What do you think?
Rate this book
A Better World
As the outside world literally falls apart, Linda and Russell Farmer-Bowen and their teenage twins are offered the chance to relocate to Plymouth Valley, a walled-off company town with clean air, pantries that never go empty, and blue-ribbon schools. The family jumps at the opportunity. They’d be crazy not to take it. This might be their last chance at survival.
But fitting in takes work. And the strange residents fervently adhere to a group of customs and beliefs called Hollow... but what exactly is Hollow? Finally, thanks to Linda’s medical skills they begin to find acceptance, and everything seems fine. Sure, Russell starts hyperventilating through a paper bag in the middle of the night, and the kids have drifted like bridgeless islands, but at least they’ll survive. But something isn’t right. The more Linda learns, the more frightened she becomes. Should the Farmer-Bowens be fighting to stay, or fighting to get out?
But fitting in takes work. And the strange residents fervently adhere to a group of customs and beliefs called Hollow... but what exactly is Hollow? Finally, thanks to Linda’s medical skills they begin to find acceptance, and everything seems fine. Sure, Russell starts hyperventilating through a paper bag in the middle of the night, and the kids have drifted like bridgeless islands, but at least they’ll survive. But something isn’t right. The more Linda learns, the more frightened she becomes. Should the Farmer-Bowens be fighting to stay, or fighting to get out?
452 pages, Paperback
First published April 9, 2024
237 people are currently reading
19736 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Langan
53 books900 followersSarah grew up on Long Island, got her MFA in creative writing from Columbia University, her MS in environmental toxicology from NYU, and currently lives in Los Angeles with her family, two rabbits, and three chickens.
Her next novel TRAD WIFE is due out from S&S and Tor UK in Summer, 2026.
Her most recent works include A BETTER WORLD, GOOD NEIGHBORS, PAM KOWOLSKI IS A MONSTER, YOU HAVE THE PRETTIEST MASK, "Does Harlen Lattner Dream of Electric Sheep?," "Squid Teeth," "The Devil's Children," and "I Miss You Too Much."
*I acknowledge that I have massacred the punctuation surrounding the above quotations marks. I will now resume talking about myself in the third person.*
Her books have received favorite of the year distinctions from NPR, Newsweek, The Irish Times, Publisher's Weekly, and the AARP (best of the last five years).
She is also three-time Bram Stoker award winner for outstanding novel in 2007 - The Missing, outstanding short story in 2008 - The Lost, and outstanding novel in 2009 - Audrey's Door.
Blog:https://sarahlangan.com/blog/
Her next novel TRAD WIFE is due out from S&S and Tor UK in Summer, 2026.
Her most recent works include A BETTER WORLD, GOOD NEIGHBORS, PAM KOWOLSKI IS A MONSTER, YOU HAVE THE PRETTIEST MASK, "Does Harlen Lattner Dream of Electric Sheep?," "Squid Teeth," "The Devil's Children," and "I Miss You Too Much."
*I acknowledge that I have massacred the punctuation surrounding the above quotations marks. I will now resume talking about myself in the third person.*
Her books have received favorite of the year distinctions from NPR, Newsweek, The Irish Times, Publisher's Weekly, and the AARP (best of the last five years).
She is also three-time Bram Stoker award winner for outstanding novel in 2007 - The Missing, outstanding short story in 2008 - The Lost, and outstanding novel in 2009 - Audrey's Door.
Blog:https://sarahlangan.com/blog/
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 640 reviews
February 12, 2024
In a dystopian near future and amid environmental collapse the Farmer-Bowen family is invited to live within a company town. A company town is known to be the safest of safe places. A house, jobs, great school for the kids, clean air, food - the residents want for nothing. However, you're place isn't guaranteed. After a year you will be reviewed and the higher-ups will decide if you are actually worthy of staying. During that year the family will be hazed in multiple ways which is always done with a smile, but beware, because behind the overly friendly façade you'll find that full blown insanity is lurking among them.
Wowza! This book was a trip! I have to hand it to Sarah Langan as I do not enjoy any type of cult stories but she had me guzzling her kool-aid for this wild ride. This was creepy as all get out. If the world falling to shit isn't scary enough for you then just wait until you meet the residents of Plymouth Valley. 😱
Something I've come to like about Langan's books is her environmental spin making her thrillers stand out from many of the rest. I was not at all surprised to see she earned her MS in environmental toxicology. I hope that gives her plenty of ideas for future books which I will be first in line for. If you enjoyed her previous book, Good Neighbors, then you'll be sure to enjoy this one as well. 4 stars!
Thank you to Edelweiss and Atria Books for my complimentary copy.
Wowza! This book was a trip! I have to hand it to Sarah Langan as I do not enjoy any type of cult stories but she had me guzzling her kool-aid for this wild ride. This was creepy as all get out. If the world falling to shit isn't scary enough for you then just wait until you meet the residents of Plymouth Valley. 😱
Something I've come to like about Langan's books is her environmental spin making her thrillers stand out from many of the rest. I was not at all surprised to see she earned her MS in environmental toxicology. I hope that gives her plenty of ideas for future books which I will be first in line for. If you enjoyed her previous book, Good Neighbors, then you'll be sure to enjoy this one as well. 4 stars!
Thank you to Edelweiss and Atria Books for my complimentary copy.
April 26, 2024
It's obvious from the other Goodreads reviews that I'm in the minority here, but I really didn't love this one. I mean, it was okay and I'll admit that the first fifty percent was pretty great, but it just kind of lost me in the second half.
First of all, A Better World is dystopian fiction. Both the Goodreads and NetGalley blurbs make it seem like more of a cult-based thriller, and while there's definitely some of that, it's also very dystopian. Dystopian fiction has never been my favorite genre, but I actually felt as if that part was done really well. I particularly enjoyed the backstory of the Great Unwinding and the rise of the utopian company towns like Pleasant Valley. I also enjoyed the initial glimpse into Pleasant Valley and its exclusiveness, and its unique traditions (known as Hollow).
The second half of the book, however, was less exciting for me. Once the Farmer-Bowens became part of the in-crowd, the story lost a lot of the sparkle. There's a lot of repetition (the same people keep doing the same things over and over and discussing the same subjects), and all of the initially interesting and fun characters become anything but. I suppose this is intentional – Pleasant Valley is not a place where uniqueness is encouraged – but unfortunately it doesn't make for a particularly exciting read.
The ending, too, seemed rather rushed and lacking in depth and detail. The Big Bad is defeated in what felt like a few sentences, and then it's just … over. Linda doesn't attempt to expose anything that happened in the underground shelter and it all felt rather anticlimactic.
I'm not saying that this book isn't worth a read, however. Despite its flaws, it has an original premise and the (dystopian) world-building is really fantastic. I'd actually love to know more about the world outside of these utopian corporate enclaves. And every Goodreads review prior to this one has been super positive, so others obviously enjoyed this one much more than I did.
Overall rating: 3.45 stars, rounded down. If you like your dystopian fiction with a side of crazy corporate cult members and genetically engineered not-chickens, there's a good chance that you'll really enjoy this one.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
First of all, A Better World is dystopian fiction. Both the Goodreads and NetGalley blurbs make it seem like more of a cult-based thriller, and while there's definitely some of that, it's also very dystopian. Dystopian fiction has never been my favorite genre, but I actually felt as if that part was done really well. I particularly enjoyed the backstory of the Great Unwinding and the rise of the utopian company towns like Pleasant Valley. I also enjoyed the initial glimpse into Pleasant Valley and its exclusiveness, and its unique traditions (known as Hollow).
The second half of the book, however, was less exciting for me. Once the Farmer-Bowens became part of the in-crowd, the story lost a lot of the sparkle. There's a lot of repetition (the same people keep doing the same things over and over and discussing the same subjects), and all of the initially interesting and fun characters become anything but. I suppose this is intentional – Pleasant Valley is not a place where uniqueness is encouraged – but unfortunately it doesn't make for a particularly exciting read.
The ending, too, seemed rather rushed and lacking in depth and detail. The Big Bad is defeated in what felt like a few sentences, and then it's just … over. Linda doesn't attempt to expose anything that happened in the underground shelter and it all felt rather anticlimactic.
I'm not saying that this book isn't worth a read, however. Despite its flaws, it has an original premise and the (dystopian) world-building is really fantastic. I'd actually love to know more about the world outside of these utopian corporate enclaves. And every Goodreads review prior to this one has been super positive, so others obviously enjoyed this one much more than I did.
Overall rating: 3.45 stars, rounded down. If you like your dystopian fiction with a side of crazy corporate cult members and genetically engineered not-chickens, there's a good chance that you'll really enjoy this one.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
February 2, 2024
Be careful what you wish for! Looking for a better life does not always equal a better world, or does it?
Linda, Russell, and their teen twins moved to Plymouth Valley when Russel is hired to work there. Plymouth Valley is touted as being a safe place. It is a company town that boasts fresh air, top schools, and plenty of food. It's an elite place. Everything is taken care of for you - a home, a car, a job, etc. If you have a chance to live in this community, you would be a fool to turn it down as the outside world is falling apart. Sure, you must put up with horrific hazing, the many festivals, and bizarre friendships, but it's worth it, right??? Things might be free but then again, everything comes with a price as the saying goes.
What happens when you rock the boat?
A Better World was a gripping, creepy, and thought provoking dystopian book that reminded me to a small degree of The Stepford Wives and the movie Midsommar. Everyone must act in a certain way, participate fully in festivals and not voice what you are thinking. Is that the cost of breathing fresh air???
I enjoyed the creepy and eerie feel of the book. I kept trying to figure out what was happening and what was going to happen next! I enjoyed the mounting tension and sense of danger that grew as the book progressed. I also enjoyed how the book had themes of power, bullying, popularity, privilege, conformity, and the environment.
I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this book. The ending was shocking and went a little off the rails, but that tends to happen at the end of books. I found this to be an enjoyable and interesting read. I could see this book being made into a movie.
This was a buddy read with Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill. I enjoyed our discussion and thoughts on the book. Please check out her review as well to see what she thought of A Better World
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Linda, Russell, and their teen twins moved to Plymouth Valley when Russel is hired to work there. Plymouth Valley is touted as being a safe place. It is a company town that boasts fresh air, top schools, and plenty of food. It's an elite place. Everything is taken care of for you - a home, a car, a job, etc. If you have a chance to live in this community, you would be a fool to turn it down as the outside world is falling apart. Sure, you must put up with horrific hazing, the many festivals, and bizarre friendships, but it's worth it, right??? Things might be free but then again, everything comes with a price as the saying goes.
What happens when you rock the boat?
A Better World was a gripping, creepy, and thought provoking dystopian book that reminded me to a small degree of The Stepford Wives and the movie Midsommar. Everyone must act in a certain way, participate fully in festivals and not voice what you are thinking. Is that the cost of breathing fresh air???
I enjoyed the creepy and eerie feel of the book. I kept trying to figure out what was happening and what was going to happen next! I enjoyed the mounting tension and sense of danger that grew as the book progressed. I also enjoyed how the book had themes of power, bullying, popularity, privilege, conformity, and the environment.
I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this book. The ending was shocking and went a little off the rails, but that tends to happen at the end of books. I found this to be an enjoyable and interesting read. I could see this book being made into a movie.
This was a buddy read with Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill. I enjoyed our discussion and thoughts on the book. Please check out her review as well to see what she thought of A Better World
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
April 17, 2024
-Tour-
Welcome to Plymouth Valley where everything is so much better than...anywhere!
It you look around, you can see for yourself how perfect everything is. Well manicured lawns. No graffiti. Please note how fresh and clean the air is here, as compared to outside. I notice that you have a bit of a cough. I guarantee if you decide to join us, that cough will be completely be gone in only a matter of days.
What's that? Why are all these birds walking around? You'll find out more about them later.
We are not a religious group, but we do practice the art of Hollow. You'll learn more about it soon enough, but a few of the elements of practicing are: learning about your neighbors and community, and having a small altar in your home. You'll be required to attend all of our festivals and events throughout the year.
I spoke of the altar in your house. Here we are, allow me show it to you! It's a beautiful home, just look at the modern kitchen and living spaces! Completely furnished with linens, dishware, cookware, etc.. Everything here belongs to you for as long as you remain. As you already know, your first year here will be an adjustment period, not just for you, but for everyone. During that time you will want to try to "fit in" as best as possible. This means taking part in events, helping in the community, participating in Hollow, as well as good job performance. At the end of the year your review will take place and we will decide if we'd like you to stay. It's like winning a lottery ticket!
-End of tour-
Of course Plymouth Valley is not all it's cracked up to be. The Farmer-Bowen family falls for the pitch and really, how could they not? This is a dystopian novel and the state of the world environmentally is not good. It's detrimental to your health to breathe. There are new drugs and new addictions on top of the existing ones. There are no jobs. Compared to all this, the valley sounds like heaven.
I loved the family dynamics in this and I felt like all the characters had multiple layers. The dynamics kept changing as each member had to adjust to the new people they were becoming. It was not possible to live in the valley without being changed. Because everything felt so real, it was easy to surrender myself to the story and let Sarah Langan take over.
I was a huge fan of her last novel, and have been looking forward to A BETTER WORLD from the moment I heard the title. This book too, had me hanging on by my fingernails as the tension built and I admit to losing my grip toward the end with this one. What an denouement!
Highly recommended, especially to fans of dystopian novels and cult tales.
*ARC from publisher*
Welcome to Plymouth Valley where everything is so much better than...anywhere!
It you look around, you can see for yourself how perfect everything is. Well manicured lawns. No graffiti. Please note how fresh and clean the air is here, as compared to outside. I notice that you have a bit of a cough. I guarantee if you decide to join us, that cough will be completely be gone in only a matter of days.
What's that? Why are all these birds walking around? You'll find out more about them later.
We are not a religious group, but we do practice the art of Hollow. You'll learn more about it soon enough, but a few of the elements of practicing are: learning about your neighbors and community, and having a small altar in your home. You'll be required to attend all of our festivals and events throughout the year.
I spoke of the altar in your house. Here we are, allow me show it to you! It's a beautiful home, just look at the modern kitchen and living spaces! Completely furnished with linens, dishware, cookware, etc.. Everything here belongs to you for as long as you remain. As you already know, your first year here will be an adjustment period, not just for you, but for everyone. During that time you will want to try to "fit in" as best as possible. This means taking part in events, helping in the community, participating in Hollow, as well as good job performance. At the end of the year your review will take place and we will decide if we'd like you to stay. It's like winning a lottery ticket!
-End of tour-
Of course Plymouth Valley is not all it's cracked up to be. The Farmer-Bowen family falls for the pitch and really, how could they not? This is a dystopian novel and the state of the world environmentally is not good. It's detrimental to your health to breathe. There are new drugs and new addictions on top of the existing ones. There are no jobs. Compared to all this, the valley sounds like heaven.
I loved the family dynamics in this and I felt like all the characters had multiple layers. The dynamics kept changing as each member had to adjust to the new people they were becoming. It was not possible to live in the valley without being changed. Because everything felt so real, it was easy to surrender myself to the story and let Sarah Langan take over.
I was a huge fan of her last novel, and have been looking forward to A BETTER WORLD from the moment I heard the title. This book too, had me hanging on by my fingernails as the tension built and I admit to losing my grip toward the end with this one. What an denouement!
Highly recommended, especially to fans of dystopian novels and cult tales.
*ARC from publisher*
June 17, 2024
This is the second book I've read recently that has me reassessing my favourite genres. I don't normally read science fiction or dystopian fiction but this one, which incorporates a little of both, had me mesmerized from the start. There were hints of the Stepford Wives and hints of Soylent Green, coupled with the worst HOA ever!
Set in the near future, it's a story about the Farmer-Bowens family who are given the opportunity to live in Plymouth Valley, a walled Better World company town - one of 18 such towns. With the outside world falling apart, they jump at the chance to live with clean air, abundant food and blue-ribbon schools. But it's a struggle for them to fit in and Linda, the wife and mother and also a doctor, tends to ask too many questions. Linda, husband Russell and 15-year-old twins Josie and Hip, are initially snubbed by the locals but eventually earn some respect and acceptance. There are some odd characters and even odder customs in Plymouth Valley.
Sprinkled with excerpts from the town's guidebook and various pamphlets as well as excerpts from future studies of company towns, I enjoyed reading this and didn't find it too far beyond the realm of possibility. This is the first book by Sarah Langan that I've read and I would definitely be open to reading more of her work.
Thanks to the London Public Library for the loan of this book.
Set in the near future, it's a story about the Farmer-Bowens family who are given the opportunity to live in Plymouth Valley, a walled Better World company town - one of 18 such towns. With the outside world falling apart, they jump at the chance to live with clean air, abundant food and blue-ribbon schools. But it's a struggle for them to fit in and Linda, the wife and mother and also a doctor, tends to ask too many questions. Linda, husband Russell and 15-year-old twins Josie and Hip, are initially snubbed by the locals but eventually earn some respect and acceptance. There are some odd characters and even odder customs in Plymouth Valley.
Sprinkled with excerpts from the town's guidebook and various pamphlets as well as excerpts from future studies of company towns, I enjoyed reading this and didn't find it too far beyond the realm of possibility. This is the first book by Sarah Langan that I've read and I would definitely be open to reading more of her work.
Thanks to the London Public Library for the loan of this book.
March 25, 2025
A Better World brings the Reader another unsettling near-future as imagined by Sarah Langan!!
I really enjoyed Good Neighbors by Langan, so was looking forward to checking this one out. It's absolutely as wild and wicked as that previous novel, but this one went even darker, IMO, which I adore.
This story follows the Farmer-Bowens family, a married couple, Linda and Russell, as well as their teen twins, Hip and Josie, as they are given the opportunity to join the company town of Plymouth Valley.
In this dystopian near-future a safe haven like Plymouth Valley is an unbelievable windfall for any family.
After touring the community, they realize they can't turn it down. This is the opportunity of a lifetime. Russell, a genius with numbers, is offered a job with the company and that will be their foot in the door.
Linda will have to give up her medical career, but truth be told, it's not exactly keeping them safe anyway. The family agrees that they're going to go for it. They're moving to Plymouth Valley.
Once they're there, things are...a little too perfect. You know what I mean? It's so perfect, it's unsettling.
Hip and Russell seem to adjust okay. Linda and Josie not so much. Maybe it's slightly easier for the men for some reason. Is that possible?
Mainly through Linda's perspective, we learn the truth about this seemingly-bucolic company town and watch this one family try to survive it.
It was hard to predict going in what exactly Langan was going to deliver with this one, but after reading it, it makes perfect sense. No one does unsettling perfection better than Sarah Langan.
This is The Stepford Wives on steroids. This story is nuts. The vibes are so creepy. It's one of those fantastically-told stories, where from the start you're creeped out, but you can't really put your finger on why.
It's like, you're scared, but nothing overtly scary is happening. And reading it, it's like peeling back the layers of an onion, everything is slowly revealed but with perfect pacing, providing optimal impact for just exactly how messed up this situation is.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a deep dive into a dark dystopian future. This provides a lot of commentary on wealth, privilege and the power of corporations, for you to sink your teeth into.
It feels a little long, as in, Langan really built out this story, but if you have the patience and just settle in for the ride, it's so well done. I definitely believe it successfully captured the vibes the author was hoping for!
Thank you to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I'm sorry it took me so long to get to this one, because I've been missing out. I cannot wait to see what Langan is going to deliver next!!!
I really enjoyed Good Neighbors by Langan, so was looking forward to checking this one out. It's absolutely as wild and wicked as that previous novel, but this one went even darker, IMO, which I adore.
This story follows the Farmer-Bowens family, a married couple, Linda and Russell, as well as their teen twins, Hip and Josie, as they are given the opportunity to join the company town of Plymouth Valley.
In this dystopian near-future a safe haven like Plymouth Valley is an unbelievable windfall for any family.
After touring the community, they realize they can't turn it down. This is the opportunity of a lifetime. Russell, a genius with numbers, is offered a job with the company and that will be their foot in the door.
Linda will have to give up her medical career, but truth be told, it's not exactly keeping them safe anyway. The family agrees that they're going to go for it. They're moving to Plymouth Valley.
Once they're there, things are...a little too perfect. You know what I mean? It's so perfect, it's unsettling.
Hip and Russell seem to adjust okay. Linda and Josie not so much. Maybe it's slightly easier for the men for some reason. Is that possible?
Mainly through Linda's perspective, we learn the truth about this seemingly-bucolic company town and watch this one family try to survive it.
It was hard to predict going in what exactly Langan was going to deliver with this one, but after reading it, it makes perfect sense. No one does unsettling perfection better than Sarah Langan.
This is The Stepford Wives on steroids. This story is nuts. The vibes are so creepy. It's one of those fantastically-told stories, where from the start you're creeped out, but you can't really put your finger on why.
It's like, you're scared, but nothing overtly scary is happening. And reading it, it's like peeling back the layers of an onion, everything is slowly revealed but with perfect pacing, providing optimal impact for just exactly how messed up this situation is.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a deep dive into a dark dystopian future. This provides a lot of commentary on wealth, privilege and the power of corporations, for you to sink your teeth into.
It feels a little long, as in, Langan really built out this story, but if you have the patience and just settle in for the ride, it's so well done. I definitely believe it successfully captured the vibes the author was hoping for!
Thank you to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I'm sorry it took me so long to get to this one, because I've been missing out. I cannot wait to see what Langan is going to deliver next!!!
February 20, 2024
Plymouth Valley is an idyllic community. When they agree to hire Linda’s husband Russell, on a trial basis, they run to the community for the top .0001% With the world falling apart, this may be the family’s chance at safety.
Fitting in is harder than they thought. But Linda ends up securing them a spot.
Everything seems fine for a while, but then strange things start happening.
Linda’s warned to stop asking questions, but she doesn’t stop. The more she learns, the more frightened she becomes.
Dystopian thrillers are some of my favorite types of books, especially when the dystopian world is one that seems realistic. In the world that this book is set in, nuclear war is common, and people live in constant fear while the world is scrapping by. I loved the world that this was set in, but honestly it did hit close to home. However, I do with that there was some more background into how the world got to be the way that it was. That being said, it was amazingly done, and the writing was amazing and vivid. I loved the description of the town and everything about it. I think that this book was more than just a thriller, it also explored relationships. It was also amazingly suspenseful, and I kept trying to figure out what direction things were going to go. When we did get to the reveal, I was not exactly shocked, but it was shocking. I thought that it was enough shock and aw to keep people on their toes, but not so much that it was completely over the top.
Fitting in is harder than they thought. But Linda ends up securing them a spot.
Everything seems fine for a while, but then strange things start happening.
Linda’s warned to stop asking questions, but she doesn’t stop. The more she learns, the more frightened she becomes.
Dystopian thrillers are some of my favorite types of books, especially when the dystopian world is one that seems realistic. In the world that this book is set in, nuclear war is common, and people live in constant fear while the world is scrapping by. I loved the world that this was set in, but honestly it did hit close to home. However, I do with that there was some more background into how the world got to be the way that it was. That being said, it was amazingly done, and the writing was amazing and vivid. I loved the description of the town and everything about it. I think that this book was more than just a thriller, it also explored relationships. It was also amazingly suspenseful, and I kept trying to figure out what direction things were going to go. When we did get to the reveal, I was not exactly shocked, but it was shocking. I thought that it was enough shock and aw to keep people on their toes, but not so much that it was completely over the top.
June 10, 2024
3.5/5 - I really wanted to love this because the premise is one I haven't personally read before. It seems like a lot of dystopian fiction centers on the idea that there are perfect / safe-haven societies that someone could become a part of or that just exist in general... but A Better World did a good job of including thriller/mystery elements that made me want to figure out what was really going on.
The reason I'm detracting from 5/5 rating:
#1. A Better World is WAY too long. With sci-fi elements and a creepy population of people .. it should have moved at a little faster pace!
#2: (Really more of a 1A) - I needed more of the dystopian action and more people to start acting weird sooner. I knew something would be wrong with the science because very little is that perfect.. so it was almost a letdown that the end to have ended the way it did.
**Thank you to Atria Books & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤
Find Me On Instagram 🦋 || More Bookish Thoughts & Reviews Here 🖤
The reason I'm detracting from 5/5 rating:
#1. A Better World is WAY too long. With sci-fi elements and a creepy population of people .. it should have moved at a little faster pace!
#2: (Really more of a 1A) - I needed more of the dystopian action and more people to start acting weird sooner. I knew something would be wrong with the science because very little is that perfect.. so it was almost a letdown that the end to have ended the way it did.
**Thank you to Atria Books & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤
Find Me On Instagram 🦋 || More Bookish Thoughts & Reviews Here 🖤
December 9, 2024
So in an environmental collapse, Linda wants a better world for her family. Clean air, good schools, food available all the time, and no crime—Plymouth Valley promises it all. But, of course, nothing that perfect ever comes without a price, right? From the moment Linda and her family arrive, something feels... off. It’s not just the weird rules or the eerie smiles everyone seems to wear—it’s the sense that Plymouth Valley has secrets. Big ones.
As the story unfolds, Plymouth Valley transforms from a better world to a suffocating, controlled community.
Linda is the beating heart of this story, and she’s compelling. At first glance, she’s just a mom trying to create a better life for her family—But her journey goes far beyond finding the perfect home. As she navigates the increasingly hostile and secretive world of Plymouth Valley, Linda becomes our guide to the fractures hiding beneath the surface of this so-called utopia.
The brilliance here is the mirror the author holds up while using sharp, biting satire on wealth, power, privilege, and the lengths people will go to for "a better world." She uses Plymouth Valley to show us the evil sides of power in pursed of making things great, which only benefits the privilege
Langan doesn’t hold back, and she uses Plymouth Valley to aim at powerful corporations, governments, nationalism, and the abuse of the pharmaceutical industry.
The downside. The story occasionally feels overly cinematic, reaching for ambitious heights while driving that satire. The climax, though exciting, borders on chaotic and leans a bit into the over-the-top territory, making it slightly hard to follow.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley
As the story unfolds, Plymouth Valley transforms from a better world to a suffocating, controlled community.
Linda is the beating heart of this story, and she’s compelling. At first glance, she’s just a mom trying to create a better life for her family—But her journey goes far beyond finding the perfect home. As she navigates the increasingly hostile and secretive world of Plymouth Valley, Linda becomes our guide to the fractures hiding beneath the surface of this so-called utopia.
The brilliance here is the mirror the author holds up while using sharp, biting satire on wealth, power, privilege, and the lengths people will go to for "a better world." She uses Plymouth Valley to show us the evil sides of power in pursed of making things great, which only benefits the privilege
Langan doesn’t hold back, and she uses Plymouth Valley to aim at powerful corporations, governments, nationalism, and the abuse of the pharmaceutical industry.
The downside. The story occasionally feels overly cinematic, reaching for ambitious heights while driving that satire. The climax, though exciting, borders on chaotic and leans a bit into the over-the-top territory, making it slightly hard to follow.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley
July 17, 2024
Stepford wives adjacent story for a dying world. Langan did a lot of things right with this book, Linda is a compelling character and her relationships with her children and husband are nuanced enough to come across as realistic. The is where I was just kind of meh, I get where Langan was going with it but it would have worked better for me if the characters involved in it had been a little more cynical about it. I also think that some parts of the book could have used a little more trimming.
Overall it was still a pretty enjoyable read, 3.5 rounded up.
Overall it was still a pretty enjoyable read, 3.5 rounded up.
March 17, 2024
This book is one wild ride!
A Better World is a genre bending mashup of dystopian, horror, climate fiction, and domestic thriller. Filled with suspense and truly disturbing moments, this culty book is one completely original story. A Better World has an interesting beginning that pulled me in immediately. I did find it a bit slow and overwritten in parts but overall I really enjoyed it.
This is my second read by Langlan. I really liked her 2021 work, Good Neighbors as well and I look forward to reading more by her in the future.
A Better World by Sarah Langan will be available on April 9. Many thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for the gifted copy!
A Better World is a genre bending mashup of dystopian, horror, climate fiction, and domestic thriller. Filled with suspense and truly disturbing moments, this culty book is one completely original story. A Better World has an interesting beginning that pulled me in immediately. I did find it a bit slow and overwritten in parts but overall I really enjoyed it.
This is my second read by Langlan. I really liked her 2021 work, Good Neighbors as well and I look forward to reading more by her in the future.
A Better World by Sarah Langan will be available on April 9. Many thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for the gifted copy!
October 26, 2024
This book is CRAZY.
Although Langan doesn’t quite have the wordsmithing power of Margaret Atwood, she’s tapped a bit of that terrifying satirical portrayal of near future climate disaster, social decay, and corporate hegemony that Atwood has previously captured so well.
Mostly, though, it’s a story about a family being torn apart in their effort to “do what they have to” to survive, and what it looks like when they try to put things back together before it’s too late. A good story, entertaining and easy to read, but still with some substance and thoughtful portrayal of characters.
It has enough dark moments to tip it into horror at times, but also holds on to that thread of optimism most of us never quite want to let go.
You get used to people doing terrible things. You get used to being told that only suckers take risks. You hear this so much you believe it. You believe that if you try, you'll try alone, and because of that, you'll fail. But here were people who'd done something, who were willing to die for that thing. They existed. Always had.
Although Langan doesn’t quite have the wordsmithing power of Margaret Atwood, she’s tapped a bit of that terrifying satirical portrayal of near future climate disaster, social decay, and corporate hegemony that Atwood has previously captured so well.
Mostly, though, it’s a story about a family being torn apart in their effort to “do what they have to” to survive, and what it looks like when they try to put things back together before it’s too late. A good story, entertaining and easy to read, but still with some substance and thoughtful portrayal of characters.
It has enough dark moments to tip it into horror at times, but also holds on to that thread of optimism most of us never quite want to let go.
You get used to people doing terrible things. You get used to being told that only suckers take risks. You hear this so much you believe it. You believe that if you try, you'll try alone, and because of that, you'll fail. But here were people who'd done something, who were willing to die for that thing. They existed. Always had.
February 7, 2024
Now this is a book that is perfect for a buddy or book club read… because you are going to want to talk about WHAT HAPPENED! 😳 Thank you so much to @atriabooks @atriathrillers for my gorgeous gifted copy!! 🥰🥰 Pub date is April 9th!! 🥳🥳🥳 Thank you Debra @openbookpostblog for a fantastic buddy read!! Check out her fantastic review!!
Okay guys.. this book was wild. 😳I went in completely blind and that is probably best!! 😉 I will keep this vague. Sooo question… you get a job offer from a very prestigious company… in fact one that people never want to leave… Here’s the deal…
😳 You live… shop… go to school 🏫.. work.. you do EVERYTHING in life in your company town if you get in… EVERYTHING… What exactly does that mean?🤔🤔
😍 They give you a 🏡 home… a gorgeous home… way grander than your current home. They pay 💰 for everything!! Groceries 🌮🥗🧁🍰… Cars 🚗 🚙… Clothes 👗👔👠… your child ‘s activities ⛹️♀️🏇🏻… and education… Ummm 🤔 Sign ME UP!! Right?!!
These people are SO nice… well I hope so.. because you are now stuck forever with them… with no contact with the outside world 🌎… or your extended family. 😳… Yep… you just left EVERYTHING behind. 👋 Sounds crazy right?? Also are they really THAT nice?! 😏
Holy Hell… like literally Holy Hell. 😳😂😂 This book went into an ENTIRELY different direction than I expected!! 😳 Let’s just say… I felt some horror vibes in the second half.. What?! Right?! 😂 This nice.. peaceful cover.. 😏🤫🤐
Okay this was a perfect buddy read!! 🙌 So much to talk about.. such an intriguing concept… I really enjoyed this one!! I can tell you… there is no way I would have stayed in that gorgeous Plymouth Valley… no matter how nice it… seemed.. 😳… BYE FELICIA! 👋👋 🏃♀️ 🏃♀️ 💼 ✈️
Okay guys.. this book was wild. 😳I went in completely blind and that is probably best!! 😉 I will keep this vague. Sooo question… you get a job offer from a very prestigious company… in fact one that people never want to leave… Here’s the deal…
😳 You live… shop… go to school 🏫.. work.. you do EVERYTHING in life in your company town if you get in… EVERYTHING… What exactly does that mean?🤔🤔
😍 They give you a 🏡 home… a gorgeous home… way grander than your current home. They pay 💰 for everything!! Groceries 🌮🥗🧁🍰… Cars 🚗 🚙… Clothes 👗👔👠… your child ‘s activities ⛹️♀️🏇🏻… and education… Ummm 🤔 Sign ME UP!! Right?!!
These people are SO nice… well I hope so.. because you are now stuck forever with them… with no contact with the outside world 🌎… or your extended family. 😳… Yep… you just left EVERYTHING behind. 👋 Sounds crazy right?? Also are they really THAT nice?! 😏
Holy Hell… like literally Holy Hell. 😳😂😂 This book went into an ENTIRELY different direction than I expected!! 😳 Let’s just say… I felt some horror vibes in the second half.. What?! Right?! 😂 This nice.. peaceful cover.. 😏🤫🤐
Okay this was a perfect buddy read!! 🙌 So much to talk about.. such an intriguing concept… I really enjoyed this one!! I can tell you… there is no way I would have stayed in that gorgeous Plymouth Valley… no matter how nice it… seemed.. 😳… BYE FELICIA! 👋👋 🏃♀️ 🏃♀️ 💼 ✈️
May 15, 2024
In A Better World the Farmer-Bowen family is drawn to the lifestyle offered by company towns like Plymouth Valley, the walled-off exclusive community they visit. When Russell receives a job offer to join the town on a trial basis, the family gratefully accepts. They soon learn it’s a challenge to fit in as they try to navigate their way through cliques, distanced demeanors, and social hierarchies.
Linda gets invited to join a group of powerful women in Plymouth Valley and begins to see everything isn’t as it seems. There are major secrets lurking beneath the town’s pleasant facade. How far is Linda willing to go to uncover the truth while also trying to protect her family?
I was initially intrigued by this premise but I didn’t enjoy the execution as much as I hoped to. I wanted more action, sooner than it came. Even as a dystopian story, A Better World includes a lot of timely elements, not necessarily for the better, and ones that make you think.
Linda gets invited to join a group of powerful women in Plymouth Valley and begins to see everything isn’t as it seems. There are major secrets lurking beneath the town’s pleasant facade. How far is Linda willing to go to uncover the truth while also trying to protect her family?
I was initially intrigued by this premise but I didn’t enjoy the execution as much as I hoped to. I wanted more action, sooner than it came. Even as a dystopian story, A Better World includes a lot of timely elements, not necessarily for the better, and ones that make you think.
December 24, 2023
Plymouth Valley is an idyllic paradise. This book is set in the dystopian near future, where climate change is ruining the world, people are unhealthy and nuclear war is common. The world outside may be falling apart, but things in PV are perfect.
This is a place everyone wants to be, but it’s very hard to get in (and even more difficult to leave). People who live there all have jobs, but they get no salaries, as everything is free - healthcare, restaurants, cars, houses, clothes, groceries - absolutely everything. They also have air scrubbers, keeping the pollution the rest of the world is dying from away. They have tunnels and a bunker where people can go in the event of a radioactive explosion. There is no crime - nobody wants to be removed from PV. This is a place not for the one percent, but the .0001%.
Families like the Farmer-Bowens are very lucky to get inside the gates. Russell’s work with the EPA, and his wife’s work as a pediatrician, gets them access. They will be subject to annual reviews for 25 years. If they can make it that long and prove they are a valuable member of this small society, they get a Golden Ticket and can stay in PV for life. Fail a review? You have to leave, but at least you’ll leave with a fantastic resume.
Russell gets a job with BetterWorld, a company that makes Omnium - a polymer made from recycled ocean plastics. Everyone wears Omnium and it has replaced plastic in most situations. Soon though, questions arise. Is Omnium as safe as everyone says? Even more questions arise when the family learns about “Hollow”, a quasi-religion based on the strange birds called Caladrius that permeate the village. These odd birds lay eggs, and while little meat is eaten in the future, there is a yearly culling to keep the population in check. I have to admit, I wish these birds were real so I could see one!
This book is about the family trying to fit in with these wealthy people, trying to follow all of the rules (I loved the pamphlets scattered throughout!) and trying to be happy in this strange new environment. It’s clean there, the health problems they were having in the outside world are gone, but the people are difficult to deal with. Newcomers aren’t exactly embraced, and the family is struggling.
While the plots are completely different, this book reminded me a lot of Bentley Little’s “The Association”, and I loved that same creepy vibe. This isn’t classified as a horror novel, but there definitely contain some elements of horror. Overall, this one was fascinating and very original. I’d love to see this on screen! I’m giving it 4.5 stars, rounded up.
(Thank you to Atria Books, Sarah Langan and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on April 9, 2024.)
This is a place everyone wants to be, but it’s very hard to get in (and even more difficult to leave). People who live there all have jobs, but they get no salaries, as everything is free - healthcare, restaurants, cars, houses, clothes, groceries - absolutely everything. They also have air scrubbers, keeping the pollution the rest of the world is dying from away. They have tunnels and a bunker where people can go in the event of a radioactive explosion. There is no crime - nobody wants to be removed from PV. This is a place not for the one percent, but the .0001%.
Families like the Farmer-Bowens are very lucky to get inside the gates. Russell’s work with the EPA, and his wife’s work as a pediatrician, gets them access. They will be subject to annual reviews for 25 years. If they can make it that long and prove they are a valuable member of this small society, they get a Golden Ticket and can stay in PV for life. Fail a review? You have to leave, but at least you’ll leave with a fantastic resume.
Russell gets a job with BetterWorld, a company that makes Omnium - a polymer made from recycled ocean plastics. Everyone wears Omnium and it has replaced plastic in most situations. Soon though, questions arise. Is Omnium as safe as everyone says? Even more questions arise when the family learns about “Hollow”, a quasi-religion based on the strange birds called Caladrius that permeate the village. These odd birds lay eggs, and while little meat is eaten in the future, there is a yearly culling to keep the population in check. I have to admit, I wish these birds were real so I could see one!
This book is about the family trying to fit in with these wealthy people, trying to follow all of the rules (I loved the pamphlets scattered throughout!) and trying to be happy in this strange new environment. It’s clean there, the health problems they were having in the outside world are gone, but the people are difficult to deal with. Newcomers aren’t exactly embraced, and the family is struggling.
While the plots are completely different, this book reminded me a lot of Bentley Little’s “The Association”, and I loved that same creepy vibe. This isn’t classified as a horror novel, but there definitely contain some elements of horror. Overall, this one was fascinating and very original. I’d love to see this on screen! I’m giving it 4.5 stars, rounded up.
(Thank you to Atria Books, Sarah Langan and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on April 9, 2024.)
April 11, 2024
I picked this book up solely on the description. It sounded intriguing. Sarah Langan is a new author for me
Description:
You’ll be safe here. That’s what the greasy tour guide tells the Farmer-Bowens when they visit Plymouth Valley, a walled-off company town with clean air, pantries that never go empty, and blue-ribbon schools. On a very trial basis, the company offers to hire Linda Farmer’s husband, a numbers genius, and relocate her whole family to this bucolic paradise for the .0001%. Though Linda will have to sacrifice her medical career back home, the family jumps at the opportunity. They’d be crazy not to take it. With the outside world literally falling apart, this might be the Farmer-Bowens last chance.
But fitting in takes work. The pampered locals distrust outsiders, cruelly snubbing Linda, Russell, and their teen twins. And the residents fervently adhere to a group of customs and beliefs called Hollow . . . but what exactly is Hollow?
It’s Linda who brokers acceptance by volunteering her medical skills to the most powerful people in town with their pet charity, ActHollow. In the months afterward, everything seems fine. Sure, Russell starts hyperventilating through a paper bag in the middle of the night, and the kids have drifted like bridgeless islands, but living here’s worth sacrificing their family’s closeness, isn’t it? At least they’ll survive. The trouble is, the locals never say what they think. They seem scared. And Hollow’s ominous culminating event, the Plymouth Valley Winter Festival, is coming.
Linda’s warned by her husband and her powerful new friends to stop asking questions. But the more she learns, the more frightened she becomes. Should the Farmer-Bowens be fighting to stay, or fighting to get out?
My Thoughts:
I like dystopian scenarios where people try to survive in different ways. This one was based upon a big corporation with a seemingly helpful product that was used world-wide. Their community, Plymouth Valley, seemed to be a protected oasis with many advantages for families who were allowed to live there. The Farmer-Bowens were so relieved after all their suffering to be allowed in. Once there they tried so hard to be accepted and fit-in, but the people there made it tough. As the plot moved along and Linda started piecing things together another picture of Plymouth Valley formed and she became more and more uneasy. This book falls into a few categories: mystery, thriller, horror, and dystopia I think, so if you enjoy books in these categories you would probably like it too.
Thanks to Atria Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.
Description:
You’ll be safe here. That’s what the greasy tour guide tells the Farmer-Bowens when they visit Plymouth Valley, a walled-off company town with clean air, pantries that never go empty, and blue-ribbon schools. On a very trial basis, the company offers to hire Linda Farmer’s husband, a numbers genius, and relocate her whole family to this bucolic paradise for the .0001%. Though Linda will have to sacrifice her medical career back home, the family jumps at the opportunity. They’d be crazy not to take it. With the outside world literally falling apart, this might be the Farmer-Bowens last chance.
But fitting in takes work. The pampered locals distrust outsiders, cruelly snubbing Linda, Russell, and their teen twins. And the residents fervently adhere to a group of customs and beliefs called Hollow . . . but what exactly is Hollow?
It’s Linda who brokers acceptance by volunteering her medical skills to the most powerful people in town with their pet charity, ActHollow. In the months afterward, everything seems fine. Sure, Russell starts hyperventilating through a paper bag in the middle of the night, and the kids have drifted like bridgeless islands, but living here’s worth sacrificing their family’s closeness, isn’t it? At least they’ll survive. The trouble is, the locals never say what they think. They seem scared. And Hollow’s ominous culminating event, the Plymouth Valley Winter Festival, is coming.
Linda’s warned by her husband and her powerful new friends to stop asking questions. But the more she learns, the more frightened she becomes. Should the Farmer-Bowens be fighting to stay, or fighting to get out?
My Thoughts:
I like dystopian scenarios where people try to survive in different ways. This one was based upon a big corporation with a seemingly helpful product that was used world-wide. Their community, Plymouth Valley, seemed to be a protected oasis with many advantages for families who were allowed to live there. The Farmer-Bowens were so relieved after all their suffering to be allowed in. Once there they tried so hard to be accepted and fit-in, but the people there made it tough. As the plot moved along and Linda started piecing things together another picture of Plymouth Valley formed and she became more and more uneasy. This book falls into a few categories: mystery, thriller, horror, and dystopia I think, so if you enjoy books in these categories you would probably like it too.
Thanks to Atria Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.
March 24, 2024
3.5 stars. I found this a nice step up from Langan's previous novel, Good Neighbors. That one had some great pieces but I didn't feel like it came together as a whole. This time Langan dials it way up, goes from a kind of hyperreality to full blown speculative near-future worldbuilding, and I think it was a great move. She is still exploring family dynamics in an extreme setting, and she does it well.
The world itself is pretty wild, it never felt totally explained and settled to me in a way I would have liked. But because we're not really going for realism here it works. It is a lot of world to build, and we never doubt Linda's desperation. Bring her family to this "company town" where everything is taken care of, or live in a dangerously polluted world with no way to climb out of poverty. It's an easy choice, and it has to be because otherwise anyone in their right mind would leave this place within the first few weeks.
You definitely have to just let Langan take you where she's going. You have to be willing to say "okay if that's what you say" because it is weird. But I like weird. I like things I haven't run into before and this was definitely that. Somehow there's weird folk horror vibes in this slice of perfect suburbia and I find that a pretty fascinating idea in and of itself.
I am not sure if this is Horror, though the climax certainly feels straight out of the genre. It's a genre-bender I think, doing a whole lot of things.
The world itself is pretty wild, it never felt totally explained and settled to me in a way I would have liked. But because we're not really going for realism here it works. It is a lot of world to build, and we never doubt Linda's desperation. Bring her family to this "company town" where everything is taken care of, or live in a dangerously polluted world with no way to climb out of poverty. It's an easy choice, and it has to be because otherwise anyone in their right mind would leave this place within the first few weeks.
You definitely have to just let Langan take you where she's going. You have to be willing to say "okay if that's what you say" because it is weird. But I like weird. I like things I haven't run into before and this was definitely that. Somehow there's weird folk horror vibes in this slice of perfect suburbia and I find that a pretty fascinating idea in and of itself.
I am not sure if this is Horror, though the climax certainly feels straight out of the genre. It's a genre-bender I think, doing a whole lot of things.
December 14, 2024
Sarah Langan’s A Better World takes us to Plymouth Valley, a picture-perfect company town where everything seems designed to make you forget the world is literally falling apart outside. Free housing, clean air, and all the food you need. A dream come true. What could go wrong? Quite a lot, it turns out.
Russell, a scientist desperate for a second chance, jumps at the opportunity to move his family to Plymouth Valley, leaving behind New York’s polluted wasteland. His wife, Linda, reluctantly agrees, putting her own career on hold for what seems like a golden ticket. But as soon as they arrive, things start to feel... off. The neighbors are polite, sure, but cold otherwise. Then there are weird customs collectively called “Hollow”. A deadly Thanksgiving run, bizarre Pagan-like feasts, and a three-day underground Winter Festival no one wants to talk about. A little sus.
Langan knows how to write slow-burn creepiness, and she takes her time to build it one unsettling moment at a time. Plymouth Valley’s genetically modified chickens with sharp teeth (called caladrius) add a grotesque vibe, while the town’s Stepford-like insistence on smiling through the chaos feels unnerving. Linda tries to make sense of it and to protect her family while everyone around her pretends everything is fine.
The premise promises a lot, but the execution doesn’t always deliver. The pacing sometimes drags, and the supporting cast feels underdeveloped. The big reveals are chilling, sure, but by the time they hit, I felt a little fatigued from all the ominous foreshadowing.
A Better World is creepy, but it doesn’t quite stick the landing. If dystopian horror with a side of moral rot (and mutant chickens) sounds up your alley, give it a shot.
Russell, a scientist desperate for a second chance, jumps at the opportunity to move his family to Plymouth Valley, leaving behind New York’s polluted wasteland. His wife, Linda, reluctantly agrees, putting her own career on hold for what seems like a golden ticket. But as soon as they arrive, things start to feel... off. The neighbors are polite, sure, but cold otherwise. Then there are weird customs collectively called “Hollow”. A deadly Thanksgiving run, bizarre Pagan-like feasts, and a three-day underground Winter Festival no one wants to talk about. A little sus.
Langan knows how to write slow-burn creepiness, and she takes her time to build it one unsettling moment at a time. Plymouth Valley’s genetically modified chickens with sharp teeth (called caladrius) add a grotesque vibe, while the town’s Stepford-like insistence on smiling through the chaos feels unnerving. Linda tries to make sense of it and to protect her family while everyone around her pretends everything is fine.
The premise promises a lot, but the execution doesn’t always deliver. The pacing sometimes drags, and the supporting cast feels underdeveloped. The big reveals are chilling, sure, but by the time they hit, I felt a little fatigued from all the ominous foreshadowing.
A Better World is creepy, but it doesn’t quite stick the landing. If dystopian horror with a side of moral rot (and mutant chickens) sounds up your alley, give it a shot.
December 6, 2023
I’ve been trying to figure out how to review this one without sounding like a gushing idiot.
I can’t.
I LOVED THIS!!! LOL – Yes, I went all caps there.
It’s incredibly suspenseful, had characters I loved and features a world I do NOT want to live in. It’s funny, satirical and has more than a few shades of bizarre horror. Seriously, I got shades of Bentley Little without the weird sexual parts Little loves so much.
Now, keep in mind it definitely gets horrific, so if you aren’t a horror reader, you may wish to tread lightly. But it’s well done and oddly delightful.
So, yeah…I’m gushing. Loved this, will recommend it to everyone, and I wish that it hadn’t ended!
• ARC via Publisher
I can’t.
I LOVED THIS!!! LOL – Yes, I went all caps there.
It’s incredibly suspenseful, had characters I loved and features a world I do NOT want to live in. It’s funny, satirical and has more than a few shades of bizarre horror. Seriously, I got shades of Bentley Little without the weird sexual parts Little loves so much.
Now, keep in mind it definitely gets horrific, so if you aren’t a horror reader, you may wish to tread lightly. But it’s well done and oddly delightful.
So, yeah…I’m gushing. Loved this, will recommend it to everyone, and I wish that it hadn’t ended!
• ARC via Publisher
November 8, 2023
This is a favorite for the year! This dystopian nightmare will haunt you for many years to come!
When the Farmer-Bowens receive word that they may be able to join the closed community of Plymouth Valley, they are relieved and weary. Linda has struggled with her marriage and with the upbringing of her twins. Taking them out of the crumbling world to a community with clean air and good schools seems like.a dream come true, but she is unsure if she should leave her community of friends and the job that she loves.
Once they arrive in PV the Farmer-Bowens learn that there is a steep price to living in the community. This is a mind blowing story that ties to so much of what is happening in our world today. Best yet, it is a beautiful story of relationships -whether it is the marriage, the children or making friends, Langan takes care with her characters and creates familiar situations with impactful insights.
If you like dystopia, if you like horror, or you are just looking for a well plotted and written story about neighbors and community...
Grab A. BETTER WORLD!
#Atria #Abetterworld #sarahlangan
When the Farmer-Bowens receive word that they may be able to join the closed community of Plymouth Valley, they are relieved and weary. Linda has struggled with her marriage and with the upbringing of her twins. Taking them out of the crumbling world to a community with clean air and good schools seems like.a dream come true, but she is unsure if she should leave her community of friends and the job that she loves.
Once they arrive in PV the Farmer-Bowens learn that there is a steep price to living in the community. This is a mind blowing story that ties to so much of what is happening in our world today. Best yet, it is a beautiful story of relationships -whether it is the marriage, the children or making friends, Langan takes care with her characters and creates familiar situations with impactful insights.
If you like dystopia, if you like horror, or you are just looking for a well plotted and written story about neighbors and community...
Grab A. BETTER WORLD!
#Atria #Abetterworld #sarahlangan
February 19, 2024
I am so unbelievably bummed about this. Good Neighbors is one of my favorite books and I was so excited for this. Unfortunately, this book did not work for me at all. I found it a complete chore to get through. I am confused because I felt the writing and storyline of Sarah Langan’s previous novel were razor-sharp. The writing here felt clunky and confused. Also, there were some pacing issues. In the first half of the book, I kept waiting for things to get interesting and just when action started happening, I was let down by the direction the story chose to go. Also, I was incredibly confused about the world.
Clearly, I am in the minority here but this was a slog and I couldn’t make it more than a couple pages without getting bored. The characters were okay, but weren’t memorable. I will be on the lookout for more titles by this author. This one was just a big miss for me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Clearly, I am in the minority here but this was a slog and I couldn’t make it more than a couple pages without getting bored. The characters were okay, but weren’t memorable. I will be on the lookout for more titles by this author. This one was just a big miss for me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 24, 2025
Dystopia meets The Stepford Wives with some culty shenanigans thrown in, what's not to like? This is my second Sarah Langan book and they're both disturbing in their own way, I'll definitely be looking for more, 4 stars.
March 11, 2024
At first A Better World seems a lot like something we’ve seen before. I kept thinking of “You Only Move Twice,” the 1996 episode of The Simpsons in which the family moves to Cypress Creek. I also thought of the 2022 movie Don’t Worry Darling. In other words, this book was a satirical comment on, well, quite a lot of things. It seemed to touch on Fordlândia a bit, cults in general, capitalism and suburbia, corporate America, Scientology maybe?
But then things got whacky and bloody. And it didn’t seem so predictable anymore. I liked it! My favorite part was the relationship between the mother and daughter. I’ve been looking for good examples like this one.
Many thanks to Simon & Schuster for the giveaway win!
But then things got whacky and bloody. And it didn’t seem so predictable anymore. I liked it! My favorite part was the relationship between the mother and daughter. I’ve been looking for good examples like this one.
Many thanks to Simon & Schuster for the giveaway win!
April 10, 2025
4.25 stars - culty, dystopian, unique
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTjJKe4Px/
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTjJKe4Px/
April 9, 2024
A family struggling with financial crisis in a dystopian world gets a rare chance to live in a "Company Town" where the elites hide away from the problems of the real world. They just need to pass the first interviews for the husband to secure a job.
Food is plentiful there. There is no sickness, you will be given a job, and everything is free including your car and home. No worrying about bills, provided you can afford the deposit which may or may not be refunded if you don't stay. There's even a nuclear shelter in case the big one hits.
Space is limited, so not everyone can stay. Where they will go if they do get kicked out is a mystery since the jobs don't actually pay any money.
Linda, her husband, and their twin teenagers try to assimilate into this strange neighborhood where everyone is fake polite while hating their guts since every newcomer who stays means their own chance of getting kicked out increases.
There are lots of rules that are never really explained but dire consequences may follow for breaking any of them.
There is a pervasive cult-like atmosphere in the way that everyone acts the same and refuses to speak on certain topics. Linda wants real answers while her husband seems more willing to look the other way when it comes to the strangeness of the town. The stress of this living situation, especially on their daughter Josie brings their long-ignored dysfunctional family dynamic to the surface.
Although this is dystopian fiction and not horror, it reminded me somewhat of The Association by Bentley Little with its biting satire, and also that old made-for-TV John Ritter movie The Colony, both of which I loved so I also enjoyed this.
Food is plentiful there. There is no sickness, you will be given a job, and everything is free including your car and home. No worrying about bills, provided you can afford the deposit which may or may not be refunded if you don't stay. There's even a nuclear shelter in case the big one hits.
Space is limited, so not everyone can stay. Where they will go if they do get kicked out is a mystery since the jobs don't actually pay any money.
Linda, her husband, and their twin teenagers try to assimilate into this strange neighborhood where everyone is fake polite while hating their guts since every newcomer who stays means their own chance of getting kicked out increases.
There are lots of rules that are never really explained but dire consequences may follow for breaking any of them.
There is a pervasive cult-like atmosphere in the way that everyone acts the same and refuses to speak on certain topics. Linda wants real answers while her husband seems more willing to look the other way when it comes to the strangeness of the town. The stress of this living situation, especially on their daughter Josie brings their long-ignored dysfunctional family dynamic to the surface.
Although this is dystopian fiction and not horror, it reminded me somewhat of The Association by Bentley Little with its biting satire, and also that old made-for-TV John Ritter movie The Colony, both of which I loved so I also enjoyed this.
June 3, 2024
For fans of Black Mirror, Stepford Wives and Hunger Games, this was a satirical portrayal of a near dystopian future that honestly felt not entirely fictional, whilst shelved as mystery/thriller this is definitely neighbour's to (geddit) the science fiction genre, commentry on climate change and social decay was at the forefront and is explored through the company town of Plymouth Valley, unsettling and oppressive it quickly becomes apparent that something is *not quite right*, Langan did a great job at making the reader feel the same unease as the Farmer-Bowen family, the residents felt robotic and there was something perverse about how nice they were it made me feel unnerved, I felt this book expertly depicted the grotesque nature of corporate greed and cult-like mentality, it was creepier than I expected and although it isn't straight up horror it most definitely left me feeling rattled, a thought provoking read that had me feeling the looming presence of societal, environmental and political issues closing in around me
April 27, 2024
By the end I wanted all of the characters to die.
March 7, 2024
Linda and her family jump at the opportunity to be accepted into the private community of Plymouth Valley. It’s elitist, separate from the crimes and filth of the outside world, and a huge step up for her husband. What could possibly go wrong?
To start, they’re shunned by everyone. Ignored, passed over, and the kids are treated horribly at school. And what is this weird bird living in each home’s front yard? It’s gross but must be respected as a holy creature. Linda perseveres and is finally accepted into the community because of her medical skills. Immediately, her husband and kids are all accepted. Things are great now in this perfect utopia. For just a minute.
Now, her husband is terribly distant. Her kids have fallen in with a bad crowd. And Linda’s volunteer work could care less if she has any medical knowledge at all. The more Linda questions, the more she’s warned to put a lid on it.
There’s a huge yearly celebration coming up called the Plymouth Valley Winter Festival. The people of the town seem to suffer a blend of excitement and fear in anticipation of the event. Linda knows something is terribly wrong with this idyllic community, and the way it’s snatched her family right out from under her. She’s willing to fight to keep them, but she has no clue what they’ve stumbled into.
Fast-paced, ingenious and written in a snarky tone condemning humans’ cliquish tendencies, this story isn’t similar to anything else you’ve read. Sarah Langdon does it again- gives us an obsessively interesting dark tale that leaves you a bit squeamish about the near future.
Thanks so much to Atria Books for an ARC in return for my honest review. The publishing date is April 9, 2024.
To start, they’re shunned by everyone. Ignored, passed over, and the kids are treated horribly at school. And what is this weird bird living in each home’s front yard? It’s gross but must be respected as a holy creature. Linda perseveres and is finally accepted into the community because of her medical skills. Immediately, her husband and kids are all accepted. Things are great now in this perfect utopia. For just a minute.
Now, her husband is terribly distant. Her kids have fallen in with a bad crowd. And Linda’s volunteer work could care less if she has any medical knowledge at all. The more Linda questions, the more she’s warned to put a lid on it.
There’s a huge yearly celebration coming up called the Plymouth Valley Winter Festival. The people of the town seem to suffer a blend of excitement and fear in anticipation of the event. Linda knows something is terribly wrong with this idyllic community, and the way it’s snatched her family right out from under her. She’s willing to fight to keep them, but she has no clue what they’ve stumbled into.
Fast-paced, ingenious and written in a snarky tone condemning humans’ cliquish tendencies, this story isn’t similar to anything else you’ve read. Sarah Langdon does it again- gives us an obsessively interesting dark tale that leaves you a bit squeamish about the near future.
Thanks so much to Atria Books for an ARC in return for my honest review. The publishing date is April 9, 2024.
May 27, 2024
A Better World
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Sarah Langan
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Atria Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: You’ll be safe here. That’s what the greasy tour guide tells the Farmer-Bowens when they visit Plymouth Valley, a walled-off company town with clean air, pantries that never go empty, and blue-ribbon schools. On a very trial basis, the company offers to hire Linda Farmer’s husband, a numbers genius, and relocate her whole family to this bucolic paradise for the .0001%. Though Linda will have to sacrifice her medical career back home, the family jumps at the opportunity. They’d be crazy not to take it. With the outside world literally falling apart, this might be the Farmer-Bowens last chance.
But fitting in takes work. The pampered locals distrust outsiders, cruelly snubbing Linda, Russell, and their teen twins. And the residents fervently adhere to a group of customs and beliefs called Hollow . . . but what exactly is Hollow?
It’s Linda who brokers acceptance by volunteering her medical skills to the most powerful people in town with their pet charity, ActHollow. In the months afterward, everything seems fine. Sure, Russell starts hyperventilating through a paper bag in the middle of the night, and the kids have drifted like bridgeless islands, but living here’s worth sacrificing their family’s closeness, isn’t it? At least they’ll survive. The trouble is, the locals never say what they think. They seem scared. And Hollow’s ominous culminating event, the Plymouth Valley Winter Festival, is coming.
Linda’s warned by her husband and her powerful new friends to stop asking questions. But the more she learns, the more frightened she becomes. Should the Farmer-Bowens be fighting to stay, or fighting to get out?
My Thoughts: I have read other cult-type thrillers before, but nothing like this. Langan masterfully crafts this dystopian atmospheric thriller that will keep you glued to the page. The whole world is falling apart and the only choice to keep your family alive is to live at Plymouth Valley, under a cult. This town at Plymouth Valley is known as a company town, which is presumed to the be the safest place to be in an unsteady world. Living in this town is a once in a lifetime opportunity, as everything is taken care of, you have a house, a car, a job, groceries, clothes, everything you could want to live a comfortable life. The hazing begins and the friendships are bizarre to Linda. Trying to fit into this town has been difficult and trying to conform to beliefs called Hollow has Linda questioning everything. Linda begins to volunteer using her medical skills, which has earned some scope of acceptance of them. But by living in this town, are they sacrificing their family? This story follows themes of bullying, power/privilege, money, environment, and conformity.
I loved the sense of danger, suspense and twists infused with tension and not knowing what was going to happen. Here lately, not many thrillers have been unpredictable to me, but this one really elevated the unpredictability factor, keeping me on the edge of my seat. The family dynamics were amazing and the multiple layers of the characters were outstanding. You could see the dynamic switch depending upon what community member they were engaging with. Linda was independent and fiercely protective of her family. When she starts asking questions when things seem suspicious, she is warned to stop asking questions. When the climate is disastrous, the social wold is deteriorating as you know it, and that this town is your only saving grace, that creates an epic storyline. The story relics some horror vibes the last third.
The characters were well developed, fleshed out, had depth, were mysterious, very secretive, and very intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, twisted, suspenseful, thought-provoking, and brilliant. The author builds up the characters, delivers the twists in layers that are heart stopping, and ending that is a little outlandish but was still outstanding. Langan has this way of infusing environmental elements into her stories that are chilling & shocking, yet wonderful. The world that was built, Plymouth Valley, was amazing, and it felt so real. I was drawn into this world and the only con would be how this world was initially established would have elevated the novel into another level.
This book was creepy, eerie, and had a very unique premise. It kind of reminded me of The Stepford Wives. To craft a town where no one has a voice, you must not say what you are thinking, you have to portray yourself a certain way, and always participate in some way to the constant festivals, is truly dark and twisted. This was a different kind of thriller for me and I absolutely enjoyed reading it from cover to cover. If you like cult-type books, you will love this one. I highly recommend picking this one up.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Sarah Langan
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Atria Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: You’ll be safe here. That’s what the greasy tour guide tells the Farmer-Bowens when they visit Plymouth Valley, a walled-off company town with clean air, pantries that never go empty, and blue-ribbon schools. On a very trial basis, the company offers to hire Linda Farmer’s husband, a numbers genius, and relocate her whole family to this bucolic paradise for the .0001%. Though Linda will have to sacrifice her medical career back home, the family jumps at the opportunity. They’d be crazy not to take it. With the outside world literally falling apart, this might be the Farmer-Bowens last chance.
But fitting in takes work. The pampered locals distrust outsiders, cruelly snubbing Linda, Russell, and their teen twins. And the residents fervently adhere to a group of customs and beliefs called Hollow . . . but what exactly is Hollow?
It’s Linda who brokers acceptance by volunteering her medical skills to the most powerful people in town with their pet charity, ActHollow. In the months afterward, everything seems fine. Sure, Russell starts hyperventilating through a paper bag in the middle of the night, and the kids have drifted like bridgeless islands, but living here’s worth sacrificing their family’s closeness, isn’t it? At least they’ll survive. The trouble is, the locals never say what they think. They seem scared. And Hollow’s ominous culminating event, the Plymouth Valley Winter Festival, is coming.
Linda’s warned by her husband and her powerful new friends to stop asking questions. But the more she learns, the more frightened she becomes. Should the Farmer-Bowens be fighting to stay, or fighting to get out?
My Thoughts: I have read other cult-type thrillers before, but nothing like this. Langan masterfully crafts this dystopian atmospheric thriller that will keep you glued to the page. The whole world is falling apart and the only choice to keep your family alive is to live at Plymouth Valley, under a cult. This town at Plymouth Valley is known as a company town, which is presumed to the be the safest place to be in an unsteady world. Living in this town is a once in a lifetime opportunity, as everything is taken care of, you have a house, a car, a job, groceries, clothes, everything you could want to live a comfortable life. The hazing begins and the friendships are bizarre to Linda. Trying to fit into this town has been difficult and trying to conform to beliefs called Hollow has Linda questioning everything. Linda begins to volunteer using her medical skills, which has earned some scope of acceptance of them. But by living in this town, are they sacrificing their family? This story follows themes of bullying, power/privilege, money, environment, and conformity.
I loved the sense of danger, suspense and twists infused with tension and not knowing what was going to happen. Here lately, not many thrillers have been unpredictable to me, but this one really elevated the unpredictability factor, keeping me on the edge of my seat. The family dynamics were amazing and the multiple layers of the characters were outstanding. You could see the dynamic switch depending upon what community member they were engaging with. Linda was independent and fiercely protective of her family. When she starts asking questions when things seem suspicious, she is warned to stop asking questions. When the climate is disastrous, the social wold is deteriorating as you know it, and that this town is your only saving grace, that creates an epic storyline. The story relics some horror vibes the last third.
The characters were well developed, fleshed out, had depth, were mysterious, very secretive, and very intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, twisted, suspenseful, thought-provoking, and brilliant. The author builds up the characters, delivers the twists in layers that are heart stopping, and ending that is a little outlandish but was still outstanding. Langan has this way of infusing environmental elements into her stories that are chilling & shocking, yet wonderful. The world that was built, Plymouth Valley, was amazing, and it felt so real. I was drawn into this world and the only con would be how this world was initially established would have elevated the novel into another level.
This book was creepy, eerie, and had a very unique premise. It kind of reminded me of The Stepford Wives. To craft a town where no one has a voice, you must not say what you are thinking, you have to portray yourself a certain way, and always participate in some way to the constant festivals, is truly dark and twisted. This was a different kind of thriller for me and I absolutely enjoyed reading it from cover to cover. If you like cult-type books, you will love this one. I highly recommend picking this one up.
February 24, 2024
A Horror Bookworm Recommendation
A Better World by Sarah Langan
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
Welcome to Plymouth Valley, population 4,501, a beautiful place to live and raise a family. Russell and Linda have the rare opportunity to join this perfect town of citizens. After being approved, the small family seems to finally be set for life. Cars, houses, education, health care, alternative food sources and no more money problems. Be that as it may, sometimes what seems too good to be true, is a horrific fact.
Plymouth Valley is a beautiful society that has implemented Civic Associations, a Better World Board of Directors and even provides an uncompromising Resident Guidebook. Included within these rules and regulations are the Plymouth Valley Winter Festival, the Annual 5k race and of course the traditional Crowning of the Beltane King. I mean, what could possibly go wrong?
Let me start off this review by saying A Better World by Sarah Langan blew me away. It’s one of those reads in the tradition of The Invitation, Midsommar and The Wickerman, where beauty is everywhere, but something just seems…not quite right.
Sarah Langan cleverly lulls the reader into a false sense of security by creating a foundation of goodwill and peace, all the while maintaining a foreboding premonition that something ominous is right around the corner. Religious undertones of devotion and ritualistic summonings are all part of the perfect calm before the storm. Fear is the most divine emotion, ya know.
Oppressive desired futures, unsettling dome type policies and ceremonial savagery, these are the unearthly agendas of this community and what makes this an unforgettable read. Raise a glass and toast to receiving that golden ticket to better living in Plymouth Valley. But always remember…“real gods require blood, not wine and flowers.” A five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.
A Better World by Sarah Langan
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
Welcome to Plymouth Valley, population 4,501, a beautiful place to live and raise a family. Russell and Linda have the rare opportunity to join this perfect town of citizens. After being approved, the small family seems to finally be set for life. Cars, houses, education, health care, alternative food sources and no more money problems. Be that as it may, sometimes what seems too good to be true, is a horrific fact.
Plymouth Valley is a beautiful society that has implemented Civic Associations, a Better World Board of Directors and even provides an uncompromising Resident Guidebook. Included within these rules and regulations are the Plymouth Valley Winter Festival, the Annual 5k race and of course the traditional Crowning of the Beltane King. I mean, what could possibly go wrong?
Let me start off this review by saying A Better World by Sarah Langan blew me away. It’s one of those reads in the tradition of The Invitation, Midsommar and The Wickerman, where beauty is everywhere, but something just seems…not quite right.
Sarah Langan cleverly lulls the reader into a false sense of security by creating a foundation of goodwill and peace, all the while maintaining a foreboding premonition that something ominous is right around the corner. Religious undertones of devotion and ritualistic summonings are all part of the perfect calm before the storm. Fear is the most divine emotion, ya know.
Oppressive desired futures, unsettling dome type policies and ceremonial savagery, these are the unearthly agendas of this community and what makes this an unforgettable read. Raise a glass and toast to receiving that golden ticket to better living in Plymouth Valley. But always remember…“real gods require blood, not wine and flowers.” A five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 640 reviews