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Come November
This refreshingly original, contemporary YA debut centers on Rooney, a teen girl struggling to hold her family together in the face of her mother's delusions.
It's not the end of the world, but for Rooney Harris it's starting to feel that way. It's the beginning of senior year, and her mom just lost her job. Even worse, she isn't planning to get another one. Instead, she's spending every waking moment with a group called the Next World Society, whose members are convinced they'll be leaving Earth behind on November 17. It sounds crazy to Rooney, but to her mother and younger brother it sounds like salvation. As her mom's obsession threatens to tear their lives apart, Rooney is scrambling to hold it all together. But will saving her family mean sacrificing her dreams -- or theirs?
It's not the end of the world, but for Rooney Harris it's starting to feel that way. It's the beginning of senior year, and her mom just lost her job. Even worse, she isn't planning to get another one. Instead, she's spending every waking moment with a group called the Next World Society, whose members are convinced they'll be leaving Earth behind on November 17. It sounds crazy to Rooney, but to her mother and younger brother it sounds like salvation. As her mom's obsession threatens to tear their lives apart, Rooney is scrambling to hold it all together. But will saving her family mean sacrificing her dreams -- or theirs?
389 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 30, 2018
21 people are currently reading
2364 people want to read
About the author
Katrin van Dam
3 books35 followersKatrin van Dam has worked in children’s media and licensing for nearly thirty years and is currently a creative executive at a major media company. In 2018, Scholastic published her debut young adult novel, Come November. A few months later, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy. After getting a taste of the societal pressure to have reconstruction, she felt compelled to provide a resource for women who are facing this difficult decision. Flat and Happy, her first work of nonfiction, came out of that commitment.
Kat lives with her husband in New York City. She is an avid theatergoer and enjoys hosting raucous dinner parties and traveling. She is also passionate about good food, storytelling, and saving our beautiful, besieged planet (not necessarily in that order). She is a graduate of Yale University.
Kat lives with her husband in New York City. She is an avid theatergoer and enjoys hosting raucous dinner parties and traveling. She is also passionate about good food, storytelling, and saving our beautiful, besieged planet (not necessarily in that order). She is a graduate of Yale University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
February 24, 2023
Rooney is seventeen, but she feels older. Mainly because she’s the one who has to “adult” for her younger brother, making sure that he’s fed and gets to school on time. Why is Rooney having to do the job of a parent? Because her mother has completely immersed herself in the beliefs of a cult group, and her father keeps little contact since their divorce several years ago. The only that that keeps Rooney going is the thought that after November 17, the day of “The Great Departure,”(when she knows nothing will actually take place), that life just might become normal…
Great young adult fiction about what can result from being caught up in a cult. Thanks to the author for writing a Y.A. book set in modern time without the presence of a single curse word; very rare!
Trigger warnings/Red flags:
Parental neglect, cult worship, underage drinking
Great young adult fiction about what can result from being caught up in a cult. Thanks to the author for writing a Y.A. book set in modern time without the presence of a single curse word; very rare!
Trigger warnings/Red flags:
Parental neglect, cult worship, underage drinking
November 20, 2018
Really unique story following the daughter of a woman in an extremist cult-like group. First half of the book is the intense and infuriating lead up to “departure date” and the second half sheds like on how to move forward when the curtain is lifted and nothing went according to plan. How do you rebuild a life for your family when your parent threw everything away on a hoax? Really interesting look into how resilient but impressionable growing up in a bizarre family situation can make you. I really enjoyed this story, it’s a fast read but it was pretty infuriating following such a frustrating situation. Definitely opened my eyes on a subject that has always fascinated me but never considered the internal conflict it could cause.
March 28, 2019
I finished this book two days ago, the long-awaited conclusion to a painfully out-of-touch book. Originally, I wrote two very nasty reviews for this book, but decided against posting them once I'd rested and took a break by reading a book that was good. I removed the bitterness and swearing from the other drafts in large part, tried to rearrange key points so it's a little more coherent, and I present the following composite of the two drafts, cleaned up, as my review.
The book flap made a big deal out of how Come November was about a teenager who takes care of her unrealistically-written nine-year-old brother because their dad isn't part of the picture and the mom is part of a doomsday alien cult. The book's description does match its contents, but--ugh, this is a hard review to write, even three drafts in. By page thirty, without skipping around, I knew the doomsday thing wouldn't happen and the dad would show up again. Sometimes, for no reason, I can predict books well. And I also knew what the real-life counterpart to the doomsday alien cult was--I've been attending weekly meetings, multiple times a week, for nine years and I know references when I see them. I'm no longer attending, and the subtle references in this book gave me chills. Towards the end of my attendance, the meetings were indeed hitting an uncomfortable amount of "this is a cult!" checkpoints. Not every meeting does, and it's an organization that can help. I try not to make assumptions about authors and their lives by what they write (and I need to improve on not doing so), but this is so clearly coded that I feel the need to spend a good chunk of my review on it. To clarify: that's not at all why it got a one-star rating from me, but my reasons -are- threaded with me pointing out the coding of the real-life counterpart. Heads up: There were originally dozens of run-on sentences full of semi-colons and three with colons. I split them up while typing this up, so it might be clunky.
This novel, if the reader doesn't know about the real-life counterpart, looks like an oddly paced character study where no one acts their age and Big Lipped Alligator Moments (credit to Nostalgic Woman for the term) reign. Meditation is portrayed as evil, characters insist they're super close despite no evidence, they move in with one another in ways that bypass most housing laws and face no consequences. The last forty-five pages are exclusively dedicated to the mom's backstory plus redemption as well as Rooney's happy ending. Her dad, absent most of her life, saves the day. If you are familiar with twelve-step programs and the controversies surrounding them, you could probably have predicted all of this by page thirty. If the author did all this unintentionally, that's even creepier to levels I'll scramble away from. I'll explain my thought process, but shall recommend books first. If you want novels that don't demonize and infantilize alcoholic parents but portray them and the effects of neglect realistically, especially in teens who have to care for siblings, "Define Normal" by Julie Ann Peters does a good job. The mom isn't in AA, though. "When" by Victoria Laurie features a teen who works to pay the bills since her mom is an unemployed alcoholic, and she works by telling people about their death dates on their foreheads. She is an only child, but, still a really good portrayal. If you want teen pseudo-Christian cult-themed apocalypse fiction, I remember really liking "Armageddon Summer" by Bruce Coville and Jane Yolen when it came out. None of those books are this book.
This is a really long wish fulfillment novel where a girl's dad comes back into her life to be a great parent to her and her brother because she can't do it anymore. The mom is a willfully ignorant airhead with an eating disorder whose behavior I'm familiar with, and hint: not a doomsday alien cult member. All her characterization comes right at the end, after a month in rehab, which the book just calls the hospital. What the mom is doing when she talks to Rooney, in the recovery world, is called disclosure. It's usually reserved for spouses and is done in a setting similar to couples' counseling, but she does this to her daughter, which is multiple crystallized levels of creepy. Disclosure doesn't involve apologizing really, as that's a huge, separate process later all its own, and the--yeah. The mom drains Rooney's college funds to give to the cult leader, which happens in the real-world counterpart too.
At the end of the book, the mom has her driver's license reinstated. When, why and how would a cult member lose their driver's license? No reason is given. How did she get it reinstated, when she's been in the hospital for malnutrition? Getting one's license and car back is an incredibly common, realistic and difficult goal -for an alcoholic parent just out of rehab.- Characters claiming to be close in such little time makes sense in certain substance recovery groups. Getting to move in with one another on short notice is common: it's part of moving into sober housing, which is a real thing with strict rules, and you don't have to have a job at first, which matches several characters' situations.
Now onto stuff that's not related to recovering from addiction, just other problems I had with the book. At the end, the mom laughs when she says she's slower than other drivers on the road. She's probably going to laugh when she gets into a bad accident as a result of this, too. Throughout the book, I wondered why the school hadn't caught onto the obvious neglect, then remembered my own high school experience. Schools definitely overlook stuff for a variety of reasons. Still, there were definitely pieces missing in the story and it strengthened my thought that this was wish fulfillment. I didn't relate to anyone, no one was likeable, and there were several messages the story tried to force me to accept that directly contrasted my own life and experiences. The "romance" with the male best friend was pointless, stupid, hardly written, and looked like wish fulfillment due to how Skylar was portrayed. It was equal parts insta-love, jealousy, lust, and just an odd vibe. Quick note: if you want a book that does "I'm in love with my male best friend and only realized it when he is dating someone new" right, "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" by Jenny Trout is one of the best examples I've seen. Back to this. Why was Skylar, Mercer's love interest, in this book anyway? The love triangle could have easily been cut and nothing would have changed.
Rooney's guidance counselor takes her and her brother in after the mom's cult's predictions fall through, and again, felt like wish fulfillment and missing puzzle pieces. The lone Black woman of the novel, she speaks without using any contractions, is excessively formal, and we don't find out she's Black until midway through the novel, when the younger brother shakes her hand for too long. Dozens of pages later, she reveals she's from Ghana. The author could've just stated that when the audience first meets her early on in the novel. The author insists over and over again that half-siblings aren't real siblings. She has a real case of "always love your blood family no matter any neglect or betrayal. Also any neglect is fake haha, and can be solved if the oldest child supports the family financially!" I do not appreciate such views.
Rooney acts like it's the end of the world when she doesn't get into her favorite college ahead of other students, and actually appeals the decision. I read this book the week the "rich people pay test takers to get their kids into college" scandal of 2019 broke, so this pile of whining by Rooney made this novel seem extra out-of-touch. Move -on-, you enormous brat. It's a non-issue. You didn't get rejected outright. They said not yet, -which you repeatedly state yourself-, yet you go through a whole appeals process? Entitled. And with the levels of neglect in your home, you're telling me you held down great grades and a job enough to support everyone, even as your mom tears through finances? IRL, you'd choose between school or work. With schools like Columbia, you need extracurriculars. A part-time coffee shop job ain't it. You make no mention of having a work permit that enables you as a minor to work full-time. You bristled at the entrance essay topics, where I'd think if you described your life, CPS might get a call and Columbia would understand why you don't have the requirements.
I'll address the mom again. The mom reveals she used to be a climate change scientist, but got overwhelmed at climate change's increasing effects. A rift was caused in her marriage, she continues, and she never wanted kids and thinks herself selfish for having two. "Big Lipped Alligator Moment" doesn't even begin to describe this revelation (although "twelve-step disclosure" nicely does). Rooney, who thought something rude when her mom greeted her by saying she looked nice, and thought poorly of her mom for enjoying working with penguins, took her mom's regret at having her and not wanting her or her brother, shockingly well. Rooney spent three hundred pages infantilizing and hating her mom, yet the instant a truth not many people admit to is out, Rooney's all, Oh I forgive you now. WTF--oh right, this is a dad rescue fantasy. Whatever I wanted out of this book, I didn't get.
The book flap made a big deal out of how Come November was about a teenager who takes care of her unrealistically-written nine-year-old brother because their dad isn't part of the picture and the mom is part of a doomsday alien cult. The book's description does match its contents, but--ugh, this is a hard review to write, even three drafts in. By page thirty, without skipping around, I knew the doomsday thing wouldn't happen and the dad would show up again. Sometimes, for no reason, I can predict books well. And I also knew what the real-life counterpart to the doomsday alien cult was--I've been attending weekly meetings, multiple times a week, for nine years and I know references when I see them. I'm no longer attending, and the subtle references in this book gave me chills. Towards the end of my attendance, the meetings were indeed hitting an uncomfortable amount of "this is a cult!" checkpoints. Not every meeting does, and it's an organization that can help. I try not to make assumptions about authors and their lives by what they write (and I need to improve on not doing so), but this is so clearly coded that I feel the need to spend a good chunk of my review on it. To clarify: that's not at all why it got a one-star rating from me, but my reasons -are- threaded with me pointing out the coding of the real-life counterpart. Heads up: There were originally dozens of run-on sentences full of semi-colons and three with colons. I split them up while typing this up, so it might be clunky.
This novel, if the reader doesn't know about the real-life counterpart, looks like an oddly paced character study where no one acts their age and Big Lipped Alligator Moments (credit to Nostalgic Woman for the term) reign. Meditation is portrayed as evil, characters insist they're super close despite no evidence, they move in with one another in ways that bypass most housing laws and face no consequences. The last forty-five pages are exclusively dedicated to the mom's backstory plus redemption as well as Rooney's happy ending. Her dad, absent most of her life, saves the day. If you are familiar with twelve-step programs and the controversies surrounding them, you could probably have predicted all of this by page thirty. If the author did all this unintentionally, that's even creepier to levels I'll scramble away from. I'll explain my thought process, but shall recommend books first. If you want novels that don't demonize and infantilize alcoholic parents but portray them and the effects of neglect realistically, especially in teens who have to care for siblings, "Define Normal" by Julie Ann Peters does a good job. The mom isn't in AA, though. "When" by Victoria Laurie features a teen who works to pay the bills since her mom is an unemployed alcoholic, and she works by telling people about their death dates on their foreheads. She is an only child, but, still a really good portrayal. If you want teen pseudo-Christian cult-themed apocalypse fiction, I remember really liking "Armageddon Summer" by Bruce Coville and Jane Yolen when it came out. None of those books are this book.
This is a really long wish fulfillment novel where a girl's dad comes back into her life to be a great parent to her and her brother because she can't do it anymore. The mom is a willfully ignorant airhead with an eating disorder whose behavior I'm familiar with, and hint: not a doomsday alien cult member. All her characterization comes right at the end, after a month in rehab, which the book just calls the hospital. What the mom is doing when she talks to Rooney, in the recovery world, is called disclosure. It's usually reserved for spouses and is done in a setting similar to couples' counseling, but she does this to her daughter, which is multiple crystallized levels of creepy. Disclosure doesn't involve apologizing really, as that's a huge, separate process later all its own, and the--yeah. The mom drains Rooney's college funds to give to the cult leader, which happens in the real-world counterpart too.
At the end of the book, the mom has her driver's license reinstated. When, why and how would a cult member lose their driver's license? No reason is given. How did she get it reinstated, when she's been in the hospital for malnutrition? Getting one's license and car back is an incredibly common, realistic and difficult goal -for an alcoholic parent just out of rehab.- Characters claiming to be close in such little time makes sense in certain substance recovery groups. Getting to move in with one another on short notice is common: it's part of moving into sober housing, which is a real thing with strict rules, and you don't have to have a job at first, which matches several characters' situations.
Now onto stuff that's not related to recovering from addiction, just other problems I had with the book. At the end, the mom laughs when she says she's slower than other drivers on the road. She's probably going to laugh when she gets into a bad accident as a result of this, too. Throughout the book, I wondered why the school hadn't caught onto the obvious neglect, then remembered my own high school experience. Schools definitely overlook stuff for a variety of reasons. Still, there were definitely pieces missing in the story and it strengthened my thought that this was wish fulfillment. I didn't relate to anyone, no one was likeable, and there were several messages the story tried to force me to accept that directly contrasted my own life and experiences. The "romance" with the male best friend was pointless, stupid, hardly written, and looked like wish fulfillment due to how Skylar was portrayed. It was equal parts insta-love, jealousy, lust, and just an odd vibe. Quick note: if you want a book that does "I'm in love with my male best friend and only realized it when he is dating someone new" right, "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" by Jenny Trout is one of the best examples I've seen. Back to this. Why was Skylar, Mercer's love interest, in this book anyway? The love triangle could have easily been cut and nothing would have changed.
Rooney's guidance counselor takes her and her brother in after the mom's cult's predictions fall through, and again, felt like wish fulfillment and missing puzzle pieces. The lone Black woman of the novel, she speaks without using any contractions, is excessively formal, and we don't find out she's Black until midway through the novel, when the younger brother shakes her hand for too long. Dozens of pages later, she reveals she's from Ghana. The author could've just stated that when the audience first meets her early on in the novel. The author insists over and over again that half-siblings aren't real siblings. She has a real case of "always love your blood family no matter any neglect or betrayal. Also any neglect is fake haha, and can be solved if the oldest child supports the family financially!" I do not appreciate such views.
Rooney acts like it's the end of the world when she doesn't get into her favorite college ahead of other students, and actually appeals the decision. I read this book the week the "rich people pay test takers to get their kids into college" scandal of 2019 broke, so this pile of whining by Rooney made this novel seem extra out-of-touch. Move -on-, you enormous brat. It's a non-issue. You didn't get rejected outright. They said not yet, -which you repeatedly state yourself-, yet you go through a whole appeals process? Entitled. And with the levels of neglect in your home, you're telling me you held down great grades and a job enough to support everyone, even as your mom tears through finances? IRL, you'd choose between school or work. With schools like Columbia, you need extracurriculars. A part-time coffee shop job ain't it. You make no mention of having a work permit that enables you as a minor to work full-time. You bristled at the entrance essay topics, where I'd think if you described your life, CPS might get a call and Columbia would understand why you don't have the requirements.
I'll address the mom again. The mom reveals she used to be a climate change scientist, but got overwhelmed at climate change's increasing effects. A rift was caused in her marriage, she continues, and she never wanted kids and thinks herself selfish for having two. "Big Lipped Alligator Moment" doesn't even begin to describe this revelation (although "twelve-step disclosure" nicely does). Rooney, who thought something rude when her mom greeted her by saying she looked nice, and thought poorly of her mom for enjoying working with penguins, took her mom's regret at having her and not wanting her or her brother, shockingly well. Rooney spent three hundred pages infantilizing and hating her mom, yet the instant a truth not many people admit to is out, Rooney's all, Oh I forgive you now. WTF--oh right, this is a dad rescue fantasy. Whatever I wanted out of this book, I didn't get.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2018
I really got engaged into this story. Rooney Harris' mother just got fired from a part time job at a day care center. Her divorced mother is all wrapped up in the clenches of a cult and has lost all sense of reality.
Rooney is a senior in high school shouldering the burden for taking care of her mother and much younger brother, Daniel. Rooney has taken on an extra shift at a small grocery in town, Trymg the best that she can, she does not how much longer she can survive, going to school, washing the clothes, doing the housework, taking care of her little brother and mother and the money is running out.
Calling her father was hard for her because she did not know that her mother was shielding him from contacting the kids. Reluctantly, she tells her best friend, Mercer what is going on. Her mother is unreachable, watching the cult website on the Internet constantly. Her mother is in total belief that everything will be fine the day after departure.
I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the Publisher as a win from FirstReads but that in no way made a difference in my thoughts or feelings in this review.
Rooney is a senior in high school shouldering the burden for taking care of her mother and much younger brother, Daniel. Rooney has taken on an extra shift at a small grocery in town, Trymg the best that she can, she does not how much longer she can survive, going to school, washing the clothes, doing the housework, taking care of her little brother and mother and the money is running out.
Calling her father was hard for her because she did not know that her mother was shielding him from contacting the kids. Reluctantly, she tells her best friend, Mercer what is going on. Her mother is unreachable, watching the cult website on the Internet constantly. Her mother is in total belief that everything will be fine the day after departure.
I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the Publisher as a win from FirstReads but that in no way made a difference in my thoughts or feelings in this review.
April 14, 2019
I think the theme of this book is when you try to understand a person, you need to know their back-story. For example, Rooney thought that her mom was crazy, but she didn't know that her mom was really sad, and trying to find someone who could help her. This book was fast paced, but it was not a fan of the topic. Even though Rooney (the main character) might not like her estranged father, and step-mother, I found them both really nice people. I felt really sad for Rooney because of her family situation. I admire Rooney's attitude in most parts of the book. I don't know what I'd do if I had to take care of a little brother, buy food, pay bills, take care of a mom who has been swept away by the New World Society (her mom thinks the world is going to end on Nov. 17, and wants her whole family to depart to some other world), and apply for colleges.
In a way I though Everett (phony, fake, cheat, awful person) was similar to Mary in Pride and Prejudice. They both seemed "intelligent" on the outside, but if you look closeley, you can easily see they are stupid.
In a way I though Everett (phony, fake, cheat, awful person) was similar to Mary in Pride and Prejudice. They both seemed "intelligent" on the outside, but if you look closeley, you can easily see they are stupid.
December 20, 2018
I really wanted to like this, but it ended up being strange. It really fell flat to me. While groups that believe that the end of the world is coming are real, much of this book was just unbelievable (at least to me). Rooney's mother behaved poorly, and no way would her father want to be involved and then not check on them for long periods of time--even if he did have a new pregnant spouse. Rooney seemed to want things both ways, wanting to ask for help but also live on her own essentially raising her brother. I also found Rooney's mother's "excuse" to be a flimsy explanation about why she wanted to believe in Everett's group so badly.
September 3, 2018
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from KidLitExchange. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: October 30, 2018
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 15+ (cults, depression, attempted suicide)
Pages: 384
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: It's not the end of the world, but it's starting to feel that way. On November 17, the Next World Society is planning to leave Earth behind and reboot human civilization on a planet unaffected by climate change and pollution. It sounds crazy to Rooney Harris, but to her mother and younger brother it sounds like salvation. As her mother's obsession with Departure threatens to tear their family apart, Rooney is scrambling to hold it together. But will saving her family mean sacrificing her dreams -- or theirs?
Oh my god. Let me talk about this amazing book. I’d never read a book that so openly talks about cults and cult like behavior and especially the dangers behind them. In today’s world I see a lot of cult like behavior and while it might not be a cult in a past sense, it is still a real and present danger today. I liked how the author took several nods from famous cults and I like how the book didn’t end with the cult ending. I also like how the book didn’t focus on the main character’s love life or her own life, but how events effected those around her and how her life was shifted after the events of this book. I also feel that the character development and the plot were very well done.
The only issue I had with the book is that I felt that the time jumps were a bit too weird and awkward, especially for one instance towards the end of the book, but for the most part I have no complaints at all about this book and I greatly enjoyed it.
Verdict: A must read for everyone.
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: October 30, 2018
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 15+ (cults, depression, attempted suicide)
Pages: 384
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: It's not the end of the world, but it's starting to feel that way. On November 17, the Next World Society is planning to leave Earth behind and reboot human civilization on a planet unaffected by climate change and pollution. It sounds crazy to Rooney Harris, but to her mother and younger brother it sounds like salvation. As her mother's obsession with Departure threatens to tear their family apart, Rooney is scrambling to hold it together. But will saving her family mean sacrificing her dreams -- or theirs?
Oh my god. Let me talk about this amazing book. I’d never read a book that so openly talks about cults and cult like behavior and especially the dangers behind them. In today’s world I see a lot of cult like behavior and while it might not be a cult in a past sense, it is still a real and present danger today. I liked how the author took several nods from famous cults and I like how the book didn’t end with the cult ending. I also like how the book didn’t focus on the main character’s love life or her own life, but how events effected those around her and how her life was shifted after the events of this book. I also feel that the character development and the plot were very well done.
The only issue I had with the book is that I felt that the time jumps were a bit too weird and awkward, especially for one instance towards the end of the book, but for the most part I have no complaints at all about this book and I greatly enjoyed it.
Verdict: A must read for everyone.
August 9, 2020
2.5 STARS
Rooney’s mother is in a cult that thinks aliens will arrive on November 17 and take them away from a dying planet. Rooney is more parent than her absentee dad and mentally ill mom combined. As November 17 approaches Rooney wonders about the fall out.
COME NOVEMBER is a slow paced story that never really addresses Rooney’s mother’s mental illness in a concrete way. I wanted to read the story because of the cult angle, but I never got the feel of Everett as a charismatic leader. I remember Jonestown and the Hale Boppers as well as David Koresh and the Branch Davidians. Everett wasn’t written in a way to rival those leaders.
The first part of COME NOVEMBER leads up to November 17 and the second is the aftermath. In the first 50%, the story dragged getting to the big event. None of the characters stood out as unique or interesting and the same could be said for the plot. If you read the blurb and predict the ending, you’ll probably be right.
My favorite character was stepmom Carol and her part in the story was minimal. I understood Rooney’s anger and resentment, which was at times harsh. I’d probably feel the same way if I had to parent my mother and younger brother and give up school newspaper editor to put food on the table because my mother wouldn’t work due to the imminent end of the world.
COME NOVEMBER wasn’t a bad book, but it wasn’t very good either.
Rooney’s mother is in a cult that thinks aliens will arrive on November 17 and take them away from a dying planet. Rooney is more parent than her absentee dad and mentally ill mom combined. As November 17 approaches Rooney wonders about the fall out.
COME NOVEMBER is a slow paced story that never really addresses Rooney’s mother’s mental illness in a concrete way. I wanted to read the story because of the cult angle, but I never got the feel of Everett as a charismatic leader. I remember Jonestown and the Hale Boppers as well as David Koresh and the Branch Davidians. Everett wasn’t written in a way to rival those leaders.
The first part of COME NOVEMBER leads up to November 17 and the second is the aftermath. In the first 50%, the story dragged getting to the big event. None of the characters stood out as unique or interesting and the same could be said for the plot. If you read the blurb and predict the ending, you’ll probably be right.
My favorite character was stepmom Carol and her part in the story was minimal. I understood Rooney’s anger and resentment, which was at times harsh. I’d probably feel the same way if I had to parent my mother and younger brother and give up school newspaper editor to put food on the table because my mother wouldn’t work due to the imminent end of the world.
COME NOVEMBER wasn’t a bad book, but it wasn’t very good either.
November 12, 2018
Excellent YA read about a subject that isn't discussed much; what happens when your mom joins a doomsday cult and believes that aliens are coming on November 17th to whisk believers to a new world paradise? This is exactly what teenager Rooney must deal with when her mother joins the Next World Society and gives all the family money and possession to this cult, leaving Rooney and her younger brother virtually homeless.
Rooney and her brother love their mom, and like most children have been taught to utterly trust and believe in parental authority. But is the Next World Society real, or is it all a scam? Is her mother crazy, or should Rooney trust her? Should she embrace or reject the cult? And what about her pre-teen brother? Is it her job to save and rescue him from the cult?
Come November is a fresh but tough coming of age story about a family falling apart and a teen thrust into making adult decisions. I thoroughly enjoyed this read, and felt the author captured the raw and exposed emotions of a family in crisis. It’s also an excellent book club book because it offers up a lot of discussion points on the ramifications of blind faith and mental illness, and will lead to lively discussions about ‘what would you do?’ It’s definitely a 5-star read.
Rooney and her brother love their mom, and like most children have been taught to utterly trust and believe in parental authority. But is the Next World Society real, or is it all a scam? Is her mother crazy, or should Rooney trust her? Should she embrace or reject the cult? And what about her pre-teen brother? Is it her job to save and rescue him from the cult?
Come November is a fresh but tough coming of age story about a family falling apart and a teen thrust into making adult decisions. I thoroughly enjoyed this read, and felt the author captured the raw and exposed emotions of a family in crisis. It’s also an excellent book club book because it offers up a lot of discussion points on the ramifications of blind faith and mental illness, and will lead to lively discussions about ‘what would you do?’ It’s definitely a 5-star read.
October 21, 2018
Another unusual read that I would typically not pick up first, but this is a compelling and fascinating story of a teenager in an impossible situation with a mother who is a part of an end of the world cult and her struggles to protect herself and her brother. I felt this story seemed really realistic and the characters relatable. I like contemporaries that take a unique slant and this one definitely did. The relationships are complex but van Dam navigates them well. The MC goes through a distinct character arc as well as other characters, which is imperative to have in a book like this. I would definitely recommend this to someone who wants to pick up a book that's different, but still fast paced with a unique story line.
February 1, 2022
do you ever start reading a book and you find that the plot is so disturbingly parallel to your own life that you almost stop reading the book? That’s what happened to me with this one, except I pressed on and finished the thing 😄 The good thing is, this one gave me hope, much like the book Educated by Tara Westover did. I’m really happy that authors write books like these, because people need to be aware of just how cruel some people in this world can be...it’s sad, but it’s true.
November 15, 2018
I loved this book! I got sucked in from the beginning and read it every chance I had. It's a really interesting story that keeps moving forward and the characters' relationships clearly struck a chord with me (I'm not crying, YOU'RE crying). Awesome debut novel!
November 8, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. It really explored the theme of feeling home and family dynamics. And I love a good cult story.
January 5, 2019
Although the end felt a bit rushed and tidy, I was really immersed in the characters and situations they all found themselves in.
Read
January 8, 2019This book is beautiful. A coming of age story that captures what it feels like when the adults around you stop being superheros and you have to learn how to grow up too soon. Really enjoyed this!
September 12, 2021
CW: parental neglect, child abandonment and neglect, cults, emotional abuse, gaslighting
This book made me 😭😭😭
I really enjoyed this one. I have a weird thing for cults, so when I found a YA novel about a doomsday cult, I had to jump on it. I really enjoyed the writing overall, and I'd be really excited to read more of van Dam's work.
I appreciated the before and after method of telling this story - it really gave a full picture of what Marina and Daniel are going through.
My main criticism was how many people tried to convince Marina to forgive her mother. While there were definitely mitigating circumstances with Daniel being in elementary school, the forgiving family for everything mentality - especially after Marina's life being crumbled apart - wasn't the most healthy of reactions.
Still - highly recommend.
This book made me 😭😭😭
I really enjoyed this one. I have a weird thing for cults, so when I found a YA novel about a doomsday cult, I had to jump on it. I really enjoyed the writing overall, and I'd be really excited to read more of van Dam's work.
I appreciated the before and after method of telling this story - it really gave a full picture of what Marina and Daniel are going through.
My main criticism was how many people tried to convince Marina to forgive her mother. While there were definitely mitigating circumstances with Daniel being in elementary school, the forgiving family for everything mentality - especially after Marina's life being crumbled apart - wasn't the most healthy of reactions.
Still - highly recommend.
January 12, 2021
Marina "Rooney" Harris is your normal, hormonal, short-tempered teen. A normal, hormonal, short-tempered teen providing for two sensitive, imaginative, and—at times, infuriating children. Except one of them is her mother. Come November is a superb book that beautifully (and accurately) depicts the nature of life through a mother, her son, and a girl who's responsible for both. Come November, though fiction by definition, relates to our world and the desperation in every one of us to escape it.
July 9, 2021
This is yet another novel I was excited to read because of the topic. I've only ever heard of a couple of YA age books about living in/being affected by a cult. In this novel, the teenage main character's mother believes she and the other followers will be taken away from the earth "come November," and decides to virtually stop parenting leading up to the date.
One thing I really enjoy about this book is that van Dam writes about the main character and her family's lives leading up to, during, and after the "life-changing" event is expected to take place. It shows her resentment build, the speed at which she is forced to grow up, and how she plans to move forward post-high school after being in such an unusual and abusive household. Overall, it may be too mature and not necessarily engaging enough for most early middle school students, but I think it would be great for older middle school/early high school, or any students interested in the occult.
One thing I really enjoy about this book is that van Dam writes about the main character and her family's lives leading up to, during, and after the "life-changing" event is expected to take place. It shows her resentment build, the speed at which she is forced to grow up, and how she plans to move forward post-high school after being in such an unusual and abusive household. Overall, it may be too mature and not necessarily engaging enough for most early middle school students, but I think it would be great for older middle school/early high school, or any students interested in the occult.
November 24, 2023
I liked this book way more than I thought I would!
May 21, 2021
One thing that this book talks about is conservation. Come November by Katrin van Dam talks about saving the Earth and saving relationships. Personally, I picked this book out because I liked how the New World Society was a representation on how far people will go to protect the Earth.
In the book, Rooney’s mom is in this cult-like group that believes in leaving everything behind to get ready for what they call the “Departure”. Her mom’s involvement in the New World Society, creates issues among her family. The first problem that arises is from all the monetary donations Rooney’s mom had put into this group, they are left with the risk of getting evicted from their house. A key character then swoops in, and we are introduced to Mrs. Fisher. She is a teacher at Rooney’s high school who always motivates Rooney. When Rooney explains to her about their current living situation, Mrs. Fisher offers to house them for the rest of the year.
Later in the book, Mrs. Fisher is aiding Rooney with college applications, and they start to talk about Rooney's mom and why she was involved with the New World Society. Mrs. Fisher then says, “So while I fear the worst, I keep looking for reasons to be hopeful.”. Rooney’s mom just wanted a way to escape the realities of how Earth isn’t a perfect place. In this moment, the author is telling us that people are desperate for hope, and they will do anything to achieve it, even if it means being inducted into a sketchy organization.
I think that you will fall in love with this book. If you are into science fiction or have read books with cult-like ideas, you will have a great time reading it. This book does not take a long time to read, it is a story that will keep your eyes glued to the pages.
In the book, Rooney’s mom is in this cult-like group that believes in leaving everything behind to get ready for what they call the “Departure”. Her mom’s involvement in the New World Society, creates issues among her family. The first problem that arises is from all the monetary donations Rooney’s mom had put into this group, they are left with the risk of getting evicted from their house. A key character then swoops in, and we are introduced to Mrs. Fisher. She is a teacher at Rooney’s high school who always motivates Rooney. When Rooney explains to her about their current living situation, Mrs. Fisher offers to house them for the rest of the year.
Later in the book, Mrs. Fisher is aiding Rooney with college applications, and they start to talk about Rooney's mom and why she was involved with the New World Society. Mrs. Fisher then says, “So while I fear the worst, I keep looking for reasons to be hopeful.”. Rooney’s mom just wanted a way to escape the realities of how Earth isn’t a perfect place. In this moment, the author is telling us that people are desperate for hope, and they will do anything to achieve it, even if it means being inducted into a sketchy organization.
I think that you will fall in love with this book. If you are into science fiction or have read books with cult-like ideas, you will have a great time reading it. This book does not take a long time to read, it is a story that will keep your eyes glued to the pages.
July 24, 2021
The premise is crazy - I guess that’s the whole point - but I couldn’t help caring so deeply about the characters. The theme is very timely for this YA novel.
November 22, 2023
I really enjoyed this book! Not one I would have picked up but glad it was chosen for book club! I enjoyed the story and found it was easily relatable.
March 16, 2019
Rooney is a senior in high school, and wow, is her life difficult. Her mom just lost her job, but she doesn't care and won't go out and get a new job. Her mom doesn't worry about the bills getting paid, or the children getting fed. All because she is into a cult called Next World Society, and they are convinced the world is ending on November 17th when they will be taken up by aliens.
Rooney wants to go off to college, but she is stuck. She has to drop her after school program working at the school newspaper, which she loves, so she can work more hours since she is the only one working. She makes dinner and tucks her little brother in bed at night. She is doing so much more than what someone her age should be doing; she is not the mother.
I really liked this one. I kept reading to find out what was going to happen on this big day, November 17th and then what would happen in the aftermath.
In her way, Ronney's mother does love her children and she is looking out for them, she's planning for November 17th as she is convinced this is all true. But she's terrible. Rooney is more of a mother to her little brother than she is. And then afterwards she just falls apart and Rooney has so much to worry about, how to keep a house over their heads, how to keep buying food.
Rooney has an absent father that comes back into her life. All this time he has just sent money so they can pay the rent and that's pretty much it. There was a fight and confusion and they both thought the other wanted nothing to do with the other. Even that, you would think if he loved his children he would have fought a little more to get them. He knew the mother was deep into this cult. How did he know there wasn't some mass suicide going on November 17th. By the end of the book he does seem to be trying to do a little better.
And then how confusing for the little boy. He loves his mother, and it's just sad how much he goes through.
More of my book reviews can be found at http://bookswithkari.blogspot.com/
Rooney wants to go off to college, but she is stuck. She has to drop her after school program working at the school newspaper, which she loves, so she can work more hours since she is the only one working. She makes dinner and tucks her little brother in bed at night. She is doing so much more than what someone her age should be doing; she is not the mother.
I really liked this one. I kept reading to find out what was going to happen on this big day, November 17th and then what would happen in the aftermath.
In her way, Ronney's mother does love her children and she is looking out for them, she's planning for November 17th as she is convinced this is all true. But she's terrible. Rooney is more of a mother to her little brother than she is. And then afterwards she just falls apart and Rooney has so much to worry about, how to keep a house over their heads, how to keep buying food.
Rooney has an absent father that comes back into her life. All this time he has just sent money so they can pay the rent and that's pretty much it. There was a fight and confusion and they both thought the other wanted nothing to do with the other. Even that, you would think if he loved his children he would have fought a little more to get them. He knew the mother was deep into this cult. How did he know there wasn't some mass suicide going on November 17th. By the end of the book he does seem to be trying to do a little better.
And then how confusing for the little boy. He loves his mother, and it's just sad how much he goes through.
More of my book reviews can be found at http://bookswithkari.blogspot.com/
May 17, 2019
It was hard to put this one down. I was here for every moment of toxic family drama but this was also surprisingly heartfelt.
December 4, 2018
{My thoughts} – I have to admit from the beginning that this isn’t ordinarily the kind of book that I would just pick up and read. I receive a lot of different genres of books from Scholastic to Read and Review and sometimes they send some that aren’t otherwise in my usual reading genres. This is one of those books and I am so glad they sent it.
When I picked this book up to read I didn’t read anything about it, I just opened the book and turned to the first page of the first chapter and started reading. This is my usual approach to books that I know next to nothing about. I don’t like to judge a book without actually getting to know it intimately and the only way to get to know a book is to read it.
Once I was through the first chapter I had a good idea about what the book was about. It was about a mother that got trapped in the unrealistic beliefs of a cult. It was about a teenage daughter struggling to hold their family together and a little boy that was trying to find his identity in the world around him. These three family members were woven together so incredibly that it was hard to set the book down. I honestly tried to read it from start to finish yesterday, but it got late and I needed sleep.
Taking into account the cult aspect of the book. I couldn’t understand how a mother could willing put their children through that kind of situation. However, as the book unraveled it explained where she was in her head at the time she made such choices and what brought her to believe that those were in the best interest of her family. I wanted to virtually slap some sense into her a few times, don’t get me wrong, but I can understand how life, the world etc can become so overwhelming that you choose to believe in something else no matter how irrational it might be. When you think about her choices and how she explains them, they make sense, however, any normal person would conclude they were off the wall insane choices. She made choices that destroyed her marriage, that ruined her relationship with her children, but eventually she was able to find her way back to reality. Not every person that gets caught up in a cult has that kind of opportunity.
This story is told through the eyes of her daughter Marina. She’s a bright girl with a future that is having problems keeping things together. She hasn’t been taught much about love or family or what it means to makes it in the real world as an adult. However, she learned very quickly that actions have consequences and that the choices her mother had been making for their family were not in the best interest of the family. Eventually things got to be so bad that she was forced to involve her dad and with that it opened up a whole new can of worms. She learned there was another side to the story and that all the things her mother had told her about her father wasn’t true.
Marina’s little brother Daniel a sweet cute little boy. He was caught in the middle. All he wanted was to understand his mother. Why she believed what she believed. Why she made the choices she made and he wanted to make sense of it all. It was a huge lot of stress and he was crying a lot of nights because he didn’t know how to handle it all. One of the worst things to stomach was the pain that little boy was going through and no one was really trying to help him.
I really think this book was well written. It made me laugh and almost cry at some points. It had it’s good and bad points. It has the potential to teach a moral lessen as well as to show the effects of cult influence on a family, but mostly the children within the family.
When I picked this book up to read I didn’t read anything about it, I just opened the book and turned to the first page of the first chapter and started reading. This is my usual approach to books that I know next to nothing about. I don’t like to judge a book without actually getting to know it intimately and the only way to get to know a book is to read it.
Once I was through the first chapter I had a good idea about what the book was about. It was about a mother that got trapped in the unrealistic beliefs of a cult. It was about a teenage daughter struggling to hold their family together and a little boy that was trying to find his identity in the world around him. These three family members were woven together so incredibly that it was hard to set the book down. I honestly tried to read it from start to finish yesterday, but it got late and I needed sleep.
Taking into account the cult aspect of the book. I couldn’t understand how a mother could willing put their children through that kind of situation. However, as the book unraveled it explained where she was in her head at the time she made such choices and what brought her to believe that those were in the best interest of her family. I wanted to virtually slap some sense into her a few times, don’t get me wrong, but I can understand how life, the world etc can become so overwhelming that you choose to believe in something else no matter how irrational it might be. When you think about her choices and how she explains them, they make sense, however, any normal person would conclude they were off the wall insane choices. She made choices that destroyed her marriage, that ruined her relationship with her children, but eventually she was able to find her way back to reality. Not every person that gets caught up in a cult has that kind of opportunity.
This story is told through the eyes of her daughter Marina. She’s a bright girl with a future that is having problems keeping things together. She hasn’t been taught much about love or family or what it means to makes it in the real world as an adult. However, she learned very quickly that actions have consequences and that the choices her mother had been making for their family were not in the best interest of the family. Eventually things got to be so bad that she was forced to involve her dad and with that it opened up a whole new can of worms. She learned there was another side to the story and that all the things her mother had told her about her father wasn’t true.
Marina’s little brother Daniel a sweet cute little boy. He was caught in the middle. All he wanted was to understand his mother. Why she believed what she believed. Why she made the choices she made and he wanted to make sense of it all. It was a huge lot of stress and he was crying a lot of nights because he didn’t know how to handle it all. One of the worst things to stomach was the pain that little boy was going through and no one was really trying to help him.
I really think this book was well written. It made me laugh and almost cry at some points. It had it’s good and bad points. It has the potential to teach a moral lessen as well as to show the effects of cult influence on a family, but mostly the children within the family.
February 22, 2019
Check out my full review here: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yaficti...
This YA contemporary follows Rooney (short for Marina) who is trying to keep her family afloat. A senior in high school, she lives with her mother and her 9-year-old brother, Daniel. Her mother is completely consumed by the Next World Society, a cultish organization that believes they will be taken on a spaceship to a new planet on November 17- about two months away. Rooney would love to only be thinking about her college applications, but her mother cannot be bothered to do anything that is not for NWS, like, you know, buying groceries or paying the bills.
Rooney is struggling to take care of herself and her brother while also maintaining her sanity. After her mother loses her job, Rooney feels the pressure more than ever. Luckily, she has an emotional support system in her best friend, Mercer. When the opportunity arises to travel with her mother to NYC, Rooney accepts with the knowledge that she can seek out her father ask for financial assistance- even though it means she will be subjected to days of NWS propaganda. As she meets her father again for the first time in a while, Rooney is surprised by many sides to what happened, and as she struggles to just make it past November 17, things become more and more complex. Following the before, during, and aftermath, this emotional book was quite an enthralling ride.
What I loved: Rooney completely pulls you into the story. I found this impossible to put down, in no small part because she is so compelling as a character. The way that the NWS (and other similar cults) pull people in is also detailed, which was fascinating to hear about and made it all a little more understandable. The brother-sister bond here was really beautiful also, even though Rooney has had to take on a parental role. There is a lot of love between not only Rooney and Daniel but also between others in their lives, despite so many difficulties, which was really just lovely.
What left me wanting more: Mental illness is brought up in the book, particularly later in the story. However, we do not really get to see how this plays out. In YA books, it is really great to actually see/hear about therapy and observe the method, not only the outcome. I would have liked to have heard about some of the behind the scenes “help” that was given- and also in terms of Rooney and her brother, who have actually been through traumatic events, so should probably see a therapist but do not.
Final verdict: Overall, this is an emotional and compelling story that gives insight into cults and the love of siblings and community. COME NOVEMBER is sure to give me a big book hangover, but I absolutely loved the journey.
This YA contemporary follows Rooney (short for Marina) who is trying to keep her family afloat. A senior in high school, she lives with her mother and her 9-year-old brother, Daniel. Her mother is completely consumed by the Next World Society, a cultish organization that believes they will be taken on a spaceship to a new planet on November 17- about two months away. Rooney would love to only be thinking about her college applications, but her mother cannot be bothered to do anything that is not for NWS, like, you know, buying groceries or paying the bills.
Rooney is struggling to take care of herself and her brother while also maintaining her sanity. After her mother loses her job, Rooney feels the pressure more than ever. Luckily, she has an emotional support system in her best friend, Mercer. When the opportunity arises to travel with her mother to NYC, Rooney accepts with the knowledge that she can seek out her father ask for financial assistance- even though it means she will be subjected to days of NWS propaganda. As she meets her father again for the first time in a while, Rooney is surprised by many sides to what happened, and as she struggles to just make it past November 17, things become more and more complex. Following the before, during, and aftermath, this emotional book was quite an enthralling ride.
What I loved: Rooney completely pulls you into the story. I found this impossible to put down, in no small part because she is so compelling as a character. The way that the NWS (and other similar cults) pull people in is also detailed, which was fascinating to hear about and made it all a little more understandable. The brother-sister bond here was really beautiful also, even though Rooney has had to take on a parental role. There is a lot of love between not only Rooney and Daniel but also between others in their lives, despite so many difficulties, which was really just lovely.
What left me wanting more: Mental illness is brought up in the book, particularly later in the story. However, we do not really get to see how this plays out. In YA books, it is really great to actually see/hear about therapy and observe the method, not only the outcome. I would have liked to have heard about some of the behind the scenes “help” that was given- and also in terms of Rooney and her brother, who have actually been through traumatic events, so should probably see a therapist but do not.
Final verdict: Overall, this is an emotional and compelling story that gives insight into cults and the love of siblings and community. COME NOVEMBER is sure to give me a big book hangover, but I absolutely loved the journey.
February 17, 2019
Come November was a book that I picked up on a whim at the library recently. I wasn't sure if I'd like it (and I was expecting to not like it) but I was intrigued enough to give it a try. I'm glad I did, because I ended up really liking it.
Rooney has a lot on her plate, and I'm not the hugest fan of a teen being completely responsible for her family because mom has checked out for any number of reasons. But it didn't bother me in this book and that surprised me. I think it's because her mom is in this environmental cult-like group. That part was really interesting. It's like Heaven's Gate meets Greenpeace, and I was wondering how dark this book was going to go.
Rooney's mom does talk about how she ended up in Next World Society, and it was pretty easy to see how she ended up being involved with them. There was a wide range of people in Next World, but there was one girl in particular that I really felt for. I'm drawing a blank on her name, but she was one of the younger people involved, and it seemed like she lost a lot during her time with them. You could say that about a lot of the people in Next World, and I really felt for Rooney as she tried to rebuild after things didn't go the way everyone expected it to go.
I wasn't surprised and I don't think Rooney was surprised either. It took a lot for her to call her dad, and I felt so much anger towards her mom. It definitely seemed like she kept him from Rooney and her brother but I was glad she reached out to him for help. At the end of the book, it really seemed like they were trying to heal things and move past how horrible things were.
She was living in such a bizarre situation, and while she was able to ask for help, I felt for her brother. I really want him to be okay, and there's definitely a lot of healing that needs to happen. For everyone, not just Rooney and her dad. It seems like they're all headed in the right direction, and I hope everything works itself out. I don't blame Rooney for not wanting to be in contact with her mom after everything that happened, but it seems like she's trying.
Her mom made a lot of choices that had a huge impact on her marriage and her relationship with her kids, and the choices she makes for most of the book are these really insane choices. Again, given her mom seemed pretty fragile, I could understand how she'd end up with a group like Everett's. And she does find a way to get past it and move on. A lot of people might not have that opportunity, and even though I didn't like Rooney's mom, I was glad that she had the opportunity to change things and get better.
My Rating: 4 stars. I really liked Come November, and I'm glad I picked it up.
Rooney has a lot on her plate, and I'm not the hugest fan of a teen being completely responsible for her family because mom has checked out for any number of reasons. But it didn't bother me in this book and that surprised me. I think it's because her mom is in this environmental cult-like group. That part was really interesting. It's like Heaven's Gate meets Greenpeace, and I was wondering how dark this book was going to go.
Rooney's mom does talk about how she ended up in Next World Society, and it was pretty easy to see how she ended up being involved with them. There was a wide range of people in Next World, but there was one girl in particular that I really felt for. I'm drawing a blank on her name, but she was one of the younger people involved, and it seemed like she lost a lot during her time with them. You could say that about a lot of the people in Next World, and I really felt for Rooney as she tried to rebuild after things didn't go the way everyone expected it to go.
I wasn't surprised and I don't think Rooney was surprised either. It took a lot for her to call her dad, and I felt so much anger towards her mom. It definitely seemed like she kept him from Rooney and her brother but I was glad she reached out to him for help. At the end of the book, it really seemed like they were trying to heal things and move past how horrible things were.
She was living in such a bizarre situation, and while she was able to ask for help, I felt for her brother. I really want him to be okay, and there's definitely a lot of healing that needs to happen. For everyone, not just Rooney and her dad. It seems like they're all headed in the right direction, and I hope everything works itself out. I don't blame Rooney for not wanting to be in contact with her mom after everything that happened, but it seems like she's trying.
Her mom made a lot of choices that had a huge impact on her marriage and her relationship with her kids, and the choices she makes for most of the book are these really insane choices. Again, given her mom seemed pretty fragile, I could understand how she'd end up with a group like Everett's. And she does find a way to get past it and move on. A lot of people might not have that opportunity, and even though I didn't like Rooney's mom, I was glad that she had the opportunity to change things and get better.
My Rating: 4 stars. I really liked Come November, and I'm glad I picked it up.
December 16, 2018
Disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.
Come November isn’t the type of book I normally pick up. But I’m so glad I did. Come November dealt with a topic rarely seen in Young Adult, cults. It highlighted the interworking of a cult and the aftermath of leaving a cult (voluntarily or otherwise). Sure, we’ve all seen stories in the news about it but I’ll be honest, I never thought much of what goes on behind the scenes; especially what happened to the followers after their leader is taken away or goes MIA. The novel is centered on seventeen-year-old Rooney, her younger brother and their mother. Rooney’s mother is entangled with the New World Society, a organization that believes the earth is dying but they can start over elsewhere. That on November 17th, an alien race will rescue the believers/followers and take them to a different planet to start anew.
Without going into too much detail, the choices that Rooney’s mom took greatly impacted her and her brother’s life and everyone they knew or came into contact with. The book was separated into months, months leading up to “The Departure” and months “After Departure”. I loved seeing Rooney’s growth and transformation over the months, as she learned to take care of herself and her brother, jumping into the parent role after her mom checked out of reality. Despite the hardship Rooney faced at home, she never crumbled under all the obstacles thrown her way or bailed like her mother. Instead Rooney did everything in her power to scrape together any semblance of a normal teenage life like: getting a boyfriend, getting a job, attending school functions and applying to college.
The book is clearly split into two halves, cult life and life after cult. While it was great to see both perspective, I thought life after cult was far more interesting. It showed that no matter how bad things got, when you think it’s literally the end of the world…it eventually does get better. It may be a slow progress but as the saying goes, when you hit rock bottom, you have nowhere to go but up. And that exactly sums up the last half of the book as we see the characters’ resilience and perseverance to do better, make the best of their situation, and ultimately forgive and heal. Overall an enjoyable and fascinating read. I highly recommend it.
Come November isn’t the type of book I normally pick up. But I’m so glad I did. Come November dealt with a topic rarely seen in Young Adult, cults. It highlighted the interworking of a cult and the aftermath of leaving a cult (voluntarily or otherwise). Sure, we’ve all seen stories in the news about it but I’ll be honest, I never thought much of what goes on behind the scenes; especially what happened to the followers after their leader is taken away or goes MIA. The novel is centered on seventeen-year-old Rooney, her younger brother and their mother. Rooney’s mother is entangled with the New World Society, a organization that believes the earth is dying but they can start over elsewhere. That on November 17th, an alien race will rescue the believers/followers and take them to a different planet to start anew.
Without going into too much detail, the choices that Rooney’s mom took greatly impacted her and her brother’s life and everyone they knew or came into contact with. The book was separated into months, months leading up to “The Departure” and months “After Departure”. I loved seeing Rooney’s growth and transformation over the months, as she learned to take care of herself and her brother, jumping into the parent role after her mom checked out of reality. Despite the hardship Rooney faced at home, she never crumbled under all the obstacles thrown her way or bailed like her mother. Instead Rooney did everything in her power to scrape together any semblance of a normal teenage life like: getting a boyfriend, getting a job, attending school functions and applying to college.
The book is clearly split into two halves, cult life and life after cult. While it was great to see both perspective, I thought life after cult was far more interesting. It showed that no matter how bad things got, when you think it’s literally the end of the world…it eventually does get better. It may be a slow progress but as the saying goes, when you hit rock bottom, you have nowhere to go but up. And that exactly sums up the last half of the book as we see the characters’ resilience and perseverance to do better, make the best of their situation, and ultimately forgive and heal. Overall an enjoyable and fascinating read. I highly recommend it.
February 22, 2019
When Rooney starts her senior year of high school she’s looking forward to applying to Columbia University, the only school she really wants to attend. But first she has to make it through November, when her mom, younger brother, and other members of the New World Society expect her to leave a climate-changing Earth to start over with them on another planet.
Rooney doesn’t buy into the society’s propaganda, but her mom’s dedication threatens to ruin everything she’s dreamed of. Her dad and friend can help, but only if she lets them know her family’s true situation.
Come November by Katrin van Dam gives a glimpse of the ramifications when a parent gets drawn in to a kind of cult. Rooney believes the hardest part of her mom’s actions is waiting until November, when she’s sure her life will get back to normal after her mom stays rooted to the ground instead of leaving Earth. In reality, her troubles multiply.
While Rooney is responsible, working to earn money and make sure there is food in the house, she can’t tackle the enormity of the situation on her own. She’s not sure she can trust her dad, who left when she was young, and she’s having doubts about her best friend. Once she starts opening up to them, she finds the help she needs.
Come November shows the vulnerability that even older teens face when a parent is not responsible in the expected way. It also shows how teens can overcome a reluctance to share embarrassing or traumatic family events so they can get support when they need it. I recommend it for mother-daughter book clubs and all readers aged 14 and up.
The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Rooney doesn’t buy into the society’s propaganda, but her mom’s dedication threatens to ruin everything she’s dreamed of. Her dad and friend can help, but only if she lets them know her family’s true situation.
Come November by Katrin van Dam gives a glimpse of the ramifications when a parent gets drawn in to a kind of cult. Rooney believes the hardest part of her mom’s actions is waiting until November, when she’s sure her life will get back to normal after her mom stays rooted to the ground instead of leaving Earth. In reality, her troubles multiply.
While Rooney is responsible, working to earn money and make sure there is food in the house, she can’t tackle the enormity of the situation on her own. She’s not sure she can trust her dad, who left when she was young, and she’s having doubts about her best friend. Once she starts opening up to them, she finds the help she needs.
Come November shows the vulnerability that even older teens face when a parent is not responsible in the expected way. It also shows how teens can overcome a reluctance to share embarrassing or traumatic family events so they can get support when they need it. I recommend it for mother-daughter book clubs and all readers aged 14 and up.
The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
December 30, 2018
So, you're a typical high school senior with a kid brother and a divorced mom -just your average kid, except for one thing: your mom is a member of a doomsday cult that is preparing to "transition" off of earth in November. And she's made no preparation for life ON earth past that event- rent, groceries- you know, the usual stuff. So what happens if/when the "transition" doesn't happen?
I loved this book! First time in a long time I really could not put a book down- I read it cover to cover in one sitting. Intriguing premise, credible characters, compelling writing- this book is honest, sad, wry, enchanting, and so very very real. Hard to believe it's van Dam's first published novel! I want more!!!
I loved this book! First time in a long time I really could not put a book down- I read it cover to cover in one sitting. Intriguing premise, credible characters, compelling writing- this book is honest, sad, wry, enchanting, and so very very real. Hard to believe it's van Dam's first published novel! I want more!!!
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