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4.3 AVERAGE
4.3 AVERAGE
challenging
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Maybe I'm weird (I mean, obviously), but cults are fascinating. Of course, I mean fascinating in an absolutely horrible, morbid way. I think it's because I cannot begin to wrap my mind around how something like this happens. It's quiet insane to me.
While I have no intimate knowledge of cults, I feel like After the Fire paints a realistic picture. While these horrible things happen, the people at the center of it all aren't necessarily bad as much as they are brainwashed and manipulated. There's so many grey areas surrounding cults (though certainly less so around their leaders). It's disturbing and mind-blowing to think that these sorts of things actually happen (the author mentions at the end that the inspiration for this book was a real life event called the Waco Siege).
As far as the story, it was compelling. Even though there's no outrageous plot twist (thankfully), Moonbeam was a fantastic main character and I enjoyed reading about her time before and after the fire. The only thing I wish was that we got a bit more story at the end. While a fitting end for Moonbeam, I would have liked just a bit more.
Trigger warnings: Gun violence, child abuse, sexual assault, suicide
* This book was received from Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. *
While I have no intimate knowledge of cults, I feel like After the Fire paints a realistic picture. While these horrible things happen, the people at the center of it all aren't necessarily bad as much as they are brainwashed and manipulated. There's so many grey areas surrounding cults (though certainly less so around their leaders). It's disturbing and mind-blowing to think that these sorts of things actually happen (the author mentions at the end that the inspiration for this book was a real life event called the Waco Siege).
As far as the story, it was compelling. Even though there's no outrageous plot twist (thankfully), Moonbeam was a fantastic main character and I enjoyed reading about her time before and after the fire. The only thing I wish was that we got a bit more story at the end. While a fitting end for Moonbeam, I would have liked just a bit more.
Trigger warnings: Gun violence, child abuse, sexual assault, suicide
* This book was received from Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. *
Loved it! The complexity of the characters was fascinating and so well written. Truly a masterpiece.
Didn’t know this was a cult book going into it. It made the experience even better. This is a story about survival and guilt and Learning what you believed in was wrong. Moonbeam was a great character and all of the terrible things happening to her kept me flipping the pages.
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I enjoyed reading this book and loved the plot.
I do think the premise and setup--Moonbeam thinking back on and verbally describing what was going on in the Lord's Legion cult in spurts after she's gotten out--made the storyline a lot duller and distanced than it could have been. I do wish that Moonbeam's life within the cult was depicted first, then the fire and her escape described. There was a distance with her physically already being out of the cult that made it harder to connect with her experiences.
Also I thought her life in the treatment facility ridiculous. I feel like she would go insane with her life revolving around a 1-hour therapy session and sometimes a remotely monitored socializing session, literally locked in a room the rest of the time and "sometimes" going outside into a courtyard while the blandly nice nurse watches her. I also wonder why Hill refused to describe ANYTHING--what anyone looks like, what they're wearing, etc., but described Moonbeam's brought meals in the treatment center in such detail. The lack of description, while it might serve a purpose, also really kept me from connecting with Moonbeam. Maybe it's because an adult male author writing from the perspective of a 17yo girl is problematic more often than not, but Moonbeam really doesn't come off as very believable and seems to have no faults. I also thought some of the scenes, like the funeral scene and Nate's stand against Father John, came off as super contrived and amatuer writer-ish.
On the other hand, I thought the development of the cult and how it came to be and function was super engaging and well done. Overall I really did enjoy reading this book and thought the storyline was interesting and creative. I'd recommend it even if it wasn't an absolute favorite.
I do think the premise and setup--Moonbeam thinking back on and verbally describing what was going on in the Lord's Legion cult in spurts after she's gotten out--made the storyline a lot duller and distanced than it could have been. I do wish that Moonbeam's life within the cult was depicted first, then the fire and her escape described. There was a distance with her physically already being out of the cult that made it harder to connect with her experiences.
Also I thought her life in the treatment facility ridiculous. I feel like she would go insane with her life revolving around a 1-hour therapy session and sometimes a remotely monitored socializing session, literally locked in a room the rest of the time and "sometimes" going outside into a courtyard while the blandly nice nurse watches her. I also wonder why Hill refused to describe ANYTHING--what anyone looks like, what they're wearing, etc., but described Moonbeam's brought meals in the treatment center in such detail. The lack of description, while it might serve a purpose, also really kept me from connecting with Moonbeam. Maybe it's because an adult male author writing from the perspective of a 17yo girl is problematic more often than not, but Moonbeam really doesn't come off as very believable and seems to have no faults. I also thought some of the scenes, like the funeral scene and Nate's stand against Father John, came off as super contrived and amatuer writer-ish.
On the other hand, I thought the development of the cult and how it came to be and function was super engaging and well done. Overall I really did enjoy reading this book and thought the storyline was interesting and creative. I'd recommend it even if it wasn't an absolute favorite.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
This book was amazing in its narration, characters and suspense. I kept wanting to read more of it. I admit, I don’t like reading about sexual assault and rape but it definitely had a powerful effect. The ending, which I would’ve been fine with if her mom didn’t come, was a little hug at my heart after everything so tense in the book. Overall, really good book.