Review :
Rating 4/5
If there is ever a moment that you think your life is hard, pick up this book for an insight into the dark side of humanity.
This was an incredible book about a cult leader's power and control. Moonbeam is a great character, vulnerable yet brave, scared yet fearless and slowly the story unravels with some twists and turns along the way.
The sensitive subject matter was handled with great care and I was engrossed in this book from start to finish.
The story is narrated by a young girl Moonbeam. She is no doubt brave of all the characters.Every character in the book was so developed. I loved the character of Nate too and how it was connected to Moonbeam.
Told through the eyes of Moonbeam, a teenager whose father persuaded her mother to join the group, we learn how her faith turns to doubt when Father John overthrows Father Patrick as the head of the cult. From that moment on, everyone's life is severely restricted. Those who leave are seen as non believers, those who remain mainly do so out of fear. Moonbeam's mother is banished from the group as she does not believe Father John is the prophet. Unable to take her daughter with her, Moonbeam is left to face the challenges within the cult on her own and starts to lose her faith as she sees how manipulative Father John is and how unfair punishments are handed out even to the very youngest members of the group.
The compound is stormed by government forces, all the adults are shot dead and only Moonbeam and a few of the children survive. With psychological help from Doctor Hernandez and FBI Agent Carlyle, Moonbeam slowly reveals what life was like living in the cult and by doing so, she starts to come to terms with her situation despite the fact she has been brainwashed into believing that everyone who lives outside of the compound is evil.
Overall, this book is highly recommended to readers of any genre. It’s dark and moving and entirely captivating.
Thank you Usborne for sending me a review copy otherwise I would have missed this amazing read.
