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4.3 AVERAGE
4.3 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Before, she lived inside the fence. Before, she was never allowed to leave the property, never allowed to talk to Outsiders, never allowed to speak her mind. Because Father John controlled everything—and Father John liked rules. Disobeying Father John came with terrible consequences.
But there are lies behind Father John's words. Outside, there are different truths.
Then came the fire.
After the fire is written through the perspective of Moonbeam, a young girl who grow up in a religious cult compound. The book is written in a before and after the day of the fire. We are told the story of her life through a series of flashbacks as her doctor and FBI agent listen to her harrowing tale. The story was engrossing from page one and I felt absolute sorrow for Moonbeam and the other young survivors. The book takes an extra emotional turn towards the end that had me in tears. It is frightening how easy people will dedicate there lives to the wrong person in hopes of salvation. Father John deserves every bad thing in the world.
I received this book through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
But there are lies behind Father John's words. Outside, there are different truths.
Then came the fire.
After the fire is written through the perspective of Moonbeam, a young girl who grow up in a religious cult compound. The book is written in a before and after the day of the fire. We are told the story of her life through a series of flashbacks as her doctor and FBI agent listen to her harrowing tale. The story was engrossing from page one and I felt absolute sorrow for Moonbeam and the other young survivors. The book takes an extra emotional turn towards the end that had me in tears. It is frightening how easy people will dedicate there lives to the wrong person in hopes of salvation. Father John deserves every bad thing in the world.
I received this book through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
i am so unbelievably glad i decided to pick this up off the shelf and take it with me - my little actor brain is whirring. moonbeam you are my everything
Seventeen year old Moonbeam has spent most of her life in the compound of the Lord's Legion, until the government come to take her away, the very people she has been taught are servants of the serpent. Now in the clutches of the enemy, Moonbeam must face the events leading up to the raid and decide who to trust.
After the Fire is based on the Waco Siege and the Branch Davidians cult, however Will Hill created a new organisation and characters in order to remain respectful to the survivors. Father John takes wives according to who the Lord chooses and the other men must vow to a life of celibacy. Before him there had been a much more benevolent leader, who let them leave the compound in order to spread the word. They were allowed to read and watch TV before the purge.
The story is told in chapters alternating between Before and After. After is when Moonbeam is being held in a government facility, being interviewed by a psychiatrist and an FBI agent, as well as her interactions with the other children who were freed. They have traded one prison for another, but it's not like they can just be released into the world.
In the Before chapters, she tells of life in the compound, how her mother was banished and her growing disillusionment at the cause. The Centurions are appointed by Father John to serve him and carry out punishments, some of which could be considered torture, but the children know this as justice and the will of the Lord. They are always men and they abuse their power nearly as much as the prophet.
I liked that it looked at a cult from the perspective of someone who had been freed. Moonbeam and her "siblings" need to be deprogrammed after a life of what is essentially domestic abuse. Father John controlled them through fear. He claims to be a prophet, that the Lord speaks through him, meaning he can get away with anything he likes. To question him, is to question the Lord.
I would have liked it to explore the reason why people join cults a bit more but, being told from Moonbeam's point of view, it was never her choice. Her mother took her there as a child, and it turns out it was really her deceased father's choice. Once assimilated into the cult, it is easy to see how people were made to stay compliant.
After the Fire is based on the Waco Siege and the Branch Davidians cult, however Will Hill created a new organisation and characters in order to remain respectful to the survivors. Father John takes wives according to who the Lord chooses and the other men must vow to a life of celibacy. Before him there had been a much more benevolent leader, who let them leave the compound in order to spread the word. They were allowed to read and watch TV before the purge.
The story is told in chapters alternating between Before and After. After is when Moonbeam is being held in a government facility, being interviewed by a psychiatrist and an FBI agent, as well as her interactions with the other children who were freed. They have traded one prison for another, but it's not like they can just be released into the world.
In the Before chapters, she tells of life in the compound, how her mother was banished and her growing disillusionment at the cause. The Centurions are appointed by Father John to serve him and carry out punishments, some of which could be considered torture, but the children know this as justice and the will of the Lord. They are always men and they abuse their power nearly as much as the prophet.
I liked that it looked at a cult from the perspective of someone who had been freed. Moonbeam and her "siblings" need to be deprogrammed after a life of what is essentially domestic abuse. Father John controlled them through fear. He claims to be a prophet, that the Lord speaks through him, meaning he can get away with anything he likes. To question him, is to question the Lord.
I would have liked it to explore the reason why people join cults a bit more but, being told from Moonbeam's point of view, it was never her choice. Her mother took her there as a child, and it turns out it was really her deceased father's choice. Once assimilated into the cult, it is easy to see how people were made to stay compliant.
After The Fire left me so full of emotions. Shock, awe, sadness, happiness, anger, disgust and hope are just a few of the wide range of emotions felt while I immersed myself in this 5 star novel.
Thank you to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for allowing me a copy to read and give my honest review.
Read my full review of this and other books on my blog at www.booklovinalicia.blogspot.com
Thank you to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for allowing me a copy to read and give my honest review.
Read my full review of this and other books on my blog at www.booklovinalicia.blogspot.com
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book lays bare all the dark devastation within certain cults without ever exploiting the characters for mere shock factor. Incredibly harrowing and seamlessly transitions between the past and the present. The main character is likeable, believable and a positive role model for teenage readers. There is some distressing content but the subject matter is handled very well. Definitely a brilliant read.
I really like the way this story is constructed. Little by little you get to know how the events unfolded, as Moonbeam starts to open up and tell her story. I started reading "After the Fire" without knowing what to expect. All I had seen before was just the official book description, and nothing more. And I must say I was impressed with everything. Nice plot, great main character, nice alternation between tales of before and after the fire. And I was even more impressed in learning that, although this is a work of fiction, it was loosely inspired by real facts.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a book that I wanted to like. In fact, I was drawn to it because I had started seeing this book every where. Ok, the thing about "cult" books is that the cult leader has a big commanding presence. For me, I didn't really experience that from Father John. Yeah, he was crazy but he did not capture nor keep my attention.
As I was reading, I kept waiting for the story to start. Somehow, it did not really sink in that the story had started with Moonbeam in therapy explaining the events leading up to her escape from the cult. I had trouble really staying in the moment while reading. After getting a third of the way into the story, I did skip ahead to the midway point. From here I started reading again but only got a few chapters done. Finally, I just "passed go" and proceeded to read the last dozen chapters of the story. It was here that I actually felt a connection to Moonbeam and the story and I felt the tide turn some with my feelings towards this book. Sadly, this book did not do anything for me.
As I was reading, I kept waiting for the story to start. Somehow, it did not really sink in that the story had started with Moonbeam in therapy explaining the events leading up to her escape from the cult. I had trouble really staying in the moment while reading. After getting a third of the way into the story, I did skip ahead to the midway point. From here I started reading again but only got a few chapters done. Finally, I just "passed go" and proceeded to read the last dozen chapters of the story. It was here that I actually felt a connection to Moonbeam and the story and I felt the tide turn some with my feelings towards this book. Sadly, this book did not do anything for me.