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Resurrecting Cybele by Jenifer Mohammed
Cybele Moondragon is an unemployed English graduate student who is disillusioned with her life and tired of being in debt. She decides to resurrect a matriarchal cult based on the pagan goddess Cybele in order to make a lot of money and empower men and women who are stifled in more traditional, patriarchal religions. Cybele is joined in her quest by her best friend Janus Styx, a Psychology graduate student who helps with the funding for the cult but, unknown to Cybele, manipulates vulnerable members of the cult for his own purposes. Gabriel Anderson is an undercover investigative reporter who realizes he can get the inside scoop on the birth of a pagan cult in Winnipeg and its possible links to eco-terrorism. Cybele slowly discovers that while she leads ceremonies in hopes of showing her followers the path to spiritual enlightenment, Janus is playing a dangerous game of manipulation with his. Will Cybele succeed in resurrecting her life and ushering a new matriarchal religion into the world or will she fall prey to Janus's machinations and become the scapegoat in his quest for power and control? You'll have to read the book to find out.
- GenresPaganism
Unknown Binding
First published August 25, 2013
3 people are currently reading
470 people want to read
About the author
Jenifer Mohammed
1 book41 followersI was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
I am a die-hard Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Supernatural lover. I am a sessional instructor at the University of Manitoba and teach mainly for the Department of English, Film, and Theatre although I also teach for the Asper School of Business and the International College of Manitoba. I love horror, science-fiction, and fantasy movies and frequently relax at the end of a long week by watching one.
I feel truly blessed to have a job that allows me the opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of my students. I hope that my readers will enjoy reading my work as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Please feel free to send me a friend request since I love seeing what others are reading and comparing book shelves and reading reviews.
I am a die-hard Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Supernatural lover. I am a sessional instructor at the University of Manitoba and teach mainly for the Department of English, Film, and Theatre although I also teach for the Asper School of Business and the International College of Manitoba. I love horror, science-fiction, and fantasy movies and frequently relax at the end of a long week by watching one.
I feel truly blessed to have a job that allows me the opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of my students. I hope that my readers will enjoy reading my work as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Please feel free to send me a friend request since I love seeing what others are reading and comparing book shelves and reading reviews.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 2, 2014
Resurrecting Cybele is the story of Cybele Moondragon and her misguided attempts to start a harmless cult, while her ostensibly helpful friend, Janus Styx, has what are possibly more nefarious intentions.
Much of the strength of this book is in its fast pace and witty popcult references. The numerous plot turns are often based on the secret machinations of various characters as each tries to figure out what the other is doing. There is plenty of well-paced tension in this novel, and really no portions where the plot or dialogue wander off into some cul-de-sac. The dialogue is sharp and well constructed, and the characters interact in ways that are in turns humorous and suspenseful.
I should add that this work is also impeccably edited, without those grammatical or proofreading gaffes that mar so many ebooks.
Much of the strength of this book is in its fast pace and witty popcult references. The numerous plot turns are often based on the secret machinations of various characters as each tries to figure out what the other is doing. There is plenty of well-paced tension in this novel, and really no portions where the plot or dialogue wander off into some cul-de-sac. The dialogue is sharp and well constructed, and the characters interact in ways that are in turns humorous and suspenseful.
I should add that this work is also impeccably edited, without those grammatical or proofreading gaffes that mar so many ebooks.
December 15, 2013
I loved this novel. Cybele is a witty, strong character and I found myself really drawn into her world. Characters banter and plot and transgress and I was kept guessing, right until the end, whether or not Cybele's scheme to start her own religion would end in tragedy or not.
Mohammed is a promising new writer and I'm hoping she'll write another novel: either a follow up to Resurrecting Cybele or an entirely new story!
Mohammed is a promising new writer and I'm hoping she'll write another novel: either a follow up to Resurrecting Cybele or an entirely new story!
August 12, 2020
This is rounded up from a 2.5, giving grace to a fellow indie author. This book should have been a slam dunk for me— a modern reconstruction of an ancient mystery religion, in which every character bears a name out of myth. I expected some depth and history and mysticism, maybe an alternate reality in which paganism is universally accepted and the people are all conversant in mythic tropes. I fully expected to wallow luxuriously in it.
I'll start with what worked. The names of the characters, the basic idea of starting up a new/old religion, a familiarity with herbs and potions, the restless hunger for something more among young folks finding their feet in the world, the honesty about one's internal reactions to the people in our lives and our conversations with them.
Some of the things that charmed me at first grew old very quickly, the most jarring being the cultural references. At first it was fun and gives the 'in-crowd' camaraderie that shared references bring, but there were so many and they went on for so long that these were the first passages I began to skim.
Another was the head-hopping. Because the book is told so largely from the characters' thoughts, there's no way out of head-hopping. But to do it well (and it can be done well, although it rarely is), there has to be clean delineations between the various heads into which we're hopping, and it has to be judicious. There were also abrupt changes of scene within chapters with no break or any indication they were coming.
There's no doubt that our inner critic can be brutal even to those we love. But all of the characters in this book are just horrid to best friends and sworn enemies alike. The only character I ended up liking was Cassie, and that's probably because I was never privy to any petty, mean-spirited, unpleasant inner monologues as I was from other characters.
The tactic of using everyone's inner dialogue allows the author to almost exclusively Tell with very little Showing. This wears thin very quickly.
The mythic names trope doesn't work when very few of the characters are at all familiar with myths, or paganism in any form.
I myself do not subscribe to the current fashion of eliminating all adverbs. Love me some adverbs. But there are very few verbs in this tale that are not appended by adverbs, some of them awkward (puzzledly, embarrassedly.) They need to get pared way down in the editing process.
I hoped that by the end of the book, Cybele's frivolous basis for starting her religion would morph into something deeper and more meaningful. But there was really no character development at all. Drugging 'followers' without their knowledge, cozying up to one's bestie's enemy, spying on one's bestie, and finally uncovering a death plot and NOT reporting it, and instead using dangerous drugs to 'save' those involved in the suicide pact did not endear the MC to me. I disliked her far more by the end of the book than when it started.
I'm sorry this review isn't more full of joy. I genuinely wanted to love this tale. But I rely on honest reviews when selecting my reads and I did not enjoy this book. I'm giving it 3 stars because I think the author shows promise and I hope for better things to come from her.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I'll start with what worked. The names of the characters, the basic idea of starting up a new/old religion, a familiarity with herbs and potions, the restless hunger for something more among young folks finding their feet in the world, the honesty about one's internal reactions to the people in our lives and our conversations with them.
Some of the things that charmed me at first grew old very quickly, the most jarring being the cultural references. At first it was fun and gives the 'in-crowd' camaraderie that shared references bring, but there were so many and they went on for so long that these were the first passages I began to skim.
Another was the head-hopping. Because the book is told so largely from the characters' thoughts, there's no way out of head-hopping. But to do it well (and it can be done well, although it rarely is), there has to be clean delineations between the various heads into which we're hopping, and it has to be judicious. There were also abrupt changes of scene within chapters with no break or any indication they were coming.
There's no doubt that our inner critic can be brutal even to those we love. But all of the characters in this book are just horrid to best friends and sworn enemies alike. The only character I ended up liking was Cassie, and that's probably because I was never privy to any petty, mean-spirited, unpleasant inner monologues as I was from other characters.
The tactic of using everyone's inner dialogue allows the author to almost exclusively Tell with very little Showing. This wears thin very quickly.
The mythic names trope doesn't work when very few of the characters are at all familiar with myths, or paganism in any form.
I myself do not subscribe to the current fashion of eliminating all adverbs. Love me some adverbs. But there are very few verbs in this tale that are not appended by adverbs, some of them awkward (puzzledly, embarrassedly.) They need to get pared way down in the editing process.
I hoped that by the end of the book, Cybele's frivolous basis for starting her religion would morph into something deeper and more meaningful. But there was really no character development at all. Drugging 'followers' without their knowledge, cozying up to one's bestie's enemy, spying on one's bestie, and finally uncovering a death plot and NOT reporting it, and instead using dangerous drugs to 'save' those involved in the suicide pact did not endear the MC to me. I disliked her far more by the end of the book than when it started.
I'm sorry this review isn't more full of joy. I genuinely wanted to love this tale. But I rely on honest reviews when selecting my reads and I did not enjoy this book. I'm giving it 3 stars because I think the author shows promise and I hope for better things to come from her.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 9, 2018
Cybele is tired of her life as it is, not progressing with her thesis and not having a job, and decides to create a new "cult", along with her best friend since childhood, Janus. As their "business" evolves, there also appear discrepancies and personal developments in each of them that might threaten to destroy not only their cult and their friendship, but also their devotees. It's a story about trust, friendship, love and power, which, in case of Janus, is gained through manipulation and provocation. Cybele wants to create an environment for spiritual growth, but seems to have some naive ideas about how tho go about it and all The factors one has to consider that have an influence over day-to-days life.
It's a dangerous game that could easily destroy everything that's worthwhile, turning emotionally unstable persons into evil.
I really enjoyed this book, showing what can become of a project that's conceived with the best of intentions, being executed by people that only persecute their own interests. The plot is well developed, as well as the characters.
It's a dangerous game that could easily destroy everything that's worthwhile, turning emotionally unstable persons into evil.
I really enjoyed this book, showing what can become of a project that's conceived with the best of intentions, being executed by people that only persecute their own interests. The plot is well developed, as well as the characters.
October 30, 2019
I rarely DNF a book and I actually struggled long with this decision.
The premise and plot summary of Resurrecting Cybele sound fascinating, and I might have overlooked some of the following points of criticism but - in their summation, I am sorry to say: I did not finish this book at a status of 33% read.
What I liked: The premise given through the plot summary and the potential of what had shown through the not-so-good points. I loved the pop-cultural references. Being a nerd myself, I really liked them. Also, I love stories that build on ancient traditions, religions and myths. Therefore, I was really hoping, this was an underrated gem… Sadly, I fought to get me reading ‘one more page’ from the 12% marker on. I would have stopped earlier if I hadn’t received a free copy to read and rate on Amazon and Goodreads.
Why did I stop?
Reason 1: Telling names. I don’t mind telling names too much. If they actually contribute to the story and feel organic, like a character in this setting might actually be called like that. If executed well (JK Rowling did that most of the time), it adds to the text and helps the reader to ‘get’ the character faster. The use of Greek and mythological names in this novel was distracting. Some I recognised, some I had to look up. Or – I would have needed to look up. But at some point, I didn’t bother to. Basically every character has an ancient-sounding name. With the main cast, I would have understood, but even the side-characters (I assume they are only supporting cast) have weird names. Besides, those names just don’t fit into a modern-day western civilisation setting. Less would have definitely been more here.
Reason 2: Show don’t tell. The basic principle in writing fiction ever since the 60s or so. Don’t tell me: “He is nervous” – show me by describing how he can’t stand still, has sweaty hands, can’t focus on stuff… You can’t always avoid a ‘tell’ – but it should be avoided wherever possible. (Creative writing 101. Like, literally – the first thing my teacher started with.)
Reason 3: Jumping POVs. The point of view (POV) is (I guess) a limited first-person perspective. Meaning: we’re in the head of one acting character in a scene and only get the info they have, see, know. I don’t mind if the POV changes, but it should not happen within one paragraph and three times within a couple of sentences. This is highly confusing and throws a reader off rather fast.
Reason 4: The author uses thoughts to convey additional information. Something, I don’t usually mind, if it is actually contributing and if there’s no other way to get the meaning across. But the ‘thoughts’ always were ‘tells’. And could have easily been avoided. Having a dialogue ‘showing’ the reader stuff, then thought that ‘tells’ what it was supposed to mean, only to shortly after that tell straight away what the author wanted to say… Sorry – the reader isn’t that stupid. Especially if you expect them to have good basic knowledge about mythological and ancient stuff (the telling names and overall premises of the novel).
All in all, those reasons that made the novel a chore to read could have easily been avoided. An editor does that. They read through your text and show you where the book needs some polishing.
I am really sorry, but I can’t judge the whole novel (as I didn’t finish it), and with the points given, I’ll give it well meant 2 Stars.
The premise and plot summary of Resurrecting Cybele sound fascinating, and I might have overlooked some of the following points of criticism but - in their summation, I am sorry to say: I did not finish this book at a status of 33% read.
What I liked: The premise given through the plot summary and the potential of what had shown through the not-so-good points. I loved the pop-cultural references. Being a nerd myself, I really liked them. Also, I love stories that build on ancient traditions, religions and myths. Therefore, I was really hoping, this was an underrated gem… Sadly, I fought to get me reading ‘one more page’ from the 12% marker on. I would have stopped earlier if I hadn’t received a free copy to read and rate on Amazon and Goodreads.
Why did I stop?
Reason 1: Telling names. I don’t mind telling names too much. If they actually contribute to the story and feel organic, like a character in this setting might actually be called like that. If executed well (JK Rowling did that most of the time), it adds to the text and helps the reader to ‘get’ the character faster. The use of Greek and mythological names in this novel was distracting. Some I recognised, some I had to look up. Or – I would have needed to look up. But at some point, I didn’t bother to. Basically every character has an ancient-sounding name. With the main cast, I would have understood, but even the side-characters (I assume they are only supporting cast) have weird names. Besides, those names just don’t fit into a modern-day western civilisation setting. Less would have definitely been more here.
Reason 2: Show don’t tell. The basic principle in writing fiction ever since the 60s or so. Don’t tell me: “He is nervous” – show me by describing how he can’t stand still, has sweaty hands, can’t focus on stuff… You can’t always avoid a ‘tell’ – but it should be avoided wherever possible. (Creative writing 101. Like, literally – the first thing my teacher started with.)
Reason 3: Jumping POVs. The point of view (POV) is (I guess) a limited first-person perspective. Meaning: we’re in the head of one acting character in a scene and only get the info they have, see, know. I don’t mind if the POV changes, but it should not happen within one paragraph and three times within a couple of sentences. This is highly confusing and throws a reader off rather fast.
Reason 4: The author uses thoughts to convey additional information. Something, I don’t usually mind, if it is actually contributing and if there’s no other way to get the meaning across. But the ‘thoughts’ always were ‘tells’. And could have easily been avoided. Having a dialogue ‘showing’ the reader stuff, then thought that ‘tells’ what it was supposed to mean, only to shortly after that tell straight away what the author wanted to say… Sorry – the reader isn’t that stupid. Especially if you expect them to have good basic knowledge about mythological and ancient stuff (the telling names and overall premises of the novel).
All in all, those reasons that made the novel a chore to read could have easily been avoided. An editor does that. They read through your text and show you where the book needs some polishing.
I am really sorry, but I can’t judge the whole novel (as I didn’t finish it), and with the points given, I’ll give it well meant 2 Stars.
February 16, 2020
The synopsis is what caught my attention and I really was looking forward to reading it but what I ended up with was bucket full of confusion and frustration.
The beginning is whimsical with no context but I gave it a fair chance as it might be a way to hook people up but alas it doesn't. It further blurs and you can't make head or tails out of it. The plot is average and the narration is bad. The characters have no depth and doesn't make you feel connected to them. The random and multiple change of point of views doesn't help as well.
Instead of taking us on the journey through the story, it seems more like a recollection of the events occurred. The lack of proper prose doesn't help as well.
Some of the references (pop culture) were spot on while those to greek mythology were abrupt and sometimes unnecessary.
Overall below average read.
The beginning is whimsical with no context but I gave it a fair chance as it might be a way to hook people up but alas it doesn't. It further blurs and you can't make head or tails out of it. The plot is average and the narration is bad. The characters have no depth and doesn't make you feel connected to them. The random and multiple change of point of views doesn't help as well.
Instead of taking us on the journey through the story, it seems more like a recollection of the events occurred. The lack of proper prose doesn't help as well.
Some of the references (pop culture) were spot on while those to greek mythology were abrupt and sometimes unnecessary.
Overall below average read.
March 22, 2014
This book has an abundance of interesting characters, witty dialogue, pop culture references, and very human motivations. The story's plot twists are unexpected and its homage to ancient Greek and Roman culture provides a delightful sub-text to the story, like a secret only you are privy too, even the character's names provide you with a subtle insight into their personalities. The strong female protagonist and the women-centric regligion she creates is a refreshing change from the norm. The plotting and planning of Cybele and Janus are both amusing and diabolical. It was difficult to put the book down as you wanted to see what they would be up to next -- a must read.
February 13, 2021
Resurrecting Sybele is not just a work of fiction, it also provides a detailed view of the world of cults. Jenifer has done an excellent job at creating, detailing and describing that revolves around Sybele. The novel also educate the reader on the dangers around cult worship. Overall, the book is a great read for anyone interested in religious fiction and fantasies
November 21, 2018
A Brilliant Satire About the Dangers of Cults and the God(dess) Delusion
By Julie Sara Porter
Bookworm Reviews
Spoilers: From Charles Manson's Family to Nixivm, cults are a scary bunch. They are mesmerizing, seductive, and incredibly violent. They may start with good intentions to heal the world and teach others. However, the members and leaders get caught up in the delusion that they have a direct pipeline to God and discover the road to Hell (or their version) is paved with said intentions. The weak willed followers under them become susceptible to filling out their most dangerous violent and sexual urges and then the trouble really begins. Jenifer Mohammed's insightful novel, Resurrecting Cybele, is a thought provoking look at the dangers cult produce from their Genesis to their Revelation. This is what Paulo Coelho's Brida and The Witch of Portobello would be like if they were written in a more cynical manner.
Cybele Moondragon and her best friend, Janus Styx are bored with preparing their master's theses, concerned about the state of the world heading towards violence and prejudice, and short of money so they do what any bright idealistic cash poor young adult would do in such circumstances: create their own culture of goddess worshipers.
The cult is created to worship the Phrygian nature and Mother Goddess, Cybele and pull the world out of its patriarchal destruction or at least that's Cybele's intention. Mohammed wrote a memorable deeply flawed protagonist. She sells New Age trinkets like crystals, herbs, and amulets that she hopes will empower every recruit. She also leads courses that are variations of yoga which will lead followers to communicate and meditate to the Goddess. Like those who began religions before her, Cybele sees a need and aspires to fill it.
Which is the opposite of the intentions in Janus her associate. Mohammad cleverly brings out the contrast in the two leaders and their intentions towards the cult and their followers. Besides the fact that Janus has one of those names to run away from really fast because he is named after the Roman two-faced god, Janus is also a psychiatric counselor who could probably use some counseling himself. He works at a soup kitchen but sees it's residents as vermin particularly four dumb guys who serve as Janus’ lackeys that do whatever he forces them to like playing pranks on an ex boyfriend. It becomes clear to the Reader though not to Cybele that Janus sees a financial benefit to heading a cult as well as a lot of gullible people that he can use to do his bidding.
While Resurrecting Cybele is a book that takes a strong look at the dangers of cult worship, it also has time to project other emotions. It also provides its Readers with an underwritten triangle between Cybele, Janus, and Gabriel, an investigative reporter turned administrative assistant for the cult. The triangle is played out in a way that is short on high school romance and theatrics and long on motive as Gabriel is not only attracted to Cybele but shares her ideals to guide the cult in a positive direction. Janus is gay and has no such designs on Cybele but feels that Gabriel is a threat on their friendship and Janus’ influence on his female friend.
Besides romance and drama, Resurrecting Cybele is also a clever satire. Before their friendship implodes, Cybele and Janus are TV addicts and often quote references to their favorite science fiction programs back and forth. When starting the cult, the duo compare the beginnings to the feuds between the Bajorans and Cardassians of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. To shake a depressed Janus after being dumped, Cybele reminds him of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode in which one character said that people are so caught up in their own problems that they don't notice when someone else needs help. Tellingly as the two protagonists end up on opposite sides of the cult debacle, the TV references stop as if to remind the Reader that satire is over and the world is no longer funny.
Using these conflicting emotions of humor, romance, and drama allow Mohammed to open up the conflict on a wider scale so that the resolution towards the cult is less predictable and doesn't follow the particular destructive patterns that real-life forbea
By Julie Sara Porter
Bookworm Reviews
Spoilers: From Charles Manson's Family to Nixivm, cults are a scary bunch. They are mesmerizing, seductive, and incredibly violent. They may start with good intentions to heal the world and teach others. However, the members and leaders get caught up in the delusion that they have a direct pipeline to God and discover the road to Hell (or their version) is paved with said intentions. The weak willed followers under them become susceptible to filling out their most dangerous violent and sexual urges and then the trouble really begins. Jenifer Mohammed's insightful novel, Resurrecting Cybele, is a thought provoking look at the dangers cult produce from their Genesis to their Revelation. This is what Paulo Coelho's Brida and The Witch of Portobello would be like if they were written in a more cynical manner.
Cybele Moondragon and her best friend, Janus Styx are bored with preparing their master's theses, concerned about the state of the world heading towards violence and prejudice, and short of money so they do what any bright idealistic cash poor young adult would do in such circumstances: create their own culture of goddess worshipers.
The cult is created to worship the Phrygian nature and Mother Goddess, Cybele and pull the world out of its patriarchal destruction or at least that's Cybele's intention. Mohammed wrote a memorable deeply flawed protagonist. She sells New Age trinkets like crystals, herbs, and amulets that she hopes will empower every recruit. She also leads courses that are variations of yoga which will lead followers to communicate and meditate to the Goddess. Like those who began religions before her, Cybele sees a need and aspires to fill it.
Which is the opposite of the intentions in Janus her associate. Mohammad cleverly brings out the contrast in the two leaders and their intentions towards the cult and their followers. Besides the fact that Janus has one of those names to run away from really fast because he is named after the Roman two-faced god, Janus is also a psychiatric counselor who could probably use some counseling himself. He works at a soup kitchen but sees it's residents as vermin particularly four dumb guys who serve as Janus’ lackeys that do whatever he forces them to like playing pranks on an ex boyfriend. It becomes clear to the Reader though not to Cybele that Janus sees a financial benefit to heading a cult as well as a lot of gullible people that he can use to do his bidding.
While Resurrecting Cybele is a book that takes a strong look at the dangers of cult worship, it also has time to project other emotions. It also provides its Readers with an underwritten triangle between Cybele, Janus, and Gabriel, an investigative reporter turned administrative assistant for the cult. The triangle is played out in a way that is short on high school romance and theatrics and long on motive as Gabriel is not only attracted to Cybele but shares her ideals to guide the cult in a positive direction. Janus is gay and has no such designs on Cybele but feels that Gabriel is a threat on their friendship and Janus’ influence on his female friend.
Besides romance and drama, Resurrecting Cybele is also a clever satire. Before their friendship implodes, Cybele and Janus are TV addicts and often quote references to their favorite science fiction programs back and forth. When starting the cult, the duo compare the beginnings to the feuds between the Bajorans and Cardassians of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. To shake a depressed Janus after being dumped, Cybele reminds him of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode in which one character said that people are so caught up in their own problems that they don't notice when someone else needs help. Tellingly as the two protagonists end up on opposite sides of the cult debacle, the TV references stop as if to remind the Reader that satire is over and the world is no longer funny.
Using these conflicting emotions of humor, romance, and drama allow Mohammed to open up the conflict on a wider scale so that the resolution towards the cult is less predictable and doesn't follow the particular destructive patterns that real-life forbea
April 25, 2018
Our protagonist is Cybele who is busy hanging out with friends Janus and Cassie and not doing her English thesis. One day she stumbles on an unusual business idea; to create her own cult and sell potions and other gimmicks to make money. Janus takes an interest and they quickly plan. However things take a more sinister turn than Cybele could have predicted.
Cybele was a really well-written character. She is very eccentric at times yet Mohammed imbues her with enough likeable qualities that you cannot help but enjoy her company, and even go along with her crazy schemes. It is a very unusual plot but with a sympathetic character like Cybele at the helm, you get sucked into it and Mohammed makes it work. The friendship between Cybele and Janus was also well-developed. Following the characters' progress and how their relationship evolves through the story was a delight to watch.
The novel is stuffed full of pop culture references, everything from religion (you have probably noticed two characters named after Gods) to classical mythology to sci-fi. Admittedly I didn't understand all of the references, but I really liked how Mohammed fitting them into the novel and made them relevant to the plot. They didn't feel shoehorned in. As well as nods to pop culture, there is also a lot of witty one-liners. They did make me smile and it was nice to have them to balance out darker moments. Mohammed juggles the funny and serious really well, without making them feel inappropriate.
My one bit of criticism is that I found the first third quite slow-paced. Once we get to Cybele and Janus actually running their business the story picks up and it becomes really interesting. Beforehand however I felt it dragged a little, and I just wanted the pacing to be slightly quicker. However, overall Resurrecting Cybele was a fun novel with a completely different storyline that I've never read before. Mohammed's writing and characterisation are the novel's biggest assets, and I would recommend the novel if you're looking for something a bit different.
Cybele was a really well-written character. She is very eccentric at times yet Mohammed imbues her with enough likeable qualities that you cannot help but enjoy her company, and even go along with her crazy schemes. It is a very unusual plot but with a sympathetic character like Cybele at the helm, you get sucked into it and Mohammed makes it work. The friendship between Cybele and Janus was also well-developed. Following the characters' progress and how their relationship evolves through the story was a delight to watch.
The novel is stuffed full of pop culture references, everything from religion (you have probably noticed two characters named after Gods) to classical mythology to sci-fi. Admittedly I didn't understand all of the references, but I really liked how Mohammed fitting them into the novel and made them relevant to the plot. They didn't feel shoehorned in. As well as nods to pop culture, there is also a lot of witty one-liners. They did make me smile and it was nice to have them to balance out darker moments. Mohammed juggles the funny and serious really well, without making them feel inappropriate.
My one bit of criticism is that I found the first third quite slow-paced. Once we get to Cybele and Janus actually running their business the story picks up and it becomes really interesting. Beforehand however I felt it dragged a little, and I just wanted the pacing to be slightly quicker. However, overall Resurrecting Cybele was a fun novel with a completely different storyline that I've never read before. Mohammed's writing and characterisation are the novel's biggest assets, and I would recommend the novel if you're looking for something a bit different.
May 24, 2019
Resurrecting Cybele is a story about a girl named Cybele who is bored with her life. She has no money or job. She realises she doesn’t want to finish her thesis and instead, she starts a cult business with her friend, Janus. It’s as if she believes she has been called upon to invent her own religion and act like a Goddess in her own religion. Of course, to make matters worse, Gabe, an undercover reporter spies on Janus and Cybele. Cybele is interested in Gabe and he likes her too but he is desperately looking for a story to write about and no one knows he is a reporter. This takes the story to another level bringing mystery and intrigue.
The story is also told through lots of dialogue and thoughts, which is different but interesting. Some tv shows and movie references are made, which are incorporated into the author’s dialogue between Cybele and her friends. For example, Star Trek, Buffy the Vampire, Andromeda, Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, Stargate, Batman, Seinfeld etc are mentioned by the characters during a conversation as they try to describe a particular moment, which really does lighten up the story, making it pleasantly comical.
The story is dramatic and moves on slowly. This sets up the scene for the upcoming plot, which reveals appealing scenes between friends with a twist through dialogue. There are also some unexpected moments which make the story even more interesting. I found this book took some time to get into but it still made me want to read on to find out what would happen next to Cybele as she was a strong female character in this book that wanted her life to change for the better.
The story is also told through lots of dialogue and thoughts, which is different but interesting. Some tv shows and movie references are made, which are incorporated into the author’s dialogue between Cybele and her friends. For example, Star Trek, Buffy the Vampire, Andromeda, Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, Stargate, Batman, Seinfeld etc are mentioned by the characters during a conversation as they try to describe a particular moment, which really does lighten up the story, making it pleasantly comical.
The story is dramatic and moves on slowly. This sets up the scene for the upcoming plot, which reveals appealing scenes between friends with a twist through dialogue. There are also some unexpected moments which make the story even more interesting. I found this book took some time to get into but it still made me want to read on to find out what would happen next to Cybele as she was a strong female character in this book that wanted her life to change for the better.
December 16, 2024
Resurrecting Cybele is a fascinating and thought-provoking novel that delves into the complexities of faith, power, and manipulation. The story follows Cybele Moondragon, an unemployed English graduate student who, disillusioned with her life and burdened by debt, decides to resurrect a matriarchal cult based on the pagan goddess Cybele. She aims to make money and empower those stifled by traditional, patriarchal religions.
Cybele is joined by her best friend, Janus Styx, a Psychology graduate student who helps fund the cult. However, unbeknownst to Cybele, Janus has his manipulative agenda, using vulnerable cult members for his purposes. The plot thickens with the introduction of Gabriel Anderson, an undercover investigative reporter seeking to expose the cult and its potential links to eco-terrorism.And, Mohammed's writing is immersive and engaging, drawing readers into the world of Cybele's cult. The characters are well-developed, each with their motivations and complexities. Cybele's journey from disillusionment to empowerment is compelling, and the tension between her and Janus adds a layer of intrigue to the narrative.
The novel explores themes of spiritual enlightenment, manipulation, and the quest for power. Mohammed's portrayal of Cybele's struggle to lead her followers while dealing with Janus's machinations is poignant and thought-provoking. The story raises questions about the nature of faith and the lengths people will go to achieve their goals
Cybele is joined by her best friend, Janus Styx, a Psychology graduate student who helps fund the cult. However, unbeknownst to Cybele, Janus has his manipulative agenda, using vulnerable cult members for his purposes. The plot thickens with the introduction of Gabriel Anderson, an undercover investigative reporter seeking to expose the cult and its potential links to eco-terrorism.And, Mohammed's writing is immersive and engaging, drawing readers into the world of Cybele's cult. The characters are well-developed, each with their motivations and complexities. Cybele's journey from disillusionment to empowerment is compelling, and the tension between her and Janus adds a layer of intrigue to the narrative.
The novel explores themes of spiritual enlightenment, manipulation, and the quest for power. Mohammed's portrayal of Cybele's struggle to lead her followers while dealing with Janus's machinations is poignant and thought-provoking. The story raises questions about the nature of faith and the lengths people will go to achieve their goals
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2024
Thank you to the author and @booktaster_on instagram for sharing a copy of this book with me !!
“My point is that people are unsatisfied with mainstream religion. But, they still need to organise their lives around stories and mythology to make sense of their lives and their fears of living and dying”
“Time to go back inside and het very drunk. Why am I always left behind? Why couldn’t he love me no matter what?”
This book surprised me completely. An English graduate who wants to bring back a cult inspired by a goddess. Her best friend, who’s in a dark place in his relationship with his boyfriend (who’s a douche) and wants to do this with her but is getting entangled too much in the craziness of it all. And a journalist who wants a scoop on a religious cult and possibly a crime but who’s developing feeling for the girl at the top of it all. It was a journey, let me tell ya. Absolutely wild and crazy, made of up and downs and wins and losses. Support and disappointment. New friends coming to the aid and old friends doing the worst betrayals. I don’t think I’ve ever read a story as crazy as that of Cybele, Janus and Gabe. But oh boy, I truly feel like I experienced a fun, impossible and yet amazing journey with them!!! And I am glad I did.
“Janus war back down in his office chair. Let the Fates play what games they inter. The die has been cast. He sighed. Et tu, Cybele?”
“Give Her a few thousand years. She’ll change the world”
“My point is that people are unsatisfied with mainstream religion. But, they still need to organise their lives around stories and mythology to make sense of their lives and their fears of living and dying”
“Time to go back inside and het very drunk. Why am I always left behind? Why couldn’t he love me no matter what?”
This book surprised me completely. An English graduate who wants to bring back a cult inspired by a goddess. Her best friend, who’s in a dark place in his relationship with his boyfriend (who’s a douche) and wants to do this with her but is getting entangled too much in the craziness of it all. And a journalist who wants a scoop on a religious cult and possibly a crime but who’s developing feeling for the girl at the top of it all. It was a journey, let me tell ya. Absolutely wild and crazy, made of up and downs and wins and losses. Support and disappointment. New friends coming to the aid and old friends doing the worst betrayals. I don’t think I’ve ever read a story as crazy as that of Cybele, Janus and Gabe. But oh boy, I truly feel like I experienced a fun, impossible and yet amazing journey with them!!! And I am glad I did.
“Janus war back down in his office chair. Let the Fates play what games they inter. The die has been cast. He sighed. Et tu, Cybele?”
“Give Her a few thousand years. She’ll change the world”
July 4, 2020
I was drawn to this books because I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the main plot point is around the building of a religion. I know the connotation “cult” had for me and I really wanted to share what that would bring to the story. I was pleasantly surprised that it created an interesting dynamic between the view of responsibility and freedom.
The characters, if you’re up on your various mythology, aren’t really too mysterious and a few allusions seems more like neon signs, but I found the need to know how Cybele wakes up compelling. I won’t say that it wasn’t hard to get through the sci-fi pop culture references (which show a dazzling knowledge and analysis that I am a bit jealous of) but as the story grows, the characters do too. They eventually find that their own views of the world do not need to be bracketed by TV or Movies. An interesting way to show growth, actually. Even a few of the less than subtle developments did work against trying to wade through the different references but as they fade, the story flows more.
Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who has an extensive Sci-Fi/Fantasy knowledge with regards to TV and Movies or anyone who doesn’t mind not understanding everything a character says. In the end, I don’t believe missing some of the context of the quotes lead me to miss any of the story or plot.
The characters, if you’re up on your various mythology, aren’t really too mysterious and a few allusions seems more like neon signs, but I found the need to know how Cybele wakes up compelling. I won’t say that it wasn’t hard to get through the sci-fi pop culture references (which show a dazzling knowledge and analysis that I am a bit jealous of) but as the story grows, the characters do too. They eventually find that their own views of the world do not need to be bracketed by TV or Movies. An interesting way to show growth, actually. Even a few of the less than subtle developments did work against trying to wade through the different references but as they fade, the story flows more.
Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who has an extensive Sci-Fi/Fantasy knowledge with regards to TV and Movies or anyone who doesn’t mind not understanding everything a character says. In the end, I don’t believe missing some of the context of the quotes lead me to miss any of the story or plot.
August 9, 2018
Cybele Moondragon is dissatisfied with her life. She decides to turn her pagan religion into an income earning endeavour and pulls in her childhood friend, Janus, into the fledgling endeavour. That’s the basis of the story. Add in an undercover reporter, a spurned lover, and eco-terrorism and you have the makings of an interesting – if wacky – story set in contemporary times. However, the book moves along primarily through conversations and the inner thoughts of the characters. We are told what’s happening (or happened) rather than actually living through it or having it dramatized for us. I really wanted more but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I received a complimentary copy from Booktasters for an honest review.
Read
January 3, 2022A matriarchal cult, brought back to life in the 21st by a group of young entrepreneurs, who wanted to profit but also to "give something back to society." A journalist scooping for his breakup story. This is the setting of Resurrecting Cybele, a tale of our times, combining the liveliness of the youth with serious critical thinking about patriarchy, capitalism, exploitation, activism and friendship, with a romance to top it up. It talks about the power of language in the era of information, where our most valuable assets are knowledge and the means to spread the word. And The Mysteries of Cybele's message couldn't be more prescient: reconnect with nature. A funny, thrilling, enjoyable and page-turning story.
November 30, 2024
I found that this book wasn't really what I expected, although it was hard to put my finger on what I expected exactly.
I liked the author's style of storytelling, but I didn't really connect with Cybele, or any of the other characters, as much as I would have liked. I liked Cybele's strength of character, but felt as though I didn't really get to know her properly. I did feel, however, that all the characters were portrayed in fun, quirky ways.
I found the dialogue between the characters to be entertaining, and appreciated some of the pop culture references, but I didn't really find myself investing in the story as I would have liked to.
I liked the author's style of storytelling, but I didn't really connect with Cybele, or any of the other characters, as much as I would have liked. I liked Cybele's strength of character, but felt as though I didn't really get to know her properly. I did feel, however, that all the characters were portrayed in fun, quirky ways.
I found the dialogue between the characters to be entertaining, and appreciated some of the pop culture references, but I didn't really find myself investing in the story as I would have liked to.
January 8, 2019
Ok, so this book is very interesting. Cybele wishes to start her own occult/religion with a friend, and both of them have different aspects or reasons for wishing to do this. Soo that being said the novel is full of drama and kind of suspense in a way because as a reader you want to know if they are successful or not. I definitely loved the dialogue between the characters and I definitely recommend its a great novel to check out!
November 3, 2020
An interesting read. The plot had potential but there were some downfalls that I couldn't get past. Hearing everyone's inner monologue was confusing at times. Often the worst of every character was shown because you could hear what everyone was thinking, which was often negative thoughts about the other characters.
It was heavy on pop references which was cute at first but got to be a bit much by the end when everything that was done had to be referred to by a pop reference.
It was heavy on pop references which was cute at first but got to be a bit much by the end when everything that was done had to be referred to by a pop reference.
October 29, 2020
Resurrecting Cybele is all about manipulation, and how "friends" can use others for their own gain. I admire the development of the characters and references to TV shows and ancient gods. The author has done well in terms of show and not tell. I can visualise the characters in the book. The character development was a bit slow, but needed in order to set up the later scenes. Well done!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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