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Children of Paradise
In this beautifully imagined novel, based on the horrific true events at Jim Jones's utopian commune in Guyana, the acclaimed novelist, playwright and poet Fred D'Aguiar returns to the land of his youth, interweaving magical realism and shocking history into a story that resonates with love, faith, oppression, and sacrifice in which a mother and daughter attempt to break free with the help of an unlikely ally, an extraordinary gorilla
The commune was meant to shepherd them to Paradise. Joyce and her young daughter, Trina, have followed a charismatic preacher from California to the jungles of Guyana, along with nearly a thousand others of God's chosen people, where they have built a communist utopia based on a rigid order and unceasing loyalty. When Trina, playing too close to the cage holding the commune's pet gorilla, Adam, is attacked, everyone believes she has been killed. That night, the preacher dramatically "revives" her-an act that transforms Trina into a symbol of the commune's righteousness and its leader's extraordinary, God-like power.
But Trina's resurrection is both a blessing and a curse for Joyce. Life in the compound has become precarious since she rejected the preacher's sexual advances. The danger has only grown since her skepticism of the commune's harsh mandates and punishments have become increasingly known. To save herself and Trina from the inevitable mass suicides that the commune has already begun to rehearse, she attempts a daring escape, aided by the local boat captain that loves her, and the most unlikely of prisoners-the extraordinary Adam.
Told with a sweeping perspective in lush prose, shimmering with magic, and devastating in its clarity, Children of Paradise is a brilliant and evocative exploration of oppression-of both mind and body-and of the liberating power of storytelling.
The commune was meant to shepherd them to Paradise. Joyce and her young daughter, Trina, have followed a charismatic preacher from California to the jungles of Guyana, along with nearly a thousand others of God's chosen people, where they have built a communist utopia based on a rigid order and unceasing loyalty. When Trina, playing too close to the cage holding the commune's pet gorilla, Adam, is attacked, everyone believes she has been killed. That night, the preacher dramatically "revives" her-an act that transforms Trina into a symbol of the commune's righteousness and its leader's extraordinary, God-like power.
But Trina's resurrection is both a blessing and a curse for Joyce. Life in the compound has become precarious since she rejected the preacher's sexual advances. The danger has only grown since her skepticism of the commune's harsh mandates and punishments have become increasingly known. To save herself and Trina from the inevitable mass suicides that the commune has already begun to rehearse, she attempts a daring escape, aided by the local boat captain that loves her, and the most unlikely of prisoners-the extraordinary Adam.
Told with a sweeping perspective in lush prose, shimmering with magic, and devastating in its clarity, Children of Paradise is a brilliant and evocative exploration of oppression-of both mind and body-and of the liberating power of storytelling.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published February 6, 2014
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1688 people want to read
About the author
Fred D'Aguiar
32 books53 followersPoet, novelist and playwright Fred D'Aguiar was born in London in 1960 to Guyanese parents. He lived in Guyana until he was 12, returning to England in 1972.
He trained as a psychiatric nurse before reading African and Caribbean Studies at the University of Kent, Canterbury, graduating in 1985. His first collection of poetry, Mama Dot (1985), was published to much acclaim and established his reputation as one of the finest British poets of his generation. Along with Airy Hall (1989), it won the Guyana Poetry Prize in 1989 and was followed by British Subjects (1993). His first novel, The Longest Memory (1994), tells the story of Whitechapel, a slave on an eighteenth-century Virginia plantation and won both the David Higham Prize for Fiction and the Whitbread First Novel Award. It was adapted for television and televised by Channel 4 in the UK. His long poem 'Sweet Thames' was broadcast as part of the BBC 'Worlds on Film' series in 1992, winning the Commission for Racial Equality Race in the Media Award.
Fred D'Aguiar was Judith E. Wilson Fellow at Cambridge University (1989-90), Visiting Writer at Amherst College, Amherst, MA (1992-4), and was Assistant Professor of English at Bates College, Lewiston, ME (1994-5). More recently he was Professor of English and Creative Writing at the University of Miami.
His plays include High Life, which was first produced at the Albany Empire in London in 1987, and A Jamaican Airman Foresees His Death, performed at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in 1991.
He is also the author of the novels Dear Future (1996), set on a fictional Caribbean island, and Feeding the Ghosts (1997), inspired by a visit D'Aguiar made to the Merseyside Maritime Museum in Liverpool and based on the true story of a slave who survived being thrown overboard with 132 other men, women and children from a slave ship in the Atlantic.
Recent poetry includes Bill of Rights (1998), a long narrative poem about the Jonestown massacre in Guyana in 1979, and a new long narrative poem, Bloodlines, the story of a black slave and her white lover, published in 2000.
Fred D'Aguiar's fourth novel, Bethany Bettany (2003), is centred on a five-year-old Guyanese girl, Bethany, whose suffering symbolises that of a nation seeking to make itself whole again.
He trained as a psychiatric nurse before reading African and Caribbean Studies at the University of Kent, Canterbury, graduating in 1985. His first collection of poetry, Mama Dot (1985), was published to much acclaim and established his reputation as one of the finest British poets of his generation. Along with Airy Hall (1989), it won the Guyana Poetry Prize in 1989 and was followed by British Subjects (1993). His first novel, The Longest Memory (1994), tells the story of Whitechapel, a slave on an eighteenth-century Virginia plantation and won both the David Higham Prize for Fiction and the Whitbread First Novel Award. It was adapted for television and televised by Channel 4 in the UK. His long poem 'Sweet Thames' was broadcast as part of the BBC 'Worlds on Film' series in 1992, winning the Commission for Racial Equality Race in the Media Award.
Fred D'Aguiar was Judith E. Wilson Fellow at Cambridge University (1989-90), Visiting Writer at Amherst College, Amherst, MA (1992-4), and was Assistant Professor of English at Bates College, Lewiston, ME (1994-5). More recently he was Professor of English and Creative Writing at the University of Miami.
His plays include High Life, which was first produced at the Albany Empire in London in 1987, and A Jamaican Airman Foresees His Death, performed at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in 1991.
He is also the author of the novels Dear Future (1996), set on a fictional Caribbean island, and Feeding the Ghosts (1997), inspired by a visit D'Aguiar made to the Merseyside Maritime Museum in Liverpool and based on the true story of a slave who survived being thrown overboard with 132 other men, women and children from a slave ship in the Atlantic.
Recent poetry includes Bill of Rights (1998), a long narrative poem about the Jonestown massacre in Guyana in 1979, and a new long narrative poem, Bloodlines, the story of a black slave and her white lover, published in 2000.
Fred D'Aguiar's fourth novel, Bethany Bettany (2003), is centred on a five-year-old Guyanese girl, Bethany, whose suffering symbolises that of a nation seeking to make itself whole again.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
March 19, 2014
“He reminds them their children belong to God and their lives will be better in God’s hands and not his and not this commune, and no place on this god-forsaken earth is good enough for his flock, only the kingdom of heaven, only everlasting life.”
Inspired by the actual events of Jonestown, Guyana, Children of Paradise is an imagined story told from primarily three points of view: a child (Trina), her mother (Joyce), and Adam (the caged “pet” gorilla) during the last months before the tragedy. Trina and Joyce’s backstories are sketchy but it’s through their roles and experiences we glimpse life in the commune where they live under-nourished, over-worked, in fear, and under heavy armed guard. Although one can google to become familiar with the outcome, the author’s attempt to give a voice to the children is notable. It is easy to sympathize and empathize with the elderly, the defenseless children, and the adults who “awoke” too late to feel powerless, trapped with no means of escape.
Throughout the story, I kept wondering why these seemingly intelligent people would allow a paranoid, drugged-out, Bible-quoting lunatic exercise complete control over their lives, their income, their children, and their well-being. Of course, the “why” is not really addressed in the book (and I’ll wager after all this time, many still the answer to “why”); but the “how” was sufficiently addressed by the author. He weaved in the overt and subtle methods used to physically and emotionally isolate (they were really imprisoned), separate and douse them with proven mind-control tactics, unpredictable reward/punishment cycles, tons of Communist/Political propaganda, and various other (Biblically inspired) psychological manipulation games to keep them in fear and obedient. Not to mention the physical ailments (fever, diarrhea, bites/infections, poor medical care) they constantly faced living in poorly constructed housing in the middle of a jungle with no climate control.
Although the commune’s leader was not the focus of the novel, Trina, Joyce, and Adam’s interactions with him paint him to be a charlatan - a liar, a hypocrite, a thief, a master manipulator. The same behavioral techniques he employs to tame Adam, a wild beast, he applies to his human flock; the parallels are effective and uncanny: parents are separated from their children (Adam’s mother is killed, he’s orphaned, caged and fed; communal children are housed, educated, fed separately from their parents, in fact they only see their parents for a couple of hours in the evenings), music is used to elicit certain responses, etc.
The author’s rendering gives the reader a solid sense of place and community, but somehow the storytelling still feels a bit flat Nonetheless, I would recommend to others who are interested in the event and life within the commune.
Inspired by the actual events of Jonestown, Guyana, Children of Paradise is an imagined story told from primarily three points of view: a child (Trina), her mother (Joyce), and Adam (the caged “pet” gorilla) during the last months before the tragedy. Trina and Joyce’s backstories are sketchy but it’s through their roles and experiences we glimpse life in the commune where they live under-nourished, over-worked, in fear, and under heavy armed guard. Although one can google to become familiar with the outcome, the author’s attempt to give a voice to the children is notable. It is easy to sympathize and empathize with the elderly, the defenseless children, and the adults who “awoke” too late to feel powerless, trapped with no means of escape.
Throughout the story, I kept wondering why these seemingly intelligent people would allow a paranoid, drugged-out, Bible-quoting lunatic exercise complete control over their lives, their income, their children, and their well-being. Of course, the “why” is not really addressed in the book (and I’ll wager after all this time, many still the answer to “why”); but the “how” was sufficiently addressed by the author. He weaved in the overt and subtle methods used to physically and emotionally isolate (they were really imprisoned), separate and douse them with proven mind-control tactics, unpredictable reward/punishment cycles, tons of Communist/Political propaganda, and various other (Biblically inspired) psychological manipulation games to keep them in fear and obedient. Not to mention the physical ailments (fever, diarrhea, bites/infections, poor medical care) they constantly faced living in poorly constructed housing in the middle of a jungle with no climate control.
Although the commune’s leader was not the focus of the novel, Trina, Joyce, and Adam’s interactions with him paint him to be a charlatan - a liar, a hypocrite, a thief, a master manipulator. The same behavioral techniques he employs to tame Adam, a wild beast, he applies to his human flock; the parallels are effective and uncanny: parents are separated from their children (Adam’s mother is killed, he’s orphaned, caged and fed; communal children are housed, educated, fed separately from their parents, in fact they only see their parents for a couple of hours in the evenings), music is used to elicit certain responses, etc.
The author’s rendering gives the reader a solid sense of place and community, but somehow the storytelling still feels a bit flat Nonetheless, I would recommend to others who are interested in the event and life within the commune.
January 1, 2014
I remember hearing about Jim Jones, his commune and the over nine hundred people that he had drink the poisonous kool-aide. I of course was appalled and wondered how one man could convince all these people to leave their lives and follow him to a jungle location and then literally kill themselves. What makes people so desperate and one man so enthralling? The author explains that the subject of this book was influenced by that happening but does not exactly follow those events. The author himself was raised in Guyana until the age of twelve, so I am sure he had heard many, many stories about these events, as he was growing up.
Even though this book is not exact in its telling it is still chilling in its realism. The jungle, the city when the commune workers need to go to their headquarters, though only trusted workers were allowed off site, were beautiful and lushly described. As if the beauty stands in direct contrast to the evil that was being perpetrated in the commune. Joyce, a college graduate and her daughter Trina, follow Jones from California to Guyana. They are some of the more privileged members and it is their story that this novel follows. Also Adam, and I think he was the star of the show. A gorilla who was caged on the commune, used to provoke fear in the followers, but a thinking being in this book. his thoughts and actions are a wonderful addition to this story.
Of course as was true in the real story, Jones declining health, outside forces spinning out of control and is anyone in this version left alive? That would be spoiling the story for other and I would never do that. Very good novel, felt like I was part of their lives for a short time, could not help pulling for Joyce, Trina and the other children, Adam as well.
Even though this book is not exact in its telling it is still chilling in its realism. The jungle, the city when the commune workers need to go to their headquarters, though only trusted workers were allowed off site, were beautiful and lushly described. As if the beauty stands in direct contrast to the evil that was being perpetrated in the commune. Joyce, a college graduate and her daughter Trina, follow Jones from California to Guyana. They are some of the more privileged members and it is their story that this novel follows. Also Adam, and I think he was the star of the show. A gorilla who was caged on the commune, used to provoke fear in the followers, but a thinking being in this book. his thoughts and actions are a wonderful addition to this story.
Of course as was true in the real story, Jones declining health, outside forces spinning out of control and is anyone in this version left alive? That would be spoiling the story for other and I would never do that. Very good novel, felt like I was part of their lives for a short time, could not help pulling for Joyce, Trina and the other children, Adam as well.
January 27, 2014
When you are telling a story about an entire community that no longer lives, who narrates the story? Consider this for a moment. As an author, do you pick one of the dying? Do you pick the remote outsider who, in no way, could not possibly know the intricacies of daily life? From the first page, Fred D'Aguiar hit it out of the park with Children of Paradise, a fictionalized story based on Jim Jones utopian society of Jonestown. Ever heard the expression, "drinking the Kool-aid"? Well, this is the story that started that and it's all told in a third person narrative that keys into one figure in the society that is the most removed - Adam, the captured gorilla.
Read the rest of this review at The Lost Entwife on Dec. 22, 2013.
Read the rest of this review at The Lost Entwife on Dec. 22, 2013.
November 19, 2013
Trina and her mother, Joyce left to make a new life in the jungles of Guyana. Trina's motehr followed the "Preacher". Now they are among others who also have followed in the way of the "preacher".
One day an incident happens to changes Trina and her mother's lives forever. Trina is attacked by the community's gorilla named Adam. She was originally thought dead until she was brought back to life. Things don't get better for Trina. In fact all the extra attention makes Trina nervous. Then there is her mother, Joyce. She turned the "Preacher"s advances down and her life is awful. Trina and Joyce will escape with the one person they never expected help from...Adam.
If you are looking for a change from the normal world of vampires, zombies, werewolves, and other paranormal creatures then you need to check this book out. There is nothing scarier then a cult. As far as I am aware I have not met a vampire or werewolf but I know cults exist and therefore they are filled with mystery, evil, deceit, and tons of people put their faith in one person. Kind of like what our government could become. A Nazi communist government where we will all follow one person and be told how to act and what to do. I don't know about you but the thought of this is really scary.
The "Preacher" is not a in your face type of guy but everything he does, he does with a purpose. He is a monster. For me the one that really was the star of this book is Adam. He felt real, almost like a person with a thinking brain then just a gorilla. The pacing for this book is not a lot of action like I normally enjoy but what it lacked there it did make up for in the characters and the story.
One day an incident happens to changes Trina and her mother's lives forever. Trina is attacked by the community's gorilla named Adam. She was originally thought dead until she was brought back to life. Things don't get better for Trina. In fact all the extra attention makes Trina nervous. Then there is her mother, Joyce. She turned the "Preacher"s advances down and her life is awful. Trina and Joyce will escape with the one person they never expected help from...Adam.
If you are looking for a change from the normal world of vampires, zombies, werewolves, and other paranormal creatures then you need to check this book out. There is nothing scarier then a cult. As far as I am aware I have not met a vampire or werewolf but I know cults exist and therefore they are filled with mystery, evil, deceit, and tons of people put their faith in one person. Kind of like what our government could become. A Nazi communist government where we will all follow one person and be told how to act and what to do. I don't know about you but the thought of this is really scary.
The "Preacher" is not a in your face type of guy but everything he does, he does with a purpose. He is a monster. For me the one that really was the star of this book is Adam. He felt real, almost like a person with a thinking brain then just a gorilla. The pacing for this book is not a lot of action like I normally enjoy but what it lacked there it did make up for in the characters and the story.
December 10, 2016
Another book with such an exciting premise, only to fail utterly on delivery.
I enjoyed the first 30 or so pages of Children of Paradise: the writing was nothing special but it was clear and the plot moved along. The Gorilla POV was gimmicky but didn't throw off the story, it didn't really add anything either.
But then we reached a flat point in the story - daily life in the camp - and everything became extremely tedious. Joyce's loyalties jumped all over the place, her actions conflicted with her inner dialogue and it felt less like there was inner turmoil and more like we were dealing with two separate characters. The naive blindess of the preacher's followers was also pretty incredible - I wasn't buying it at all.
The boatsman storyline was all a little too neat and tidy too. Overall, after the first 30 pages, the book felt more like a fabrication than something that could have been inspired by true events. It ran out of conflict and instead of building tension felt like it was struggling to figure out how to get to the main event.
The final act is just awful - one of the worst copouts you can imagine. Something you'd expect to see in a primary school creative writing piece rather than a published, and lauded, novel.
The only reason this gets 2 stars and not 1 is that it was readable and it's only offense was making an amazing story totally lifeless.
I left it on the plane.
I enjoyed the first 30 or so pages of Children of Paradise: the writing was nothing special but it was clear and the plot moved along. The Gorilla POV was gimmicky but didn't throw off the story, it didn't really add anything either.
But then we reached a flat point in the story - daily life in the camp - and everything became extremely tedious. Joyce's loyalties jumped all over the place, her actions conflicted with her inner dialogue and it felt less like there was inner turmoil and more like we were dealing with two separate characters. The naive blindess of the preacher's followers was also pretty incredible - I wasn't buying it at all.
The boatsman storyline was all a little too neat and tidy too. Overall, after the first 30 pages, the book felt more like a fabrication than something that could have been inspired by true events. It ran out of conflict and instead of building tension felt like it was struggling to figure out how to get to the main event.
The final act is just awful - one of the worst copouts you can imagine. Something you'd expect to see in a primary school creative writing piece rather than a published, and lauded, novel.
The only reason this gets 2 stars and not 1 is that it was readable and it's only offense was making an amazing story totally lifeless.
I left it on the plane.
abandoned-dnf
September 8, 2017I'm old enough to remember Guyana insanity and that freak Jim Jones. It should make amazing (and horrific) background for a novel. This should have been that amazing and horrific novel.
Regardless, I'm abandoning it because it's yet one more author who has given into the fad of writing in present-tense and passive voice, and I have come to loathe it. It doesn't help that the two chapters I've read are from the POV of a gorilla, one that has been anthropomorphized to the point that he probably has more coherent thought processes than the humans around him.
This present tense BS needs to stop. Novels are not screen plays.
Regardless, I'm abandoning it because it's yet one more author who has given into the fad of writing in present-tense and passive voice, and I have come to loathe it. It doesn't help that the two chapters I've read are from the POV of a gorilla, one that has been anthropomorphized to the point that he probably has more coherent thought processes than the humans around him.
This present tense BS needs to stop. Novels are not screen plays.
July 5, 2020
I really enjoyed this, even though it's based on Jim Jones and the Jonestown massacre. The story focuses on a mother and daughter (and a gorilla!) based inside the camp - highly recommended.
April 2, 2022
Read this for a book club. While the premise seemed incredibly interesting, the writing style was difficult to follow and the vast majority of the book felt like build up to nothing because it completely fell flat with the book’s ambiguous ending.
February 2, 2025
Oprirea mea în Guyana #cartidecititlumea
The city is carved out of the landscape. The rainbows that begin as bright buses and houses and boats become features of the moist air and make the city new all over again.
Autorul a copilarit acolo si alege să scrie tangential despre tara, in contextul acesteia oferind "cazare" celor 1000 de suflete ce il insotesc pe Jim Jones, predicatorul cunoscut pentru Jonetowns.
Desigur, stim ca dezastrul e dupa colt si aici va avea loc cel mai mare masacru din istoria religiei de după cruciade, cu 900 de oameni alegand (sau fortati) sa se sinucidă in 1978.
Povestea aici incepe cu o gorila ce din cusca sa este martor la miscarile comunei pline de credinciosi. Prin ochii lui Adam vedem cat de brutali sunt oamenii, cum pot renunță la drepturi si independenta si in final, la umanitate. Și cat de uns cu toate alifiile este pastorul care așa cum il subjuga pe Adam, o face și cu urmasii sai umani.
Mi-a plăcut mult partea cu Adam in poveste, alaturarea umanului cu animalicul si contrastele intre libertate dorita, perceputa si oferita.
Ce e ciudat e ca ceea ce experimentează animalul în cușcă e similar sau pus în oglindă cu ce experimentează comunitatea. "his Father cares for him in a way that makes him want to stay in his cage and hope for more gifts of fruit and back scratches, maybe even for his master to return the life robbed from his mother’s body."
In restul povestirii le urmarim pe Trina si pe mama sa Joyce, care mai pleaca din comuna cu treburi in capitala. Aceste excursii sunt de fapt ocazii ca Joyce sa se indragosteasca de un capitan de vas, care va interveni in destinul sau mai tarziu.
Dar Joyce ramane la priviri, căci nu il poate urma pe barbatul care nu vrea sa ii accepte credinta. Acesta la randul sau este privirea noastra obiectiva in afacerile comunei. Joyce merge in capitala ca să imparta spagã si daruri, paznicii sunt inarmati deși comuna e una religioasa, iar faptul ca asteapta imparatia cerurilor ii face pe cei din comunitate sa ignore imparatia junglei, sa o polueze si defriseze, spre disperarea triburilor localnice.
Nu au voie sa bea, sa fumeze, sa poarte haine ce le aparțin și le complimenteaza corpul. Nu au voie sa lipsească de la slujba zilnica, sa lenevească, sa se îndoiască de cuvântul predicatorului. Nu au voie sa își iubească demonstrativ copiii proprii.
Vedem prin mica Trina, o rebela de 12 ani, cum sunt tratati copiii ce nu au voie sa isi iubească doar propriul parinte, cum fac foamea si sunt spalati pe creier.
Il vedem pe unsurosul parinte care propovaduieste de toate, dar in privat abuzeaza de tot si vedem, într-un final suprinzator, care schimba radical vocea, unde îi duce acest om pe "copiii" sai.
Mi-a plăcut speranta din poveste si descrierile sunt minunate. Și m-a îngrozit finalul, deși stiam povestea.
The city is carved out of the landscape. The rainbows that begin as bright buses and houses and boats become features of the moist air and make the city new all over again.
Autorul a copilarit acolo si alege să scrie tangential despre tara, in contextul acesteia oferind "cazare" celor 1000 de suflete ce il insotesc pe Jim Jones, predicatorul cunoscut pentru Jonetowns.
Desigur, stim ca dezastrul e dupa colt si aici va avea loc cel mai mare masacru din istoria religiei de după cruciade, cu 900 de oameni alegand (sau fortati) sa se sinucidă in 1978.
Povestea aici incepe cu o gorila ce din cusca sa este martor la miscarile comunei pline de credinciosi. Prin ochii lui Adam vedem cat de brutali sunt oamenii, cum pot renunță la drepturi si independenta si in final, la umanitate. Și cat de uns cu toate alifiile este pastorul care așa cum il subjuga pe Adam, o face și cu urmasii sai umani.
Mi-a plăcut mult partea cu Adam in poveste, alaturarea umanului cu animalicul si contrastele intre libertate dorita, perceputa si oferita.
Ce e ciudat e ca ceea ce experimentează animalul în cușcă e similar sau pus în oglindă cu ce experimentează comunitatea. "his Father cares for him in a way that makes him want to stay in his cage and hope for more gifts of fruit and back scratches, maybe even for his master to return the life robbed from his mother’s body."
In restul povestirii le urmarim pe Trina si pe mama sa Joyce, care mai pleaca din comuna cu treburi in capitala. Aceste excursii sunt de fapt ocazii ca Joyce sa se indragosteasca de un capitan de vas, care va interveni in destinul sau mai tarziu.
Dar Joyce ramane la priviri, căci nu il poate urma pe barbatul care nu vrea sa ii accepte credinta. Acesta la randul sau este privirea noastra obiectiva in afacerile comunei. Joyce merge in capitala ca să imparta spagã si daruri, paznicii sunt inarmati deși comuna e una religioasa, iar faptul ca asteapta imparatia cerurilor ii face pe cei din comunitate sa ignore imparatia junglei, sa o polueze si defriseze, spre disperarea triburilor localnice.
Nu au voie sa bea, sa fumeze, sa poarte haine ce le aparțin și le complimenteaza corpul. Nu au voie sa lipsească de la slujba zilnica, sa lenevească, sa se îndoiască de cuvântul predicatorului. Nu au voie sa își iubească demonstrativ copiii proprii.
Vedem prin mica Trina, o rebela de 12 ani, cum sunt tratati copiii ce nu au voie sa isi iubească doar propriul parinte, cum fac foamea si sunt spalati pe creier.
Il vedem pe unsurosul parinte care propovaduieste de toate, dar in privat abuzeaza de tot si vedem, într-un final suprinzator, care schimba radical vocea, unde îi duce acest om pe "copiii" sai.
Mi-a plăcut speranta din poveste si descrierile sunt minunate. Și m-a îngrozit finalul, deși stiam povestea.
April 18, 2015
Because the ending was so whacky, it is where I start with this review. What is the takeaway for the reader? It is pretty unclear in the murky ending, was there an escape? Were they all left drinking or dreaming? I think the author tried to be poetic with the ending, but I don't really think it worked well and for me dropped the book to 2 stars. From the jacket blurb we learn this novel is based on "the terrible truths of Jonestown, Jim Jones's utopian commune in Guyana..." If one is unfamiliar with the events of Jonestown, there are plenty of sources to get you up to speed.
So you have the megalomaniac preacher who leads the commune through manipulation, trickery and fear with the bible and everlasting life as his twin pillars. There is the Gorilla, Adam who sits caged in the middle of the commune and serves as intimidator to the children and confidant to the preacher who is never named. Adam is used to torture those who have transgressed in some way, they are pushed into the cave to be thrown around by Adam and have bones broken.
The two central figures of the novel are Joyce and her daughter Trina, with Adam also playing a prominent supporting role. Trina has become a favorite of the preacher after she plays along in her "resurrection" and is now seen as being literally born again. Joyce who comes to the commune after a sketchy failed relationship is wholly devoted to the preacher, until the machinations with her daughter become increasingly bizarre and dangerous. Her transformation from devotee to potential escapee is not handled with any depth, which is a failure of the narrative, and leaves the reader adrift.
The question is how does the preacher hold such sway over the commune. Well, anytime you give up your capacity to think for yourself, you can easily be led by those who appear to have a gift and a greater understanding of an idea, like religion. A byproduct of the novel may be, to clearly question any man/woman who demands blind allegiance to any belief, religious or otherwise. The novel could have certainly benefitted from more development of the how and the why.
So you have the megalomaniac preacher who leads the commune through manipulation, trickery and fear with the bible and everlasting life as his twin pillars. There is the Gorilla, Adam who sits caged in the middle of the commune and serves as intimidator to the children and confidant to the preacher who is never named. Adam is used to torture those who have transgressed in some way, they are pushed into the cave to be thrown around by Adam and have bones broken.
The two central figures of the novel are Joyce and her daughter Trina, with Adam also playing a prominent supporting role. Trina has become a favorite of the preacher after she plays along in her "resurrection" and is now seen as being literally born again. Joyce who comes to the commune after a sketchy failed relationship is wholly devoted to the preacher, until the machinations with her daughter become increasingly bizarre and dangerous. Her transformation from devotee to potential escapee is not handled with any depth, which is a failure of the narrative, and leaves the reader adrift.
The question is how does the preacher hold such sway over the commune. Well, anytime you give up your capacity to think for yourself, you can easily be led by those who appear to have a gift and a greater understanding of an idea, like religion. A byproduct of the novel may be, to clearly question any man/woman who demands blind allegiance to any belief, religious or otherwise. The novel could have certainly benefitted from more development of the how and the why.
January 23, 2014
This is an interesting novel based on the horrific events at Jonestown. This is a very stylized, literary re-telling with a constantly shifting perspective - opening up from the eyes of Adam, the commune’s gorilla. But this adds to paint a complete picture of life in the commune without ever once straying into a lurid tone or sensationalization of the topic. It is an absorbing novel from its very first pages and even for those who are not familiar with the events surrounding the 918 deaths at this commune in Guyana, D’Aguiar does a wonderful job of resurrecting life in the commune - but in a respectful manner and never once overly emphasizing garish points.
The style choices of inconsistent perspective, the present tense and lack of quotation marks take a little getting used to, but the lush prose more than compensates from these distractions. Adam brings a surreal quality to the novel. But not even all of the beauty of the rainforest can mask the very genuine evil and horror of living under Jim Jones’ rule. The author skirts around this name - choosing instead to refer to him only as “the preacher” or “the reverend” - which can sometimes muddle the flow and cause some minor confusions. The sermons, too, become repetitive after a while, but it is all a part of D’Aguiar immersing the reader into life in the commune.
The ending may disappoint some, but I think it - along with some ambiguity in some scenes - will certainly open the floor for lively discussion amongst book clubs and discussion groups. The book moves rather slowly at times, but this works to help sink in this surreal reality within the reader. It is definitely one of the strongest fictionalizations of life in a cult that I have ever encountered!
The style choices of inconsistent perspective, the present tense and lack of quotation marks take a little getting used to, but the lush prose more than compensates from these distractions. Adam brings a surreal quality to the novel. But not even all of the beauty of the rainforest can mask the very genuine evil and horror of living under Jim Jones’ rule. The author skirts around this name - choosing instead to refer to him only as “the preacher” or “the reverend” - which can sometimes muddle the flow and cause some minor confusions. The sermons, too, become repetitive after a while, but it is all a part of D’Aguiar immersing the reader into life in the commune.
The ending may disappoint some, but I think it - along with some ambiguity in some scenes - will certainly open the floor for lively discussion amongst book clubs and discussion groups. The book moves rather slowly at times, but this works to help sink in this surreal reality within the reader. It is definitely one of the strongest fictionalizations of life in a cult that I have ever encountered!
June 25, 2014
I so enjoy books where lyrical evocative writing brings to life the time and place of the storyline. Children of Paradise is such a book. The time is the late 1970s, and the place is commune deep in the jungles of Guyana. The storyline is loosely based on the true events of Jim Jones’s utopian community but especially speaks to the voiceless children and their lives in this environment. As beautiful as the prose is it is plainspoken in oppression, heartbreak, and blind faith expected of the all commune inhabitants.
But it was Adam, the commune gorilla that had me turning the pages. I loved hearing his thoughts on what was going on around him and how he made decisions based on his own fate and survival. His back story and what his dreams were also a nice touch.
I liked how the tension was slowly built and maintained throughout the story. Even though I knew the outcome it did not keep me from being hopeful and optimistic that some would escape the fatal outcome. There is one haunting heartbreaking scene that was so beautifully written that it will stay with me long past finishing the book. The children are so hungry (they stayed in a stage of hunger and growling stomachs while the leader feasted every meal) and make a plan to “steal” a loaf of bread and Ryan decided among the children that he was the best person for the job. I was like the children holding my breath and taking every step with Ryan.
I recommend this book to those who enjoy stories about wolves who walk around in sheep’s clothing.
But it was Adam, the commune gorilla that had me turning the pages. I loved hearing his thoughts on what was going on around him and how he made decisions based on his own fate and survival. His back story and what his dreams were also a nice touch.
I liked how the tension was slowly built and maintained throughout the story. Even though I knew the outcome it did not keep me from being hopeful and optimistic that some would escape the fatal outcome. There is one haunting heartbreaking scene that was so beautifully written that it will stay with me long past finishing the book. The children are so hungry (they stayed in a stage of hunger and growling stomachs while the leader feasted every meal) and make a plan to “steal” a loaf of bread and Ryan decided among the children that he was the best person for the job. I was like the children holding my breath and taking every step with Ryan.
I recommend this book to those who enjoy stories about wolves who walk around in sheep’s clothing.
September 17, 2013
These days, "drinking the Kool-Aid" is one of those toss-off lines - sadly, I remember watching the news when it became a horrific reality. In Children of Paradise, the author does a good job of imagining what it was like to be part of a communal group living in an unnamed South American jungle. Readers are slightly removed from the action despite the use of first person points-of-view because he never uses the word "I" but always refers to the p.o.v. by their name ("The preacher says..."). And one of those we follow? Adam, the compound's gorilla. Now that's bold!
It's clear that this supposed paradise is riddled with cracks and problems (not to mention small acts of disobedience). What's not so clear is why the people adore their preacher, why they stay when it could be easy to go - much less why they put up with some of his ideas. In part this is because we never really follow a true believer, and in part it's because we join the story closer to the end than to the beginning or middle. And that ending? While it's a little muddled, it did bring back the memory of those days 35 years ago, watching the news, hearing about the cyanide-laced Kool-Aid that nearly 1,000 people drank and died.
ARC provided by the publisher.
It's clear that this supposed paradise is riddled with cracks and problems (not to mention small acts of disobedience). What's not so clear is why the people adore their preacher, why they stay when it could be easy to go - much less why they put up with some of his ideas. In part this is because we never really follow a true believer, and in part it's because we join the story closer to the end than to the beginning or middle. And that ending? While it's a little muddled, it did bring back the memory of those days 35 years ago, watching the news, hearing about the cyanide-laced Kool-Aid that nearly 1,000 people drank and died.
ARC provided by the publisher.
July 29, 2023
Joyce and Trina are part of The Father's utopian community in Guyana. When Trina plays too close to the cage holding the commune's gorilla, Adam, he attacks and kills her. Later that night, Father "revives" her, or so everyone believes. After securing such a prominent place in the commune, Trina is viewed as a charismatic leader for the community. Due to her newly found place in the commune, Trina is treated differently by the community and the Father. As Joyce watches Trina and the Father, she fears for her daughter. Joyce must act quickly to save her daughter from the Father's clutches. Told with enigmatic prose and sweeping magical realism D'Aguiar weaves a story of those without a choice - the children of Jonestown.
Review:
Let's begin with the positive aspects of the novel.
The relationship between Trina and Joyce is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. As a parent, I know what it feels like to offer everything for your child's safety and happiness. I put my son before myself and hope he always knows he can come to me and trust me. This is precisely how Joyce is with Trina. While the Father maintains that he is all the children's mother and father, Joyce ensures Trina knows the truth. She risks punishment by speaking to Trina and being around her. As the Father tightens his grasp on Trina, Joyce can see what is happening and realizes she must act to save her daughter. I love their relationship and the lengths Joyce will go to to save her daughter.
One area where D'Aguiar excels in his writing about how the commune views the Father. Cult leaders are often enigmatic and seemingly beyond reproach. Their followers follow them blindly and without question. The author does a remarkable job crafting an image of Jones that is haunting and disturbing. For his followers, "his words are their reason for breathing," He holds his members in the palm of his hand and controls their every movement and action. His members have absolute trust and faith in him. He claims to preach from the Bible but maintains that he has a direct line to God. The Father explains that he is "flesh and blood like [his members], but [his] father in God is strong, and God feels it and works his miracles through [the Father].". Often, these cult leaders believe and preach that they were chosen by God and are capable of speaking to Him. I find this aspect particularly poignant with Jonestown. These people believed this and praised the Father as a celebrity. Whatever he said, they did. In this novel, the Father is an expert abuser and manipulator. In my opinion, this is what sets Jones apart. He understands mankind and uses his knowledge to his advantage. If you are looking to gain an insight into Jones and his hold on his people, this book delves into that idea.
Lastly, I love that D'Aguiar focused on the children of Jonestown. Of the 918 people found dead, approximately 300 of those were children. Children who had no say in the matter. Children whose parents willingly gave them Flavor-Aid laced with Valium and cyanide. Children who thought they were living in paradise. While certainly an interesting choice, D'Aguiar handles the focus with care and never makes the children sound ignorant or stupid. While I may be reading too much into the novel, I think that Adam, the gorilla, is a direct symbol for the children. He is forced to carry out heinous punishments on the commune's members even though he dreams of being with his mother. He is voiceless and treated as a commodity, which is how Jones viewed "his" children. These children had no say in their lives or how they grew up. Instead, they were expected to act as told and never complain. They celebrated the Father when they had no idea what they were praising. The end of their lives was painful and unfair. Babies were given cyanide-laced Flavor-Aid through syringes. They were stripped of their basic humanity, and many were reduced to a number. I find this particular aspect to be the most moving and compelling.
Now, let's move on to what I disliked.
This book is 362 pages. Typically, this is my sweet spot, somewhere between 300 and 400 pages. However, of these 362 pages, approximately 100 pages are useless and serve no purpose. The beginning of the novel is from Adam's perspective. Yes, you read that correctly; you read from the gorilla's point of view. I detested this choice. If it had served a larger purpose, I would understand. However, his perspective serves no purpose. Not only do we get Adam's perspective, there are so many other unnecessary parts. I understand that we need to understand the isolation of the Guyanese commune, but I don't need pages and pages of jungle description. Surely at the beginning of the novel, this would have been fine; however, we get multi-page descriptions throughout the novel. There were many instances where I found myself skipping over chunks of the novel because it added nothing to the overall plot.
Secondly, I wanted more information about Jones and his interactions with the children. While we know that Jones used sex as a tool for power, it is unclear how he interacted with the children. There is no evidence that he sexually assaulted or molested the children, but I am curious about their interactions. In the novel, it's suspected that he loves the children but views them as collectible items. I wished that we learned a little more about the children's place in Jones's life. Mostly, the novel focuses on Trina, Joyce, and the other children.
Overall, I enjoyed parts of this book, but if you are looking to get an inside look into Jonestown, you are better off reading a different book. I learned more about the inner workings of Jonestown from reading four pages of a nonfiction book than I did reading 362 pages here. I give this novel 2.5 stars out of five. If some of the extraneous details had been cut, I think I would have enjoyed it more.
Review:
Let's begin with the positive aspects of the novel.
The relationship between Trina and Joyce is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. As a parent, I know what it feels like to offer everything for your child's safety and happiness. I put my son before myself and hope he always knows he can come to me and trust me. This is precisely how Joyce is with Trina. While the Father maintains that he is all the children's mother and father, Joyce ensures Trina knows the truth. She risks punishment by speaking to Trina and being around her. As the Father tightens his grasp on Trina, Joyce can see what is happening and realizes she must act to save her daughter. I love their relationship and the lengths Joyce will go to to save her daughter.
One area where D'Aguiar excels in his writing about how the commune views the Father. Cult leaders are often enigmatic and seemingly beyond reproach. Their followers follow them blindly and without question. The author does a remarkable job crafting an image of Jones that is haunting and disturbing. For his followers, "his words are their reason for breathing," He holds his members in the palm of his hand and controls their every movement and action. His members have absolute trust and faith in him. He claims to preach from the Bible but maintains that he has a direct line to God. The Father explains that he is "flesh and blood like [his members], but [his] father in God is strong, and God feels it and works his miracles through [the Father].". Often, these cult leaders believe and preach that they were chosen by God and are capable of speaking to Him. I find this aspect particularly poignant with Jonestown. These people believed this and praised the Father as a celebrity. Whatever he said, they did. In this novel, the Father is an expert abuser and manipulator. In my opinion, this is what sets Jones apart. He understands mankind and uses his knowledge to his advantage. If you are looking to gain an insight into Jones and his hold on his people, this book delves into that idea.
Lastly, I love that D'Aguiar focused on the children of Jonestown. Of the 918 people found dead, approximately 300 of those were children. Children who had no say in the matter. Children whose parents willingly gave them Flavor-Aid laced with Valium and cyanide. Children who thought they were living in paradise. While certainly an interesting choice, D'Aguiar handles the focus with care and never makes the children sound ignorant or stupid. While I may be reading too much into the novel, I think that Adam, the gorilla, is a direct symbol for the children. He is forced to carry out heinous punishments on the commune's members even though he dreams of being with his mother. He is voiceless and treated as a commodity, which is how Jones viewed "his" children. These children had no say in their lives or how they grew up. Instead, they were expected to act as told and never complain. They celebrated the Father when they had no idea what they were praising. The end of their lives was painful and unfair. Babies were given cyanide-laced Flavor-Aid through syringes. They were stripped of their basic humanity, and many were reduced to a number. I find this particular aspect to be the most moving and compelling.
Now, let's move on to what I disliked.
This book is 362 pages. Typically, this is my sweet spot, somewhere between 300 and 400 pages. However, of these 362 pages, approximately 100 pages are useless and serve no purpose. The beginning of the novel is from Adam's perspective. Yes, you read that correctly; you read from the gorilla's point of view. I detested this choice. If it had served a larger purpose, I would understand. However, his perspective serves no purpose. Not only do we get Adam's perspective, there are so many other unnecessary parts. I understand that we need to understand the isolation of the Guyanese commune, but I don't need pages and pages of jungle description. Surely at the beginning of the novel, this would have been fine; however, we get multi-page descriptions throughout the novel. There were many instances where I found myself skipping over chunks of the novel because it added nothing to the overall plot.
Secondly, I wanted more information about Jones and his interactions with the children. While we know that Jones used sex as a tool for power, it is unclear how he interacted with the children. There is no evidence that he sexually assaulted or molested the children, but I am curious about their interactions. In the novel, it's suspected that he loves the children but views them as collectible items. I wished that we learned a little more about the children's place in Jones's life. Mostly, the novel focuses on Trina, Joyce, and the other children.
Overall, I enjoyed parts of this book, but if you are looking to get an inside look into Jonestown, you are better off reading a different book. I learned more about the inner workings of Jonestown from reading four pages of a nonfiction book than I did reading 362 pages here. I give this novel 2.5 stars out of five. If some of the extraneous details had been cut, I think I would have enjoyed it more.
September 8, 2014
I both loved and hated this book, which I received an Advance Copy of prior to final editing. I loved the inside look of a "Koolaid Cult", for lack of a better description, and the religious obedience ingrained into every single act. It was masterfully scary, terrifyingly realistic and yet so unbelievable that you knew it could happen anywhere at any time. However, the story did have some bits and pieces that felt disjointed and confused the overall plot, and some of the characters felt forced. I also found the ending to be a bit confusing, jumping between two alternates with no clear conclusion as to which was real.
Overall, this was a solid read but could use a little more clarity for my tastes.
Overall, this was a solid read but could use a little more clarity for my tastes.
December 1, 2015
When you start your book from the perspective of a gorilla kept in a cage in the middle of a commune run by a radical religious sect, you definitely start with a bang.
Still, despite the subject matter, the prose is lovely and light. While I never quite understood the devotion of the people to their preacher, I doubt any writer could ever get me to see that somewhat unhinged point of view.
After such a delicate journey, the strange clashing ending didn't quite work for me. But I'd still recommend it.
Still, despite the subject matter, the prose is lovely and light. While I never quite understood the devotion of the people to their preacher, I doubt any writer could ever get me to see that somewhat unhinged point of view.
After such a delicate journey, the strange clashing ending didn't quite work for me. But I'd still recommend it.
July 31, 2014
This was a really good book, but so sad. I grew up hearing people talk about "drinking the kool-aid" but didn't know what it really referred to until I was an adult and watched a documentary about Jim Jones and his settlement in Guyana. This book really brought the whole, tragic thing to life for me. It was beautifully written and my heart breaks for Adam and Trina in the book, as well as the poor children who really did die that day. It was so moving and will stick with me for a long time.
June 13, 2018
It was once explained to me that the story of the cult leader Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple is so unbelievable that were it merely a work of fiction, it would too implausible to be taken seriously. This theory kept running through my mind as I devoured every word of D'Aguiar's stunning attempt to test its limits. Within the first page of his exploration into the mass murder of the residents of Jonestown, Guyana, it is clear that he is operating well within the parameters of fiction, and that he is exploring this premise through the lens of the mythology that has shaped around the now nearly forty-year-old historical tragedy. After so many years, the phrase "don't drink the Kool-Aid" has become a parody that has comfortably made light of the disaster surrounding the events of Jonestown. Perhaps it takes a reinterpretation of the story placed within the realm of fantasy to remind us of the event's raw, devastating power-- to cushion it with a narrative that we can hold onto as it guides us into its impenetrable darkness. In any case, I cannot imagine this story being told in a more suitable fashion, even when D'Aguiar manages to find notes of dark comedy within the borders of the folklore that has been created around the cult leader. I'm reminded, in a way, that Count Dracula was once Vlad the Impaler, that Dr. Frankenstein was once Konrad Dippel -- it was not in their dark histories that their unspeakable exploits made any sense to us, but rather in the perverse fantasies shaped around them. I suspect that in a similar way, the Jim Jones mythology truely begins with D'Aguiar's breathtaking work here. I am in awe of the way that he is able to take the story that seems familiar, build unreasonable amounts of tension around its inevitable conclusion, and then pull the rug out from under his reader to convey the depths of this tragedy. Jim Jones, only called the Preacher here, emerges as a villain that brings to mind Cormac McCarthy's Judge in his unrelentingly violent convictions, and D'Arguiar surrounds him with fictional characters who must interpret his actions when they are far past any reasonable comprehension. Through these fictional lenses, the Preacher somehow seems even more monstrous and demonic than he ever has, even in the most meticulous eyewitness accounts that have never successfully revealed what made Jones tick (what explanation would suffice in the real world?). And that is to say nothing of D'Aguiar's ceaselessly poetic and complicated prose that never strikes the wrong note: Here are some of the most beautifully savage physical descriptions of a jungle that I have read, which was the true, foreboding prison for the people within Jones' compound. I was left completely rattled and out of breath by the end of this one, but also deeply moved and inspired by the way that D'Arguiar depicts the unflinching and unshakable power of innocence and love in contrast to the Preacher's pain and manipulation. This one is a masterpiece, through and through -- a perverse fantasy that guides us through darkness and emerges as a fiction that mourns the truth of a terrible travesty as only great fiction can. Read this book.
June 22, 2018
I was unsurprised to read of the authors acclaim for poetry: the prose is lush and lyrical, weaving a spell that draws the reader in. I didn't want to be drawn in because I couldn't see things ending well. I read a lot of psychological thrillers/crime/murder/mystery books which often don't end well but somebody gets their comeuppance or lessons are learned or the key players get really drunk and shag their co-workers.
No such LOLlage here. This book was loosely based on events of Jonestown, a settlement of good agricultural intentions that became ....' mass suicide, many others, including Jonestown survivors, regard them as mass murder.[3][4] All who drank poison did so under duress, and a third of the victims (304) were minors.[5][6] It was the largest such event in modern history and resulted in the largest single loss of American civilian life in a deliberate act until September 11, 2001.[7]' 909 dead in total.
The story is told from three viewpoints: Joyce, a mother who has joined because she believes the cult offers a better way of life for her and her daughter. Trina, Joyce's daughter; a pre-teen who becomes an emblem of hope when she is rescued from the camp gorilla by the charismatic cult leader. Adam, the camp gorilla. Yup, Adam has things to say. He's pretty erudite.
This book is compelling, poetic and sad. I read this some time ago but recently watched Wild, Wild Country on Netflix and here's the kicker: cult leaders are never all that and when they go bad they try to take everyone with them. Gah.
No such LOLlage here. This book was loosely based on events of Jonestown, a settlement of good agricultural intentions that became ....' mass suicide, many others, including Jonestown survivors, regard them as mass murder.[3][4] All who drank poison did so under duress, and a third of the victims (304) were minors.[5][6] It was the largest such event in modern history and resulted in the largest single loss of American civilian life in a deliberate act until September 11, 2001.[7]' 909 dead in total.
The story is told from three viewpoints: Joyce, a mother who has joined because she believes the cult offers a better way of life for her and her daughter. Trina, Joyce's daughter; a pre-teen who becomes an emblem of hope when she is rescued from the camp gorilla by the charismatic cult leader. Adam, the camp gorilla. Yup, Adam has things to say. He's pretty erudite.
This book is compelling, poetic and sad. I read this some time ago but recently watched Wild, Wild Country on Netflix and here's the kicker: cult leaders are never all that and when they go bad they try to take everyone with them. Gah.
May 25, 2020
I maybe could have given this a 3, but I more felt that it was okay than that I liked it. This book is kind of a fictional account based on the Jonestown massacre, which is an interesting concept. The book focuses on one woman and her daughter in particular, their life in the cult and how things unfold for them as events progress. Part of their storyline and a point of view character, is a gorilla named Adam who is a pet of the Preacher who heads the commune - also an interesting idea. There are two reasons I gave this book a low rating, both of which are tenuous and incredibly subjective. The first is the style, frankly, I just didn't like it, I couldn't get into it. I didn't mind Adam as a point of view character as things went on but right at the beginning was not my jam. The weird present tense of everything also made me nutty. I never felt like I 'got in' to this book deeply because of it. My second very subjective beef is that I did not like the end. Now I might have missed something, or not figured something out, but it seemed to break down into some weird dreamlike state after what seemed like some very real events and I found it weird and unsatisfying. If you're into cults it's probably worth a read, but it just wasn't the book for me.
June 18, 2022
This was an amazing slow-burn novel about communal life, a madman, an evil cult, and the final mass suicide at Jonestown. It was fiction; the characters are not real; but they could have been. And I think that was the point of the novel, to give a small glimpse into what it must have been like for many who lived under the mind control of Jim Jones and his cult of followers. At its heart it was a beautiful story of love and devotion between a mother and her daughter, fighting to survive in a world of insanity. And then there's Adam, a bystander and captive, who somehow saw the need to make things right. All who know this sad story know that the deaths of these followers were inevitable, but I loved considering the author's way of believing and hoping that somehow the children were spared. Emotional and moving, and a wonderful tribute to this devastating tragedy.
March 9, 2021
The author made a lot of choices with craft that did not work out. Honestly, the only reason I kept reading is because I'm reading this for a school project. It's nearly impossible to get into, and dialogue would always jolt me out of it. It was a blessing and a curse that I already know a lot about Jonestown because it allowed me to close gaps the author made assumptions about, but then it made it joltingly obvious when something was just wrong. There are so many inconsistencies, even when you get beyond the things that might be done on purpose. Some of the descriptions were interesting, but overall the portrayal misrepresents a lot of things about the Peoples' Temple and the people who lived in Jonestown under Jim Jones. If you're thinking about reading this book, don't waste your time.
April 1, 2022
I'm surprised this book isn't better known and that many of the reviews are slightly negative. As it's based loosely on the Jonestown community and we all know how that ended, it was never going to be an easy read and the ending is tragic. How could it be otherwise? I found the prose evocative and I was completely drawn into the story and could hardly put it down. D'Aguiar really gets into the heads of the characters he chooses to write about - the mother and her 'favoured' child Trina, the gorilla who is tied up and kept in the middle of the community - and sometimes Jones himself. Exceptional.
December 6, 2022
a poor execution and a poorest writing style.
In the beginning, I was very excited to read this book. But soon all the flaws revealed themselves. There is no separation between timelines. You will never understand what is going.
And the ending is the most troublesome part. The third person narrative just turns into first person (again no context is provided). All the children are shown to board the boat and run to safety in the second last chapter. However, the last chapter shows everyone committed suicide in the cult.
edit: Just found out that it inspired by true events. Respect the reference but the writing style still needs improvement.
In the beginning, I was very excited to read this book. But soon all the flaws revealed themselves. There is no separation between timelines. You will never understand what is going.
And the ending is the most troublesome part. The third person narrative just turns into first person (again no context is provided). All the children are shown to board the boat and run to safety in the second last chapter. However, the last chapter shows everyone committed suicide in the cult.
edit: Just found out that it inspired by true events. Respect the reference but the writing style still needs improvement.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2017
It took me a while to get into this book but when i did I couldn't put it down. Really wish I hadn't carried on reading as I never been so frustrated by an ending. I literally cant work out what is happening at the end despite reading the last few chapters again a few times. Why are Joyce, Trina , Rose and ryan lining up to drink cyanide?, didnt they make it onto the boat? how did the other children get onto the boats but have no memory of doing so? Is the captain the preacher? This book really needs a few more chapters added to the ending to explain things better!
August 21, 2018
It was a pretty cool book though the amount of focus on Adam the gorilla was a bit odd. The suspense definitely builds to the end. I found myself slightly frustrated as I didn't understand whether Joyce, Trina and the others survived or whether it was all some kind of dream and they actually did drink the kool aid. It was a nice treatment to the Jonestown nightmare.
June 3, 2020
This was a bit of a challenge for me. It was well-written, beautiful language and cadence, but the pacing just fucked me up. I found it slow and hard to get into, then was completely gripped around the half way point, only to find my interest waning towards the end. I needed more of something, though I’m not sure what. Dramatic tension? Maybe.
March 23, 2022
The dense, bludgeoning prose might be hard to get through, but it is that very prose that enables D'Aguiar to channel the zombified (note that I use this term as it relates to its Haitian origins) state the people of Jonestown must have experienced. And when the inevitable end arrives for these "children of paradise," D'Aguiar's masterful poeticism will bring you to tears. Beautiful novel.
May 11, 2018
Some stories are told best through a specific medium. For real life events what is the best medium? Is it a non-fiction timeline of events style book? Or a non-fiction “novel” like In Cold Blood? Movie? Podcast? What about a historical fiction novel?
Children of Paradise is none of these, not really. It’s historical fiction in the strictest sense; a novelized account of the events at Jonestown. But it’s somehow more than that. It’s not quite an exact retelling. It’s a fantastical account told in large part from the perspective of a gorilla named Adam kept in captivity on sight. (The real Jonestown had a chimpanzee not a gorilla.) The author captures so many essential elements to the story by fictionalizing it, so many aspects more important that what actually happened. He captures the sense of awe the residents had for the preacher, the methods of control used, the daily struggle to survive, the blatant corruption and the deep deep tragic sadness and loss that this evil man inflicted on so many.
In this fantasy retelling the massacre doesn’t go quite as planned and we get a somewhat happy ending. But the author doesn’t let you revel in that relief and shows us that he knows what he is doing. I found I gained a lot of understanding for Jonestown and cults reading this. The desire to believe in something other than yourself can be so strong in humans that they are willing to give up everything just to capture that feeling.
Children of Paradise is none of these, not really. It’s historical fiction in the strictest sense; a novelized account of the events at Jonestown. But it’s somehow more than that. It’s not quite an exact retelling. It’s a fantastical account told in large part from the perspective of a gorilla named Adam kept in captivity on sight. (The real Jonestown had a chimpanzee not a gorilla.) The author captures so many essential elements to the story by fictionalizing it, so many aspects more important that what actually happened. He captures the sense of awe the residents had for the preacher, the methods of control used, the daily struggle to survive, the blatant corruption and the deep deep tragic sadness and loss that this evil man inflicted on so many.
In this fantasy retelling the massacre doesn’t go quite as planned and we get a somewhat happy ending. But the author doesn’t let you revel in that relief and shows us that he knows what he is doing. I found I gained a lot of understanding for Jonestown and cults reading this. The desire to believe in something other than yourself can be so strong in humans that they are willing to give up everything just to capture that feeling.
October 13, 2020
DNF p. 196. Honestly, got bored. Up to that point it does a good job showing mind control in a cult. Maybe since I already how the story was supposed to end, why continue?
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