and a dark power seeks her out.
I am quite new to the horror genre as a reader. I’ve always interacted with horror tv shows and haunted houses and reading dark fantasy, but I haven’t read a lot of actual horror. So, I’m not quite sure by what criteria I should review this by. It did have a great gothic dark atmosphere, perfect for the witchiness of the plotline. There were also plenty of gory scenes, for those more inclined to body horror. I will say that I personally didn’t find it scary so much as compelling and enticing, where I wanted to turn the pages to see what happens next. However, I’m weird and don’t scare by things that ought to be scary.
I also loved the themes of this book. As someone that has encountered a bit of religious trauma myself, I am curious and like to read about religious horror or books with religious themes–whether for good or for bad. But what really drew me in was the main character’s lesson that things in the world was not all black and white and that perhaps we all have a darkness inside of us.
I thought the main character’s development was really done as she went from someone blindly following what she’d been taught to opening her eyes and questioning everything, even herself. The other characters, however, were not as nuanced. Still, my favorite characters–Blessing and Samuel–didn’t disappoint me.
There were a few minor things that bothered me about this book. It bothered me that all the feminine names were nouns–Temperance, Rage, Hunger, Blessing, etc. It felt like we were too on the nose with these names, really overteaching the lessons of the book with their name changes. There were also a few minor inconsistencies–like when the girls had to write something and could despite saying they never learned their letters. And also, the main character’s father didn’t make sense to me, in some ways. There were a few scenes that made his whole arc confusing to me.
Overall, I’m giving this book three stars. It was good and I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t something I’m obsessed with nor can I ignore the flaws.
Some other forms of art this book reminded of: The Grace Year by Kim Liggett, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, The 100.
Trigger warnings: body horror/gore; violence against women; domestic violence; forced imprisonment; attempted rape; torture; cannibalism; someone being burnt alive; death of a parent; religious trauma.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Blood, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Religious bigotry, Gore, Sexism, Torture, Violence, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Bullying, Cannibalism, Infidelity, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Homophobia, Rape, Child death, and Sexual assault
maple_dove's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Extasia by Claire Legrand is about a girl joining a coven to save her village from the Devil.
I Liked:
I Liked:
- Puritanism is not the same as modern Christianity, though, I find that some bigoted themes are shared in both. I like how this book confronted them numerous times.
The hero to morally grey character to hero arc! I've always wanted to do that! The CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!!! Amity to Rage? Hell yeah! - The LGBTQ+ representation
I Didn't Like:
Hmmmmmm.
Quotes:
"You were not there. He was going to hurt Hun--He was going to hurt Blessing."
"And so you decided you would be the one to cast judgment on him? You alone would choose his fate?"
"Blessing asked him to stop. He would not listen. He beat her, and beat me." I point at my face. "I did not give myself bruises!"
"He was with Blessing, you say."
"Yes, in the barn. They were . . . " I clench my fists, nails into palms. "They were lying together. My sister wished to stop. He would not."
Samuel looks aghast. "Your sister was lying with him. She agreed to lie with him, and then she wished to stop."
"As anyone might wish to stop eating, or drinking, or wish to stop sitting and stand up instead! What if I told you I was no longer hungry, and you kept shoving food into my mouth all the same?"
"That is different, Amity."
"How? Tell me."
He looks away, but I will not allow him to hide. I rush around to stand before him. "Tell me!"
"Because she is a girl unwed," he bursts out, "and yet she chose to lie with Adam. She chose lust over virtue, when that is one of the very things that brought The World That Once Was to ruin!" (pg. 286)
Other comments:
On the second day's night I was reading, I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN! AHHHHHHHHHHHH
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Violence, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Animal death, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Sexual content
Minor: Physical abuse
Purity culture (graphic), Attempted rape (graphic), Sex scenesimplyammee's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Torture, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Body horror, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cannibalism, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia
camillessi's review
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
2.5
*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher. (Thank you!)*
Firstly, I wanted to express how surprised and disappointed I am that there is no official trigger warning list for this book. I searched the author's website and the publisher's site and did not find any. With the amount of disturbing and potentially triggering content that is in this novel, I think that would warrant at least a warning, especially as this is a book written for teenagers. That said:
CONTENT WARNINGS: Gore, body horror, sexual assault, abuse (domestic abuse, child abuse, religious abuse), animal death, cannibalism, misogyny, minor character death
Claire Legrand's books tend to be hit-or-miss for me, but with how much I loved Sawkill Girls, I was excited for another horror novel from her. This did not, however, live up to my expectations. As always, the prose was generally beautiful and mostly flowed well, and the way the plot fit together was clever. The atmosphere throughout was dark and heavy, well-fitting for a horror novel.
But the downfalls (to me) were too many for me to say I really enjoyed it (and certainly not to the extent that I enjoyed Sawkill Girls). I felt that this book relied too heavily on the violence and the shock value of it in efforts to get its point across. It becomes clear rather early on that the men of Haven are the villains in this story. But the constant gruesome deaths and murders of these men seemed gratuitous and made it feel like I was getting hit over the head repeatedly with the "ALL MEN ARE HORRIBLE" message. I can understand the message fine without men getting mangled until they are unrecognizable every other chapter. It wasn't even just the men's deaths either—everyone who dies in this novel reaches a gruesome end that is described in painstaking detail. This could be attributed to Legrand's excellent imagery in her prose, but I also felt that after a while, it became tedious. I found myself skipping past paragraphs and pages describing torture and mutilation, and really didn't feel like I missed out on anything in my reading experience by doing so.
The catalyst for the protagonist Amity's quest I also found rather confusing. I reread the passage several times trying to figure out why it made sense for her to make the decision she did just based on a vague fable from her town. The quest itself was interesting and brought plenty of tension that eventually I was able to ignore that it didn't make sense. But it certainly pulled me out of the story for a while.
Furthermore, the big reveal near the end felt anticlimactic and reminded me too much of other post-apocalyptic novels.
Overall, this book might be great for people who don't mind the unsettling content and enjoy straightforward messages. The female friendship was strong here, despite it feeling slightly underdeveloped. I also liked how a supporting character was given a (rushed) redemption arc—I think they deserved one.
I think this book was not to my personal tastes, which is fine. I wanted to put it down many times, but felt I needed to finish it in order to write an honest review. I can't really say I enjoyed reading it, but it did hold my attention after about the halfway mark. Additionally, I haven't read YA novels in a few years now, and so found some moments in here cheesier than I might have previously. But those who are used to reading in that category may not be bothered by it at all!
Like I said at the beginning, this author is always a hit-or-miss for me, so even though I didn't enjoy this book, I will still be on the lookout for more releases from her.
Firstly, I wanted to express how surprised and disappointed I am that there is no official trigger warning list for this book. I searched the author's website and the publisher's site and did not find any. With the amount of disturbing and potentially triggering content that is in this novel, I think that would warrant at least a warning, especially as this is a book written for teenagers. That said:
CONTENT WARNINGS: Gore, body horror, sexual assault, abuse (domestic abuse, child abuse, religious abuse), animal death, cannibalism, misogyny, minor character death
Claire Legrand's books tend to be hit-or-miss for me, but with how much I loved Sawkill Girls, I was excited for another horror novel from her. This did not, however, live up to my expectations. As always, the prose was generally beautiful and mostly flowed well, and the way the plot fit together was clever. The atmosphere throughout was dark and heavy, well-fitting for a horror novel.
But the downfalls (to me) were too many for me to say I really enjoyed it (and certainly not to the extent that I enjoyed Sawkill Girls). I felt that this book relied too heavily on the violence and the shock value of it in efforts to get its point across. It becomes clear rather early on that the men of Haven are the villains in this story. But the constant gruesome deaths and murders of these men seemed gratuitous and made it feel like I was getting hit over the head repeatedly with the "ALL MEN ARE HORRIBLE" message. I can understand the message fine without men getting mangled until they are unrecognizable every other chapter. It wasn't even just the men's deaths either—everyone who dies in this novel reaches a gruesome end that is described in painstaking detail. This could be attributed to Legrand's excellent imagery in her prose, but I also felt that after a while, it became tedious. I found myself skipping past paragraphs and pages describing torture and mutilation, and really didn't feel like I missed out on anything in my reading experience by doing so.
The catalyst for the protagonist Amity's quest I also found rather confusing. I reread the passage several times trying to figure out why it made sense for her to make the decision she did just based on a vague fable from her town. The quest itself was interesting and brought plenty of tension that eventually I was able to ignore that it didn't make sense. But it certainly pulled me out of the story for a while.
Furthermore, the big reveal near the end felt anticlimactic and reminded me too much of other post-apocalyptic novels.
Overall, this book might be great for people who don't mind the unsettling content and enjoy straightforward messages. The female friendship was strong here, despite it feeling slightly underdeveloped. I also liked how a supporting character was given a (rushed) redemption arc—I think they deserved one.
I think this book was not to my personal tastes, which is fine. I wanted to put it down many times, but felt I needed to finish it in order to write an honest review. I can't really say I enjoyed reading it, but it did hold my attention after about the halfway mark. Additionally, I haven't read YA novels in a few years now, and so found some moments in here cheesier than I might have previously. But those who are used to reading in that category may not be bothered by it at all!
Like I said at the beginning, this author is always a hit-or-miss for me, so even though I didn't enjoy this book, I will still be on the lookout for more releases from her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Cannibalism, Body horror, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Animal death, Death, Gore, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault
onceuponabookcase's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I was sent this proof for free by Harper360YA for the purposes of providing an honest review.
I have been really excited to read Extasia by Claire Legrand ever since it was first announced. I absolutely adored Sawkill Girls and how terrifying it was, so there was no doubt I would read Legrand's next horror novel. And as I expected, it was bloody brilliant!
Many years ago, in The World That Once Was, disease followed by war wiped out the majority of the population. Only a few survived. These few were saved by God, who spoke to them, and told them of a new way to live; if only they do as He says, there was a way to prosper and survive, a life without sin, a life of worship. He directed them to a place where they could build anew, a village named Haven. But evil still lurked in the world. The Devil that lives under the mountain. The only way to protect themselves from this evil, God told them, were the Saints. God would speak to the Elders of Haven, speaking the names of four girls yet to bleed, to be their Saints. They would keep the town safe from sin, by allowing them to unleash their anger and lustful depravities upon the Saints. They will keep the people of Haven of good, and pious, and safe.
Today, she will be anointed as a Saint, and named Amity. The day she has long been waiting for since her mother shamed the family five years ago in her sin. She will restore her family's honour. She will be Godly and good, and gladly take whatever the people of Haven land upon her during visitation. And she will defeat the Devil, who has taken the lives of nine Haven men, in gruesome and mysterious ways. She knows a story, one her mother once told her, of relics that call on the Devil. She will find these relics, and she will face the Devil and defeat him.
When her fellow Saints, Temperance and Mercy, talk of women living in the woods, women with power, Amity follows. Confused as to who these women are and where they come from, as the people of Haven are the only ones who survived The World That Once Was, Amity decides she will learn what she can of this power, this Extasia, and hope it helps her find the relics and defeat the Devil.
This book. This book! Extasia had me raging like you wouldn't believe. Right from the get go, we learn very quickly about the world, the religious fervour of the people of Haven, and Amity's excitement and pride at becoming a Saint, knowing until the day she bleeds, she will be subjected to the town's violence and worse. We quickly learn of the attitude towards women, who were of course responsible for the destruction of The World That Once Was because of their deceit and lustful, sinful ways. We learn it is the men who have the power, and that everyone has been brainwashed from birth that the way of the town is right and is good, and is how they are kept safe from the Devil. Extasia reminded me very strongly of elements of The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, The Grace Year by Kim Liggett, with a little of Impossible Causes by Julie Mayhew - and though I've not yet read it, I think there will probably be similarities with The Seawomen by Chloe Timms. Haven is extremely cult-like, without anyone knowing they're living in a cult. Amity's belief and conviction is heartbreaking and unbelievably disturbing as we see exactly what it is she is expected to endure. I got so extremely angry very, very quickly.
I was reminded very much of how Puritans are shown on TV and films, not just their faith, but the way they speak - the ways Amity thinks, and narrates the story. Then she meets the witches in the Coven living in the woods, and these women speak like contemporary people, and the juxtaposition of the two, the Saints and the Coven, and their conversations is startling but brilliant. Slowly, slowly, Amity learns that things aren't necessarily as they seem. Haven obviously have got things wrong somewhere, because according to the Coven, there are small villages all over. It's strange, but it's not important. What is important is that the men of Haven are continually killed in more alarming and inexplicable ways. Amity's focus is on trying to save her people. And if it means sneaking out and meeting with these women and learning what she can in order to get the relics to face the Devil, then so be it.
Amity is seeing animals with white eyes, with patchy feathers or furs, looking like they're rotting. She's also seeing strange, giant grey women with only gaping mouths in their heads. Despite that, when we learn what's going on, they're not exactly things to be frightened of. Extasia wasn't the story I expected, considering it's a horror. There wasn't anything scary about this book for me, it felt more like a dystopian fantasy. I would have liked to have been scared by Extasia as I was by Sawkill Girls. But it is very much a horrifying story. It's disturbing and unsettling, sinister and uncomfortable, and completely messed up, and I felt very much like I do when I watch The Handmaid's Tale, when they've found another atrocious thing to do to women. But my main feeling throughout Extasia overwhelming anger, and had be screaming on social media that I hoped Amity would end up burning Haven right down to the ground.
It's incredible to see the change in Amity, as she learns more, as she witnesses things she never would have expected, and reacts to them in ways she never would have expected. She starts to question everything. She starts to consider what is truly important to her, what truly needs protecting. It's like a spark that falls on a trail of oil, the flame that follows its path, inching its way closer to the source, until it finally reaches the source, and explodes into a devastating inferno. That's what it's like watching Amity learn, and question, and finally has her eyes opened. Her rage is all-consuming, and it's beautiful. Hell hath no fury like a woman who is awakened to the truth. Her rage matched my own, and I reveled in it. There is a very sweet, very quiet sapphic romance in Extasia, and becomes one of very few lights in Amity's life, something that balances out the anger, and reminds her of her softness when her razor sharp edges.
I have been really excited to read Extasia by Claire Legrand ever since it was first announced. I absolutely adored Sawkill Girls and how terrifying it was, so there was no doubt I would read Legrand's next horror novel. And as I expected, it was bloody brilliant!
Many years ago, in The World That Once Was, disease followed by war wiped out the majority of the population. Only a few survived. These few were saved by God, who spoke to them, and told them of a new way to live; if only they do as He says, there was a way to prosper and survive, a life without sin, a life of worship. He directed them to a place where they could build anew, a village named Haven. But evil still lurked in the world. The Devil that lives under the mountain. The only way to protect themselves from this evil, God told them, were the Saints. God would speak to the Elders of Haven, speaking the names of four girls yet to bleed, to be their Saints. They would keep the town safe from sin, by allowing them to unleash their anger and lustful depravities upon the Saints. They will keep the people of Haven of good, and pious, and safe.
Today, she will be anointed as a Saint, and named Amity. The day she has long been waiting for since her mother shamed the family five years ago in her sin. She will restore her family's honour. She will be Godly and good, and gladly take whatever the people of Haven land upon her during visitation. And she will defeat the Devil, who has taken the lives of nine Haven men, in gruesome and mysterious ways. She knows a story, one her mother once told her, of relics that call on the Devil. She will find these relics, and she will face the Devil and defeat him.
When her fellow Saints, Temperance and Mercy, talk of women living in the woods, women with power, Amity follows. Confused as to who these women are and where they come from, as the people of Haven are the only ones who survived The World That Once Was, Amity decides she will learn what she can of this power, this Extasia, and hope it helps her find the relics and defeat the Devil.
This book. This book! Extasia had me raging like you wouldn't believe. Right from the get go, we learn very quickly about the world, the religious fervour of the people of Haven, and Amity's excitement and pride at becoming a Saint, knowing until the day she bleeds, she will be subjected to the town's violence and worse. We quickly learn of the attitude towards women, who were of course responsible for the destruction of The World That Once Was because of their deceit and lustful, sinful ways. We learn it is the men who have the power, and that everyone has been brainwashed from birth that the way of the town is right and is good, and is how they are kept safe from the Devil. Extasia reminded me very strongly of elements of The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, The Grace Year by Kim Liggett, with a little of Impossible Causes by Julie Mayhew - and though I've not yet read it, I think there will probably be similarities with The Seawomen by Chloe Timms. Haven is extremely cult-like, without anyone knowing they're living in a cult. Amity's belief and conviction is heartbreaking and unbelievably disturbing as we see exactly what it is she is expected to endure. I got so extremely angry very, very quickly.
I was reminded very much of how Puritans are shown on TV and films, not just their faith, but the way they speak - the ways Amity thinks, and narrates the story. Then she meets the witches in the Coven living in the woods, and these women speak like contemporary people, and the juxtaposition of the two, the Saints and the Coven, and their conversations is startling but brilliant. Slowly, slowly, Amity learns that things aren't necessarily as they seem. Haven obviously have got things wrong somewhere, because according to the Coven, there are small villages all over. It's strange, but it's not important. What is important is that the men of Haven are continually killed in more alarming and inexplicable ways. Amity's focus is on trying to save her people. And if it means sneaking out and meeting with these women and learning what she can in order to get the relics to face the Devil, then so be it.
Amity is seeing animals with white eyes, with patchy feathers or furs, looking like they're rotting. She's also seeing strange, giant grey women with only gaping mouths in their heads. Despite that, when we learn what's going on, they're not exactly things to be frightened of. Extasia wasn't the story I expected, considering it's a horror. There wasn't anything scary about this book for me, it felt more like a dystopian fantasy. I would have liked to have been scared by Extasia as I was by Sawkill Girls. But it is very much a horrifying story. It's disturbing and unsettling, sinister and uncomfortable, and completely messed up, and I felt very much like I do when I watch The Handmaid's Tale, when they've found another atrocious thing to do to women. But my main feeling throughout Extasia overwhelming anger, and had be screaming on social media that I hoped Amity would end up burning Haven right down to the ground.
It's incredible to see the change in Amity, as she learns more, as she witnesses things she never would have expected, and reacts to them in ways she never would have expected. She starts to question everything. She starts to consider what is truly important to her, what truly needs protecting. It's like a spark that falls on a trail of oil, the flame that follows its path, inching its way closer to the source, until it finally reaches the source, and explodes into a devastating inferno. That's what it's like watching Amity learn, and question, and finally has her eyes opened. Her rage is all-consuming, and it's beautiful. Hell hath no fury like a woman who is awakened to the truth. Her rage matched my own, and I reveled in it. There is a very sweet, very quiet sapphic romance in Extasia, and becomes one of very few lights in Amity's life, something that balances out the anger, and reminds her of her softness when her razor sharp edges.
I was very much reminded of the last few episodes of season four of The Handmaid's Tale, of June's anger, of her talking in the group of women who had escaped Gilead, and asking why they had to move beyond anger. A friend told me that the final episode, the way the season ended, had made June less sympathetic to him, whereas I felt completely the opposite. I was right there with June, internally screaming, "YES!" as that episode came to a close, relishing in the justice she enacted. That righteous anger is what Amity feels, and what guides her. Extasia is fiction, but it reflects aspects of the real world, of the misogyny and violence that women experience everyday, and Amity's anger is brightly burning, and universal.
The story took a turn I wasn't at all expecting, and it knocked me for six. Such a twist, and so much more anger and distgust! It's the final straw for Amity, and she knows what needs to be done, and she takes no prisoners. But, considering how the story ended, I might personally be a little more like Mercy than Amity, but the ending was brilliant. Had I been Amity, I think it might have taken me a little longer to get to where Amity ends up. But I also feel like there couldn't have been a better ending. And I completely adored the epilogue, and how there's a possibility of a sequel or companion novel.
As a woman living in this world, who has experienced as well as heard the violence we are subjected to, Extasia is a story that is very close to my heart. It's powerful, and important, and necessary. And it also made me feel incredibly seen, that the anger I feel is valid and an understandable reaction to everything. It's something I take a huge amount of comfort in. Though, as Legrand reminds me through Amity, it's what we do with that anger that counts.
The story took a turn I wasn't at all expecting, and it knocked me for six. Such a twist, and so much more anger and distgust! It's the final straw for Amity, and she knows what needs to be done, and she takes no prisoners. But, considering how the story ended, I might personally be a little more like Mercy than Amity, but the ending was brilliant. Had I been Amity, I think it might have taken me a little longer to get to where Amity ends up. But I also feel like there couldn't have been a better ending. And I completely adored the epilogue, and how there's a possibility of a sequel or companion novel.
As a woman living in this world, who has experienced as well as heard the violence we are subjected to, Extasia is a story that is very close to my heart. It's powerful, and important, and necessary. And it also made me feel incredibly seen, that the anger I feel is valid and an understandable reaction to everything. It's something I take a huge amount of comfort in. Though, as Legrand reminds me through Amity, it's what we do with that anger that counts.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Cannibalism, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault
Minor: Torture