From School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up—Castley (Castella) Cresswell is a triplet and one of six children born to a self-styled prophet of the Lord, who is content to rule his family's insular and fundamentalist religious "cult" from a dilapidated home in the woods of upstate New York. Father has written his own confounding book of revelations and beliefs that the children must study along with the Bible in a home where food can be in short supply when selling refurbished junk doesn't bring in enough money. A mostly silent and disabled mother, whose legs never healed when God was the chosen doctor, looks on while the three boys and three girls, whom their father has matched up together to be holy spouses in heaven, attempt to get by in the town high school, where they are typically treated like freaks. Two of Castella's brothers endure physical privations and spiritual punishment due to their interest in girls outside of the family, while Castella flirts with the lures of the outside world after being partnered up with George, a talkative freshman in drama class who wants to draw her out. This claustrophobic novel has little to recommend it to teens: no relatable plot, few convincing or compelling characters, and lots of bizarre lifestyle depictions make the impending crisis of the Cresswell family little more than a head-scratching curiosity. Readers may be unclear whether the book's goals include establishing quirkiness or eliciting sympathy for the children of a dangerous religious fanatic. VERDICT This attempt at gritty outsider realistic fiction is unlikely to draw converts.—Suzanne Gordon, Lanier High School, Sugar Hill, GA
Review
"One of the best books I've read this year." "Louise O?Neill, author of Only Ever Yours and Asking For It""
"Gripping." "The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books""
"Rapid-fire suspense." "VOYA""
"Gripping." The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"
"Rapid-fire suspense." VOYA"
"One of the best books I've read this year." Louise O?Neill, author of Only Ever Yours and Asking For It"
"As dark and lovely-and, at times, as chilling-as a midnight stroll through the deepest woods. Wass is a startlingly brilliant new voice with a can't-miss debut."--Kiersten White, New York Times best-selling author of And I Darken and Paranormalcy
"Rapid-fire suspense."--VOYA
"Wass's novel delivers one emotional blow after another... Castley's narration never falters in this harrowing portrait of a family undergoing desperate change."--Horn Book
"Gripping."--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"One of the best books I've read this year."--Louise O?Neill, author of Only Ever Yours and Asking For It
"Debut author Wass fashions a haunting family portrait centered on the power of belief."--Publishers Weekly
"A breathtaking, gut-wrenching coming-of-age saga. Readers will be swept into the Cresswells' claustrophobic world and ache for them long after it's set aflame . . . [A] page-turner along the compulsive lines of Flowers in the Attic."--Kirkus Reviews
"A debut novel you definitely don't want to miss... You'll be captivated by its dark, rich world."--Bustle
About the Author
Eliza Wass is a freelance writer, editor and journalist. She comes from Southern California where she was one of nine perfect children with two perfect parents. She has thousands of friends, all of whom either come in a dust jacket or post obsessively on Twitter. Eliza spent seven years in London with the most amazing man in the world, her late husband Alan Wass of Alan Wass and the Tourniquet, who inspired her to pursue her dreams and live every day of her life. Visit her website at www.elizawass.com and follow her on Twitter @lovefaithmagic.
