Scan barcode
j_h_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Another well written book from JP Pomare. Set in the Australian bush, the story shifts back and forth from Amy, a young girl living in a secretive cult, to Freya, a mum who tries to protect her 7yo son from what is a non specific threat initially, but who also fears her own dark thoughts and deeds may harm him. Freya is clearly deeply affected by her past and, through her own acts, has lost contact with an older son, now aged 19. This twisty psychological thriller throws the reader off with several red herrings along the way, but is a great read all the way through.
joaniec's review against another edition
dark
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? Yes
2.25
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.0
In the Clearing is a taut psychological thriller told from two perspectives. The first is that of Amy, a teenage girl who grows up in a cult, is totally loyal to the leader Adrienne who is known as mother, and has just participated in kidnapping a new member. The other perspective is that of Freya, a yoga teacher and single mother who lives with her young son on the edge of a national park. Freya lost custody of her older child, is extremely security conscious, almost paranoid and is not the most reliable narrator. Of course the two storylines eventually came together, and in a way I wasn’t initially expecting. Pomare excelled in his depictions of creepy cult vibes, the unquestioning almost robotic loyalty, the punishments to those who stepped out of line, and the control exerted by the leader. It was hard to listen to at times. The conditioning of the children and the way this lingered long after the demise of the cult was especially chilling. Learning that this fictional cult is based on an actual cult made it all the darker. Pomare is also a master of red herrings and plot twists of the believable rather than totally out of left field variety. The twist at the end was brilliant. Neither Freya nor Amy are warm or relatable, coming across as cold and detached. I know this bothered some readers, but to me in made sense in the context of their back stories and character arcs. I was first attracted to this books by the cult angle but it was Pomare’s storytelling, pacing and plot twists that kept me hooked.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Child death, and Kidnapping
kcfromaustcrime's review against another edition
5.0
I distinctly remember years ago, standing in a bank queue behind a small, blonde, immaculately turned out woman, who I eventually recognised as Anne Hamilton-Byrne. At the time I mused why it was that nobody had written Australian crime fiction about the sorts of cults that she was responsible for. Even then, in the outer Melbourne fringes, we'd all heard stories about the odd goings in her circle, we knew about the blonde children, and we knew it was dodgy. Alas we didn't find out until many years later just how dodgy, how cruel, how manipulative, and how utterly unbelievable the whole thing was.
Forward many many years later and New Zealand born, Australian based, Ngaio Marsh award winning author, J.P. Pomare has written a novel about the way that cults work, the controlling behaviour, their methods of "recruiting", and the damage that they cause.
IN THE CLEARING is told from two different points of view. Firstly Amy, a teenager and long-term member of a reclusive community led by the charismatic Adrienne, or 'The Queen' as they refer to her. The group are a classic cult setup - mistrust of anybody outside is encouraged, community rules are brutally upheld, and there is plenty of sexual and psychological manipulation going on. Secondly there's Freya, a yoga teacher, living near the river on a small property that she is battling heat and drought on. She lives with her young son, and there are very few people that know she has a second, older son that she lost touch with many years ago. She has a large guard dog and she's hyper-vigilant, for reasons that eventually become clear. When a young girl goes missing from the area it's Freya who has seen odd glimpses of unexpected behaviour, and it's Freya who has some very particular suspicions.
Littered with subtle misdirection, building separate storylines into a complex web, IN THE CLEARING is a masterclass in psychological thrillers. The pace starts out purposeful and very deliberate, pulling the reader into investing in the lives of these two women. If there's something that J.P. Pomare seems to have quite a skill for - it's writing complex, flawed, involving and deeply engaging female characters. As the tension builds there is real fear to be felt here, all the while wondering exactly what these two women have, or haven't done, and what they both would be capable of.
Cleverly paced, intricately woven and unexpectedly complex, IN THE CLEARING is a slow burner, until you find yourself not being able to put it down at all. I confess to having read it in two huge gulps, way into the night, lights blaring, the vision of that small, blonde woman in the bank queue never far from my mind.
If you're interested there is now a documentary series on the ABC that goes into the background of the group known as "The Family" https://iview.abc.net.au/show/cult-of-the-family
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/clearing-jp-pomare-0
Forward many many years later and New Zealand born, Australian based, Ngaio Marsh award winning author, J.P. Pomare has written a novel about the way that cults work, the controlling behaviour, their methods of "recruiting", and the damage that they cause.
IN THE CLEARING is told from two different points of view. Firstly Amy, a teenager and long-term member of a reclusive community led by the charismatic Adrienne, or 'The Queen' as they refer to her. The group are a classic cult setup - mistrust of anybody outside is encouraged, community rules are brutally upheld, and there is plenty of sexual and psychological manipulation going on. Secondly there's Freya, a yoga teacher, living near the river on a small property that she is battling heat and drought on. She lives with her young son, and there are very few people that know she has a second, older son that she lost touch with many years ago. She has a large guard dog and she's hyper-vigilant, for reasons that eventually become clear. When a young girl goes missing from the area it's Freya who has seen odd glimpses of unexpected behaviour, and it's Freya who has some very particular suspicions.
Littered with subtle misdirection, building separate storylines into a complex web, IN THE CLEARING is a masterclass in psychological thrillers. The pace starts out purposeful and very deliberate, pulling the reader into investing in the lives of these two women. If there's something that J.P. Pomare seems to have quite a skill for - it's writing complex, flawed, involving and deeply engaging female characters. As the tension builds there is real fear to be felt here, all the while wondering exactly what these two women have, or haven't done, and what they both would be capable of.
Cleverly paced, intricately woven and unexpectedly complex, IN THE CLEARING is a slow burner, until you find yourself not being able to put it down at all. I confess to having read it in two huge gulps, way into the night, lights blaring, the vision of that small, blonde woman in the bank queue never far from my mind.
If you're interested there is now a documentary series on the ABC that goes into the background of the group known as "The Family" https://iview.abc.net.au/show/cult-of-the-family
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/clearing-jp-pomare-0
karenleagermain's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you to Mulholland Books for providing me with a copy of J.P. Pomare’s novel, In the Clearing, in exchange for an honest review.
Amy has spent her whole life in “The Clearing” home to a reclusive cult in rural Australia. A preteen and the oldest child on the compound, she has been indoctrinated to fear the outside world. Amy’s life is filled with restrictions, brutal punishments, and manual labor. The focus of the cult is to adore and follow the guidance of their leader, Adrienne, whom is referred to as their “mother.” Amy’s life changes when she takes part in the kidnapping of a new child to join their cult.
Freya distrusts society. She lives with her young son, Billy, in a heavily fortified home with a bunker located on the edge of a national park. Freya takes every possible precaution, yet Billy goes missing.
In the Clearing alternates between Amy and Freya’s perspectives. The story is intense and engaging from the first chapter, and I found it difficult to put down. Pomare expertly doles out clues regarding Freya’s past, allowing the reader to piece together the mystery of both Freya and Amy. Neither woman is a reliable narrator, yet both hold clues to the mystery of Billy’s disappearance and their stories collide in the most unexpected twist.
In the Clearing was the perfect novel to read on my winter vacation. Although the story is set in scorching hot, drought/fire prone Australia, the tone is ominous and dark. I cozied up on the couch of our rental home, sheltered from the gloomy weather outside, and dove into this psychological thriller.
It’s an intense read and I can imagine this being turned into an exciting film or television limited series. I’m not easily scared, but elements of the story lingered with me in a haunting way. Pomare has crafted an intriguing plot with fast pacing and memorable characters. If you like thrillers and are not turned-off by a bit of violence, I highly recommend adding In the Clearing to your TBR pile.
Like my review? Check out my blog!
Amy has spent her whole life in “The Clearing” home to a reclusive cult in rural Australia. A preteen and the oldest child on the compound, she has been indoctrinated to fear the outside world. Amy’s life is filled with restrictions, brutal punishments, and manual labor. The focus of the cult is to adore and follow the guidance of their leader, Adrienne, whom is referred to as their “mother.” Amy’s life changes when she takes part in the kidnapping of a new child to join their cult.
Freya distrusts society. She lives with her young son, Billy, in a heavily fortified home with a bunker located on the edge of a national park. Freya takes every possible precaution, yet Billy goes missing.
In the Clearing alternates between Amy and Freya’s perspectives. The story is intense and engaging from the first chapter, and I found it difficult to put down. Pomare expertly doles out clues regarding Freya’s past, allowing the reader to piece together the mystery of both Freya and Amy. Neither woman is a reliable narrator, yet both hold clues to the mystery of Billy’s disappearance and their stories collide in the most unexpected twist.
In the Clearing was the perfect novel to read on my winter vacation. Although the story is set in scorching hot, drought/fire prone Australia, the tone is ominous and dark. I cozied up on the couch of our rental home, sheltered from the gloomy weather outside, and dove into this psychological thriller.
It’s an intense read and I can imagine this being turned into an exciting film or television limited series. I’m not easily scared, but elements of the story lingered with me in a haunting way. Pomare has crafted an intriguing plot with fast pacing and memorable characters. If you like thrillers and are not turned-off by a bit of violence, I highly recommend adding In the Clearing to your TBR pile.
Like my review? Check out my blog!
thisisjusttheprologue_'s review against another edition
4.0
“You are going out into the world. You will wear a mask for the rest of your life to hide who you really are. No one will love or accept you like me, because they hate us, they dont want us to succeed. You will look and act like them but, in truth, you will never walk away from us. Do you understand?”
I read this book because it was highly recommended by @thejerseyreader! This was a solid read. The plot was there and kept me turning the page. I find cults a fascinating topic and this book really dove into experiences of people who did live in or currently still are members of, a cult. Some things were shocking and very hard to read, but overall this book was enjoyable. My reason for not giving it a full 5 stars is that I was confused at times about who was who and where the story was going. It all came together in the end, but there definitely were parts when I had to go back and see whose POV the chapter was from.
“Right and wrong are not fixed points on a compass. Sometimes we do things just because they are necessary.”
I read this book because it was highly recommended by @thejerseyreader! This was a solid read. The plot was there and kept me turning the page. I find cults a fascinating topic and this book really dove into experiences of people who did live in or currently still are members of, a cult. Some things were shocking and very hard to read, but overall this book was enjoyable. My reason for not giving it a full 5 stars is that I was confused at times about who was who and where the story was going. It all came together in the end, but there definitely were parts when I had to go back and see whose POV the chapter was from.
“Right and wrong are not fixed points on a compass. Sometimes we do things just because they are necessary.”
henrymarlene's review against another edition
4.0
book that is described as a thriller, or suspenseful, should provide those elements where you are sitting on the edge of your seat, or curled up in a foetal position, not wanting to now what happens next but draws you in to keep the pages turning. @jppomare succeeds with “In The Clearing”. The book moves between two narrators – Amy and Freya. They both have their own struggles and have a lot of personal conflict to conquer. They both had very clear voices and made it very easy to see their harrowing worlds from their perspectives. The writing evoked both quick and frantic atmospheres, and a depth to a scene just before something was about to unfold. The description of the bushland and noises in the night captured that very feeling when you can sense someone is there, watching you. And then there a glimpse of the Watcher.
The story moves very quickly so I recommend you read closely and carefully so you don’t miss the clues and the particular moments where things can almost slip past you. I also found that at times it was hard to warm to either Amy or Freya – they seemed cold and aloof, and at other times hold them close and tell them a brighter day was ahead. The author worked a lot of magic into these characters. And through this character development, you start to wonder how quickly a mind can be conditioned or manipulated. Will one always be susceptible to being swayed into believing a version of the truth? As the story unfolds, it becomes very raw and heartbreaking to see where connections have been made to Australia’s dark cult history, and with the characters in this book.
The story moves very quickly so I recommend you read closely and carefully so you don’t miss the clues and the particular moments where things can almost slip past you. I also found that at times it was hard to warm to either Amy or Freya – they seemed cold and aloof, and at other times hold them close and tell them a brighter day was ahead. The author worked a lot of magic into these characters. And through this character development, you start to wonder how quickly a mind can be conditioned or manipulated. Will one always be susceptible to being swayed into believing a version of the truth? As the story unfolds, it becomes very raw and heartbreaking to see where connections have been made to Australia’s dark cult history, and with the characters in this book.
dilakshi's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, this was a fantastic read. So many twists and keeps the reader engaged and revisiting what they have already read earlier.
Very artfully done! *claps in excitement* my first 5 star read this year
Very artfully done! *claps in excitement* my first 5 star read this year