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harridansstew's review against another edition
4.0
I heard about this book on a Book Riot podcast and knew I had to pick it up.
I was pleasantly surprised at how deft the author is with the subject. In fact, I wondered if she had grown up in a similar environment as Rachel, the protagonist. The characters are very human and the details very much like the real life stories I've known growing up.
And yes, the story is fiction, but it is reality.
I was pleasantly surprised at how deft the author is with the subject. In fact, I wondered if she had grown up in a similar environment as Rachel, the protagonist. The characters are very human and the details very much like the real life stories I've known growing up.
And yes, the story is fiction, but it is reality.
hbbtfdlr's review against another edition
5.0
I both loved and loathed this book, and will likely read it again and again and again. Ms. Mathieu has brilliantly captured the culture of fundalmental, patriarchical families and the struggle it is for a girl to be her own person in them in this wonderful fiction. The entire reason that I wanted to throw the book across the room at times was because it hit so close to home. It's such a lovely story of a girl coming into her own.
The use of Madeliene L'Engle and Mary Oliver as ways to open Rachel's mind to self-awareness are brilliant. I've met a number of people coming out of this, or similar cultures who have a special place in their heart for L'Engle. It made Rachel seem real and relatable.
I also enjoyed the fact that even though there was a romance, it was a side plot and not the main point of the novel.
Very much hoping to read more from this author because this book was fabulous. 5 stars.
The use of Madeliene L'Engle and Mary Oliver as ways to open Rachel's mind to self-awareness are brilliant. I've met a number of people coming out of this, or similar cultures who have a special place in their heart for L'Engle. It made Rachel seem real and relatable.
I also enjoyed the fact that even though there was a romance, it was a side plot and not the main point of the novel.
Very much hoping to read more from this author because this book was fabulous. 5 stars.
crypticspren's review against another edition
5.0
Unlike most cult books, this story doesn’t follow the main character’s journey that ends in them leaving the cult. This happens fairly early on- in the first half- and is more a journey of self discovery as Rachel battles with what she has been taught, her own feelings, and her own relationship with God.
The way Lauren and Rachel were written was brilliant, and their interactions and individual journeys and coping mechanisms are striking and authentic feeling. I was rooting for them the whole time and really felt this book captures the intense re-adaption and self-questioning nature of apostate life.
The way Lauren and Rachel were written was brilliant, and their interactions and individual journeys and coping mechanisms are striking and authentic feeling. I was rooting for them the whole time and really felt this book captures the intense re-adaption and self-questioning nature of apostate life.
deedeethebumblebee's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. Wow wow wow.
It's been a while since I really connected with a book; I fell into the biggest reading slump at the end of the summer. But this book...wow.
Some parts in this book made my stomach turn because I could relate to it; because I had been there, to an extent. And I know what Rachel was struggling with. I still struggle with it, every day.
This book was emotional and well written and I was unable to put it down. Hope to read more from this author soon.
It's been a while since I really connected with a book; I fell into the biggest reading slump at the end of the summer. But this book...wow.
Some parts in this book made my stomach turn because I could relate to it; because I had been there, to an extent. And I know what Rachel was struggling with. I still struggle with it, every day.
This book was emotional and well written and I was unable to put it down. Hope to read more from this author soon.
golden_lily's review against another edition
5.0
Jennifer Mathieu has hit another emotional, dark contemporary out of the park.
Rachel, the middle child in a family of ten, is part of the Quiverfull movement. Named for their strict interpretation of the psalm “Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate,” (127:5, KJV,) Rachel’s evangelical parents are obsessed with having as many children as they can, so they can praise God with their sweet countenance and return to patriarchal ideals. (If this sounds familiar, yes, the Duggars are members.)
As the oldest girl in the house, (she also has three older brothers, who are not expected to help with “women’s work”, and a married sister,) Rachel is expected to work from sun up to sun down - cooking, cleaning, and homeschooling her siblings. She’s not allowed to read secular books or watch tv or get online. She can’t even leave the house without a chaperone. She can never date and her first kiss is reserved for her wedding day. Her life revolves around the church and her siblings.
After her mother falls into depression following a miscarriage, Rachel’s workload drastically increases and she feels suffocated and questions why it’s so hard to pray. She begins sneaking unauthorized web browsing, and after weeks of wrestling with herself, Rachel finds herself obsessed with the blog of a former church member, Lauren, where she documents her journey to escape the movement. When her father also discovers Lauren’s blog, he orders Rachel to a violent and brutal “camp” for reprogramming. Rather than go, the seventeen year old runs away instead, ending up at Lauren’s.
Lauren, much farther along in her grieving process, can be very difficult. She’s angry. Angry with her abusive parents. Angry at the church that shielded them. Angry with the patriarchy and factory farming and her ex-boyfriend and God and Rachel’s progress and her parents. She lashes out, dating the wrong boys and drinking, much to her new roommate’s distress. But Lauren’s one of the most loving characters I’ve read. She knows it could be dangerous for her to pick up Rachel. She knows what happened when she ran away. She does it anyway. She loves the animals at her vet and the Tasty family. She’s so passionate and scared and real and I found her more interesting and relatable than Rachel in a lot of ways.
My only true problem is Mathieu doesn’t go far enough. Of course the book was written before the current Duggar scandal, but one look at No Longer Quivering will show the depth of the abuse and corruption in the movement. Lauren tells Rachel the church is abusive and cites that her dad beat her when she left, but neither mentions the blanket training, the spanking of six month olds, the way Bill Gothard blames victims for sexual abuse, (not everyone uses the ATI homeschooling program, but it is the program used by the Duggars, an obvious inspiration.) Neither mentions the isolation and withholding of mental health care. The church’s abuse is a lot more serious than sheltering one domestic abuser, in and out of the book world.
Instead, the book focuses on the successes. Rachel finds a job, organizing and updating files for a friend of Lauren’s. She meets Mark, (who is totally awesome and swoony,) and finds a way to be friends with a boy and maybe more? She stands up for herself and makes relationships outside of family and learns and even when she stumbles, Rachel moves on.
Rachel, the middle child in a family of ten, is part of the Quiverfull movement. Named for their strict interpretation of the psalm “Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate,” (127:5, KJV,) Rachel’s evangelical parents are obsessed with having as many children as they can, so they can praise God with their sweet countenance and return to patriarchal ideals. (If this sounds familiar, yes, the Duggars are members.)
As the oldest girl in the house, (she also has three older brothers, who are not expected to help with “women’s work”, and a married sister,) Rachel is expected to work from sun up to sun down - cooking, cleaning, and homeschooling her siblings. She’s not allowed to read secular books or watch tv or get online. She can’t even leave the house without a chaperone. She can never date and her first kiss is reserved for her wedding day. Her life revolves around the church and her siblings.
After her mother falls into depression following a miscarriage, Rachel’s workload drastically increases and she feels suffocated and questions why it’s so hard to pray. She begins sneaking unauthorized web browsing, and after weeks of wrestling with herself, Rachel finds herself obsessed with the blog of a former church member, Lauren, where she documents her journey to escape the movement. When her father also discovers Lauren’s blog, he orders Rachel to a violent and brutal “camp” for reprogramming. Rather than go, the seventeen year old runs away instead, ending up at Lauren’s.
Lauren, much farther along in her grieving process, can be very difficult. She’s angry. Angry with her abusive parents. Angry at the church that shielded them. Angry with the patriarchy and factory farming and her ex-boyfriend and God and Rachel’s progress and her parents. She lashes out, dating the wrong boys and drinking, much to her new roommate’s distress. But Lauren’s one of the most loving characters I’ve read. She knows it could be dangerous for her to pick up Rachel. She knows what happened when she ran away. She does it anyway. She loves the animals at her vet and the Tasty family. She’s so passionate and scared and real and I found her more interesting and relatable than Rachel in a lot of ways.
My only true problem is Mathieu doesn’t go far enough. Of course the book was written before the current Duggar scandal, but one look at No Longer Quivering will show the depth of the abuse and corruption in the movement. Lauren tells Rachel the church is abusive and cites that her dad beat her when she left, but neither mentions the blanket training, the spanking of six month olds, the way Bill Gothard blames victims for sexual abuse, (not everyone uses the ATI homeschooling program, but it is the program used by the Duggars, an obvious inspiration.) Neither mentions the isolation and withholding of mental health care. The church’s abuse is a lot more serious than sheltering one domestic abuser, in and out of the book world.
Instead, the book focuses on the successes. Rachel finds a job, organizing and updating files for a friend of Lauren’s. She meets Mark, (who is totally awesome and swoony,) and finds a way to be friends with a boy and maybe more? She stands up for herself and makes relationships outside of family and learns and even when she stumbles, Rachel moves on.
shelvesofsecrets's review against another edition
4.0
I don't usually read a lot of contemporary, but when I come across a book like this, I know I need to read more. I find extreme religion, including cults and sects, super interesting. And while Rachel's family beliefs are not what I would call a cult, they certain are extreme and restrictive and, honestly, angering. Rachel is only allowed to interact with people from her church. She's home schooled, can't cut her hair and must dress modestly at all times.
I loved Rachel's character so much and I think many other readers will too, since we can see ourselves in her. Rachel is a bookworm at heart, but her family does not condone reading (other than the bible of course), especially Rachel's favourite book: A Wrinkle in Time. That's just one of the trials Rachel must face. She is also fearful of her future, which can only be one thing: being a loving and obedient wife and mother.
I really enjoyed the contrast between Rachel and Lauren, another girl who took issue with the church's restrictive beliefs. It shows the differing ways that different people react in similar situations. Both girl's stories were tough for a bookworm, equal rights kind of girl like me.
However, I do like how Jennifer Mathieu treated the topic of religion in her book. Too often books take sides, either becoming preachy or bashing religion altogether. I think the author walked a fine line and stayed fairly respectful of religion. She did not indicate that Rachel's family was wrong, just that their beliefs didn't work for Rachel. And Rachel maintains her relationship with God throughout, yet the book never felt preachy to me.
I also really enjoyed Rachel's relationship with her little sister Ruth. Ruth was the lifeline that kept Rachel sane in her life with her family. They always supported each other, even though they were very different characters. It made me want a little sister. Although I definitely could do without an older sister like Faith. And their last scene together break my heart a little bit.
There is a hint of romantic interest in this one, but it's so subtle, because, let's face it, Rachel is not ready for a relationship right now. I'm so glad the other didn't force her into a relationship, since I believe the book is so much stronger as it is now.
Devoted was one of my rare forays into contemporary fiction and I really enjoyed it a lot. I though the book was well balanced while dealing with potentially volatile content and I will definitely be reading more from Jennifer Mathieu.
I loved Rachel's character so much and I think many other readers will too, since we can see ourselves in her. Rachel is a bookworm at heart, but her family does not condone reading (other than the bible of course), especially Rachel's favourite book: A Wrinkle in Time. That's just one of the trials Rachel must face. She is also fearful of her future, which can only be one thing: being a loving and obedient wife and mother.
I really enjoyed the contrast between Rachel and Lauren, another girl who took issue with the church's restrictive beliefs. It shows the differing ways that different people react in similar situations. Both girl's stories were tough for a bookworm, equal rights kind of girl like me.
However, I do like how Jennifer Mathieu treated the topic of religion in her book. Too often books take sides, either becoming preachy or bashing religion altogether. I think the author walked a fine line and stayed fairly respectful of religion. She did not indicate that Rachel's family was wrong, just that their beliefs didn't work for Rachel. And Rachel maintains her relationship with God throughout, yet the book never felt preachy to me.
I also really enjoyed Rachel's relationship with her little sister Ruth. Ruth was the lifeline that kept Rachel sane in her life with her family. They always supported each other, even though they were very different characters. It made me want a little sister. Although I definitely could do without an older sister like Faith. And their last scene together break my heart a little bit.
There is a hint of romantic interest in this one, but it's so subtle, because, let's face it, Rachel is not ready for a relationship right now. I'm so glad the other didn't force her into a relationship, since I believe the book is so much stronger as it is now.
Devoted was one of my rare forays into contemporary fiction and I really enjoyed it a lot. I though the book was well balanced while dealing with potentially volatile content and I will definitely be reading more from Jennifer Mathieu.
yokorie's review against another edition
4.0
My obsession with young adult fiction with fundamentalist Christianity continues! This book was definitely easier to get through than some of the others in this category like The Chosen One or Sister Wives. Mathieu definitely did her research on this book, citing Kathryn Joyce’s “[b:Quiverfull: Inside the Christian Patriarchy Movement|3464030|Quiverfull Inside the Christian Patriarchy Movement|Kathryn Joyce|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320430103l/3464030._SY75_.jpg|3505315]” book, and one of my favorite reads last summer, so I requested this one from my library as fast as I could.
Maybe because I did read that book, and have been picked through the “No Longer Quivering” blog Mathieu also cites as a reference for a while, that this book didn’t hit me as hard as it will probably hit others. I’ve been around this block before, so nothing was particularly shocking or disturbing to me (i.e. women not being allowed to speak during prayer time, sanctioned teenage marriage and pregnancy, modest dressing methods, emotional suppression, etc.) That’s what’s keeping this book from hitting all five stars: I’ve seen the themes in YA fiction before, and Devoted didn’t really bust any barriers for me. Obviously this will be different for someone less “devoted” (haha) than I am to this sub-sub-sub-genre of fiction so I don’t want to penalize Mathieu.
But even though the “oh my gosh people actually do this” mentality was lost on me, Devoted still proved to be a sweet, heartfelt contemporary tale. Mathieu did a good job of spacing out Rachel’s growth in the story. When a girl leaves behind a community like this she doesn’t necessarily jump instantly into casual sex and booty shorts. Rachel is still uncertain of her place in her world once she’s out from under her parents’ (read: her father’s and pastor’s) thumbs and her adjustment to life outside of what she’s used to comes gradually over the course of the book, from her first unchaperoned conversation with a boy, to her first sleeveless shirt, to her first paycheck, and so on. Things don’t immediately click in to place when she first starts out, nor does she figure everything out by the end. The book is very light on the romance to reflect this, seamlessly avoiding another issue I’ve had with books of this kind.
The fact that Rachel kept her faith in God through the book was also nice. I wouldn’t really classify this book as “Christian fiction” but if there’s one aspect of her identity that Rachel is certain of it’s that she believes in God and wants to pray. Keeping that aspect of her personality and upbringing really helped round out her character without making her feel unrealistic. Likewise, with Lauren, who left the same Church under much more violent pretenses, has different feelings and reacts to things differently and sees the world differently. The same goes for the other women in Rachel’s life, like her mother and sisters. It’s refreshing that Mathieu understands that not every woman is going to feel the same about religion, or leaving it for that matter. No one is “othered” in this book, and none of the characters we meet are painted as 100% evil or wrong.
All in all, a lovely read with a heartfelt main character and a tasteful plot for inquisitive girls of all faiths.
Maybe because I did read that book, and have been picked through the “No Longer Quivering” blog Mathieu also cites as a reference for a while, that this book didn’t hit me as hard as it will probably hit others. I’ve been around this block before, so nothing was particularly shocking or disturbing to me (i.e. women not being allowed to speak during prayer time, sanctioned teenage marriage and pregnancy, modest dressing methods, emotional suppression, etc.) That’s what’s keeping this book from hitting all five stars: I’ve seen the themes in YA fiction before, and Devoted didn’t really bust any barriers for me. Obviously this will be different for someone less “devoted” (haha) than I am to this sub-sub-sub-genre of fiction so I don’t want to penalize Mathieu.
But even though the “oh my gosh people actually do this” mentality was lost on me, Devoted still proved to be a sweet, heartfelt contemporary tale. Mathieu did a good job of spacing out Rachel’s growth in the story. When a girl leaves behind a community like this she doesn’t necessarily jump instantly into casual sex and booty shorts. Rachel is still uncertain of her place in her world once she’s out from under her parents’ (read: her father’s and pastor’s) thumbs and her adjustment to life outside of what she’s used to comes gradually over the course of the book, from her first unchaperoned conversation with a boy, to her first sleeveless shirt, to her first paycheck, and so on. Things don’t immediately click in to place when she first starts out, nor does she figure everything out by the end. The book is very light on the romance to reflect this, seamlessly avoiding another issue I’ve had with books of this kind.
The fact that Rachel kept her faith in God through the book was also nice. I wouldn’t really classify this book as “Christian fiction” but if there’s one aspect of her identity that Rachel is certain of it’s that she believes in God and wants to pray. Keeping that aspect of her personality and upbringing really helped round out her character without making her feel unrealistic. Likewise, with Lauren, who left the same Church under much more violent pretenses, has different feelings and reacts to things differently and sees the world differently. The same goes for the other women in Rachel’s life, like her mother and sisters. It’s refreshing that Mathieu understands that not every woman is going to feel the same about religion, or leaving it for that matter. No one is “othered” in this book, and none of the characters we meet are painted as 100% evil or wrong.
All in all, a lovely read with a heartfelt main character and a tasteful plot for inquisitive girls of all faiths.
blackerbird's review against another edition
5.0
I received an ARC of this book from a friend and I am forever grateful! This story takes an inside look at a teenage girl's life who has been raised in a strictly conservative religious sect. Rachel struggles to understand the restrictions placed on her by her religious upbringing and looks to find meaning in her life.
The lines from the poem "The Summer Day" by Mary Oliver have crossed my mind multiple times since I read them in the book.
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?"
This is a question we should all ask ourselves. This book has resonated deeply with me and I will not soon forget Rachel or her story.
The lines from the poem "The Summer Day" by Mary Oliver have crossed my mind multiple times since I read them in the book.
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?"
This is a question we should all ask ourselves. This book has resonated deeply with me and I will not soon forget Rachel or her story.
seifknits's review against another edition
4.0
I was surprised at how compelling this book was. I am always looking for good YA books that address the issue of teens and their relationship with God and with organized religion in a respectful way, and this one fits the bill.
tobyyy's review against another edition
5.0
I fell in love with Mathieu’s writing when I read The Truth About Alice. So when I saw this one in the bargain bin at Book Outlet, I figured I’d pick it up and take a look. And it delivered!!
Rachel is a character to whom I think many people could relate. She just wants to do whatever is right, and to her family that means growing up as a godly woman who is a homemaker. But... Rachel doesn’t want to just be a homemaker. Thinking about her future husband and bearing children makes her panic. So she starts to rebel in small ways...
...that end up being not so small to her family. And in the end, Rachel has to choose whether she can actually abide by her family’s rules and accept her future as a wife and mother... or leave, to pursue her dreams of education and freedom.
Rachel’s family was very frustrating to read about but was also very familiar to me due to my own experiences as a child/teen.
However, despite the frustration and irritation I felt reading about Rachel’s family, Mathieu wrote about both “sides” of this (the cult and the secular) with compassion and clarity. No one was made out to be “the bad guy” or “the wrong one.” Even the morality issues that Rachel came across were written in a fair, unbiased way.
Usually I’m leery of books like this, because if they’re published by a Christian press then they’re typically blatantly in favor of religion... but if they’re published by a secular press, the opposite is true and religion is usually the scapegoat or the laughing stock. Neither was true in Devoted, which was amazing and which I appreciated very much. This points to Mathieu’s skill.
I definitely recommend this to pretty much anyone. It raises awareness (and also made me feel less alone in many ways) with kindness and compassion, and also exemplifies how people who live in the same little town in America can have such a different sense of rights and freedoms that some take for granted.
Rachel is a character to whom I think many people could relate. She just wants to do whatever is right, and to her family that means growing up as a godly woman who is a homemaker. But... Rachel doesn’t want to just be a homemaker. Thinking about her future husband and bearing children makes her panic. So she starts to rebel in small ways...
...that end up being not so small to her family. And in the end, Rachel has to choose whether she can actually abide by her family’s rules and accept her future as a wife and mother... or leave, to pursue her dreams of education and freedom.
Rachel’s family was very frustrating to read about but was also very familiar to me due to my own experiences as a child/teen.
However, despite the frustration and irritation I felt reading about Rachel’s family, Mathieu wrote about both “sides” of this (the cult and the secular) with compassion and clarity. No one was made out to be “the bad guy” or “the wrong one.” Even the morality issues that Rachel came across were written in a fair, unbiased way.
Usually I’m leery of books like this, because if they’re published by a Christian press then they’re typically blatantly in favor of religion... but if they’re published by a secular press, the opposite is true and religion is usually the scapegoat or the laughing stock. Neither was true in Devoted, which was amazing and which I appreciated very much. This points to Mathieu’s skill.
I definitely recommend this to pretty much anyone. It raises awareness (and also made me feel less alone in many ways) with kindness and compassion, and also exemplifies how people who live in the same little town in America can have such a different sense of rights and freedoms that some take for granted.