Monday 31 July 2017

Gather the daughters - Jennie Melamed

GATHER THE DAUGHTERS tells the story of an end-of-the-world cult founded years ago when ten men colonised an island. It's a society in which men reign supreme, breeding is controlled, and knowledge of the outside world is kept to a minimum. Girls are wives-in-training: at the first sign of puberty, they must marry and have children. But until that point, every summer, island tradition dictates that the children live wildly: running free, making camps, sleeping on the beach. And it is at the end of one such summer that one of the youngest girls sees something so horrifying that life on the island can never be the same again.

My thoughts:
I wish I could write this well written awesome review, but sometimes you are at a loss for words to do the book justice. I will do my best but I might ramble on.

The book stayed with me as I read, it stayed with me when I finished it, and I still think about it and want to pick the author's brain. To know, to know...TO KNOW.

Cults are scary. These people truly believe they serve their God and their ancestors, but as you read on you realise they serve their own good. There are those who serve, there are those who blindly follow and there are monsters. 

I want to say so many things! But spoilers! It felt like a punch to the stomach when the realisation hit me of what this cult is about. I felt sickened to the core. And as I read on something else hit me, what if...what...if? This cult is so wrapped about in their lies and cruel ways and as the daughters start to question things so did I..what if? Yes I am being cryptic but when you start to question you will understand. But before that that horrible revelation is laid before you and it is gruesome.

On an island there lives a cult. Girls are married young. You obey your father, you obey your husband. You have 2 children. They grow up, you die. That is life. But before that there are the summers and at first I was all why? But the summers of freedom are both a curse and a blessing. They get to run wild, to be children, and well to escape the mosquitoes. But then you realise that most are just too indoctrinated that everything that happens is just a part of life. Sure the summer of freedom is lovely, but normal life is good too. And that is not the way things should be. All these poor children, all these poor families.

I really can not do it justice. You have to read it for yourself and feel that kick in the gut when things come together. To see these brainwashed sheep go on about their lives and, just read it! It shows the power of words, how the masses blindly follow.

Conclusion:
A well written thought provoking book. One of the best I have read this year. Might be the best book I have read this year.

And yes be warned, there are trigger warnings. It is a cult after all. Things are not always pretty inside a cult.

Hardcover, 352 pages
Published July 25th 2017 by Tinder Press
Fiction
For review

38 comments:

  1. Books that are thought-provoking and leave an impact on readers are usually my favorite. This sounds amazing!

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  2. I'm fascinated by cults for some odd reason so this sounds right up my alley.

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  3. Oh Wow. I want this thanks for the terrific review

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  4. Oh my, I'm really intrigued by this one now! I want to know what all your "what if"s are about.

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  5. I do admire those thought provoking books.

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  6. This sounds wonderful but horrible at the same time! Have you read 'The First Book of Calamity Leek'? Some of the unsettling background things you hint at made me think of it.

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  7. Creepy, scary and thought provoking. Cults scare the crap out of me. I will have to add this to my list. Thanks for the heads up.

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  8. WOW! I saw the title and was going to write something snarky. But your review captivated me... the blurb... wow! I need to add this to my list (I wonder if it's on audio) GREAT REVIEW!

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  9. Oh wow. How much you really got out of this one makes me curious.

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  10. This sounds heavy. Thanks for putting this on my radar.

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  11. Wow sounds powerful and your first couple of paragraphs drew me in. I hate cults but books like this make us aware.

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    1. They are scary but it makes for interesting reading

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  12. Want! Off to check it out, and you did a great job with the review!

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  13. Yikes end of the world cult had me right off, since yeah, but then I read the rest of the synopsis and was like ^&*% lol. Sounds messed up on that island! And thought provoking too.

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    1. Such a messed up island and it gets more and more messed up

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  14. Wow this sounds so good! I can practically hear the enthusiasm in your review, I'm going to have to put this on my list ASAP!

    ~Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum

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  15. Awesome to find a book that grabs you like that :)

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  16. I've read a couple of books about cults over the years (fiction and NF). Sounds like it was a compelling read.

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  17. I love it when a book really makes you think about things. This sounds like one to pick up.

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  18. This sounds really good. I'm off to the library to see if there is an audiobook. Cults have always fascinated me. I followed the big one in Waco Texas in the 90s as all of that went down. Thanks for sharing.

    Melanie @ Hot Listens & Rabid Reads

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  19. This sounds very interesting, and creepy.

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  20. GAH!!! So jealous. I want to read this.

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