A review by violinknitter
Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu

4.0

This book. Ok, I don't usually pick up contemporary YA. I usually stick closer to fantasy, sci fi, or mystery. I heard about this book via Cynthia Jeub's blog, however, & had to check it out. A novel about a teenage girl growing up in the Quiverfull/patriarchy/Christian fundamentalist homeschooling movement? Yes, please! (I'd heard good things about Mathieu's debut novel, so I was pretty sure she was a good writer.)

I downloaded this book from Audible on a Friday, fully intending to let it sit while I finished several other audiobooks. But then I listened to the first chapter, and then I spent the entire rest of the weekend obsessively listening to DEVOTED.

Spoiler

One of my absolute favorite aspects of the book was the juxtaposition of Rachel's experience in the fundamentalist church, and Lauren's experience in the same church. I also loved how both girls dealt with their trauma differently, with Lauren rejecting Christianity altogether, and Rachel choosing to hold on to her belief in God anyway. It struck me as very true-to-life, judging by a number of the homeschool alumni blogs that I read.

The ending made me laugh a bit, because

Spoiler

it was such a typically YA type ending... walking into her new high school for the first time. It's a very good ending for the book, but it made me laugh anyway.

Also, I was wondering how Mathieu would end the book, since Rachel's journey to freedom will, in some ways, take decades.

Anyway, excellent story about a strong young woman learning to trust herself and use her own strength & intelligence to step into her own life.