Themis

by Charlotte Baker

Where do the lines blur between justice and sacrifice? Run by the beautiful and charismatic woman known only as Bow, Themis is an organisation created with the sole purpose of doling out justice-justice that picks up where the law fails. When fifteen-year-old Liberty begins questioning the very essence of what she'd been taught all her life, those who have nurtured her are faced with the decision to either continue to give her the protection she has been allowed or seal her fate within its walls. No matter their decision, each follower is weighed down by the consequences of their decisions as they establish where their true loyalty lies. With the list of those missing growing, the police continue to be frustrated as they attempt to uncover what's really going on. As Pippa and Alfie begin to unravel the web of lies and deceit that cover Themis' trail, they endanger many lives, including their own and those closest to them. As their tips run cold and the body count increases, the police are drawn into a cat-and-mouse game with an underground vigilante and her dedicated followers, with a taste for blood and an absolute sense of justice. One young woman holds the key, but will she turn the locks of Themis?

193 pages, Paperback

Published August 10, 2019

Reviews

[K.M. Allan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dark, and at times disturbing, read that centers on a mysterious cult and the police investigation that always seems to be a step behind. Charlotte J.R. Baker has crafted a book told from many perspectives, which can be a little confusing, but gives you an insight into all the characters. You'll need that to understand why some of them do what they do, especially magnetic Themis leader, Bow. As the chapters go on, the book peels away at each character and builds toward a climax that will have you questioning the damage humans can do to each other and asking where the next book is.

[Lydia Haigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is a page turner if ever I’ve read one. After only reading the first few sentences I found myself already enthralled in the somewhat twisted and intriguing plot, and with the quick paced story-telling that the author achieves, it is one that could easily be unravelled in one sitting. With dark themes and disturbing imagery throughout, this novel manages to encapsulate the feeling of “not-wanting-to-look-but-can’t-look-away” within the reader (in the best way). The author’s use of various perspectives in each chapter of the novel allows the reader further insight to all of her characters, and I was surprised when I found that I actually felt for, and could understand the ‘villain’ of the piece: Bow, whose actions throughout are very difficult to justify. Themis is a captivating read that will have you constantly wondering how this is going to pan out, along with shuddering, and will leave you wanting more. I highly recommend, provided that you’re not too squeamish!

[Buttercupp77 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think, overall, this was a well-executed novel. Set in Britain, the story follows the cult of Themis - a group of people who have suffered and see the justice system and media as having compounded the difficulties they faced, as well as the police unit charged with investigating their crimes.

The author does a good job of laying out the backstories of the individual characters, which, although difficult to read, humanised them and their motivations. Given the short length, I felt that it may have made stronger impact to focus on fewer characters in greater depth.

The pacing was excellent, and there were a number of twists added that I thought were well-done. One twist felt like a bit of a cheat as the character was only mentioned in passing earlier on, so the reader doesn't ever get a sense for how this person will ultimately impact the events. This also cheapened the denouement - what should have been a devastating and chilling reveal just wasn't.

There were some small errors - using the incorrect subject ("her" when it should be "she"). But these didn't detract overly from the novel. One formatting choice that would have been helpful to the reader is to create some sort of a visual break in the text when the perspective is shifting to a new character. The lack of a visual space was jarring when these changes happened.

I would definitely be interested in reading more from this author as I thought this was a strong novel.

I received a copy of this book through Voracious Readers Only.

[Philippa Mckenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whilst this book is as far away from my comfort zone as you can possibly get, I LOVED it!! Quite some time ago, I read this author's first book, Valor Diamond. That was good - but this is a belter! I cannot believe how mature her writing has become. She's really grown as an author. And let me tell you, she has a sick mind!! So, Themis. What's it all about? Well, without giving too much away, it's an organisation headed up by the fearsome Bow; a woman you definitely don't want to mess with or get on the wrong side of. With her team of followers, Bow is hell bent on bringing her own kind of justice to certain people who have wronged her throughout her life. Yes she is a nasty piece of work, but by the end of the book I felt real sympathy towards her and completely 'got' her. The book is gory, and really difficult to read in places. Be warned, it contains graphic descriptions of physical child abuse and an incident of animal cruelty, so if you find these subjects hard to deal with you might want to steer clear! Me on the other hand, am desperate for a sequel because the ending is sooo ripe for a follow up. Brilliant stuff.

[Tom Maycock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how grim the group of themis is, and I was not expecting cannibalism especially getting introduced that early.