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judithdcollins's review
4.0
A special thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
COMING OF AGE AT THE END OF DAYS by Alice LaPlante is a quirky dark look inside a troubled girl’s mind, spiraling out of control, and her search for a higher purpose and meaning— with a dystopian, apocalyptic twist, highly charged psychological suspense, and haunting exploration of family, cause, faith, and relationships.
Following a desperate search for meaning in life, a depressed teenager turns to a doomsday cult for answers and support.
Anna a teen, living in Sunnyvale, California in a sixties housing development subdivision, she is sixteen when the darkness descends. She has had hints it was coming with interludes of deep sadness over the past twelve months. Mourning, triggered by the smallest things. Depression. She feels her body is the true enemy. She is awaiting for the expiration date to be released from the pain.
Her mom begins reading her the Bible (literature purposes), which once belonged to Anna’s grandmother, giving them some time together. Anna is fascinated. Dismayed as much by Anna’s fixation on death found in Revelation as by her depression, Anna’s parents and her therapist try to trace Anna’s current state back to its roots. She was a loner and had trouble sleeping. She never really fit in. She has a therapist, Dr. Cummings. They continue feeding her pills and she is terrified when her therapist mentions hooking her to a machine and shooting her with electricity.
Her parents remove everything in her closet, and razors, afraid of suicide. She is in love with death. Her therapist tells her to go through the motions. Her mother enjoyed music and her dad loved charting and graphing geological seismic activity. They are running out of options to help their daughter. Have they already lost her?
In February of Anna’s junior year of high school, the Goldschmidts move in next door, active members of a religious cult and there is Jim, as well and teachers in her life. Anna is drawn in by their prophecies and beliefs as well as their fifteen year old son, son, Lars. Anna and Lars are both outcasts at school. Anna is drawn to something and grabs hold and she is content hearing about the Tribulation. The earthquakes, the Antichrist, the evil, corrupt, the armies – exciting to her. The church members are stockpiling, goods, saving money, preparing for the end.
After Anna begins dreaming of a cryptic Red Heifer, she is even more excited about the Rapture, and is no longer in her depressed stage. The religious community is a breath of fresh air for her, with her cold parents – offering her a real connection.
Her parents are atheists, and liberal-minded, and have no clue how to handle their daughter’s new found obsession. She feels she is part of the prophecy. However her new beliefs may push her over the edge. However, she now has found a purpose, she is driven, and alive.
An intimate story of destruction, loss, death, love, sacrifice, and renewal--a dark, and haunting exploration into complex relationships. Having read Alice LaPlante’s previous books, a gifted writer --deep and psychological.
Even though the book was dark and deals with religious cults, many young teens are drawn to a cause, and can get caught up and mislead in dangerous ways. Even adults have a purpose as the mother loved music and the dad science--Anna needed a connection. I did not enjoy this topic as much as LaPlante's other books; however, Anna’s character was well-developed, as we get to experience her journey.
A thought-provoking and entertaining novel, and an ideal choice for book clubs or discussions with a variety of perspectives. May also have a strong appeal for the YA audience.
Turn of Mind
Circle of Wives
JDCMustReadBooks
COMING OF AGE AT THE END OF DAYS by Alice LaPlante is a quirky dark look inside a troubled girl’s mind, spiraling out of control, and her search for a higher purpose and meaning— with a dystopian, apocalyptic twist, highly charged psychological suspense, and haunting exploration of family, cause, faith, and relationships.
Following a desperate search for meaning in life, a depressed teenager turns to a doomsday cult for answers and support.
Anna a teen, living in Sunnyvale, California in a sixties housing development subdivision, she is sixteen when the darkness descends. She has had hints it was coming with interludes of deep sadness over the past twelve months. Mourning, triggered by the smallest things. Depression. She feels her body is the true enemy. She is awaiting for the expiration date to be released from the pain.
Her mom begins reading her the Bible (literature purposes), which once belonged to Anna’s grandmother, giving them some time together. Anna is fascinated. Dismayed as much by Anna’s fixation on death found in Revelation as by her depression, Anna’s parents and her therapist try to trace Anna’s current state back to its roots. She was a loner and had trouble sleeping. She never really fit in. She has a therapist, Dr. Cummings. They continue feeding her pills and she is terrified when her therapist mentions hooking her to a machine and shooting her with electricity.
Her parents remove everything in her closet, and razors, afraid of suicide. She is in love with death. Her therapist tells her to go through the motions. Her mother enjoyed music and her dad loved charting and graphing geological seismic activity. They are running out of options to help their daughter. Have they already lost her?
In February of Anna’s junior year of high school, the Goldschmidts move in next door, active members of a religious cult and there is Jim, as well and teachers in her life. Anna is drawn in by their prophecies and beliefs as well as their fifteen year old son, son, Lars. Anna and Lars are both outcasts at school. Anna is drawn to something and grabs hold and she is content hearing about the Tribulation. The earthquakes, the Antichrist, the evil, corrupt, the armies – exciting to her. The church members are stockpiling, goods, saving money, preparing for the end.
After Anna begins dreaming of a cryptic Red Heifer, she is even more excited about the Rapture, and is no longer in her depressed stage. The religious community is a breath of fresh air for her, with her cold parents – offering her a real connection.
Her parents are atheists, and liberal-minded, and have no clue how to handle their daughter’s new found obsession. She feels she is part of the prophecy. However her new beliefs may push her over the edge. However, she now has found a purpose, she is driven, and alive.
An intimate story of destruction, loss, death, love, sacrifice, and renewal--a dark, and haunting exploration into complex relationships. Having read Alice LaPlante’s previous books, a gifted writer --deep and psychological.
Even though the book was dark and deals with religious cults, many young teens are drawn to a cause, and can get caught up and mislead in dangerous ways. Even adults have a purpose as the mother loved music and the dad science--Anna needed a connection. I did not enjoy this topic as much as LaPlante's other books; however, Anna’s character was well-developed, as we get to experience her journey.
A thought-provoking and entertaining novel, and an ideal choice for book clubs or discussions with a variety of perspectives. May also have a strong appeal for the YA audience.
Turn of Mind
Circle of Wives
JDCMustReadBooks
bunrab's review
4.0
Part of my wanderings through the new books shelves at the library, which is when I grab stuff that isn't science fiction or murder mysteries, as well as the latest in those genres. A few of the blurbs I'd seen about this book were misleading - they described it as "a girl who grows up in a doomsday cult" but in fact, she joins the cult as a mid-teen, on her own, much to the bewilderment of her fairly normal, slightly dysfunctional, family. Big plot twists, not what I expected.
If you want to pair it with something completely different yet with important common elements, read "The Yiddish Policemens Union."
If you want to pair it with something completely different yet with important common elements, read "The Yiddish Policemens Union."
cgreer42's review
4.0
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Alice LaPlante’s Coming of Age at the End of Days is the story of a 16-year-old girl named Anna who lived in Sunnyvale, California, with her piano teacher mother and her earthquake-obsessed father. Anna falls into a deep depression that begins to abate after her mother, who is quite anti-Christianity, reads the Bible to her in hopes of lifting her spirits. Anna is most intrigued by the Book of Revelations, which she sees as mirroring her own feelings of impending doom. Not long after that she is introduced to the apocalyptic religious organization of her neighbors, the Goldschmidts. This group seeks to bring about the end of days, and Anna is enthralled almost immediately. However, after experiencing a life-altering tragedy, Anna must confront her quest to help bring about the rapture.
Coming of Age at the End of Days depicts depression and the seeking of death and destruction in a very realistic way. During the beginning Anna reminded me of Justine from Melancholia, as she was looking forward to the end of it all. She became more active than Justine once she believed that through her actions she could help bring about the rapture.
The way Anna comes to her obsession with death is somewhat inconsistent with the characterization of her mother. I felt that the author did not satisfactorily explain why her mother would read Anna the Bible when she was strongly opposed to Christianity.
Nevertheless, Coming of Age at the End of Days was a very satisfying read. Not only was I not able to put it down, but Ms. LaPlante’s writing did what I love for writing to do—it transported me into Anna’s mind, complete with the feelings of unease, devastation, and utter loneliness. Mrs. LaPlante also does a masterful job of creating three-dimensional characters in the world around Anna, each of whom plays a major part in her growth during the course of the book.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to people looking for an eerie and surreal read that is morally and psychologically complex.
Alice LaPlante’s Coming of Age at the End of Days is the story of a 16-year-old girl named Anna who lived in Sunnyvale, California, with her piano teacher mother and her earthquake-obsessed father. Anna falls into a deep depression that begins to abate after her mother, who is quite anti-Christianity, reads the Bible to her in hopes of lifting her spirits. Anna is most intrigued by the Book of Revelations, which she sees as mirroring her own feelings of impending doom. Not long after that she is introduced to the apocalyptic religious organization of her neighbors, the Goldschmidts. This group seeks to bring about the end of days, and Anna is enthralled almost immediately. However, after experiencing a life-altering tragedy, Anna must confront her quest to help bring about the rapture.
Coming of Age at the End of Days depicts depression and the seeking of death and destruction in a very realistic way. During the beginning Anna reminded me of Justine from Melancholia, as she was looking forward to the end of it all. She became more active than Justine once she believed that through her actions she could help bring about the rapture.
The way Anna comes to her obsession with death is somewhat inconsistent with the characterization of her mother. I felt that the author did not satisfactorily explain why her mother would read Anna the Bible when she was strongly opposed to Christianity.
Nevertheless, Coming of Age at the End of Days was a very satisfying read. Not only was I not able to put it down, but Ms. LaPlante’s writing did what I love for writing to do—it transported me into Anna’s mind, complete with the feelings of unease, devastation, and utter loneliness. Mrs. LaPlante also does a masterful job of creating three-dimensional characters in the world around Anna, each of whom plays a major part in her growth during the course of the book.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to people looking for an eerie and surreal read that is morally and psychologically complex.
mrs_george's review
1.0
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a copy.
I really hate when the summary of a book sounds so promising and then it falls completely flat. That is the case for this. It was disjointed and awkward. I'm still unsure of the whole premise. I didn't like any of the characters and it felt like many of them had their own issues that weren't ever explained. I had to breathe a sigh of relief when I finished.
I really hate when the summary of a book sounds so promising and then it falls completely flat. That is the case for this. It was disjointed and awkward. I'm still unsure of the whole premise. I didn't like any of the characters and it felt like many of them had their own issues that weren't ever explained. I had to breathe a sigh of relief when I finished.
lazygal's review
4.0
There's something clearly wrong with Anna. First the depression, followed by visions/hallucinations and then religious fervor point to something being not quite right. But what that is, exactly, isn't clear. Is she truly somehow chosen? Her parents' reaction is a little puzzling (if Anna were my child, I'd have her seeing a doctor and therapist) but given their other issues, not altogether surprising. As the book progresses, Anna seems to become more and more unmoored but then develops a clarity of purpose that may surprise readers. The ending feels a little off, perhaps a little too predictable and abrupt. This might be a problematic read for evangelicals and nonbelievers alike.
ARC provided by publisher.
ARC provided by publisher.
sarahs_bookish_life's review
3.0
Many thanks to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Firstly I should say that I requested to read this book as the description really appealed to me. Unfortunately the book didn't grab me as much as I hoped it would. The storyline for me was a bit flat and the characters just didn't appeal to me. The only character that I vaguely liked was Jim Fulson.
Don't get me wrong the book is very well written, for me I was just expecting the story to be quite different after reading the description and to me I felt that the story was more about a girl trying to find herself in a world where she doesn't fit in and joining the church to find her niche in life.
Over all it is still a good read and it wouldn't put me off reading more by this author just for me I expected more of a thrill after reading the blurb.
Firstly I should say that I requested to read this book as the description really appealed to me. Unfortunately the book didn't grab me as much as I hoped it would. The storyline for me was a bit flat and the characters just didn't appeal to me. The only character that I vaguely liked was Jim Fulson.
Don't get me wrong the book is very well written, for me I was just expecting the story to be quite different after reading the description and to me I felt that the story was more about a girl trying to find herself in a world where she doesn't fit in and joining the church to find her niche in life.
Over all it is still a good read and it wouldn't put me off reading more by this author just for me I expected more of a thrill after reading the blurb.
msoblong's review
2.0
**GoodReads First Reads Book**
This book focused very much on the main character's depression. At times, the descriptions were too much for me and brought on memories of my struggles with depression.
Unfortunately, while this book offered beautiful and haunting descriptions, the overall plot fell short. The book was slow moving and even frustrating for me at times.
This book focused very much on the main character's depression. At times, the descriptions were too much for me and brought on memories of my struggles with depression.
Unfortunately, while this book offered beautiful and haunting descriptions, the overall plot fell short. The book was slow moving and even frustrating for me at times.
bookclaire4eva's review
I'll admit to a certain morbid fascination with the whole end of days culture. I don't believe that the Book of Revelation is a road map to the end of the world. There won't be a tribulation, red heifer, or any of that other nonsense. Sure, there will be a return of the Messiah. But I don't think that His coming in glory is going to be quite so dramatic. But that's a discussion for another day and another forum. Anyway, that morbid fascination is why I requested an advance copy of Coming of Age at the End of Days.
I thought this was going to be a kind of apocalyptic story, where Anna makes her way through the end of days. But it is so much more and better than that. This is a true coming of age story. We walk with Anna through a crushing depression (which is beautifully rendered) into a new, fanatic faith. She buys in to the whole end of days thing. The idea that the end is near seems to give her purpose. Maybe that's the appeal for those people who are genetically engineering cows in hopes of creating the red heifer. The evolution of Anna's faith and what it does to her relationships with everyone around her, especially her parents, is fascinating and very hard to read. I so wanted to shake her for what she was doing. For her teenage callousness and self-absorption.
As with most coming of age stories, Anna is not on her journey alone. She has three companions, one of whom she drops by the wayside when it turns out he was just a pompous ass. What I found refreshing about Coming of Age at the End of Days is that the other two companions are adults. So often said companions are fellow teenagers, and they all just get in a ton of trouble, have sex, and their parents eventually bail them out. This is much more raw than that version of the story. And Alice goes all the way with it, and I love her for it.
The whole end of days and religious aspect of Coming of Age at the End of Days is merely a setting for Anna's evolution. It's the catalyst that drives her forward, forcing her to confront the consequences of her actions. So don't let an aversion to religion keep you away from this book. Finally, while the ending seemed ultimately predictable, it was also satisfyingly inevitable.This review was originally posted on LeilaReads
I thought this was going to be a kind of apocalyptic story, where Anna makes her way through the end of days. But it is so much more and better than that. This is a true coming of age story. We walk with Anna through a crushing depression (which is beautifully rendered) into a new, fanatic faith. She buys in to the whole end of days thing. The idea that the end is near seems to give her purpose. Maybe that's the appeal for those people who are genetically engineering cows in hopes of creating the red heifer. The evolution of Anna's faith and what it does to her relationships with everyone around her, especially her parents, is fascinating and very hard to read. I so wanted to shake her for what she was doing. For her teenage callousness and self-absorption.
As with most coming of age stories, Anna is not on her journey alone. She has three companions, one of whom she drops by the wayside when it turns out he was just a pompous ass. What I found refreshing about Coming of Age at the End of Days is that the other two companions are adults. So often said companions are fellow teenagers, and they all just get in a ton of trouble, have sex, and their parents eventually bail them out. This is much more raw than that version of the story. And Alice goes all the way with it, and I love her for it.
The whole end of days and religious aspect of Coming of Age at the End of Days is merely a setting for Anna's evolution. It's the catalyst that drives her forward, forcing her to confront the consequences of her actions. So don't let an aversion to religion keep you away from this book. Finally, while the ending seemed ultimately predictable, it was also satisfyingly inevitable.This review was originally posted on LeilaReads
lenny9987's review
2.0
In college one of my group of friends’ favorite things to do was lay out our plan for the zombie apocalypse over dinner at ‘rez’ (the residential cafeteria). As people graduated and the group adopted freshmen, we tweaked our plan and reassigned jobs based on each person’s strengths. I think it’s safe to say, not one of us believed we’d ever have to use the plan; it was simply a fun exercise. There’s something about my generation that prevents us from envisioning a future that isn’t somehow bleak (perhaps because we have grown up amidst global warming and seeing some of our nation’s longest overseas wars). My interest in a novel about a teenager who finds herself engrossed in a cult obsessed with bringing about the End of Days sprang from the same part of me that craves dystopic fiction and has a morbid fascination with war stories. The promising psychological conflict of the main character solidified my desire to read Alice LaPlante’s upcoming novel, Coming of Age at the End of Days. While the elements remain appealing, I’m not entirely sure what to make of the finished product.
Anna appears to be an average teenager growing up in a carefully planned community in California. But Anna wakes up one morning and everything has changed. She’s lost the will to do anything, falling into a crippling depression and her parents don’t know how to bring her out of it again. When the reclusive Goldschmidts move into the neighborhood and she meets their son, Lars, at the bus stop, the depression falls away and Anna finds a renewed sense of purpose in the faith to which they introduce her. Anna’s devotion to the cultish ministry that is eager to trigger the time of Tribulation at the End of Days, her parents are just as baffled unsure about how to approach their daughter as they were during her depression. But an unexpected tragedy causes Anna to question the faith that pulled her from the darkness once before and with help from some surprising sources, she reaches a balance of faith that carries her forward.
For the complete review, please visit my blog:
http://wp.me/pUEx4-GE
Anna appears to be an average teenager growing up in a carefully planned community in California. But Anna wakes up one morning and everything has changed. She’s lost the will to do anything, falling into a crippling depression and her parents don’t know how to bring her out of it again. When the reclusive Goldschmidts move into the neighborhood and she meets their son, Lars, at the bus stop, the depression falls away and Anna finds a renewed sense of purpose in the faith to which they introduce her. Anna’s devotion to the cultish ministry that is eager to trigger the time of Tribulation at the End of Days, her parents are just as baffled unsure about how to approach their daughter as they were during her depression. But an unexpected tragedy causes Anna to question the faith that pulled her from the darkness once before and with help from some surprising sources, she reaches a balance of faith that carries her forward.
For the complete review, please visit my blog:
http://wp.me/pUEx4-GE