Oh, Sister: The powerful new novel from the author of Another Life

by Jodie Chapman

THE LIFE-AFFIRMING NOVEL ABOUT REAL-LIFE RELIGIOUS FANATICISM AND THE COURAGE OF THREE WOMEN WHO CONFRONT IT, FROM AUTHOR OF BBC2 BETWEEN THE COVERS PICK, ANOTHER LIFE

'So movingly told' Good Housekeeping

'A touching novel about female friendship and finding strength when you need it most' Grazia

____________


HOW DO YOU LEAVE A CULT?

Step into a world that lies behind the ordinary front doors of Britain.

A place of loyal wives, obedient children, of faithful (and occasionally faithless) husbands.

Meet Isobel, Jen and Zelda. They know how to please, and they know their place in this world is precarious.

But what happens when they can longer be the person others want them to be – when they stop lying to themselves?

Will each woman stay quiet and keep pleasing?

Or will they stand up and fight?

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Book Club, Religion, Adult, Audiobook

416 pages, Paperback

First published April 13, 2023

About the author

Born and raised in England, Jodie spent a decade as a photographer before returning to her first love of writing. She lives in Kent with her husband and three sons.

Instagram: @jodiechapman
Twitter: @jodiechapman

Reviews

[Rosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: A powerful story about three women whose lives have been influenced by their religious group. The theme was great; the writing approach could have been better. But it’s still an interesting book.

Story Synopsis:

Zelda is a rebel who seeks to live life on her own terms, but she’s not entirely successful in leaving her past behind.
Jen has gone through a traumatising experience, but instead of being looked upon as a victim, she is blamed for a decision she had no control over.
Isobel has spent her entire married life being the perfect wife. But now her husband wants to leave her, and she has no idea who she is without him.
All three women are connected in some way to an extremist religious cult. Will they be able to put themselves first and break free of the stranglehold the men in their lives wield over them in the name of God?
The story comes to us in the third person perspectives of the three women.

Bookish Yays:
✔ The theme is the strongest part of the book. Based on the real-life Jehovah’s Witnesses, the fictional ‘Last Days’ group of the story is a typical male-dominated religious cult that twists Biblical scriptures according to their own convenience and indoctrinates their followers into blind belief. Their misogynistic decisions are infuriating. I loved how some of the “worldly people” of the book were able to question some of their claims logically.

✔ The three women at the centre of the story are the primary characters throughout. Don’t assume them to be portrayed as typical victims. All three of them are grey characters, with their judgemental nature and impulsive decision-making being as much on display as their strength and courage to stand up for themselves. Isobel and Zelda were particularly impressive as their characters grow with the story. Their tracks depict how you can take a person out of the cult but that does not necessarily take the cult out of the person.

✔ Victor was the most impressive of the secondary characters. I wish he had had a greater role to play. He was one of the few sane voices in the story.

✔ The ending was somewhat realistic than picture perfect. I appreciate that choice.


Bookish Nays:
❌ Jen’s character isn’t portrayed consistently. Her arc switches between conventional to rebel back to conventional and so on.

❌ The writing is quite jumpy, especially in the initial quarter. The link between the three tracks isn’t visible at first, which is fine. But the arcs go across multiple time frames and introduce too many characters without enough background. This disjointed approach also makes the pacing quite slow.

❌ The story appeared quite literary in style at the start, but soon it revealed itself to be a typical general fiction work, trying to cover as many themes as possible. I might have respected the story far more had a romantic relationship not have been made so important a part of one of the women’s new life.

❌ While some of the secondary characters were interesting, they don’t get much to do in the story and stay somewhat flat throughout the story. Most of the men, except for Victor, come on the page only when they have to play their role, and then they disappear even from conversations. The backstories of certain essential secondary characters such as Zelda’s parents aren’t clearly developed.

❌ Minor complaint: Where is the story set? There is only mention of the religious places such as ’Worship Hall’ or the places of work or residence such as dentist’s office or apartment. But which town/city/country? This might not be a relevant point to many readers, but I like knowing the location to understand the story and characters better. Of course, skipping this info might have been a deliberate choice so as to make the plot feel universally relevant. But it became confusing for me as I know both Jehovah’s Witnesses and LDS churches originated in the USA. So I assumed the book was set there, until one character mentioned midway the book that they dreamt of going to the USA, which caught me off guard.


All in all, I appreciate the novel’s attempts to highlight how much brainwashing occurs in cultish groups and how such religious leaders enforce misogynist practices and discrimination in the name of God. I wish the writing had been more streamlined so as to enhance the impact of the story. Nevertheless, it offers a hard-hitting look at a topic not commonly covered in general fiction.
Recommended despite the flaws. Worth a one-time read.

3.5 stars, rounding up mainly for the theme.


My thanks to Penguin Random House, Michael Joseph, and NetGalley for the DRC of “Oh, Sister”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Content & Trigger Warnings: Miscarriage, Abortion, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting.



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[Ceecee · Rating 5 out of 5]

4-5 stars

Three women, very different lives but united by their connection to an extreme religious group known as The Disciples of the Last Days who await Armageddon. As Sisters their subservience to the Brothers is a given. First of all, there’s Jen Musgrove who has undergone a personal tragedy and is subservient to husband Pete - or is she? Next, there’s Isobel Forge, a magnificently conscientious wife to Steven, her striving for perfection masks certain issues. When Steven suddenly announces he’s leaving her, what direction will her life take now? Finally Zelda, formerly Alice, a wedding photographer and there’s a big story in the name change as we are to discover.

InitiallyI find the start of this a little disjointed but you soon find yourself pulled into these characters lives and utterly rooting for them. It’s not an easy read in places as some aspects of the Disciples judgements and behaviour has you gasping in shock with some incidents rendering me speechless, reeling and so angry on behalf of the women as some bury their true selves. However, there are some absolutely heartwarming aspects such as friendships, new lives being forged and chrysalis characters emerging as beautiful butterflies. I love Zelda, Isobel really grows on you and you hope for Jen with her struggles and inner turmoil. One of the most wonderful characters is Victor whose love of life is infectious.

As the novel progresses there are some emotional and moving scenes and the note the author leaves the novels journey on is a hopeful one as characters find their truth.

Overall, I become riveted by this book which is so beautifully written it keeps you transfixed. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but I love it.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I give this book more than 5 stars. Please?!

Jodie Chapman is such an exceptional writer. I loved Another Life and Oh Sister was, quite simply, just as incredible.

It tells the stories of Jen, Zelda and Isobel. All three women are ruled by a stout belief in a religion where they are expected to do as they are told, and to be submissive to men. Acting outside of God’s wishes, according to the interpretation of the Bible, will not be tolerated. Each of the women face being disworshipped & ousted by their congregation, not because of the truth, but because they are not believed. Not believed by the elders who are, of course, men.

It shines through from every page that this is a book written with passion. At one point I had tears in my eyes, to know that someone can have such complete faith in following a belief that they would be willing to lose out on love, and how it feels to be loved.

A book about finding faith in yourself & knowing that true happiness lies with those who accept you exactly as you are. It is beautifully written and immerses the reader into the lives of those constricted by religious power. A real book of the year contender.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting novel around breaking free of control in relationships

[Ritu Bhathal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodness me! I know organised religion is a thing, but this was something else.
Chapman depicts a fictional cult where Christianity is at the root of the beliefs, but the followers/disciples are brainwashed into thinking that all that is preached by their ministers is the gospel truth.
Oh, Sister follows the story of three women. All three have been disfellowed from the cult because they are judged as having gone against the religion's beliefs.
All it did was highlight the inequality between men and women in this particular one.
One woman is punished for being the one who suffers SA, yet, because she cannot provide two witnesses to the accusation, she is the one not believed.
One grieving a deep loss is punished for choosing to have a blood transfusion.
One is cast aside because her husband left her for a younger model, and she realises her life does not have to revolve around that man.
Not one of these women deserved to be treated the way they were. And yet, where is the sisterhood when the rest of the women in the cult sneer and ignore them?
It hit a nerve.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House and Michael Joseph for an ARC.

[Melanie Caldicott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a compelling book about finding freedom after suffering trauma, rejection and hypocrisy within organised religion. This will sadly speak into the experiences of many and Chapman's sensitive handling will I hope be a cathartic read for anyone who recognises any of the events or attitudes described. Yet, despite the serious storyline and issues explored this has rich characterisation and a compelling plot driving you all the way through this enjoyable book.
This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

[Vartika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jen Musgrave lost her baby, and almost died in the process. Yet the community that should be offering her comfort – a cause she has wholeheartedly dedicated her life to – has turned its back on her, castigating her for choosing to survive.

Isobel Forge has spent a lifetime following the prescriptions set out for an ideal daughter, dutiful mother, and suitable wife to a community elder, all at the expense of getting to know her own self. When her husband leaves her, what becomes of her identity – what role can she possibly assume?

Zelda Bloom is a creature of sin and abjection according to the brotherhood she was born into, a people whose cruelty continues to haunt her after all these years of successfully having run away from it – until. She measures out what her designs and photographs reveal about herself, while there is so much of the past she cannot dare but conceal.

Three women, with distinct lives, disparate desires, and different degrees of belief in this ‘community’ – a religious cult known as The Disciples of the Last Days – that controls their bodies, their personhood, their whole lives. Oh, Sister tells the gut-wrenching story of these women’s experiences of disfellowship and their difficult, intertwined journeys of coming to terms with the reality of their predicament and rising above it, above the misogyny, corruption, violence, and zealotry of it all. The author bases the substance of this supposed fiction off of her own upbringing as a Jehovah’s Witness; what may come across as the unimaginably dystopian suffering of her female characters is happening to real women in this very world that we call ours.

A gripping horror story, this book does a brilliant job of exploring the ways in which the love for a greater god is manipulated within organised religion, and the deep psychological impact of fear, submission, and groupthink on those subsumed by their indoctrination and those individuals who seek to move beyond it. Each of the three protagonists are here sketched out with a great degree of attention, their habits and motivations nuanced to the point where they assume the solidity of people outside of the page, people we cannot help feel for even if we do not agree with or even like them. The effect of religious trauma and guilt on each woman’s sexuality and general sense of agency was particularly interesting to me as a reader, and I could not help but appreciate the depth with which their psychic turmoil was explored. Although I initially found the three narratives too disjointed, I was moved and shaken by the intensity of the story, and quite taken by the realistic sense of sisterhood that develops between them.

In style, Oh, Sister is certainly more commercial than literary; I was not the greatest fan of the writing on a sentence level. However, the tale it tells is bursting with urgency and far from the simplistic story it starts out as. I’m glad I stuck with it, and would recommend others to give it a try.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Readers may be inclined to dismiss the injustices depicted in this book as exaggerated or overly dramatized. However, having personally experienced similar harsh circumstances, I can assert that the narrative aligns more closely with a work of non-fiction than its fictional genre suggests. I appreciated that the author acknowledged that many of the experiences were drawn from real life circumstances with sources in her afterward. This novel proved to be a challenging read for me, as it resonated deeply with my own experiences of religious trauma. Nevertheless, it also offered a sense of healing through the recognition that women collectively share these same experiences and we can gather in solidarity. For this I owe much gratitude to the author for her courage and strength in writing this novel.
Ultimately, the book serves as a powerful and raw examination of the detrimental effects of patriarchy within religious contexts, highlighting the profound impact on women and children globally.
The author does an incredible job of capturing the limbo state. The in-between. When your heart mind and soul are screaming that you have to get out but the only community and sense of society you know is telling you that you must stay or you will lose everything. May we be strong enough to leave even if all of her characters were not.
It’s exceptionally important to remember that religion is by men, for men.

[Kelly Rennick · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ This reads like an impressive chick lit but it’s harrowing af!! Enraging story about abuse, misogyny & religious control in a cult. Heavy triggers in here SA, infant loss etc. The story of 3 women who each get kicked from the same church/hall yet their male counterparts don’t receive an inch of same treatment, shocker. The women themselves aren’t likeable at times but oh my do you feel for them. I just wanted to reach into the book and shake them at times to wake up but also give them a big hug. Reminder of how scary organised religion can be!!!

[Lorna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cannot fault this book.

Fascinating insight into, dare I say, religious cults.
Respectfully written, gripping and interesting.

Characters may not be likeable at points, but their individual arcs are.

Would recommend! Not something I would usually read but glad I did.

[femi · Rating 4 out of 5]

reading this wasn't easy at the best of times. a bleak story about bleak lives and bleak relationships, set in a bleak world. but then there was the sunlight. the colours. the strength in turning away from an entire life. the joy to be found at the end of it, anyway.

[nichie j.c · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely heart shattering. I loved it.

[Evie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, yes, yes and YES!

This book was absolutely brilliant and I loved everything about it. I absolutely loved the three women’s story and the way that their lives were so different and path to sec discovery was so different regardless of them all started in their own place.

I found the religious elements both incredibly interesting and shocking. The manipulation and injustice allowed due to a convenient interpretation of the Bible honestly just infuriates me so much but it was all explored and explained so well, weaved into the story itself and didn’t feel like info dumping at all.

I loved how all of the women had a perception of each other that we could see why was the case whilst also understanding how wrong it was. I loved the way they all had similar realisations in different ways and at different times and just the growth!!

This book was honestly excellent, the writing so so captivating and I just really loved it!

[B.S. Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jen almost died. And now the community that should be comforting her is condemning her for surviving, for trying to claim her body as her own.

Isobel has spent her life learning to be a daughter, a wife, a mother but never learning to be herself because it didn't matter. Now without a husband, who could she possibly hope to be?

Zelda lives a life full of sin, according to some. She's haunted by her past, especially when an unwelcome ghost from the past suddenly appears at her front door.

These three women may all be linked through the same religious community, but soon they will discover they all share something else much more important - a sisterhood. But can that be enough to ever let them really be free?

"You change every single day, but you don't see it. Little by little. Until one day, you're completely transformed."

I'm going to start by saying this - this is a horror story. Not one with ghosts and full moons, but one even more terrifying because this is about the monsters that exist outside of nightmares. It is a searing statement about the dystopian hellscape that is reality for many women who live under the rule of religious fanaticism and fascism. To a lot of people, it might sound like something only from a speculative fiction story, but it's very real.

The tone of this story is deeply personal - we immediately find our narrators with their conversational, thoughtful, strong voices coupled with beautifully poetic prose that creates an image of a utopia around you only to burn it all down. We change perspective between our three main characters, in diarised or retrospective styles with excerpts of propaganda and media littered throughout that creates a fully realised setting. Each chapter moves quickly, giving us bursts of action and emotion before switching seamlessly to the next moment.

Zelda, Isobel and Jen all had such unique stories - their voices were clear and distinct even down to their visual style. They all had very different lives, wanted different things, were indoctrinated to different extremes - but as the stories wove together you knew they were all part of something bigger just waiting to take shape. Despite the demands made of them, they are not flawless, soft, compliant women - they can be abrasive, sharp, strong - angry at a world that clearly isn't made for them and desperate for a way to survive.

The world in this tale is rife with sexism, religious zealotry, hatred - it feels like a dystopian fairy-tale but is a reality for too many - and could be for anyone all too easily. And knowing this makes the utter realism of this story so compelling and vivid.

This book is an unrelenting war cry; a shout to rally the troops. And a warning about the very real threats that imprison too many women across the world even today, the same ones that could get you before you've even noticed they've closed the cell door behind you. This book is a timely reminder that we need to remain connected, to our sisters and to our humanity, if we're going to survive.

[Aoife Cassidy McM · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Jodie Chapman’s second novel, the follow up to her debut Another Life which I’ve heard great things about.

Oh Sister centres on three women, Zelda, Jen and Isobel, all of whom are “sisters” in a religious community (:cult) The Disciples of the Last Days, but have been disfellowed for different reasons for having gone against the rules. As with most (all?) organised religions, The Disciples require women to be devoted to God, subservient to their elders and brothers who run the cult, and do a steady trade in hypocrisy.

Jodie Chapman grew up as a Jehovah’s Witness, and while she has changed the name of the religion at the centre of this novel, it was presumably inspired by her upbringing and borrows heavily from JW dogma. This makes it a really interesting read, knowing there are likely women in real-time enduring what the characters endure in this book.

The story and the writing is a little disjointed, moving around in time and from character to character, but it works. The women are on edge, their nerves frayed. They live their lives fearfully, looking over their shoulder and you feel that for them. The women’s mixed fortunes feel real - there’s no sugarcoating or Hollywood ending.

I enjoyed this tense, melancholy pageturner; I think it will stay with me. There’s a great scene towards the end featuring Zelda at a cheap, American-themed motel on the side of a British motorway and Zelda’s ephipany is a really cinematic, standout moment in the book. 3.5-4/5⭐️

[Sally Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 women, all from the same religious background, find themselves banished. In their different ways they find strength within themselves to face the world outside their faith and understand what is really in their hearts.

Jen, Zelda and Isobel are all brought vividly to life in this heart wrenching novel. I felt every frustration, fear and heartbreak of the characters.

The ending was a little unfulfilling and abrupt for me but overall I found Oh Sister equal parts challenging, perceptive and uplifting.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy.

[Oana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very impressed with Jodie Chapman after reading Another Life, but Oh, Sister proves she knows her craft and does it amazingly well. This is an exquisite book!
The stories of Jen, Zelda, and Isobel are shown in parallel as their faith is shaken as different points in their lives. But are the women learning something from the negative experiences they get to live inside their (cultish) church?
Read and find out. This is not a motivational novel, nor a predictable one. It's a great story told by an excellent narrator.

[kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5⭐️
"𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴.
𝘈𝘯𝘥, 𝘺𝘦𝘵, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘮 𝘐? 𝘚𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵. 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬, 𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥. 𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬, 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸. 𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦?"

ich bin mir sicher dass es nich everyones cup of tea ist aber ich fands ehrlich toll. unfassbar bewegende und tiefgruendige story bei der ich das eine und andere mal ab die wand starren musste aber in a good way!(meistens) love love love it! (shoutout und danke an charlotte)

[Clbplym · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is as good as the author’s debut which I loved. The three women are all current or former members of a group based on the author’s childhood as a Jehovah’s Witness. Different events have happened to each of them which cause them to be disfellowshipped. There is sadness and hope in the events that follow.

[Annie Pearce · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 - oh, sister has well rounded and complex characters and a beautiful depiction of female friendship. Which is largely underpinned by the ingrained misogyny of the church.

[Sylvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a beautifully written book with an important story to tell. We follow the stories of three women, all members of an unnamed church, which sounds like Jehovahs Witnesses and the effect that the religion has on their lives. It was a strong, powerful story and I really loved it. I just bought another of Chapman’s book based on this wonderful novel.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

[Meg Scarbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

beautiful writing, horrifying story. another great book by a super underrated author

[Emma Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is well worth a read. It will probably make you rage against organised religion, and as no surprise to anyone, particularly the treatment of women by said organised religion.

It is a sad but hopeful story of three women, whose lives intertwine both with each other and the church. The characters are so vivid and the writing is beautiful.

If you enjoyed Sorrow and Bliss, you’d like this too.

[Naomie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So wonderfully written it felt like I was reading a memoir
A bittersweet read, 4 stars only because the ending felt quite abrupt? But I also hate endings so maybe I’m the problem

[Daisy Heathwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! Sad it’s over x

[Imogen Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this!!! I think it could have been even better focusing on two perspectives rather than three so that it could go even deeper but very interesting topic

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is simply phenomenal. The simmering undercurrent of quiet rage was incredible, and when I wasn’t reading my mind kept wandering back to the characters, wondering what would happen to them next. A very special novel.

[Silvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

"There are people who rip through you, and, when they're done, you know you'll never be the same. What was there before will never be again, and that's fine. Because you'd rather feel a river of pain than be a lake of nothing. You'd rather something fucks you up, because at least then you know you bleed. At least then you know you're not stone."

Jen, Isobel and Zelda. Three women united by a religion that is an anchor around their necks, three women divided by a life that is not really theirs to live and to shape.
Three different voices, opposite and so similar, three different destinies intertwined to each other. Are they going to fly? Or are they going to sink in a men's world ready to crush them?

Take me back to the start and let me read this book again. Because when I turned that last page at the end my heart shattered, frantically looking for more.
I loved it, and Jodie Chapman did it again, exactly like when she wrote Another Life and destroyed me.

Oh, Sister is a book you can't leave behind. Once you turn that last page, you will carry Jen, Isobel, Zelda and their stories with you, forever.

5 stars, I cried, and yes everyone should read it.

"Memories don't stay in buildings or the backseats of cars. They follow like a shadow."

-
Jen, Isobel e Zelda. Tre donne unite da una religione che è un'ancora attorno al collo, tre donne divise da una vita che non è davvero loro da vivere e dirigere. Tre voci diverse ma in realtà molto simili, tre destini che si intrecciano tra loro. Riusciranno ad essere libere, o affonderanno in un mondo di uomini che vuole solo distruggerle?

Se potessi vorrei rileggere questo libro di nuovo, perché quando ho girato quell'ultima pagina ero devastata.
L'ho amato. Avevo già amato Jodie Chapman in Another Life, e questo è un altro libro che non ti puoi lasciare alle spalle. Qaundo lo finisi continuerai a portare con te Jodie, Isobel e Zelda per molto tempo.

Pieni voti, ho pianto, e sì andate a leggerlo tutt*

[Kay Greef · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Jodie Chapman’s second novel and I cannot believe she has only been writing for a couple of years, I felt like I was in the hands of a far more experienced novelist. This may be in part due to her personal background informing the writing.

The synopsis:

Three women. Three lives. One chance to find themselves. Jen. My body is not my own. Others make life and death decisions on my behalf. Isobel. My place is to be secondary to the man in my life. Zelda. If I break the rules I will be sorry. 'But this is not a dystopia. This is not the future or the past or a fantasy. It is real and it is happening now. Can we break free?'

The stories of these three women are interwoven with the thread that connects them being the religion they are part of, they are all part of the same ‘hall’. Throughout the story we learn how these women have been controlled and abused by the men in the religion. Their treatment at the hands of those purporting to be doing the work of God will make your skin crawl and your heart ache. It is the age old story of the women being excessively punished for ‘their’ transgressions whilst the men act with impunity.

I tore through this book reading it over the course of a weekend. I felt so much grief for the women and in awe of their strength and sacrifice. If you are in anyway sceptical of male dominated religion then it’s a given that you will get angry, especially when you’re aware that the work is informed by the authors (recent) experience. But there are also beautiful love stories woven through this and I found myself rooting for certain partnerships.

TW - sexual assault, misogyny, emotional abuse

A strong ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to @netgalley @michaeljosephpublisher for the advanced reader copy