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A review by cro777
Fog Island (Fog Island Trilogy, Book 1) by Mariette Lindstein
5.0
While on the hunt for a read that was dark and fit my mood at the time, I found this book in my ebook collection. I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I liked the cover of this book, and the tag-line in conjunction with the idea of cults is what drew me in. There is also something special about the title; fog is a spooky and mysterious substance. Some of my scariest nights have been driving through the fog with no other cars around and just that feeling of otherworldliness.
This book was originally published in Swedish but is being translated into English. I'm really excited because this is part of a trilogy. What is even more interesting is that the author, Mariette Lindstein was a member of the Church of Scientology for 25 years. I learned this after I started reading this book and could definitely see places where that background bled into this book and the ideas she unpacks within it. If you read her biography page on her literary website, it talks about how Lindstein was living in a compound in California that was eerily similar to the one she writes about on Fog Island and how she had to escape after it became more than she had signed up for. It goes on to say that Lindstein is dedicated to speaking out about cults and cult mentality that can perpetuate those circumstances. I love this so much and find it fascinating.
Other than being a book that can be too close to home for some, it also stands as a gripping thriller. At first, I had a little trouble getting into it and just understanding the general flow and movement of the novel because it is told through two viewpoints. The main story revolves around Sofia and her indoctrination into the cult of ViaTerra and her later escape. The second point of view is from a character named Fredrik and details some interesting parts of his life. What is really cool for me about these two storylines is how they intersect; near the end when it becomes clear I had a really neat "a-ha!" moment and thoroughly enjoyed that little addition to the plot. It was well thought out, especially for something that seemed so confusing at first.
This book was long for me; I read it slowly, but it was still something that I kept thinking about and didn't want to put down because I just needed to know how the story was going to pan out. Something specifically that I loved is how well Lindstein writes trust and reliability in this book. In the end, after Sofia escapes, I was still waiting for the other shoe to drop. Because of the previous instances in the book and occurrences, I as the reader had a difficult time trusting characters. It's fascinating to see how this is written and projected onto the reader; I can't imagine what Sofia or anyone facing a similar or same situation would feel like. While the story caught me, this transfer of paranoia from the book to the reader was what I really appreciated. It makes perfect sense to use this in a book like this, it adds exponentially to the thriller factor and makes it an even more memorable story. I don't think I will ever forget this book and the things that I read in it.
I have no problems with this book, even when it comes to writing. This book was translated from Swedish; this becomes apparent in some of the word choice and a few places with word order. For me, however, that sort of thing isn't a deal-breaker for me as it is just a minor translation issue. It doesn't stem from a poorly written sentence, but just differences in languages. Otherwise, the writing was well-done, the use of tension and expectation was also on point, and I really enjoyed the details placed on the setting and the foreboding feeling the book had. It was very atmospheric and it works perfectly for the cult setting.
I'm excited to see what the other two books of this series detail. I know that roughly, the second is more focused on how cults keep going and how they still bother past members, and the third book is apparently from the viewpoint of a child growing up in the cult. Regardless, I want to read them both as soon as they are available to finish up this trilogy and see what else Lindstein has to say on the subject.
I am easily giving this book five stars. I had no major issues with it, I loved the storyline and how well it shows the progression of cults and how people can just get too caught up in something before they can even begin to realize how wrong something may be. It is sad, but it is a reality that still occurs today. Above all, it was a strongly written thriller with an even stronger message about cult mentality and the dangers of becoming to close to it.
This book was originally published in Swedish but is being translated into English. I'm really excited because this is part of a trilogy. What is even more interesting is that the author, Mariette Lindstein was a member of the Church of Scientology for 25 years. I learned this after I started reading this book and could definitely see places where that background bled into this book and the ideas she unpacks within it. If you read her biography page on her literary website, it talks about how Lindstein was living in a compound in California that was eerily similar to the one she writes about on Fog Island and how she had to escape after it became more than she had signed up for. It goes on to say that Lindstein is dedicated to speaking out about cults and cult mentality that can perpetuate those circumstances. I love this so much and find it fascinating.
Other than being a book that can be too close to home for some, it also stands as a gripping thriller. At first, I had a little trouble getting into it and just understanding the general flow and movement of the novel because it is told through two viewpoints. The main story revolves around Sofia and her indoctrination into the cult of ViaTerra and her later escape. The second point of view is from a character named Fredrik and details some interesting parts of his life. What is really cool for me about these two storylines is how they intersect; near the end when it becomes clear I had a really neat "a-ha!" moment and thoroughly enjoyed that little addition to the plot. It was well thought out, especially for something that seemed so confusing at first.
This book was long for me; I read it slowly, but it was still something that I kept thinking about and didn't want to put down because I just needed to know how the story was going to pan out. Something specifically that I loved is how well Lindstein writes trust and reliability in this book. In the end, after Sofia escapes, I was still waiting for the other shoe to drop. Because of the previous instances in the book and occurrences, I as the reader had a difficult time trusting characters. It's fascinating to see how this is written and projected onto the reader; I can't imagine what Sofia or anyone facing a similar or same situation would feel like. While the story caught me, this transfer of paranoia from the book to the reader was what I really appreciated. It makes perfect sense to use this in a book like this, it adds exponentially to the thriller factor and makes it an even more memorable story. I don't think I will ever forget this book and the things that I read in it.
I have no problems with this book, even when it comes to writing. This book was translated from Swedish; this becomes apparent in some of the word choice and a few places with word order. For me, however, that sort of thing isn't a deal-breaker for me as it is just a minor translation issue. It doesn't stem from a poorly written sentence, but just differences in languages. Otherwise, the writing was well-done, the use of tension and expectation was also on point, and I really enjoyed the details placed on the setting and the foreboding feeling the book had. It was very atmospheric and it works perfectly for the cult setting.
I'm excited to see what the other two books of this series detail. I know that roughly, the second is more focused on how cults keep going and how they still bother past members, and the third book is apparently from the viewpoint of a child growing up in the cult. Regardless, I want to read them both as soon as they are available to finish up this trilogy and see what else Lindstein has to say on the subject.
I am easily giving this book five stars. I had no major issues with it, I loved the storyline and how well it shows the progression of cults and how people can just get too caught up in something before they can even begin to realize how wrong something may be. It is sad, but it is a reality that still occurs today. Above all, it was a strongly written thriller with an even stronger message about cult mentality and the dangers of becoming to close to it.