Search This Blog
November Reviews Link-Up
December Reviews Link-Up
2024 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (7)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (1)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (1)
- Georgia (2)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois (3)
- Indiana (4)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (3)
- Michigan (1)
- Minnesota (1)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (2)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (8)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (2)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (4)
- Utah (2)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.* (2)
International:
- Australia (2)
- Bolivia (1)
- Canada (3)
- China (1)
- England (20)
- France (1)
- Ghana (1)
- India (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (4)
- Italy (1)
- Poland (1)
- Russia (1)
- Scotland (3)
- The Netherlands (1)
2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
Friday, December 20, 2019
YA Cult Novel Poignant and Moving
8:47 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Although they've grown up together and are the same age, Agnes Little and Honey Harper have very different attitudes about life at Mount Blessing. Agnes follows the rules at their religious commune with exactness, wanting to impress not just God but also Emmanuel, their leader. Honey Harper, the only orphan at Mount Blessing, has no such desire. She despises rules, Emmanuel's strict leadership, and the cloistered life they lead. Honey longs for the things she sees on her forbidden t.v.—chic clothes, fast food, and public school.
When Agnes' grandmother makes a surprise visit to Mount Blessing, she witnesses an alarming practice that no one outside the community is supposed to know about. Already shocked, Nana Pete is even more disturbed when Agnes' little brother sustains a serious injury that Emmanuel refuses to have checked by a medical professional. Not able to take anymore, Nana Pete hustles her two grandkids and Honey into her car and makes a run for it. As the three kids leave behind everything they've ever known, they are forced to forge a new future. Honey may crave the experience, but Agnes is scared to death. Can she make a new life away from her family and community?
Having grown up in a religious commune, Cecilia Galante brings an insider's view to The Patron Saint of Butterflies, her first YA novel. Although the book doesn't bring anything really new or different to the cult escapee genre, it still tells a poignant and compelling story. The main characters are sympathetic; I definitely cared about them and wanted good things to happen for them. Although Galante's portrayal of a community of faith is sensitive in many ways, it makes it clear that violent extremism is absolutely not okay. The touching story teaches some valuable lessons about faith, friendship, and finding your way in a new world. I liked it.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of I Am Not Esther by Fleur Beale, The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams, Gated by Amy Christine Parker, and The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I bought an e-copy of The Patron Saint of Butterflies from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
2 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)
Reading
Listening
Followin' with Bloglovin'
-
The Story People8 hours ago
-
Sunday Post/Sunday Salon9 hours ago
-
Sunday Salon: October 13, 202410 hours ago
-
-
The Devil Hath a Pleasing Shape by Terry Roberts21 hours ago
-
Haven’t done that yet?23 hours ago
-
Secret Bridesmaid by Katy Birchall23 hours ago
-
Audiobook: The Hotel Balzaar1 day ago
-
-
-
-
83. The Phantom Patrol2 days ago
-
-
-
Bookish Quote of the Day!!!2 days ago
-
-
A couple of autumn/winter reads2 days ago
-
-
-
-
-
Reading Recap September 20241 week ago
-
-
-
WIP Wrap-up for September 20241 week ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Review: The Duke and I1 month ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus2 months ago
-
Sunday Post2 months ago
-
-
-
The Music of 2024: Q23 months ago
-
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ▼ 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
Wow, this sounds like a tough one but worth reading. Great review!
ReplyDeleteI think readers are always intrigued by cults, religious communities, etc so this one should do well.
ReplyDelete