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Rose, Interrupted
Being a teenager is hard enough, but it's even harder in a world you've never known ...
Eighteen months ago, 17-year-old Rose and 13-year-old Rudder escaped a strict religious sect with their mum. They are still trying to make sense of the world outside - no more rules about clothes and books, films and music, no more technology bans. But also no more friendship with the people they've known all their lives, no community and no certainty. It doesn't help that their mum has to work all hours to pay rent on their cramped, smelly, one-bed flat above a kebab shop in Hackney.
While Rudder gorges on once-taboo Harry Potters and dances to Simon and Garfunkel and show tunes, Rose swaps the ankle skirts and uncut hair of the Woodford Pilgrims for Japanese-cute fairy dress and her new boyfriend, Kye. Kye, who she wants with all her being. But there's loads of scary stuff about their new life that Rose and Rudder have no idea how to handle - it's normal for girls to let their boyfriends take naked pictures of them, right?
When Rudder accidently sets a devastating chain of events into action, Rose must decide whether to sacrifice everything and go back to the life she hates, in order to save the people she loves.
A story about coming of age, slap-bang in the middle of a strange new world.
Eighteen months ago, 17-year-old Rose and 13-year-old Rudder escaped a strict religious sect with their mum. They are still trying to make sense of the world outside - no more rules about clothes and books, films and music, no more technology bans. But also no more friendship with the people they've known all their lives, no community and no certainty. It doesn't help that their mum has to work all hours to pay rent on their cramped, smelly, one-bed flat above a kebab shop in Hackney.
While Rudder gorges on once-taboo Harry Potters and dances to Simon and Garfunkel and show tunes, Rose swaps the ankle skirts and uncut hair of the Woodford Pilgrims for Japanese-cute fairy dress and her new boyfriend, Kye. Kye, who she wants with all her being. But there's loads of scary stuff about their new life that Rose and Rudder have no idea how to handle - it's normal for girls to let their boyfriends take naked pictures of them, right?
When Rudder accidently sets a devastating chain of events into action, Rose must decide whether to sacrifice everything and go back to the life she hates, in order to save the people she loves.
A story about coming of age, slap-bang in the middle of a strange new world.
421 pages, Paperback
First published July 25, 2019
21 people are currently reading
1076 people want to read
About the author
Patrice Lawrence
46 books152 followersPatrice Lawrence is a British writer and journalist, who has published fiction both for adults and children. Her writing has won awards including the Waterstones Children's Book Prize for Older Children and The Bookseller YA Book Prize.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
September 25, 2020
#mytop10 This book is SO good. Rose and her brother, Rudder, are no longer part of a pilgrim group due to some issue. Rose has had some dirty issues with her boyfriend she wants to amend. She gives in to join the pilgrim group again and by the help of a new friend, she takes down the dirty issue along with her own problems.
This book taught me how to speak up for the problems I have because if I don't then they will only become bigger.
My favourite part is when Rose met her new friends or when Rudder did something stupid that was quite dramatic.
Totally recommend or those who are 14+ ( yea there are some bits you don't wanna read) and need help.
Geez wrote about a 100+ essay for the sake of your reading choices. xD
This book taught me how to speak up for the problems I have because if I don't then they will only become bigger.
My favourite part is when Rose met her new friends or when Rudder did something stupid that was quite dramatic.
Totally recommend or those who are 14+ ( yea there are some bits you don't wanna read) and need help.
Geez wrote about a 100+ essay for the sake of your reading choices. xD
July 23, 2019
Basically, I love everything that Patrice Lawrence writes.
And Rose, Interrupted?
Wow. Just, wow.
I think it's even better than her previous books, which I didn't think was possible!
And Rose, Interrupted?
Wow. Just, wow.
I think it's even better than her previous books, which I didn't think was possible!
September 16, 2020
Huge thanks to PanMacmillan SA for sending me a free copy to review of this book!
TW: Restorationist Religious practices and confrontation of organized religion, Sexual assault, Sexting and reference to phonographic imagery, Revenge Porn
I really enjoyed this book a lot, it was hard to get into at first but near the end I was really liking it. I had to put it down because the first half didn't have me as hooked and I felt myself too easily distracted but the story was definitely worth it! As someone who was in a restorationist religion for two years and then left I felt alot of what this book represented was accurate and relatable. The topic is a topic we all so need to be talking more about, it delves into themes of consent and sexual assault. It explores the female experience as a whole in our modern society. I really appreciated the comments on organized religion. I also enjoyed the diverse cast of characters. I love that it didn't hate on religion but it did expose the toxic and scary qualities some religions do have. Rose as a main character felt very naive to me, and that was the intent and it was done perfectly, and you still can't help but love her. Rudder was very ignorant and I felt very bad for him. Watching them navigate this new world held so many lessons and coming of age for both the characters and the reader. Overall it was definitely worth the read and I am very happy I read it!!!
TW: Restorationist Religious practices and confrontation of organized religion, Sexual assault, Sexting and reference to phonographic imagery, Revenge Porn
I really enjoyed this book a lot, it was hard to get into at first but near the end I was really liking it. I had to put it down because the first half didn't have me as hooked and I felt myself too easily distracted but the story was definitely worth it! As someone who was in a restorationist religion for two years and then left I felt alot of what this book represented was accurate and relatable. The topic is a topic we all so need to be talking more about, it delves into themes of consent and sexual assault. It explores the female experience as a whole in our modern society. I really appreciated the comments on organized religion. I also enjoyed the diverse cast of characters. I love that it didn't hate on religion but it did expose the toxic and scary qualities some religions do have. Rose as a main character felt very naive to me, and that was the intent and it was done perfectly, and you still can't help but love her. Rudder was very ignorant and I felt very bad for him. Watching them navigate this new world held so many lessons and coming of age for both the characters and the reader. Overall it was definitely worth the read and I am very happy I read it!!!
October 16, 2019
It took me far too long to get into the book and when I did, I found that I didn't really care much for any of the characters. The beginning, I felt was wrong. The book is basically about a girl called Rose and her brother who (from what you can work out) left a religious cult about a year or so ago. I felt that it would be better if the author introduced Rose and her brother while they were in the cult, rather than a year later as it feels all over the place.
Maybe I am just the wrong demographic for this book.
Maybe I am just the wrong demographic for this book.
June 27, 2019
I loved the concept of this book, especially as someone who grew up in a restrictive church (though nothing like what Rose and Rudder have to deal with). Though there are funny moments, particularly with Rudder getting used to the outside world for the first time, it gets heavy. This is not a feelgood read, but it is nuanced and hopeful and beautifully written.
May 8, 2019
dnf’d at page 120. didn’t understand the direction of the book so couldn’t invest in any plot line or angle
October 9, 2019
Really wonderfully described and the characters are incredibly likeable. Sometimes it was difficult to tell what the plot focus should be but it was enjoyable all the same. I would definitely recommend this to YA who have suffered from cyber bullying.
July 21, 2019
What do you do when the life you’ve led shelters you from outside influences? For many within the Pilgrim community it’s not a question they’ve ever had to consider, but for Rose and her younger brother every day is a minefield.
Excised from their strict religious community, both children struggle to fit in. Innocent with regard to so much, the children have so many questions about life on the outside. How can they ever hope to adjust to life on the outside when they have so little awareness?
When Rudder inadvertently sets in place a chain of events with very serious consequences, he’s desperate for help.
This book was fascinating. While raising awareness of issues surrounding sexting and the use of the internet, it also explored attitudes to organised religion.
A huge thank you to NetGalley for granting me access to this prior to publication.
Excised from their strict religious community, both children struggle to fit in. Innocent with regard to so much, the children have so many questions about life on the outside. How can they ever hope to adjust to life on the outside when they have so little awareness?
When Rudder inadvertently sets in place a chain of events with very serious consequences, he’s desperate for help.
This book was fascinating. While raising awareness of issues surrounding sexting and the use of the internet, it also explored attitudes to organised religion.
A huge thank you to NetGalley for granting me access to this prior to publication.
May 29, 2019
The premise of Rose, Interrupted is quite an interesting one. Siblings taken from the sheltered life they have always known, and thrust into the 'worldly world.' The complexities of social media, relationships and the wider world, are hard enough to navigate when you've lived it in every day, let alone having to work it all out at the age of 17. Rose and Rudder had a totally believable journey, that had me hooked because I wasn't sure what direction it was going to take.
Rose is 17, and is trying to embrace the wider world as much as she can. I loved her willingness to throw herself into every situation, and her adoption of weird and wonderful outfits. Lawrence writes such vivid descriptions of her outfits that I could just picture her perfectly. Rose's naivety was sometimes painful, but to be expected.
Rudder is 13, and way more reluctant to be away from the community he grew up with. I found I could empathise with him, and so enjoyed his chapters/passages a little more. He was sweet, and naive, and I wanted to see him make hundreds of friends, and discover that the world is not actually as bad as it first seems.
This was a quick and interesting read, and I enjoyed the little journey of worldly world discovery that Rose and Rudder took me on.
Rose is 17, and is trying to embrace the wider world as much as she can. I loved her willingness to throw herself into every situation, and her adoption of weird and wonderful outfits. Lawrence writes such vivid descriptions of her outfits that I could just picture her perfectly. Rose's naivety was sometimes painful, but to be expected.
Rudder is 13, and way more reluctant to be away from the community he grew up with. I found I could empathise with him, and so enjoyed his chapters/passages a little more. He was sweet, and naive, and I wanted to see him make hundreds of friends, and discover that the world is not actually as bad as it first seems.
This was a quick and interesting read, and I enjoyed the little journey of worldly world discovery that Rose and Rudder took me on.
September 19, 2019
*DNF at p198*
Cringey cultural references, flat characters, and events with little to no precedent set for them happening. Igot halfway and reached the last straw and just could not justify carrying on - I stopped caring about how early events will be resolved.
Cringey cultural references, flat characters, and events with little to no precedent set for them happening. Igot halfway and reached the last straw and just could not justify carrying on - I stopped caring about how early events will be resolved.
April 22, 2020
This was book dealt with two important topics; cyber bullying and extreme religions/cults and the effects they have on peoples lives. However I feel that these two topics combined took away the meaning and emphasis of the main topic of the characters being from a extreme religious group. I feel that although the Pilgrims beliefs were explained clearly, we didn’t get a true insight into what it was like for Rudder and Rose when they lived as a Pilgrim - and this is something I thought the book was mainly going to be about after reading the blurb. I just feel that although cyber bullying is an important topic to be explored in book, and was done well in this book, it wasn’t needed and over powered the religious as aspect and plot line in the book.
November 1, 2022
Ho iniziato questo libro a scatola chiusa, scoprendo poi che avevo un altro libro di questa autrice in Wishlist.
Rose e Rudder sono due fratelli che vivono con la madre in un appartamento molto piccolo e in condizioni economiche precarie. I tre sono stati lasciati dal padre/marito perché hanno tradito la comunità dei Pellegrini, di cui prima facevano parte e da cui sono stati cacciati. I Pellegrini sono una comunità religiosa che ha dei forti principi e delle regole che tutti devono seguire, pena l’esclusione.
Questo libro è stato per me una sorpresa: non avevo mai letto nulla su questo tema e devo dire che è stato molto interessante. I Pellegrini risultano un po’ come una setta religiosa, che spingono i propri membri a darsi la colpa di tutto ciò che gli capita e a subire poi delle punizioni. Nel mondo odierno fa strano pensare all’esistenza di questi gruppi, che però esistono davvero, e al modo di pensare che inculcano ai bambini/ragazzi.
Ho apprezzato molto il modo in cui viene indagato il rapporto fratello/sorella tra Rose e Rudder, che in questo caso non è sempre lineare e amorevole (come d’altronde accade nella realtà). Ho apprezzato il ruolo della madre nella vita dei figli e il suo desiderare per loro una vita migliore, anche se questo comportava l’allontanamento dalla comunità. Ho apprezzato moltissimo che sia stato trattato il tema del ‘revenge porn’, che è sempre più diffuso oggi. Tutto questo soprattutto perché è un romanzo indirizzato ai ragazzi, che spesso si trovano in situazioni difficili e hanno paura di parlarne con persone adulte.
Rose e Rudder sono due fratelli che vivono con la madre in un appartamento molto piccolo e in condizioni economiche precarie. I tre sono stati lasciati dal padre/marito perché hanno tradito la comunità dei Pellegrini, di cui prima facevano parte e da cui sono stati cacciati. I Pellegrini sono una comunità religiosa che ha dei forti principi e delle regole che tutti devono seguire, pena l’esclusione.
Questo libro è stato per me una sorpresa: non avevo mai letto nulla su questo tema e devo dire che è stato molto interessante. I Pellegrini risultano un po’ come una setta religiosa, che spingono i propri membri a darsi la colpa di tutto ciò che gli capita e a subire poi delle punizioni. Nel mondo odierno fa strano pensare all’esistenza di questi gruppi, che però esistono davvero, e al modo di pensare che inculcano ai bambini/ragazzi.
Ho apprezzato molto il modo in cui viene indagato il rapporto fratello/sorella tra Rose e Rudder, che in questo caso non è sempre lineare e amorevole (come d’altronde accade nella realtà). Ho apprezzato il ruolo della madre nella vita dei figli e il suo desiderare per loro una vita migliore, anche se questo comportava l’allontanamento dalla comunità. Ho apprezzato moltissimo che sia stato trattato il tema del ‘revenge porn’, che è sempre più diffuso oggi. Tutto questo soprattutto perché è un romanzo indirizzato ai ragazzi, che spesso si trovano in situazioni difficili e hanno paura di parlarne con persone adulte.
December 23, 2020
For more YA reviews, visit my blog!
Seventeen-year-old Rose is not at home in London. She's used to the unbending, patriarchal rules of her tight-knit religious community, but when her family is excluded from the sect, she has to figure out the new rules by herself.
Rose embraces life outside the sect. She can finally read the books she wants to read, wear what she wants to wear, experiment with makeup, and hook up with boys. She has a plan for decommissioning herself from the expectations she has grown up with, and she launches into college and dating with enthusiasm. Her younger brother doesn't share her desire to leave the rules behind, and in spite of surviving a horrific incident in the religious community, he desperately wants to return. It's up to Rose to encourage him, and help him to adjust.
Throw in family complications, problems with meeting the rent, and Rose's total inexperience of relationships; and the unwritten rules of a life of freedom, boyfriends, and smartphones threaten to trap Rose and her brother - and draw attention to the secretive community they left behind.
This is an emotional book. Rose and her brother are sympathetic and believable, and even when you're shouting at the page, you know their decisions are based on innocence and naivety, and not malice. I found myself extremely frustrated with the adults around them, who either assumed that they understood the unwritten rules, or failed to offer them help when they asked. There's an interesting message about power and manipulation, and how to recover your power if someone has abused your trust.
All the characters feel real - rounded, individual, and flawed - and most of them are simply doing their best in challenging situations. It would be easy to set up the other members of the sect as evil and dangerous, but even they are shown to be acting honourably according to their own rules. It's a story about intentions, and unintended consequences; about finding yourself and your place in the world; and about navigating an unfamiliar culture without a rule book.
It's a story about being human, and growing up, and learning how to fix your mistakes. It's an emotional read, and it grabbed me and didn't let me go. Definitely recommended.
Seventeen-year-old Rose is not at home in London. She's used to the unbending, patriarchal rules of her tight-knit religious community, but when her family is excluded from the sect, she has to figure out the new rules by herself.
Rose embraces life outside the sect. She can finally read the books she wants to read, wear what she wants to wear, experiment with makeup, and hook up with boys. She has a plan for decommissioning herself from the expectations she has grown up with, and she launches into college and dating with enthusiasm. Her younger brother doesn't share her desire to leave the rules behind, and in spite of surviving a horrific incident in the religious community, he desperately wants to return. It's up to Rose to encourage him, and help him to adjust.
Throw in family complications, problems with meeting the rent, and Rose's total inexperience of relationships; and the unwritten rules of a life of freedom, boyfriends, and smartphones threaten to trap Rose and her brother - and draw attention to the secretive community they left behind.
This is an emotional book. Rose and her brother are sympathetic and believable, and even when you're shouting at the page, you know their decisions are based on innocence and naivety, and not malice. I found myself extremely frustrated with the adults around them, who either assumed that they understood the unwritten rules, or failed to offer them help when they asked. There's an interesting message about power and manipulation, and how to recover your power if someone has abused your trust.
All the characters feel real - rounded, individual, and flawed - and most of them are simply doing their best in challenging situations. It would be easy to set up the other members of the sect as evil and dangerous, but even they are shown to be acting honourably according to their own rules. It's a story about intentions, and unintended consequences; about finding yourself and your place in the world; and about navigating an unfamiliar culture without a rule book.
It's a story about being human, and growing up, and learning how to fix your mistakes. It's an emotional read, and it grabbed me and didn't let me go. Definitely recommended.
January 13, 2022
Sadly, I don't think I chose wisely here.
We have 3 Patrice Lawrence novels in our library, and I HOPE this is the least good one, because whilst I quite liked the writing style and contemporary feel, it seemed the plot/characters were all over the place.
Rudder was too babyish, even for a non-Worldly. The revenge porn storyline was too nasty for such a 'teen' book ... I mean, the business with the mother?!
But I will try one of the author's other novels in due course.
We have 3 Patrice Lawrence novels in our library, and I HOPE this is the least good one, because whilst I quite liked the writing style and contemporary feel, it seemed the plot/characters were all over the place.
Rudder was too babyish, even for a non-Worldly. The revenge porn storyline was too nasty for such a 'teen' book ... I mean, the business with the mother?!
But I will try one of the author's other novels in due course.
January 8, 2022
TW for the book: Restorationist Religious practices and confrontation of organized religion, Sexual assault, Sexting and reference to phonographic imagery, Revenge Porn
The book wasn't engaging until the end. I nearly DNF'd it because I felt the plot was dragging on for way too long, only for it to pick up considerably in the last third. It would have been interesting to see more about how restrictive the Pilgrim life was for them previously in flashbacks instead of all of the filler. The premise was really interesting, and the situation they get themselves into can be relatable (maybe?) but it wasn't executed well enough. Having a "build-up" that long made it hard to stay interested.
Rose felt a bit flat since she pretty much only thought about one thing. Since we saw a lot of her diary entries, it would've been better if I saw her actually exploring the other ways to decommission herself instead of just going after Kye like he's her saviour (Let me not talk about Kye and his sister. Some of the most annoying characters EVER.). It also would've been nice to see her help Rudder get used to their new world since he only knew her and their mother outside of the Pilgrim world for a large portion of the book.
Despite relating to him in certain ways, Rudder just made me mad. The way he kept trying to get rid of all of his worldly obsessions every other chapter just infuriated me since he would just...go back to them???? And the way he dealt
I wish some of the side characters had a stronger presence in the book. Rudder got a sub-plot I believe, but Rose got...nothing? It felt disappointing at the very least.
Their father's new girlfriend, Lily (?) was redundant. All she did was annoy me and be pregnant. Rose could've interacted with her grandmother more and it could've been a gateway into her realising why she hated being a Pilgrim and how life was like back when her whole family were Pilgrims and how it compares to what it's like now it's just her, and I guess it kind of did? But barely. The lack of a sub-plot made the book more boring than it needed to be.
TL;DR: promising ideas but flat/annoying main characters, redundant side characters and weird pacing. I don't hate it but it's not for me, despite being the target audience. I may read it again to update my review but I'd rather find out if Lawrence has books with better pacing.
The book wasn't engaging until the end. I nearly DNF'd it because I felt the plot was dragging on for way too long, only for it to pick up considerably in the last third. It would have been interesting to see more about how restrictive the Pilgrim life was for them previously in flashbacks instead of all of the filler. The premise was really interesting, and the situation they get themselves into can be relatable (maybe?) but it wasn't executed well enough. Having a "build-up" that long made it hard to stay interested.
Rose felt a bit flat since she pretty much only thought about one thing. Since we saw a lot of her diary entries, it would've been better if I saw her actually exploring the other ways to decommission herself instead of just going after Kye like he's her saviour (Let me not talk about Kye and his sister. Some of the most annoying characters EVER.). It also would've been nice to see her help Rudder get used to their new world since he only knew her and their mother outside of the Pilgrim world for a large portion of the book.
Despite relating to him in certain ways, Rudder just made me mad. The way he kept trying to get rid of all of his worldly obsessions every other chapter just infuriated me since he would just...go back to them???? And the way he dealt
I wish some of the side characters had a stronger presence in the book. Rudder got a sub-plot I believe, but Rose got...nothing? It felt disappointing at the very least.
Their father's new girlfriend, Lily (?) was redundant. All she did was annoy me and be pregnant. Rose could've interacted with her grandmother more and it could've been a gateway into her realising why she hated being a Pilgrim and how life was like back when her whole family were Pilgrims and how it compares to what it's like now it's just her, and I guess it kind of did? But barely. The lack of a sub-plot made the book more boring than it needed to be.
TL;DR: promising ideas but flat/annoying main characters, redundant side characters and weird pacing. I don't hate it but it's not for me, despite being the target audience. I may read it again to update my review but I'd rather find out if Lawrence has books with better pacing.
June 27, 2019
A year and a half after leaving their family's cult, Rose and Rudder are still struggling; Rose desperate to experience more of the world, Rudder desperate to return to the only world that ever made sense to him. Between them, they have to try and understand this strange new world and how to live in it.
Cult stories are always sort of sickly fascinating. It's amazing to read, but a little uncomfortable. Luckily, in this book, our main characters are out and mostly realise how restrictive and wrong things were in the Pilgrims. Rudder has some trouble still; he reads as maybe autistic or on the spectrum to me, but it might just be that his upbreaking has left him younger than his actual age.
The mystery at the heart of this story wasn't as compelling, to me, as the family dynamics, but it is still interesting to see the different ways Rose and Rudder tackle it and how their disparate experiences come together to mean they can work it out. This is a very enjoyable read and I'll be watching out for more by Patrice.
Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.
Mikhail unzipped the trolley and handed Rose a bundle of leaflets. ‘Smile, Sister Rose. The Worldly-Wise can’t often resist smiling back.’
‘You are full of the Lord’s love,’Gayle said.
‘As are we all, Sister Gayle.’Mikhail passed her leaflets too. ‘I’m sure you will be an excellent example to Sister Rose. Your mission work is admirable.’
Gayle’s head bobbed. ‘Thank you, Brother.’She smiled at Rose. ‘Look ahead, but be ready to make eye contact if a worldly makes eye contact with you. It makes you look friendly.’
Getting friendly with the Worldly-Wise? That’s my speciality, Sister Gayle.
Rose looked over at Gayle. How old was she? Twenty, max. She’d spent every moment of her life with Pilgrims. Outside was a terrifying place, infested by Satan’s plans to turn her from the Lord. Gayle held the burden of cleansing worldly souls ready for the Clean Slate tally. She hadn’t known anything else. She couldn’t be anything else.
And perhaps Gayle really was better off staying where she was. The world was terrifying. It was full of games with rules made up to trip you and when you fell, the hurt stayed forever.
Cult stories are always sort of sickly fascinating. It's amazing to read, but a little uncomfortable. Luckily, in this book, our main characters are out and mostly realise how restrictive and wrong things were in the Pilgrims. Rudder has some trouble still; he reads as maybe autistic or on the spectrum to me, but it might just be that his upbreaking has left him younger than his actual age.
The mystery at the heart of this story wasn't as compelling, to me, as the family dynamics, but it is still interesting to see the different ways Rose and Rudder tackle it and how their disparate experiences come together to mean they can work it out. This is a very enjoyable read and I'll be watching out for more by Patrice.
Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.
Mikhail unzipped the trolley and handed Rose a bundle of leaflets. ‘Smile, Sister Rose. The Worldly-Wise can’t often resist smiling back.’
‘You are full of the Lord’s love,’Gayle said.
‘As are we all, Sister Gayle.’Mikhail passed her leaflets too. ‘I’m sure you will be an excellent example to Sister Rose. Your mission work is admirable.’
Gayle’s head bobbed. ‘Thank you, Brother.’She smiled at Rose. ‘Look ahead, but be ready to make eye contact if a worldly makes eye contact with you. It makes you look friendly.’
Getting friendly with the Worldly-Wise? That’s my speciality, Sister Gayle.
Rose looked over at Gayle. How old was she? Twenty, max. She’d spent every moment of her life with Pilgrims. Outside was a terrifying place, infested by Satan’s plans to turn her from the Lord. Gayle held the burden of cleansing worldly souls ready for the Clean Slate tally. She hadn’t known anything else. She couldn’t be anything else.
And perhaps Gayle really was better off staying where she was. The world was terrifying. It was full of games with rules made up to trip you and when you fell, the hurt stayed forever.
June 22, 2021
2.5 ⭐️
I have to admit that this book was a little bit outside of my comfort zone. I was having a hard time trying to put my thoughts down into words. Mainly because I expected to follow Rose and Rudder’s lives after they escaped Pilgrims, the religious sect. And yes, in a way, it does but I didn’t realise that Pilgrims is still a part of the book and their lives. A big part, in fact.
I was curious to know how the world looks like to someone who has never really been in it. And Rose and Rudder are so naive. I have never been in their shoes so I don’t really know what it felt like to be in that situation or what I would do if I were them. Although I felt like they also lack common sense in a way, I was so sorry for the bad stuff that happened to them. My heart broke and went to them when they’re being exploited only because they do not know how the real world works.
On a side note, the writing style wasn’t doing it for me and the story didn’t flow nicely. As a result, it was hard for me to connect with the storyline and the characters.
I have to admit that this book was a little bit outside of my comfort zone. I was having a hard time trying to put my thoughts down into words. Mainly because I expected to follow Rose and Rudder’s lives after they escaped Pilgrims, the religious sect. And yes, in a way, it does but I didn’t realise that Pilgrims is still a part of the book and their lives. A big part, in fact.
I was curious to know how the world looks like to someone who has never really been in it. And Rose and Rudder are so naive. I have never been in their shoes so I don’t really know what it felt like to be in that situation or what I would do if I were them. Although I felt like they also lack common sense in a way, I was so sorry for the bad stuff that happened to them. My heart broke and went to them when they’re being exploited only because they do not know how the real world works.
On a side note, the writing style wasn’t doing it for me and the story didn’t flow nicely. As a result, it was hard for me to connect with the storyline and the characters.
March 26, 2020
2,5/5 stars
This book took me so long to read. I struggled throughout the whole of the story, even though I was so intrigued by the synopsis. It's about a girl and her brother, who both escaped a religious cult. They lived there all their of their lives, but now have to figure out how to be 'Worldly'. It's told in dual perspective: we live in the heads of both Rose and her brother's. This is one of the things that just didn't work for me; I found Rudder's perspective quite boring. I did like Rose's story better, but it felt like it was more about Rudder than it was about Rose. In my opinion causes Rudder more of the problems than Rose, which is fine, but I expected the book more to be about her experiences. The problems he had were more elaborated. The thing I liked about the story though, was that we got a good view of what living with the Pilgrims was like, but it was still not as enjoyable for me as I had hoped. The idea was great but the execution just didn't do it for me.
This book took me so long to read. I struggled throughout the whole of the story, even though I was so intrigued by the synopsis. It's about a girl and her brother, who both escaped a religious cult. They lived there all their of their lives, but now have to figure out how to be 'Worldly'. It's told in dual perspective: we live in the heads of both Rose and her brother's. This is one of the things that just didn't work for me; I found Rudder's perspective quite boring. I did like Rose's story better, but it felt like it was more about Rudder than it was about Rose. In my opinion causes Rudder more of the problems than Rose, which is fine, but I expected the book more to be about her experiences. The problems he had were more elaborated. The thing I liked about the story though, was that we got a good view of what living with the Pilgrims was like, but it was still not as enjoyable for me as I had hoped. The idea was great but the execution just didn't do it for me.
April 6, 2020
UK YA, OV, two points of view, those of seventeen-year-old Rose, and her thirteen-year-old brother Rudder, who with their mum have come out of a repressive religious sect.
The “worldly world” frightens poor Rudder, who comes across young for his age, possibly due to his sheltered early life with the Pilgrims, for whom sin looms large and terrifying. Convinced that he is a sinner (in part for reading Harry Potter), he desperately wants to atone and return to the Pilgrims, even though they have hurt him far more badly than they have Rose or their mother.
Meanwhile, Rose is relishing her “decommissioning”, but still has many moments of insecurity and uncertainty. It’s a whole new world, she’s doing the fairy kei thing, she’s got a boyfriend – but what are the rules? Kye blows hot and cold, and she isn’t sure how to handle things. And perhaps she hasn’t been paying enough attention to her deeply troubled brother …
Utterly engrossing, and you really feel for these two young people.
The “worldly world” frightens poor Rudder, who comes across young for his age, possibly due to his sheltered early life with the Pilgrims, for whom sin looms large and terrifying. Convinced that he is a sinner (in part for reading Harry Potter), he desperately wants to atone and return to the Pilgrims, even though they have hurt him far more badly than they have Rose or their mother.
Meanwhile, Rose is relishing her “decommissioning”, but still has many moments of insecurity and uncertainty. It’s a whole new world, she’s doing the fairy kei thing, she’s got a boyfriend – but what are the rules? Kye blows hot and cold, and she isn’t sure how to handle things. And perhaps she hasn’t been paying enough attention to her deeply troubled brother …
Utterly engrossing, and you really feel for these two young people.
January 20, 2021
There’s nothing quite as refreshing as YA! Though, in spite of the target audience, this was certainly a book that dealt with very adult issues.
Rose and her brother, Rudder have left the restrictive life of ‘the Pilgrims’ to become ‘Worldly Wise’ - but getting used to their new life is a struggle for both of them. They both seem to write lists, which personally I didn’t feel added anything of note to the story.
Lawrence successfully hands us the character of Rudder - so protected from the outside world that his understanding of it is limited to say the least. I did, however, find Rose less believable as a character - and her abrupt return to the Pilgrims didn’t make as much sense as it could have.
In spite of a few of those moments where I felt the story had made a leap, I really did enjoy the book. I found myself really looking forward to picking it up again and read it pretty quickly.
Rose and her brother, Rudder have left the restrictive life of ‘the Pilgrims’ to become ‘Worldly Wise’ - but getting used to their new life is a struggle for both of them. They both seem to write lists, which personally I didn’t feel added anything of note to the story.
Lawrence successfully hands us the character of Rudder - so protected from the outside world that his understanding of it is limited to say the least. I did, however, find Rose less believable as a character - and her abrupt return to the Pilgrims didn’t make as much sense as it could have.
In spite of a few of those moments where I felt the story had made a leap, I really did enjoy the book. I found myself really looking forward to picking it up again and read it pretty quickly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2024
(CONTENT WARNING AT BOTTOM OF REVIEW‼️)
Another great read from one of my fav authors
This is a reread but man I forgot how good it was, I highly recommend it if your looking for a read that will make your tear your hair out and make really tough decisions with the characters on the way
Some characters are darlings and I wish the best for them
Some I hope rot in hell!!
This is a great book that tackles issues that need to be talked about and expressed more, and the issues are VERY well written, it doesn’t gloss over things, and it doesn’t try and sugarcoat things, much like Patrice’s other books!!
If you do read this though, before you start, please note there are sensitive/important/serious subjects in this book, such as: Restorationist Religious practices , organized religion, Sexual assault, Sexting and reference to phonographic imagery and Revenge Porn.
Short review sorry, haven’t updated my good reads in a while 🙏😭
Another great read from one of my fav authors
This is a reread but man I forgot how good it was, I highly recommend it if your looking for a read that will make your tear your hair out and make really tough decisions with the characters on the way
Some characters are darlings and I wish the best for them
Some I hope rot in hell!!
This is a great book that tackles issues that need to be talked about and expressed more, and the issues are VERY well written, it doesn’t gloss over things, and it doesn’t try and sugarcoat things, much like Patrice’s other books!!
If you do read this though, before you start, please note there are sensitive/important/serious subjects in this book, such as: Restorationist Religious practices , organized religion, Sexual assault, Sexting and reference to phonographic imagery and Revenge Porn.
Short review sorry, haven’t updated my good reads in a while 🙏😭
March 21, 2021
As you can probably tell from my previous reviews, I love Patrice Lawrence and she is an incredible, gripping writer. And this book did not fail to amaze me once again. I think it is just as good or maybe even better than her previous book, which I didn't think was possible. The plot follows a family of ex-pilgrims, cramped into a small apartment above a kebab shop. After leaving their previous life enforced by strict rules, the new outside world lacks the vital rules the family lived their previous life by. With no one to turn to, Rose and Rudder have to make their own rules, but are they really the right rules to follow? I guess you will have to read it to find out. Rose, Interupted is one of many fabulous books by Patrice Lawrence and is definitely worth reading no matter what your taste.
February 23, 2020
Despite a confusing start and being puzzled over the direction of the book, I found each time I put it down, I needed to pick it back up again. The characters have that pull that drags you back in, I couldn't wait to find out what they were going to do next. I've never felt more understanding of what it must be like to be thrust into the unknown more than listening to Rudder's voice and it made me think once again, of how very vulnerable children are and how our adult world still gets it wrong time and time again even when we are trying to get it right. It's also a story about love, familial love most of all. I've rated it YA but that's because middle-grade fiction starts from age 9 and it's definitely not for them but certainly 12+ is fine.
September 8, 2024
It was really good... but the ending was disappointing. I was so invested the whole way through, the characters of rose and rudder were really well developed and the storyline was great, so I finished it in two days. However, with only a few pages to go and the storyline nowhere near resolved, I started feeling like the ending would be rushed and underdeveloped, and unfortunately for me it was. I'm not a fan of a 'three months later' epilogue - it just feels a little unrealistic and try too hard, and I was also a bit confused about what happened to their dad by the end. Anyways, it was still a fun and gripping read and I think it definitely had a really interesting perspective on the impacts and trauma of a strict religious sect.
August 20, 2020
*It was more of a 1.5 read for me
I was so intrigued with the synopsis since it has a really good idea and it has such a beautiful cover and so I had high expectations for it... but oh well, I was pretty disappointed 😔. There wasn't a lot of things going on up until the first half of the book. It was very slow and I was so close on dnf-ing the book.
After the first half, the story went pretty well. I liked Rose's adventure enough and I could connect and feel more of what Rudder's feeling even though I find him very annoying at first. I guess I'm actually sort of glad I didn't dnf the book because I got an insight how Pilgrims are like and the ending was actually pretty good, but yeah... the first half of the book was a challenge to go through.
I was so intrigued with the synopsis since it has a really good idea and it has such a beautiful cover and so I had high expectations for it... but oh well, I was pretty disappointed 😔. There wasn't a lot of things going on up until the first half of the book. It was very slow and I was so close on dnf-ing the book.
After the first half, the story went pretty well. I liked Rose's adventure enough and I could connect and feel more of what Rudder's feeling even though I find him very annoying at first. I guess I'm actually sort of glad I didn't dnf the book because I got an insight how Pilgrims are like and the ending was actually pretty good, but yeah... the first half of the book was a challenge to go through.
August 14, 2021
3.5
This was an intriguing novel, with a subject matter that was serious but ultimately handled with care. I enjoyed the general arc, and some parts did feel genuinely shocking.
However, the writing style of this book at some points felt long and too descriptive, with constant descriptions of cars and noise pollution that ultimately added very little in terms of plot. The pop culture references also felt jarring very early on (this is very much a pet hate of mine, in contemporary novels), though I do appreciate that these did actually have a purpose here.
Overall though, it was an enjoyable read, I just believe it could have been a lot shortened from the final product.
This was an intriguing novel, with a subject matter that was serious but ultimately handled with care. I enjoyed the general arc, and some parts did feel genuinely shocking.
However, the writing style of this book at some points felt long and too descriptive, with constant descriptions of cars and noise pollution that ultimately added very little in terms of plot. The pop culture references also felt jarring very early on (this is very much a pet hate of mine, in contemporary novels), though I do appreciate that these did actually have a purpose here.
Overall though, it was an enjoyable read, I just believe it could have been a lot shortened from the final product.
July 14, 2019
Coming of age tale set in a gritty, real life environment with sexting, bullying, fanaticism and family ties as strong themes. Rose is finding it hard to acclimatise to living in the 'real world' after having grown up in a strict religious sect. Her younger brother Rudder who shows signs of being on the autism spectrum is struggling even more, with his love and loyalty to his father, still in the religious community, fogging his thoughts and making it hard for him to settle. A salutary story about the inadvisability of being influenced too much by the people we love.
October 24, 2019
I thought Rose, Interrupted was really well done. I don't read many Young Adult novels because I often find them just predictable and bland, but I really enjoyed this book. It was really interesting to think about the perspective of Rose and Rudder and what it would be like to be in their situation. It felt very realistic throughout as far as the mistakes that were made and the character development. I also appreciated that there were no black and white characters; they were all genuine people who had their good and bad moments and made mistakes and learned from them.
July 31, 2019
I was so excited when I realised the latest release from Patrice Lawrence was out in the world. I had loved Orangeboy and Indigo Donut. Rose, Interrupted did not disappoint and was also not at all what was I expecting (I refused to read the blurb and just jumped right in) - it tackles identity, internet safety and the control of a religious sect - it is engaging, entertaining and utterly brilliant. I would suggest that everyone reads it (and the previous two novels if you haven't)
August 31, 2019
Patrice Lawrence’s contemporary YA novel is a subtle look at the pressures of modern teen life that examines sexism, different means of coercion and control and the meaning of freedom. Lawrence is particularly good in her sly critique of toxic Christianity and in the double standards that women are held to in comparison to men and although the pace did drag slightly in places, I cared a great deal about the characters and what happens to them.
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