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A review by shawna_reads
The Children of Red Peak by Craig DiLouie
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
"Death is hopeless. If the human race stopped trying to find meaning in death, they'd find more meaning in life. We'd grow up and find our purpose."
David, Deacon, and Beth are reunited at the funeral of their childhood friend who committed suicide. As children, they survived a religious cult at the isolated mountain of Red Peak. After years of suppressing trauma and resurfaced memories, the survivors want to find out what really happened to their families by returning to where it all ended.
I'll start off with what I liked. The chapters alternated between present day and flashbacks to their time in the cult to gain an understanding of the characters and their development over time. The isolated setting was chilling in a sense and the ending was interesting, although not what I was expecting.
What I didn't like - it was a slow burn that felt like it was reaallly drawn out. I found it kind of boring when the characters kept to themselves in like 75% of the book because a whole lot of nothing happened imo. It was very worshipy and it reminded me of the days when my parents made me go to church and I was bored out of my mind. Perhaps that had an impact on my reading experience lol
Overall, I'm sad to say that I wasn't a big fan of this book, but please don't let that deter you from it if you're interested in religious cults. I've also seen a ton of positive reviews for DiLouie's other books, so I definitely plan on giving him another chance. This book just wasn't for me.
2.5⭐️ rounded up.
David, Deacon, and Beth are reunited at the funeral of their childhood friend who committed suicide. As children, they survived a religious cult at the isolated mountain of Red Peak. After years of suppressing trauma and resurfaced memories, the survivors want to find out what really happened to their families by returning to where it all ended.
I'll start off with what I liked. The chapters alternated between present day and flashbacks to their time in the cult to gain an understanding of the characters and their development over time. The isolated setting was chilling in a sense and the ending was interesting, although not what I was expecting.
What I didn't like - it was a slow burn that felt like it was reaallly drawn out. I found it kind of boring when the characters kept to themselves in like 75% of the book because a whole lot of nothing happened imo. It was very worshipy and it reminded me of the days when my parents made me go to church and I was bored out of my mind. Perhaps that had an impact on my reading experience lol
Overall, I'm sad to say that I wasn't a big fan of this book, but please don't let that deter you from it if you're interested in religious cults. I've also seen a ton of positive reviews for DiLouie's other books, so I definitely plan on giving him another chance. This book just wasn't for me.
2.5⭐️ rounded up.