What do you think?
Rate this book
The Ones Who Stayed
In the heart of war-torn El Salvador, an iron-willed American nun crosses paths with a visionary priest. Driven by a desire to transcend her duties, she joins him on a perilous journey to aid war victims, challenging her beliefs and confronting the harsh realities of war.
As they navigate this tumultuous landscape, their bond deepens, forcing her to face a world of moral complexities. In a land where each day teeters on the brink of tragedy, she must make a life-altering choice before all she holds dear is lost.
As they navigate this tumultuous landscape, their bond deepens, forcing her to face a world of moral complexities. In a land where each day teeters on the brink of tragedy, she must make a life-altering choice before all she holds dear is lost.
106 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 5, 2024
About the author
Shannon St Hilaire
2 books30 followersShannon St. Hilaire is fascinated by forgotten microcosms and the complex women who lived through them. She spends just about all her time reading and writing stories about them—also, traveling, being roommates with her cat, and dreaming about cottages in forests.
She is the author of a novella, The Ones Who Stayed, and a novel, To Look Upon the Sun.
Newsletter with sneak peaks, book recommendations, and exclusive insights: https://shannonsthilaire.substack.com
She is the author of a novella, The Ones Who Stayed, and a novel, To Look Upon the Sun.
Newsletter with sneak peaks, book recommendations, and exclusive insights: https://shannonsthilaire.substack.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
April 22, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up.
A heart-breaking, tragic, and beautiful tale about the horror that occurred during the Salvadoran Civil War. As an American with little previous knowledge about the war, this book was eyeopening and humbling. While I can never pretend to imagine what the Salvadoran people and individuals in the country at the time actually went through in the war, this beautifully written novella provides an insight I didn't have before.
What Worked For Me:
- Full disclosure, I was a little nervous about seeing the horrors of this situation through the eyes of a white American nun. I was worried it would come off as a White-Savior kind of novel, but I actually did not have that feeling at all, and we got insight into Agnes' stark realization that she truly can't save anyone, and it's only through working together and listening to those who live in the region that she can really do anything good at all.
- The way this story was written was beautiful, Even in the stark bleakness of the topic, the prose was poetic and elegant, and I appreciated the fluid mix of English and Spanish dialogue.
What Didn't Work:
- I'm sure it was a stylistic choice, but the lack of quotation marks throughout the book made reading it much more of a struggle than it would have been otherwise. The author notes that this book is intended for American audiences, but the lack of traditional American formatting makes the story and content less accessible to a general audience and, as someone with slight dyslexic traits and focus problems, the blocks of unmarked text meant I often had to read and re-read passages in order to figure out what was dialogue and what was narration. The formatting is really the only reason for taking off half a star!
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC from NetGalley!
A heart-breaking, tragic, and beautiful tale about the horror that occurred during the Salvadoran Civil War. As an American with little previous knowledge about the war, this book was eyeopening and humbling. While I can never pretend to imagine what the Salvadoran people and individuals in the country at the time actually went through in the war, this beautifully written novella provides an insight I didn't have before.
What Worked For Me:
- Full disclosure, I was a little nervous about seeing the horrors of this situation through the eyes of a white American nun. I was worried it would come off as a White-Savior kind of novel, but I actually did not have that feeling at all, and we got insight into Agnes' stark realization that she truly can't save anyone, and it's only through working together and listening to those who live in the region that she can really do anything good at all.
- The way this story was written was beautiful, Even in the stark bleakness of the topic, the prose was poetic and elegant, and I appreciated the fluid mix of English and Spanish dialogue.
What Didn't Work:
- I'm sure it was a stylistic choice, but the lack of quotation marks throughout the book made reading it much more of a struggle than it would have been otherwise. The author notes that this book is intended for American audiences, but the lack of traditional American formatting makes the story and content less accessible to a general audience and, as someone with slight dyslexic traits and focus problems, the blocks of unmarked text meant I often had to read and re-read passages in order to figure out what was dialogue and what was narration. The formatting is really the only reason for taking off half a star!
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC from NetGalley!
April 1, 2024
A heart-wrenching historical novella set during the Salvadoran Civil War that weaves the brutality and tragedy of war with the tenderness and hope of human connection and perseverance.
Summary (Spoiler-Free)
The Ones Who Stayed is told from the point of view of Agnes, an American nun living in El Salvador during the civil war in the 1980’s. Agnes has a stronger will—and stomach—than most, and is determined to do what little she can as a supposed “protected” member of the Faith to bring relief to the people in her town.
One day, when Agnes goes into the garden behind the convent —the one place in the war-torn world she can pretend at peace—a priest is there, seated on the bench under the mango tree.
It’s the beginning of a beautiful friendship, one that leads Agnes on a dangerous journey and forces her to question her beliefs about Catholicism, morality, and revolution. But despite any disagreements they might have about how to fight for the lives and freedoms of those around them, the nun and the priest share one immutable thing in common: they will stay. To whatever end.
Review (Mild Spoilers)
I haven’t stopped thinking about this novella since I finished it days ago. It was incredibly well-paced and well-researched, full of details that transported me to El Salvador during this trying period (e.g., the corn coffee, the flora in the mountains, the sounds and smells of the war).
The very real setting is characterized by suffering and darkness, and St. Hilaire handles it with the weight and directness it deserves. From the very first scene, when Agnes is fetching the head of a friend to deliver to his mother, we get a sense that there is no easy way out. Agnes closes herself off, separating herself from her own hands and her emotions as she completes the task that nobody else can do. But even in that dark moment, we get a glimpse of the light in Agnes’ strength and determination. And that is reflective of the book as a whole: the darkness interspersed with the light.
The relationship between Agnes and Raul (the priest) is where the story shines. Anges is isolated at the beginning, out of what she feels is necessity. At first, she is angered by Raul’s presence in the garden because by occupying her place of solitude, he is disrupting her ability to withdraw. But with each interaction, Agnes gets a step closer to finding solace in Raul’s gentle, strong presence. Their blossoming relationship alleviates the heaviness of the harsh world (for both the characters and the reader), and perhaps it shines even brighter because of it.
This is a story about war, faith, liberation theology, perseverance, strength, and personal connection.
I recommend it to lovers of historical fiction and anyone looking to learn about the real impacts of the Salvadoran Civil War through a unique perspective. Just don't expect to read it without your eyes leaking at least once.
Summary (Spoiler-Free)
The Ones Who Stayed is told from the point of view of Agnes, an American nun living in El Salvador during the civil war in the 1980’s. Agnes has a stronger will—and stomach—than most, and is determined to do what little she can as a supposed “protected” member of the Faith to bring relief to the people in her town.
One day, when Agnes goes into the garden behind the convent —the one place in the war-torn world she can pretend at peace—a priest is there, seated on the bench under the mango tree.
It’s the beginning of a beautiful friendship, one that leads Agnes on a dangerous journey and forces her to question her beliefs about Catholicism, morality, and revolution. But despite any disagreements they might have about how to fight for the lives and freedoms of those around them, the nun and the priest share one immutable thing in common: they will stay. To whatever end.
Review (Mild Spoilers)
I haven’t stopped thinking about this novella since I finished it days ago. It was incredibly well-paced and well-researched, full of details that transported me to El Salvador during this trying period (e.g., the corn coffee, the flora in the mountains, the sounds and smells of the war).
The very real setting is characterized by suffering and darkness, and St. Hilaire handles it with the weight and directness it deserves. From the very first scene, when Agnes is fetching the head of a friend to deliver to his mother, we get a sense that there is no easy way out. Agnes closes herself off, separating herself from her own hands and her emotions as she completes the task that nobody else can do. But even in that dark moment, we get a glimpse of the light in Agnes’ strength and determination. And that is reflective of the book as a whole: the darkness interspersed with the light.
The relationship between Agnes and Raul (the priest) is where the story shines. Anges is isolated at the beginning, out of what she feels is necessity. At first, she is angered by Raul’s presence in the garden because by occupying her place of solitude, he is disrupting her ability to withdraw. But with each interaction, Agnes gets a step closer to finding solace in Raul’s gentle, strong presence. Their blossoming relationship alleviates the heaviness of the harsh world (for both the characters and the reader), and perhaps it shines even brighter because of it.
This is a story about war, faith, liberation theology, perseverance, strength, and personal connection.
I recommend it to lovers of historical fiction and anyone looking to learn about the real impacts of the Salvadoran Civil War through a unique perspective. Just don't expect to read it without your eyes leaking at least once.
February 6, 2024
This novella captures the horror and dismal hopelessness of the Salvadoran Civil War of the 1980s, and it's aftermath that stretches into the present day. It is not a light read and the author pulls no punches in bringing the characters and the situations to life. The writing is clean and it doesn't hand you feelings on a silver platter, but sets the stage for you to feel what you should feel. It is often bleak and stark, but the beautifully crafted writing transports you to a profound space that not only captures the tragedy, but illustrates resilience and optimism against all odds. Hope was expressed in the love and human connections. It calls to mind Poe's The Pit and the Pendulum, where everything is terrifying and seemingly hopeless until Poe writes of the tiny glimmer of light that shines in the darkness. In this book, love is that tiny sliver of light. The personal stories are heartbreaking, yet beautiful. I had to sit quietly for a while after finishing the book, sort of needing to push my heart back down from my throat to where it belongs.
April 20, 2024
A brilliant and poignant novella about war, religion and love. This novel was written with so much love behind every single word, despite it being on the shorter side, I really felt everything. I found the brutal and unrelenting plot serving as a reminder of the beauty of the mundane, something we often take for granted. Well written and delicately executed, a fantastic glimpse into a part of history that is often overlooked.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #TheOnesWhoStayed #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #TheOnesWhoStayed #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
April 25, 2024
A wonderful and heartbreaking story of love and loss. Beautiful story.
January 31, 2024
This beautifully written book stayed with me for days. St. Hilaire's prose fits the difficult content, leaving nothing over or understated. I was completely drawn into a world, a conflict, I knew very little about, with complex characters who felt devastatingly real. A well-researched, haunting story I will not forget. This is historical fiction done right, leaving this reader to grapple with moral nuance and emotion - the world needs more stories like this. I'm sold on this author's writing and look forward to reading her next release. May it come soon!
April 21, 2024
A beautifully written, absolutely heart-wrenching novella! I highly recommend.
I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 28, 2024
It's quite a gift to write a story that is both tragic and inspiring, yet Shannon has mastered the art! The Ones Who Stayed is a beautifully told story that is hard to put down. The content, though at times disturbing, gives realistic insight into a conflict (Civil War) that many have sadly experienced throughout the world. The chapters are short, the multilingual dialogue is easy to understand, and Shannon does an excellent job capturing the resilience of a determined few trying to help community stuck in fear of extermination.
May 23, 2024
4.5 stars* I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley!
When I started reading I was instantly enthralled with this book. More so towards the middle however, I did kind of lose a bit of interest. However, this book is beautifully reflective of many other world issues, not just what is told in the story.
It takes you on a journey of Sister Agnes and her time through the Salvadoran Civil War and the atrocities she faces and the challenges she endures during this time trying to provide light and aid to the Salvadoran people. I was scared it would come off as “white savior complex”. However, the more the story developed and she spoke on her connection to the country and feeling the sense of belonging to El Salvador more than in America it was refreshing and put that fear at ease. Also, let’s not forget the beautiful love that was portrayed and progressed throughout the story, starting from very benign inklings of feelings to the progression we see toward the end of the novel. I liked how it wasn’t overdone and didn’t take away from the storyline.
In the end, we see the long term impacts of loss and the experiences of war shaping who and how Sister Agnes is. Overall, the story was beautiful and I truly believe important for many to read. I think this was my first book I ever read set in El Salvador and I’m very glad I could read it and grasp a little bit of knowledge of the country’s history. However, I will warn it may be too graphic for some individuals, but check the trigger warnings.
It takes you on a journey of Sister Agnes and her time through the Salvadoran Civil War and the atrocities she faces and the challenges she endures during this time trying to provide light and aid to the Salvadoran people. I was scared it would come off as “white savior complex”. However, the more the story developed and she spoke on her connection to the country and feeling the sense of belonging to El Salvador more than in America it was refreshing and put that fear at ease. Also, let’s not forget the beautiful love that was portrayed and progressed throughout the story, starting from very benign inklings of feelings to the progression we see toward the end of the novel. I liked how it wasn’t overdone and didn’t take away from the storyline.
In the end, we see the long term impacts of loss and the experiences of war shaping who and how Sister Agnes is. Overall, the story was beautiful and I truly believe important for many to read. I think this was my first book I ever read set in El Salvador and I’m very glad I could read it and grasp a little bit of knowledge of the country’s history. However, I will warn it may be too graphic for some individuals, but check the trigger warnings.
July 3, 2024
Read as an ARC from Netgalley
Rating: 4 / 5 stars
This was a great read. When I first picked up this novella I was kinda dreading that it would be another story along the lines of the ‘White Saviour’ archetype, but it definitely was not. The story was very heart-wrenching, and had me ‘on the edge of my seat’ for quite some time. The only thing I didn’t quite love about the book was one of the stylistic choices made: the parts of the story that take place in the past, i.e. the majority of the book, the dialogue is not written in quotation marks. I understand it being a stylistic choice, as, at least for me, it made me feel removed from the story, so that I empathised with and felt for the characters but never really developed an attachment, which may well have been the intent. However, it just personally wasn’t my cup of tea. The rather abrupt ending was also a stylistic choice that personally wasn’t really my favourite.
Rating: 4 / 5 stars
This was a great read. When I first picked up this novella I was kinda dreading that it would be another story along the lines of the ‘White Saviour’ archetype, but it definitely was not. The story was very heart-wrenching, and had me ‘on the edge of my seat’ for quite some time. The only thing I didn’t quite love about the book was one of the stylistic choices made: the parts of the story that take place in the past, i.e. the majority of the book, the dialogue is not written in quotation marks. I understand it being a stylistic choice, as, at least for me, it made me feel removed from the story, so that I empathised with and felt for the characters but never really developed an attachment, which may well have been the intent. However, it just personally wasn’t my cup of tea. The rather abrupt ending was also a stylistic choice that personally wasn’t really my favourite.
March 18, 2024
Shannon St. Hilaire’s debut novella is fiction based on the horrible truth of the Salvadoran Civil War (1980-1992)—a war the United States government supported. Agnes, an American nun, chooses to remain in El Salvador even as her sisters are fleeing amid the torture and execution of Catholic clergy. One of Agnes’s duties is retrieving the severed heads of young men who fought in the resistance and returning them to their mothers. This vivid, gritty opening scene thrusts the reader into the atrocities of the war, then shifts to the unbearable pain of the grieving mother.
This is one of St. Hilaire’s strengths—balancing the horrors with the resilience and perseverance of the people. Some scenes are painful to read, but St. Hilaire never dips into sensationalism or graphic depictions. Instead she focuses on the humanity, shepherding the reader through history with respect and honesty.
The writing shifts effortlessly from contemplative as Agnes struggles to reconcile her religious beliefs and duty with her rising anger at the injustice and temptation to join the resistance, to lyric appreciation of the land and people. It is also a love story and a tribute to “the people who stayed, at enormous cost to themselves, and whose staying made all the difference.”
Read my full review on Quaci Press here: https://www.quacipress.com/the-ones-w...
This is one of St. Hilaire’s strengths—balancing the horrors with the resilience and perseverance of the people. Some scenes are painful to read, but St. Hilaire never dips into sensationalism or graphic depictions. Instead she focuses on the humanity, shepherding the reader through history with respect and honesty.
The writing shifts effortlessly from contemplative as Agnes struggles to reconcile her religious beliefs and duty with her rising anger at the injustice and temptation to join the resistance, to lyric appreciation of the land and people. It is also a love story and a tribute to “the people who stayed, at enormous cost to themselves, and whose staying made all the difference.”
Read my full review on Quaci Press here: https://www.quacipress.com/the-ones-w...
April 29, 2024
The book as a meal: I am eating scraps in a bunker, wondering if and when I will get to eat my next full meal
The book left me: Melancholic
Why did this call out to me?
The cover is absolutely stunning, and when I read the description I fell in love with the book. Right up my alley
Pick-up-able? Put-down-able?
Very pick-up-able, I wanted to keep on reading this even when I was falling asleep. But it took me two sessions of reading before I finished it
Issues:
Main character seems very unsure of her choices
The romance came a bit out of left field
Good things:
Atmospheric, got me feeling things
Perfect pacing for a story like this
How did it feel to read?
Felt very much like I was in the story itself. Sucked right in. Whenever it was dangerous, i felt lik I was in danger. When there was a lull between happenings, I was calm, but also wondered how long my safety would last.
What mood would I read this in?
This is more so a summer read, it has a warmness and summery feeling to it
Where does this fall in my tier list ranking?
A safe A rank. Gave me feelies, I wanted to read it, and I am thoroughly satisfied by it. Will recommend.
The book left me: Melancholic
Why did this call out to me?
The cover is absolutely stunning, and when I read the description I fell in love with the book. Right up my alley
Pick-up-able? Put-down-able?
Very pick-up-able, I wanted to keep on reading this even when I was falling asleep. But it took me two sessions of reading before I finished it
Issues:
Main character seems very unsure of her choices
The romance came a bit out of left field
Good things:
Atmospheric, got me feeling things
Perfect pacing for a story like this
How did it feel to read?
Felt very much like I was in the story itself. Sucked right in. Whenever it was dangerous, i felt lik I was in danger. When there was a lull between happenings, I was calm, but also wondered how long my safety would last.
What mood would I read this in?
This is more so a summer read, it has a warmness and summery feeling to it
Where does this fall in my tier list ranking?
A safe A rank. Gave me feelies, I wanted to read it, and I am thoroughly satisfied by it. Will recommend.
March 19, 2024
An absolutely heart-wrenching book following Agnes, a nun based in El Salvador during the Civil War. A truly no-punches-held novella which captured so much emotion, pain and suffering in such a short period of time. This book focuses on the work of a nun and priest, so a lot of the conversations were strongly based within their Catholic faith and covered liberation theology in an interesting way. This grounded a lot of the horrific conversation happening around her in something solid and tangible. Truly human more than anything else, and brutal is the most accurate way to describe it.
The work Agnes was doing is a reflection of actual work conducted by the Church during this time according to the author's note at the end of the novel, and I cannot fathom those experiences. Beautifully written and paced, this will stay with me for a long time, truly. What a short masterpiece ...
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this novella in exchange for an honest review, which I leave voluntarily.
The work Agnes was doing is a reflection of actual work conducted by the Church during this time according to the author's note at the end of the novel, and I cannot fathom those experiences. Beautifully written and paced, this will stay with me for a long time, truly. What a short masterpiece ...
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this novella in exchange for an honest review, which I leave voluntarily.
June 7, 2024
I finished this novella a week or two ago. The author notes that this story is fictional and true. The Salvadoran Civil War occurred from 1980 thru 1992. The author chose to write a novella, but provides resources if you want to do further reading. When the author asks North Americans whether they have heard about the Salvadoran Civil War, they either respond they don't know anything about it or they vaguely remember a bit in the news. I fall into the later category and vaguely remember some priests and/or nuns being killed and never really understood why.
I don't remember reading any books with a setting of El Salvador, and only a few from Central America.
I'm glad to have read this book and feel a little more knowledgeable. Thank you to the author for writing The Ones Who Stayed.
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Book Whisperer for approving my request to read the advance read copy of The Ones Who Stayed in exchange for an honest review. Publication date was Feb 2024. Approximately 100 pages.
I don't remember reading any books with a setting of El Salvador, and only a few from Central America.
I'm glad to have read this book and feel a little more knowledgeable. Thank you to the author for writing The Ones Who Stayed.
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Book Whisperer for approving my request to read the advance read copy of The Ones Who Stayed in exchange for an honest review. Publication date was Feb 2024. Approximately 100 pages.
May 19, 2024
The Ones Who Stayed is a historical fiction account of the El Salvadorian civil war that lasted from 1979-1992. Like most Americans, I knew nothing about this conflict before reading this book. This novella tells the story of Sister Agnes, an American nun who lived in El Salvador during the civil war and stayed long after her fellow sisters left for safer assignments. Agnes felt there was nothing left for her in America and felt a deep desire to help the El Salvadorian people whose lives were in constant danger. The novella describes the great lengths that Sister Agnes went to to help them. While I enjoyed learning about this time in history, parts were very violent and graphic. (Note: Normally that wouldn't bother me, but in this case, it did for some reason.) This was a quick read, but an unsettling one.
Thank you to Book Whisperer and NetGalley for a review copy of The Ones Who Stayed.
Thank you to Book Whisperer and NetGalley for a review copy of The Ones Who Stayed.
August 8, 2024
4.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!
Immediately intrigued by the prologue! This is a historical fiction novella about an American nun living in El Salvador during the civil war in the 1980s. I didn’t know about this piece of history and felt like I learned a lot despite the short length of the story!
The writing is beautiful and descriptive. We really get to know sister Agnes and see the effects of war and loss through the characters. I think the pacing was well done and I will be adding the suggested books mentioned at the end to my tbr so I can learn more about the civil war! Overall it was a fascinating look at strength, resilience, faith, and moral reflections set in the backdrop of a devastating time period for El Salvador.
I look forward to reading more from her in the future!
TW/CW: violence, body horror, police brutality, infant death, rape (brief mentions), car accident (brief mention), death
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!
Immediately intrigued by the prologue! This is a historical fiction novella about an American nun living in El Salvador during the civil war in the 1980s. I didn’t know about this piece of history and felt like I learned a lot despite the short length of the story!
The writing is beautiful and descriptive. We really get to know sister Agnes and see the effects of war and loss through the characters. I think the pacing was well done and I will be adding the suggested books mentioned at the end to my tbr so I can learn more about the civil war! Overall it was a fascinating look at strength, resilience, faith, and moral reflections set in the backdrop of a devastating time period for El Salvador.
I look forward to reading more from her in the future!
TW/CW: violence, body horror, police brutality, infant death, rape (brief mentions), car accident (brief mention), death
May 25, 2024
This novella follows Agnes, an American nun who is working in El Salvador in 1986 during the war. It tells her story over the next few months, detailing all the horrors she encounters and the work she engages in in an effort to make a change.
I was surprised by how well this novella captured the atrocities of war. It was a truly tough read but an important story to tell. The author did a fantastic job of transporting the reader to rural El Salvador and creating a tense and unpredictable atmosphere.
I’m very glad to have read this and learned more about this snippet of history through a viewpoint I never considered before. I would widely recommend this to anyone interested in historical fiction.
Thank you to NetGalley and Book Whisperer for access to this ebook in exchange for an honest review!
I was surprised by how well this novella captured the atrocities of war. It was a truly tough read but an important story to tell. The author did a fantastic job of transporting the reader to rural El Salvador and creating a tense and unpredictable atmosphere.
I’m very glad to have read this and learned more about this snippet of history through a viewpoint I never considered before. I would widely recommend this to anyone interested in historical fiction.
Thank you to NetGalley and Book Whisperer for access to this ebook in exchange for an honest review!
May 16, 2024
4.5 stars.
I really loved this book! The writing was so well done, and I thought the story was the perfect length to encapsulate everything without being unnecessarily long. Since this story follows a white American nun in El Salvador, I was worried this was going to be a white savior kind of novel, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that to not really be the case. Additionally, it has been a while since a book moved me quite as much as this did. It was so short and yet incredibly heartbreaking and beautiful. I didn't know much about El Salvador's civil war before reading this book, but I feel like even going into it knowing nothing I was able to understand the sheer brutality. Overall, just very well written.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really loved this book! The writing was so well done, and I thought the story was the perfect length to encapsulate everything without being unnecessarily long. Since this story follows a white American nun in El Salvador, I was worried this was going to be a white savior kind of novel, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that to not really be the case. Additionally, it has been a while since a book moved me quite as much as this did. It was so short and yet incredibly heartbreaking and beautiful. I didn't know much about El Salvador's civil war before reading this book, but I feel like even going into it knowing nothing I was able to understand the sheer brutality. Overall, just very well written.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 14, 2024
Branched out of my current genre reads to enjoy this short novella and so glad I did! When I read the description of the book, I knew it would be something that would stick with me after reading. I loved the multilingual dialogue in this book and how well developed the characters are. I found the central conflict to be appropriately disturbing and the violence well described for the civil war conflict in which the novella takes place. I loved getting to talk with friends who are fans of history and recommend this book.
April 22, 2024
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.
The Ones Who Stayed is a novella-length historical fiction book. While I need to admit that I don't read a lot of historical fiction, something about this summary caught my attention. And I'm so glad I did read it.
I appreciated the short chapters honestly. It really did help keep my attention and help me understand things.
The story was tragic but beautifully told.
The Ones Who Stayed is a novella-length historical fiction book. While I need to admit that I don't read a lot of historical fiction, something about this summary caught my attention. And I'm so glad I did read it.
I appreciated the short chapters honestly. It really did help keep my attention and help me understand things.
The story was tragic but beautifully told.
May 13, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
A tragic story in the midst of a war-stricken El Salvador - a nun who is grappling with her faith, with love and life, and with the inability to change anything.
The novella is well-written and flows like a river, fast when it needs to be and calm where it's appropriate.
I found myself feeling for Agnes, and everyone around her affected by the war and the cruelty.
A tragic story in the midst of a war-stricken El Salvador - a nun who is grappling with her faith, with love and life, and with the inability to change anything.
The novella is well-written and flows like a river, fast when it needs to be and calm where it's appropriate.
I found myself feeling for Agnes, and everyone around her affected by the war and the cruelty.
July 28, 2025
This novella is heartbreaking. Everyone needs to read it.
Set during the 1980s in El Salvador, it portrays the horrors of the civil war from the point of view of an American Catholic nun who remained in the country while everyone else left.
This novella asks the question, "What's the point of religion if you don't do anything to help people?"
It is a tragic story, but well worth the time to read.
===Thanks, NetGalley for the ARC===
Set during the 1980s in El Salvador, it portrays the horrors of the civil war from the point of view of an American Catholic nun who remained in the country while everyone else left.
This novella asks the question, "What's the point of religion if you don't do anything to help people?"
It is a tragic story, but well worth the time to read.
===Thanks, NetGalley for the ARC===
April 1, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this compelling and even thrilling book. I'm new to the world of novellas and was pleasantly surprised by how much St Hilaire accomplished in less than 100 pages. The main character was very relatable and I felt immersed in the unique setting. Simultaneously hopeful and heartbreaking, tender and jarring, I highly recommend The Ones Who Stayed to anyone.
March 9, 2026
This book is a quick read which is good because I didn't want to put it down. So many intense images stick with me after reading. Intense story and even more so knowing it is based on real happenings.
June 12, 2024
Love and loss, a combination that over the years has been explored in various novels, focusing on a wide range of situations and emotions. While reading this novel, I felt enveloped by the story, immersed in each situation with emotions amplified to the maximum because every event was narrated with a truly unique emotional touch.
There were moments in the story where my attention was slightly tested, and at times I had to "push" myself a bit to continue, not because the story was bad or poorly written, but simply because it felt as if, at certain points, the effort to keep the reader's attention and interest high had momentarily taken a back seat. However, it's important to note that these are very brief moments that never really affected the overall enjoyment of the story.
For me, it is a well-structured short historical novel with a magical writing style and a plot that can be fully appreciated by readers—especially those who love historical fiction, although it is also perfect for those who want to approach the genre for the first time.
There were moments in the story where my attention was slightly tested, and at times I had to "push" myself a bit to continue, not because the story was bad or poorly written, but simply because it felt as if, at certain points, the effort to keep the reader's attention and interest high had momentarily taken a back seat. However, it's important to note that these are very brief moments that never really affected the overall enjoyment of the story.
For me, it is a well-structured short historical novel with a magical writing style and a plot that can be fully appreciated by readers—especially those who love historical fiction, although it is also perfect for those who want to approach the genre for the first time.
May 13, 2026
This was a beautiful and heartbreaking story about the war in El Salvador, a war of which I previously knew basically nothing. Although our main character Agnes is a foreigner, an American nun, she's been living there a long time is one with her community so doesn't feel like an outsider. She also genuinely believes she is there to help as many people as she can and the story focusses on her trying to do that, while fully acknowledging she is of course not some magical hero that can save everyone and end the war, but saving even one person is better than running back to America and saving none.
I thought the story was beautifully written, showing both the horrors of the war but combining it with softer, quieter moments to offset that as a break both for the reader and our characters. I loved her meetings with the priest Raul where they helped and challenged each other and their beliefs. The story felt so real and I think Shannon told it so well. It's not a long book, just a short novella, but I think that's perfect since it's not easy reading material. You'd seriously struggle to get through this book without crying, but it's definitely worth the pain.
I thought the story was beautifully written, showing both the horrors of the war but combining it with softer, quieter moments to offset that as a break both for the reader and our characters. I loved her meetings with the priest Raul where they helped and challenged each other and their beliefs. The story felt so real and I think Shannon told it so well. It's not a long book, just a short novella, but I think that's perfect since it's not easy reading material. You'd seriously struggle to get through this book without crying, but it's definitely worth the pain.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews