this book really just did not click with me.
i like the horror bits themselves, and the use of color was beautiful, but plot-wise i have so many questions: if this is supposed to be about religious extremism/cults, and cults notoriously are pretty restrictive about random things, where are the restrictions?? if this is partially based off of conservative christianity (which it seems to be, aside from the new age stuff), then why are the girls allowed to wear jeans? why are they allowed to have sleepovers at male friend’s houses? why is elliot allowed to be openly trans? it just genuinely doesn’t feel that cult-y except for the sections of this book where they are literally at the church. also, WHY ARE NO PARENTS ACTUALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LARGE AMOUNTS OF TEENS DISAPPEARING OR BEING MURDERED??? WHY DO THEY LET THEIR KIDS JUST RUN AMOK ALL NIGHT WHEREVER WHEN LOVING OHIO TEENS JUST KEEP FUCKING VANISHING?????
more questions: what makes these teens so special that they realize theyre all in a cult, and seemingly fully know this before the book has started?? do other teens know this or is it just them?? wouldnt their parents try and isolate them from other views so that they’d stay?? where are their internet restrictions?? why are they allowed to have smart phones??? genuinely the most questions for a book i have basically ever had