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knittyreader's review against another edition
5.0
I loved every part of this book. I enjoyed the first two parts better than the third one though, although it is hard to tell why. Perhaps I was hooked to the sense of adventure, guided into going with the cultish flow, just like Caleb. Now I'm thinking about it, the third part was just as good as the other two. It made me as a reader not only read about the deception Caleb went through, but feel it for myself. Plus, is there anyone else who believes this Cutco-but-fictionalized he got himself into had a cult-like vibe as well?
I received a free copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
I received a free copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
juliwi's review against another edition
5.0
I have been on a major true crime kick lately, largely inspired by my devotion to the My Favourite Murder podcast. I share a fascination of cults with one of the hosts, which means that when I saw the blurb for Into Captivity They Will Go I was gripped immediately. Combining two highly controversial topics, family and faith, I had very high expectations going into Milligan's novel. I'm glad to say he lived up to all of them. Thanks to Central Avenue Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
As I wrote in my review for Sonja Livingston's The Virgin on Prince Street, religion and faith are difficult topics to write about. Whereas Livingston took a very personal and autobiographic approach, Milligan's approach is personal in a very different way. His bio reveals he grew up in the Bible Belt and his theological knowledge does shine through in the novel. In Into Captivity They Will Go he chooses a fictional approach to the the dissection of faith. Many aspects of the novel's plot will remind the reader of sensationalist news pieces and the less savory aspects of devout religion. The novel's title itself is taken from the Book of Revelation (13:10), which is hardly standard fare for many Christians. What Into Captivity They Will Go really shows is faith can become extreme and dangerous, and how far people are willing to go for what and who they believe in. Religion isn't the only focus, or even the main focus, of Milligan's novel though. Family and childhood are just as crucial. The vulnerability of children to their parents, the endless burden of shame and guilt, and the difficulty of overcoming abuse. These are heavy topics, but Milligan handles them carefully and directly, resulting in a compelling read.
Into Captivity They Will Go is split into three "acts": The Book of Genesis, The Book of Judges, and The Book of Revelations. Without giving too much away, the first act shows us Caleb Gunter's start in life as an ordinary boy, with an admittedly quite religious background. In the second act we, and Caleb, are confronted with tragedy. The final act, 'The Book of Revelations', finds his adjusting and coping to a world suddenly strange to him. As the name of each act suggests, Caleb goes through major emotional and psychological upheaval during these times. Milligan masterfully crafts Caleb's character throughout these three acts. On the one hand he sounds like a normal boy who wants to play with his friends, who loves his mother, and who cares deeply for those around him even if he can't quite verbalize that. On the other hand Milligan always makes the reader aware of this shadow that clings to him, that heavy weight of "something" that he can't quite shake. It's a difficult balance to strike but Milligan does so brilliantly. It's not just Caleb that is written with insight, though. Milligan's own childhood growing up in America's Bible Belt shows in his portrayal of the cast of characters around Caleb. The way religion inspires people, supports them in their day to day life, but can also lead them astray, is shown with a sharp kindness in Into Captivity They Will Go.
I hadn't read any of Noah Milligan's writing before, but I had heard of him. As such, I had high expectations of Into Captivity They Will Go. As I wrote above, I was amazed by his portrayal of Caleb. he captures the awkwardness, determination and confusion of growing up. In the middle section of the novel, many pages are dedicated to the theological underpinnings of the Book of Revelation, and therefore the Church of Seven Seals Caleb now belongs to. I found this fascinating myself, although it may not be the same for every reader. Milligan also excels at describing Caleb's surroundings, which means that the more action-packed scenes are riveting. There is a slow ratcheting up of tension during the second act which, upon its conclusion, leaves Caleb and the reader floundering in the final act. The question of 'Now what?' hangs over him and as he slowly comes to grips with what happened the reader find themselves once again engrossed by his story.
Into Captivity They Will Go is a fascinating read that engrossed me. It is a highly compelling and immersive read that tackles some very challenging topics without ever loosing its way.
As I wrote in my review for Sonja Livingston's The Virgin on Prince Street, religion and faith are difficult topics to write about. Whereas Livingston took a very personal and autobiographic approach, Milligan's approach is personal in a very different way. His bio reveals he grew up in the Bible Belt and his theological knowledge does shine through in the novel. In Into Captivity They Will Go he chooses a fictional approach to the the dissection of faith. Many aspects of the novel's plot will remind the reader of sensationalist news pieces and the less savory aspects of devout religion. The novel's title itself is taken from the Book of Revelation (13:10), which is hardly standard fare for many Christians. What Into Captivity They Will Go really shows is faith can become extreme and dangerous, and how far people are willing to go for what and who they believe in. Religion isn't the only focus, or even the main focus, of Milligan's novel though. Family and childhood are just as crucial. The vulnerability of children to their parents, the endless burden of shame and guilt, and the difficulty of overcoming abuse. These are heavy topics, but Milligan handles them carefully and directly, resulting in a compelling read.
Into Captivity They Will Go is split into three "acts": The Book of Genesis, The Book of Judges, and The Book of Revelations. Without giving too much away, the first act shows us Caleb Gunter's start in life as an ordinary boy, with an admittedly quite religious background. In the second act we, and Caleb, are confronted with tragedy. The final act, 'The Book of Revelations', finds his adjusting and coping to a world suddenly strange to him. As the name of each act suggests, Caleb goes through major emotional and psychological upheaval during these times. Milligan masterfully crafts Caleb's character throughout these three acts. On the one hand he sounds like a normal boy who wants to play with his friends, who loves his mother, and who cares deeply for those around him even if he can't quite verbalize that. On the other hand Milligan always makes the reader aware of this shadow that clings to him, that heavy weight of "something" that he can't quite shake. It's a difficult balance to strike but Milligan does so brilliantly. It's not just Caleb that is written with insight, though. Milligan's own childhood growing up in America's Bible Belt shows in his portrayal of the cast of characters around Caleb. The way religion inspires people, supports them in their day to day life, but can also lead them astray, is shown with a sharp kindness in Into Captivity They Will Go.
I hadn't read any of Noah Milligan's writing before, but I had heard of him. As such, I had high expectations of Into Captivity They Will Go. As I wrote above, I was amazed by his portrayal of Caleb. he captures the awkwardness, determination and confusion of growing up. In the middle section of the novel, many pages are dedicated to the theological underpinnings of the Book of Revelation, and therefore the Church of Seven Seals Caleb now belongs to. I found this fascinating myself, although it may not be the same for every reader. Milligan also excels at describing Caleb's surroundings, which means that the more action-packed scenes are riveting. There is a slow ratcheting up of tension during the second act which, upon its conclusion, leaves Caleb and the reader floundering in the final act. The question of 'Now what?' hangs over him and as he slowly comes to grips with what happened the reader find themselves once again engrossed by his story.
Into Captivity They Will Go is a fascinating read that engrossed me. It is a highly compelling and immersive read that tackles some very challenging topics without ever loosing its way.
jamicuns01's review against another edition
4.0
My husband and I often have conversations about how religion is one of the best tools we have at building communities. It provides a place for people to gather who hold a common belief. We also discuss how dangerous that community can become if the leaders within it start to use fear and shame to dictate the actions of its members. This book does an amazing job at showing both sides and just how dangerous it can get when the leaders become too powerful. It reminds me a lot of what it might have been like with the followers of David Koresh and the tragedy of Waco. We follow the life of a young boy who was led to believe he was the second coming of Christ by his mother and how he copes with the aftermath. There were parts where the main character seemed too passive, too peripheral to the story. I would have loved to have witness more of an internal battle that I’m sure he would have experienced but it’s a minor critique. Overall, I felt the story was captivating and strong.
Thank you #netgalley for ARC of #intocaptivitytheywilllgo
Thank you #netgalley for ARC of #intocaptivitytheywilllgo
mollyringle's review against another edition
5.0
Noah Milligan is an excellent writer, but more importantly than that, he's an amazingly sympathetic and fair writer. In a story like this, about Christian extremism in modern rural America, it'd be easy to go into ironic dark parody or grim horror, but Milligan skirts both of those and shows all the people involved as humans instead. Even those truly believing that an ordinary 14-year-old kid is Jesus reborn, and encouraging their neighbors to turn away from civilization and speak in tongues and invite the apocalypse, are shown as complex people who care about their families and their community--the way people really are, if we look closely and mute our prejudices. It's the kind of nuance it's too easy to forget in our divisive world. And even though it's clear in my mind, at least, that this type of extremism is dangerous and misguided (and it'd be hard to imagine anyone coming to a different conclusion after reading this story), it's important to recognize that it's our isolating society itself that sometimes encourages such extremes, and that maybe we could all do with a little more caring for our neighbors and less ostracizing and sensationalizing. America may have a long way to go yet, but the existence of thoughtful writers like Milligan gives me hope.
samanthapearl's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Rounded up to 4
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley. Any thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Into Captivity They Will Go is the story of Caleb Gunter and his mother Evelyn. 13-year-old Caleb's life was pretty normal. He was raised in a Christian home in Oklahoma, he went to school, went to church, had friends, he played with his brother, it was all pretty normal. One day his mother's stepfather dies and this causes something inside of Evelyn to snap. She basically stops living and only exists for awhile. When she finally comes out of this state she has changed, gone slightly crazy. All of a sudden she is telling Caleb he is the second coming of Jesus Christ and is preaching Revelations and of the The Seven Seals on the street corner. The church finds this behavior alarming and kicks the family out, parents are concerned and will not let their children hang out with Caleb or his brother anymore. Evelyn's crazy behavior is also causing problems in her marriage and one night after a fight with her husband she sneaks away with Caleb in the middle of the night and takes him away where she believes they will be safe. They end up living in a trailer park where everyone accepts Evelyn's preachings and they believe Caleb will lead them into Heaven. Things start to go wrong at the trailer park and eventually everything falls apart. Now Caleb is left to figure out how to live a normal life without any support system and must figure out how he can move on and how to cope with what him and his mother have done.
The writing was really good. The characters were really well done. I thought the characters were dimensional and showed emotion. Milligan done an amazing job of portraying the mothers desperation in her beliefs. I found myself feeling bad for Caleb, his brother and his father. The way the author describes the mentality and the beliefs of Evelyn is truly great. We see her first as a normal Christian and then after losing someone dear to her she dances right over the line of a normal Christian and right into a crazed fanatic. Caleb's mother clearly needs help, however she truly believes what she is saying.
I wasn't brainwashed - it wasn't like that because in order to be brainwashed, the person convincing you must realize they're telling you lies. In my case, it couldn't be any different - my mother truly believed I was Jesus Christ reborn, and so why wouldn't I believe her? She was, after all, my mother. She birthed me and raised me and fed me and taught me, and so why wouldn’t I trust her? My very life depended on her.
What, in my opinion, makes this book so raw and emotional is the realness of it. One of my first thoughts is 'and not one person thought maybe this chick is just crazy?' However, this is how cults work. If you look into real life cults (such as Jim Jones & Jonestown) you'll find similarities between this work of fiction and those real life accounts. Mainly, I'm talking about the charismatic leader and the first couple of ready and willing followers. In that aspect, this book was a little scary for me as I don't think it's too far fetched.
This was a pretty good read for me. I found it interesting enough to get through but not enough to just devour it, although if I had read at another time maybe I could of enjoyed it more. Overall, I do recommend this book as it is well written and interesting.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley. Any thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Into Captivity They Will Go is the story of Caleb Gunter and his mother Evelyn. 13-year-old Caleb's life was pretty normal. He was raised in a Christian home in Oklahoma, he went to school, went to church, had friends, he played with his brother, it was all pretty normal. One day his mother's stepfather dies and this causes something inside of Evelyn to snap. She basically stops living and only exists for awhile. When she finally comes out of this state she has changed, gone slightly crazy. All of a sudden she is telling Caleb he is the second coming of Jesus Christ and is preaching Revelations and of the The Seven Seals on the street corner. The church finds this behavior alarming and kicks the family out, parents are concerned and will not let their children hang out with Caleb or his brother anymore. Evelyn's crazy behavior is also causing problems in her marriage and one night after a fight with her husband she sneaks away with Caleb in the middle of the night and takes him away where she believes they will be safe. They end up living in a trailer park where everyone accepts Evelyn's preachings and they believe Caleb will lead them into Heaven. Things start to go wrong at the trailer park and eventually everything falls apart. Now Caleb is left to figure out how to live a normal life without any support system and must figure out how he can move on and how to cope with what him and his mother have done.
The writing was really good. The characters were really well done. I thought the characters were dimensional and showed emotion. Milligan done an amazing job of portraying the mothers desperation in her beliefs. I found myself feeling bad for Caleb, his brother and his father. The way the author describes the mentality and the beliefs of Evelyn is truly great. We see her first as a normal Christian and then after losing someone dear to her she dances right over the line of a normal Christian and right into a crazed fanatic. Caleb's mother clearly needs help, however she truly believes what she is saying.
I wasn't brainwashed - it wasn't like that because in order to be brainwashed, the person convincing you must realize they're telling you lies. In my case, it couldn't be any different - my mother truly believed I was Jesus Christ reborn, and so why wouldn't I believe her? She was, after all, my mother. She birthed me and raised me and fed me and taught me, and so why wouldn’t I trust her? My very life depended on her.
What, in my opinion, makes this book so raw and emotional is the realness of it. One of my first thoughts is 'and not one person thought maybe this chick is just crazy?' However, this is how cults work. If you look into real life cults (such as Jim Jones & Jonestown) you'll find similarities between this work of fiction and those real life accounts. Mainly, I'm talking about the charismatic leader and the first couple of ready and willing followers. In that aspect, this book was a little scary for me as I don't think it's too far fetched.
This was a pretty good read for me. I found it interesting enough to get through but not enough to just devour it, although if I had read at another time maybe I could of enjoyed it more. Overall, I do recommend this book as it is well written and interesting.
annarella's review against another edition
5.0
A powerful and engrossing story that will keep you hooked till the last page.
It's well written, the characters are fleshed out and the setting is fascinating.
The plot is fast paced and full of food for thought.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
It's well written, the characters are fleshed out and the setting is fascinating.
The plot is fast paced and full of food for thought.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
aimeedarsreads's review against another edition
4.0
Initially, I was interested in Into Captivity They Will Go by Noah Milligan because it’s set in Oklahoma, my home state. The book centers on Caleb Gunter, a preteen who is told by his mother Evelyn that the world is ending, and he is the second coming of Jesus. Even in the buckle of the bible belt, such a pronouncement doesn’t sit well, and the First Baptist Church in Bartlesville excommunicates the Gunter family. Leaving her husband Earl and older son Jonah behind, Evelyn takes Caleb to a rural religious community run by her stepfather’s friend, Sam Jenkins. The people there are more accepting of Evelyn’s message, and Caleb, speaking in tongues, lost in the spirit, and lifted up by the other congregants, finally feels at home.
Evelyn’s homilies, however, grow more extreme, and as her prophecies darken, she views the outside community with more and more suspicion. Meanwhile, Caleb struggles to accept what it means to be the savior who will lead the chosen people after the end of the world. After a series of cataclysmic events, Caleb loses everything familiar, including the foundation of his faith.
While the first two thirds of the book recount Caleb’s childhood and are told in third person, the final section gives Caleb a first-person voice and more insight into his reactions to the events surrounding him. I couldn’t help but think how damaged Caleb must be and how tempting it was to fall into old patterns of behavior, substituting one false god for another. He’s calm and accepting of his past, which is hard to understand, but Atchley, a character he later becomes close to, may provide the reader’s perspective wondering how he isn’t angry and resentful.
Throughout the book, I wondered why Evelyn had taken this religious path, but then I also asked myself if it mattered. Whatever the cause, Caleb was left to cope with the impact of her beliefs and actions and how they affected him; they also rippled into the family, changing the lives of Earl and Jonah, and beyond, so that others in the community were never the same.
One of the triumphs of the book is that Milligan writes with such compassion and empathy that is impossible to write any characters off as one-dimensional, fringe, or unbelievable. I thought that I would immediately feel anger and contempt for Evelyn. Instead, while I did feel some of that on behalf of Caleb, even more, I considered her with empathy and curiosity. Caleb’s general placidity evokes an air of forgiveness and acceptance, and despite the travails of his childhood, it seems that attitude serves him well. Furthermore, I loved the subtle Oklahoman references Into Captivity They Will Go such as the primacy of Dr. Pepper, the references to concerts at the Blue Door, the constant calibration of weather, and the love of Sonic and Braum’s.
Even though I did grow up in Oklahoma, I went to a relatively liberal church (for that state anyway), and I wasn’t familiar with the biblical passages from Revelations. I had to look up the seven seals to fully understand Evelyn’s references. I also wish that some of the characters, like Earl, had been more developed. The shift from third person to first person was a little jarring and unexpected, and Caleb seemed like such a different person, also with time passing and experience gained, the change did made sense once I reflected on it. Finally, some details concerning spatial and time relationships were confusing, but that may be a function of the advance copy I read and will be corrected in the printed version.
Readers who enjoy literary fiction, coming of age stories, narratives about extreme religion, and of course, books set in Oklahoma should read Into Captivity They Will Go.
Thank you to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
bookedinthebayou's review against another edition
3.0
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Into Captivity They Will Go is both a testament to radical ideology's potential to blur morality to the point of confusion, as well as a post-trauma coming of age story burdened with questions.
I loved the first 1/3 of the book, highlighting and annotating ironies and lessons. To me, the development of Caleb's mother's radical religious observance was fascinating --to me, it highlighted how psychological trauma including grief and loss can accompany a desire to believe in something greater than ourselves. That we have purpose.
However, I found Caleb's immersion into the commune, and the development of the commune, rushed. I was hoping for more plot on the recruitment and maintenance of the commune.
Similarly, I wish that the last portion of the book dove deeper. (To avoid spoilers, that's all I will say.)
Ultimately, while Milligan's writing was enjoyable and powerful, I wish the plot details and inner workings were beefed up.
Into Captivity They Will Go is both a testament to radical ideology's potential to blur morality to the point of confusion, as well as a post-trauma coming of age story burdened with questions.
I loved the first 1/3 of the book, highlighting and annotating ironies and lessons. To me, the development of Caleb's mother's radical religious observance was fascinating --to me, it highlighted how psychological trauma including grief and loss can accompany a desire to believe in something greater than ourselves. That we have purpose.
However, I found Caleb's immersion into the commune, and the development of the commune, rushed. I was hoping for more plot on the recruitment and maintenance of the commune.
Similarly, I wish that the last portion of the book dove deeper. (To avoid spoilers, that's all I will say.)
Ultimately, while Milligan's writing was enjoyable and powerful, I wish the plot details and inner workings were beefed up.
annarella's review
5.0
A powerful and engrossing story that will keep you hooked till the last page.
It's well written, the characters are fleshed out and the setting is fascinating.
The plot is fast paced and full of food for thought.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
It's well written, the characters are fleshed out and the setting is fascinating.
The plot is fast paced and full of food for thought.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
_lia_reads_'s review
4.0
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This captivating book follows Caleb Gunter, a young boy whose mother has convinced her that he is the Second Coming of Christ. You follow Caleb and his mother as their faith takes more and more extreme turns, and explore the fallout that results, culminating in their joining an evangelical church/cult far from home.
What worked for me: I enjoyed the exploration of evangelical Christianity and its perception by the surrounding community. It was difficult to watch Caleb’s loyalty to his mother even as their world collapsed around them. I appreciated the complexities that Milligan brought into the story, particularly with Caleb’s own reactions to different events and the faith that he has been brought up in. Similarly, I enjoyed the delicate way in which he tried to present both sides of Caleb’s mother’s descent into radical religion.
What didn’t work as well: The last 3rd of the book was jarring. I appreciate what Milligan was trying to do with it, but it did not work for me. Instead, I wish we had spent more time with the religious community instead and perhaps the last portion translated into a shorter epilogue. I also struggled with the lengthy sermons and biblical passages. I felt as though they slowed the story down.
However, Milligan’s writing is incredible and the story gripping. It will raise a lot of questions for readers, regardless of their faith.
This captivating book follows Caleb Gunter, a young boy whose mother has convinced her that he is the Second Coming of Christ. You follow Caleb and his mother as their faith takes more and more extreme turns, and explore the fallout that results, culminating in their joining an evangelical church/cult far from home.
What worked for me: I enjoyed the exploration of evangelical Christianity and its perception by the surrounding community. It was difficult to watch Caleb’s loyalty to his mother even as their world collapsed around them. I appreciated the complexities that Milligan brought into the story, particularly with Caleb’s own reactions to different events and the faith that he has been brought up in. Similarly, I enjoyed the delicate way in which he tried to present both sides of Caleb’s mother’s descent into radical religion.
What didn’t work as well: The last 3rd of the book was jarring. I appreciate what Milligan was trying to do with it, but it did not work for me. Instead, I wish we had spent more time with the religious community instead and perhaps the last portion translated into a shorter epilogue. I also struggled with the lengthy sermons and biblical passages. I felt as though they slowed the story down.
However, Milligan’s writing is incredible and the story gripping. It will raise a lot of questions for readers, regardless of their faith.