This was an amazing book. Honestly.
I've never read a book that has to
do with cults but I've seen information about them on the news and such.
Although this book is fiction I can't help but think there is a certain amount
of truth to this novel. I'd really recommend this book to anyone from young
adults to adults.
"It's a small kind weapon,
this story. I stab someone with it and they hurt, every time."
I don't even know how to begin
writing this review. It was just so good that I can't put it into words.
However, I have to try and write something! Anyway, our narrator, Minnow Bly,
is a 17-year-old girl that has recently escaped a cult called "the Community."
When we first meet her she is standing trial for a crime she did in fact
commit. She is sent to a juvenile dentition center and must stay there until
her 18th birthday. While Minnow is locked away she meets Dr. Wilson and with
him we see her story unravel and how her life has led up to this moment.
"'You did nothing wrong,' is
what Angel says on the occasions I talk like this, but I know it wasn't normal
or right what I did, and I question how it all could have happened. Not just
for me, but everyone in the Community. How each of our hands went from farming
and praying to hurting and killing."
You can't help but feel bad for
Minnow. She's lost her hands, her family, and her love. It was interesting to
read a book about a cult like this. At moments it was very graphic so if you're
not used to that, beware. But for me those graphic details of Minnow losing her
hands or Minnow's attack on the man in the park is what made the story so real
and intense. With this story you just want to keep reading and reading so that
you can piece together the puzzle of why Minnow is in jail. In a way the
reader's role is the same as Dr. Wilson's who believes talking to criminals is
like piecing together a puzzle. However, it takes awhile for Minnow to reveal
to us and the Doctor what her story is. She vows in the beginning of the book
that she will never tell the truth but by the end of the novel we see Minnow
develop into a much stronger character because she has to come face her past.
"Even after months of healing,
it doesn't take much to make me bleed."
While I really enjoyed learning
Minnow's story and how she came to be involved in the Community, I also really
enjoyed reading about Minnow's time in prison. One of my favorite characters
has to be Angel, Minnow's roommate, because she is so honest and also so wise.
Minnow was really able to grow as person because of Angel and her support for
her. I loved their relationship.
And then there's Jude. I thought
everything that happened with Jude was so sad, he broke my heart. I'm also
wondering about a certain part of the book where Minnow sees him again. I don't
want to spoil anyone but I don't think this is really a spoiler. I think what
happened in the orchard was all in Minnow's imagination. I do not believe that
Jude lived after what the Prophet and the Community did to him. Anyone else? I
found that part in the orchard to be a bit confusing. Anyway, I also really
liked Jude and Minnow's relationship as well but it was also heartbreaking to
read about. When Jude started singing their song after what the Prophet did to
him, I cried. IT WAS JUST SO SAD.
"Jude taught me what love was:
to be willing to hold on to another person''s pain. That's it."
I just really loved this book.
THERE'S SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT. And there's so many questions that the book
leaves you wondering. The big one being the nature God and if there is God why
does he let these things happen. I really enjoyed Angel's explanation of God.
She believes that God is kind of like a deadbeat dad that never shows up for
anything. I think she's trying to say that God created all this stuff in the
word but now he's left it. He's left his creation so that we as human beings
can figure it out for ourselves. I could discuss this all day because I just
find it so interesting. The author did a great job of making the reader think
and question certain things.
This is just an amazing book. Definitely different from
most of the YA out there right now. It's a such a real story with real
characters. I honestly would recommend this to everyone. When I was working at
the beach this past weekend I was reading this and an older man who comes to
the beach every weekend wanted to know what I was reading. And I showed him and
explained to him the book and he was so interested in it. He said as soon as I
returned it to the library he was going to check it out! So seriously, young or
old you should read this book.
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