Scan barcode
kim_j_dare's review against another edition
4.0
Twisty and intense and dark. This exploration of two estranged sisters and the way they each get involved with a charismatic cult leader probably belongs more in “new adult” than “young adult.”
Thank you, Wednesday Books and Edelweiss, for the advance readers copy.
Thank you, Wednesday Books and Edelweiss, for the advance readers copy.
ashction's review against another edition
4.0
Wow, another stunning book from Courtney Summers!
The Project is a tangled story, one that threads us through two periods in time during the 2010s, through the eyes of two sisters. Bea, a recently orphaned sister who becomes a convert to The Unity Project after its leader, Lev, brings her sister back from the brink of death. Lo, a sister abandoned and angry, still traumatized from the accident that stole her family, her sister, and left her scarred as she longs to find her sister again in the religious group where she's since disappeared. After the death of a Unity Project member who crosses her path in more ways than one, Lo begins her investigation into The Unity Project, a path that leads her to Lev, a man who hasn't spoken to media in six years. But Lo isn't just any reporter, and Lev isn't just any cult leader.
The Project immediately pulls you in. Summers does a phenomenal job balancing the two sisters' perspectives, and by using different tense to do so, she somehow manages to create two separate moods and narratives that crash together in a spectacular way. Lo is certainly our protagonist, but there's power in Bea's voice, too. The story explores trauma and the ways it changes a person, twists them to wield power and belief in intoxicating ways.
As a cult novel, I don't have much of a fictional frame of reference, but The Unity Project does feel rather tame. That being said, this is still YA, so it doesn't have to be gruesome or crazy to still be horrifying and poweful. And, in true Summers fashion, the end leaves us guessing - though it's certainly less ambiguous than Sadie was. I think my only disappointment was that I wanted that last bit of action at the end to be more than what it was, so I felt a bit let down. But, overall, really just an amazingly well-written novel and a stellar piece of work for suspense in YA.
I received an ARC of this books as a winner of a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Goodreads and Wednesday Books/Macmillan for providing me a copy!
The Project is a tangled story, one that threads us through two periods in time during the 2010s, through the eyes of two sisters. Bea, a recently orphaned sister who becomes a convert to The Unity Project after its leader, Lev, brings her sister back from the brink of death. Lo, a sister abandoned and angry, still traumatized from the accident that stole her family, her sister, and left her scarred as she longs to find her sister again in the religious group where she's since disappeared. After the death of a Unity Project member who crosses her path in more ways than one, Lo begins her investigation into The Unity Project, a path that leads her to Lev, a man who hasn't spoken to media in six years. But Lo isn't just any reporter, and Lev isn't just any cult leader.
The Project immediately pulls you in. Summers does a phenomenal job balancing the two sisters' perspectives, and by using different tense to do so, she somehow manages to create two separate moods and narratives that crash together in a spectacular way. Lo is certainly our protagonist, but there's power in Bea's voice, too. The story explores trauma and the ways it changes a person, twists them to wield power and belief in intoxicating ways.
As a cult novel, I don't have much of a fictional frame of reference, but The Unity Project does feel rather tame. That being said, this is still YA, so it doesn't have to be gruesome or crazy to still be horrifying and poweful. And, in true Summers fashion, the end leaves us guessing - though it's certainly less ambiguous than Sadie was. I think my only disappointment was that I wanted that last bit of action at the end to be more than what it was, so I felt a bit let down. But, overall, really just an amazingly well-written novel and a stellar piece of work for suspense in YA.
I received an ARC of this books as a winner of a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Goodreads and Wednesday Books/Macmillan for providing me a copy!
coffeefairytales's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
booksofshadow's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
georgia5xg's review against another edition
very sorry to say this was a slog to get through since i loved sadie, pacing was just off in this one for me
writingbookscoffee's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
ghostiegirl's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
mmajer's review against another edition
3.0
2.5/5 stars. I was really excited to pick this one up and it was even one of my most anticipated reads of the new year. Having read and fallen in love with "Sadie" a couple of years ago, I've slowly been working on and enjoying the author's backlog. From the blurb, this sounded like a such a twisty read about a creepy cult. That's also what I felt like the characters in the book tried to chalk it up to be, when in fact The Unity Project was quite boring. I think my other problem with this book is that I didn't care for any of the characters. I didn't find Lo or Bea to be all that developed so I had no connection with them and wasn't really rooting for them. That being said, I still think this was well written and I'll continue to check out books from this author. (Also, that cover is stunning!)
Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy via NetGalley and Goodreads giveaway.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy via NetGalley and Goodreads giveaway.
anna72123's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5