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Revival Season
The daughter of one of the South’s most famous Baptist preachers discovers a shocking secret about her father that puts her at odds with both her faith and her family in this debut novel.
“Spellbinding…Revival Season should be read alongside Alice Walker’s The Color Purple and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus.” —The Washington Post
A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice
Every summer, fifteen-year-old Miriam Horton and her family pack themselves tight in their old minivan and travel through small southern towns for revival the time when Miriam’s father—one of the South’s most famous preachers—holds massive healing services for people desperate to be cured of ailments and disease. But, this summer, the revival season doesn’t go as planned, and after one service in which Reverend Horton’s healing powers are tested like never before, Miriam witnesses a shocking act of violence that shakes her belief in her father—and her faith.
When the Hortons return home, Miriam’s confusion only grows as she discovers she might have the power to heal—even though her father and the church have always made it clear that such power is denied to women. Over the course of the following year, Miriam must decide between her faith, her family, and her newfound power that might be able to save others, but if discovered by her father, could destroy Miriam.
Celebrating both feminism and faith, Revival Season is a “tender and wise” (Ann Patchett) story of spiritual awakening and disillusionment in a Southern, Black, Evangelical community.
“Spellbinding…Revival Season should be read alongside Alice Walker’s The Color Purple and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus.” —The Washington Post
A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice
Every summer, fifteen-year-old Miriam Horton and her family pack themselves tight in their old minivan and travel through small southern towns for revival the time when Miriam’s father—one of the South’s most famous preachers—holds massive healing services for people desperate to be cured of ailments and disease. But, this summer, the revival season doesn’t go as planned, and after one service in which Reverend Horton’s healing powers are tested like never before, Miriam witnesses a shocking act of violence that shakes her belief in her father—and her faith.
When the Hortons return home, Miriam’s confusion only grows as she discovers she might have the power to heal—even though her father and the church have always made it clear that such power is denied to women. Over the course of the following year, Miriam must decide between her faith, her family, and her newfound power that might be able to save others, but if discovered by her father, could destroy Miriam.
Celebrating both feminism and faith, Revival Season is a “tender and wise” (Ann Patchett) story of spiritual awakening and disillusionment in a Southern, Black, Evangelical community.
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First published May 25, 2021
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About the author
Monica West
7 books183 followersMonica West is the author of REVIVAL SEASON, which was a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice, a Barnes and Noble Discover selection, and short listed for the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Monica received her B.A. from Duke University, her M.A. from New York University, and her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop where she was a Rona Jaffe Graduate Fellow. She has received fellowships and awards from Hedgebrook, Kimbilio Fiction, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She teaches in the MFA in Writing program at the University of San Francisco.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 623 reviews
May 25, 2021
3.5 stars rounded up .
I was surprised that this was a contemporary story. Set in 2017, this story of a broken family, living under the repressive iron fist of a preacher father who heals, felt like it should have been from a time in the past. The Evangelical black church, revivals, healing are not familiar territory for me, so it’s not possible for me to speak to the reality of this story. However, there are things that felt very real. The affects of a domineering, abusive man and the power he has over his family who are held hostage to his beliefs was sad and heartbreaking. The fear and anxiety felt by fifteen year old Miriam Horton as she treads carefully, questioning her father’s healing powers, his abusive behavior and her own faith and potential healing power felt terribly real.
This novel is intense and dark at times, and disturbing as I had an ominous feeling throughout that things will never change for Miriam and her mother. I stayed connected to Miriam throughout, even though I didn’t quite understand her. It’s about a young girl grappling with her own faith, coming to terms with the truth about her father. We travel with the family to multiple revival meetings to places around the south, but it’s Miriam’s personal journey to self awareness and her faith that is at the center of this well written debut novel. It brought me to this world of revival tents and faith healing that were remote from my personal experience. But mostly, it brought me into the heart and mind of a character that I couldn’t help but care about. I hope that Monica West continues to write.
I read this with Diane and Esil for our monthly buddy read.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Simon & Schuster through Edelweiss.
I was surprised that this was a contemporary story. Set in 2017, this story of a broken family, living under the repressive iron fist of a preacher father who heals, felt like it should have been from a time in the past. The Evangelical black church, revivals, healing are not familiar territory for me, so it’s not possible for me to speak to the reality of this story. However, there are things that felt very real. The affects of a domineering, abusive man and the power he has over his family who are held hostage to his beliefs was sad and heartbreaking. The fear and anxiety felt by fifteen year old Miriam Horton as she treads carefully, questioning her father’s healing powers, his abusive behavior and her own faith and potential healing power felt terribly real.
This novel is intense and dark at times, and disturbing as I had an ominous feeling throughout that things will never change for Miriam and her mother. I stayed connected to Miriam throughout, even though I didn’t quite understand her. It’s about a young girl grappling with her own faith, coming to terms with the truth about her father. We travel with the family to multiple revival meetings to places around the south, but it’s Miriam’s personal journey to self awareness and her faith that is at the center of this well written debut novel. It brought me to this world of revival tents and faith healing that were remote from my personal experience. But mostly, it brought me into the heart and mind of a character that I couldn’t help but care about. I hope that Monica West continues to write.
I read this with Diane and Esil for our monthly buddy read.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Simon & Schuster through Edelweiss.
May 26, 2021
3.5 This book took me on a trip to a place of which I had little knowledge. Yes, it's in my own country but this is a look into the Southern black Evangelical church, of which faith healing is a big part. Where women are secondary, have little control over any aspect of their lives, their only role, to keep the faith and bolster their men. Accept whatever they say and do. So it is with the family in this book, a family that travels on a summer circuit through the south, preaching and healing as they go. Father, preacher, mother, son, two daughters, one with cerebral palsy. Miriam is the eldest and she respects, reveres her father, until one day........
This was a difficult book for me to read, it was tension filled, cloistered, and exposed the hypocrisy hidden inside, this family, this religion. It made me angry that a mother would not protect her daughter, but in fact, she had few options. Something Miriam will have to come to terms with. Miriam is a wonderful character and one for which I hoped for better things. It does not end with a definitive answer, but the reader must come to their own interpretation. A read with Angela, Esil and myself, and we all came to the same realization by books end.
ARC from Edelweiss.
This was a difficult book for me to read, it was tension filled, cloistered, and exposed the hypocrisy hidden inside, this family, this religion. It made me angry that a mother would not protect her daughter, but in fact, she had few options. Something Miriam will have to come to terms with. Miriam is a wonderful character and one for which I hoped for better things. It does not end with a definitive answer, but the reader must come to their own interpretation. A read with Angela, Esil and myself, and we all came to the same realization by books end.
ARC from Edelweiss.
dnf
May 31, 2021The writing is excellent and this is a debut author to watch.
But the subject matter wasn’t for me. It’s not the book, it’s me. I’m the wrong reader for this story of a Southern Baptist preacher and his family on the revival circuit.
There are plenty of readers who loved this one, so please check out their reviews.
*I received a digital copy for review from NetGalley
But the subject matter wasn’t for me. It’s not the book, it’s me. I’m the wrong reader for this story of a Southern Baptist preacher and his family on the revival circuit.
There are plenty of readers who loved this one, so please check out their reviews.
*I received a digital copy for review from NetGalley
September 5, 2022
3.5 stars
Revival Season was a fascinating read both for the religious aspects of the story and the coming of age elements. I did run into a few problems along the way but nothing that severely dampened my interest. A book worth reading especially if you are like me and don't know much about the whole revival circuit.
Every summer the Horton family packs up their minivan and travels around the South for revival season. Fifteen year old Miriam watches as her father, Reverend Horton, holds healing services for people desperately seeking cures for their diseases and ailments. After witnessing her dad commit a violent act, Miriam has a lot of questions and wants answers.
There's something really relatable when it comes to Miriam no matter if you grew up in a religious household or not. At some point in our lives, and many times it's right in that teenage phase, you start seeing people or things in a different light. Doesn't necessarily have to be a drastic change in your outlook but it's like you open your eyes more and kinda see the whole picture rather than only parts you want to see. That coming of age journey Miriam is on is the strength of the novel.
Again, I liked the book but there were a couple issues. I don't think the stage was set very well in terms of the setting and characters. It was a few chapters in before it is even mentioned the story is taking place in the present day. That was somewhat jarring because it had a much more dated vibe although I guess you could argue there is a stuck in time type feel to some religious communities. It also was more assumed rather than told that the main characters are part of the Black Evangelical community. The beginning just needed a little bit more development.
Overall, a good read though and it left an emotional impact.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
Revival Season was a fascinating read both for the religious aspects of the story and the coming of age elements. I did run into a few problems along the way but nothing that severely dampened my interest. A book worth reading especially if you are like me and don't know much about the whole revival circuit.
Every summer the Horton family packs up their minivan and travels around the South for revival season. Fifteen year old Miriam watches as her father, Reverend Horton, holds healing services for people desperately seeking cures for their diseases and ailments. After witnessing her dad commit a violent act, Miriam has a lot of questions and wants answers.
There's something really relatable when it comes to Miriam no matter if you grew up in a religious household or not. At some point in our lives, and many times it's right in that teenage phase, you start seeing people or things in a different light. Doesn't necessarily have to be a drastic change in your outlook but it's like you open your eyes more and kinda see the whole picture rather than only parts you want to see. That coming of age journey Miriam is on is the strength of the novel.
Again, I liked the book but there were a couple issues. I don't think the stage was set very well in terms of the setting and characters. It was a few chapters in before it is even mentioned the story is taking place in the present day. That was somewhat jarring because it had a much more dated vibe although I guess you could argue there is a stuck in time type feel to some religious communities. It also was more assumed rather than told that the main characters are part of the Black Evangelical community. The beginning just needed a little bit more development.
Overall, a good read though and it left an emotional impact.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
May 30, 2022
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3 ¼ stars
Thoughtful if sad Revival Season is a novel about faith and healing. Written in a quietly elegant prose Revival Season paints an intimate, if troubling, family portrait. The Hortons are an Evangelical Black family. The pater familias is a renowned preacher who has healed and saved hundreds of souls. Miriam, his fifteen-year-old and our narrator, has been brought up under his rigid rule. She's homeschooled, seems to exclusively interact with members of their church, she has to dress modestly and comport herself in a respectful way. Miriam is used to this way of living and doesn't long for a different lifestyle. She looks up to her father and is close to her mother, she cares for and is responsible for her young sister Hannah, who was born with cerebral palsy, and she gets on as best as she can with her brother. Every year during the summer the Hortons travel across the South for 'revival season'. The previous year Reverend Horton was involved in an altercation, one that Miriam has tried hard not to dwell on. But when her father's healing powers fail him once more Miriam becomes once again witness to his violent outbursts. When they return to their hometown Miriam is unable to forget what she was. Over the course of a year, Miriam becomes painfully aware of how dangerous her father is. As her faith in him begins to waver Miriam discovers that, unlike him, she now has the ability to heal others. Forced to hide her gift from her father, Miriam has to decide whether to keep her healing a secret or cure others and risk her father's ire.
Revival Season presents readers with an intimate look at a family that is unravelling. Monica West does a fantastic job in capturing Miriam's voice. Not only does Miriam's tender narration convey her young age and sheltered upbringing—without making her sound wholly naïve—but it is also succeeds in being introspective and perceptive. In articulating Miriam's conflicted and shifting feelings towards her father West demonstrates great sensitivity. I could sadly relate all too easily to Miriam and found West's nuanced portrayal of her father to be incredibly realistic. In fiction there is a tendency to paint abusers as one-dimensional monsters, but in real life things are not so clear-cut.
As the narrative progresses West explores Miriam's faith in God and her self-belief. As Miriam is forced to question the image that she has of her father, she begins to tests the boundaries and rules he had long imposed on her. During this time Miriam also learns more about her mother's past and begins to see her in a new light.
I think part of me did find the narrative to be slightly slow-moving and I did find myself wishing for a story with a broader scope. I was also a bit disappointed by the lack of revivals (ever since watching Carnivale and True Detective i have been oddly fascinated by them, go figure). Most of the narrative (70-80%) takes place in Miriam's home and her father's church, which resulted in some rather limited scenery. I think my lack of faith (i know i know, i am heathen) also played into my not being wholly captivated by what I was reading given the amount of Bible passages we get and that one of the novel's primary concern is Christianity. Readers with stronger ties to Christianity will probably be able to appreciate this novel more than I was.
Last but not least, we get the dreaded "I released the breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding" line which I have come to despise. Scratch that, I feckin hate it.
In spite of my reservations about the novel's pacing and 'breadth', I can say with certainty that this is a well-written (- that one line) and poignant debut novel, one that should definitely appeal to fans of Purple Hibiscus (which is also narrated by a fifteen-year-old girl who lives in a religious and abusive household).
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
3 ¼ stars
“Papa had carefully cultivated our belief in him. He never said it outright—Believe in me as you believe in God—that would have been obvious blasphemy and idolatry. But he was the all-consuming presence that had filled my entire life, taking up all the space in the house and in revival tents. In its absence was a black hole that seemed bigger than the presence that had inhabited it.”
Thoughtful if sad Revival Season is a novel about faith and healing. Written in a quietly elegant prose Revival Season paints an intimate, if troubling, family portrait. The Hortons are an Evangelical Black family. The pater familias is a renowned preacher who has healed and saved hundreds of souls. Miriam, his fifteen-year-old and our narrator, has been brought up under his rigid rule. She's homeschooled, seems to exclusively interact with members of their church, she has to dress modestly and comport herself in a respectful way. Miriam is used to this way of living and doesn't long for a different lifestyle. She looks up to her father and is close to her mother, she cares for and is responsible for her young sister Hannah, who was born with cerebral palsy, and she gets on as best as she can with her brother. Every year during the summer the Hortons travel across the South for 'revival season'. The previous year Reverend Horton was involved in an altercation, one that Miriam has tried hard not to dwell on. But when her father's healing powers fail him once more Miriam becomes once again witness to his violent outbursts. When they return to their hometown Miriam is unable to forget what she was. Over the course of a year, Miriam becomes painfully aware of how dangerous her father is. As her faith in him begins to waver Miriam discovers that, unlike him, she now has the ability to heal others. Forced to hide her gift from her father, Miriam has to decide whether to keep her healing a secret or cure others and risk her father's ire.
Revival Season presents readers with an intimate look at a family that is unravelling. Monica West does a fantastic job in capturing Miriam's voice. Not only does Miriam's tender narration convey her young age and sheltered upbringing—without making her sound wholly naïve—but it is also succeeds in being introspective and perceptive. In articulating Miriam's conflicted and shifting feelings towards her father West demonstrates great sensitivity. I could sadly relate all too easily to Miriam and found West's nuanced portrayal of her father to be incredibly realistic. In fiction there is a tendency to paint abusers as one-dimensional monsters, but in real life things are not so clear-cut.
As the narrative progresses West explores Miriam's faith in God and her self-belief. As Miriam is forced to question the image that she has of her father, she begins to tests the boundaries and rules he had long imposed on her. During this time Miriam also learns more about her mother's past and begins to see her in a new light.
I think part of me did find the narrative to be slightly slow-moving and I did find myself wishing for a story with a broader scope. I was also a bit disappointed by the lack of revivals (ever since watching Carnivale and True Detective i have been oddly fascinated by them, go figure). Most of the narrative (70-80%) takes place in Miriam's home and her father's church, which resulted in some rather limited scenery. I think my lack of faith (i know i know, i am heathen) also played into my not being wholly captivated by what I was reading given the amount of Bible passages we get and that one of the novel's primary concern is Christianity. Readers with stronger ties to Christianity will probably be able to appreciate this novel more than I was.
Last but not least, we get the dreaded "I released the breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding" line which I have come to despise. Scratch that, I feckin hate it.
In spite of my reservations about the novel's pacing and 'breadth', I can say with certainty that this is a well-written (- that one line) and poignant debut novel, one that should definitely appeal to fans of Purple Hibiscus (which is also narrated by a fifteen-year-old girl who lives in a religious and abusive household).
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2020
Monica West has given us a riveting tale full of deep wells of compassion even as it tangles with the complexities and flaws of this troubled Southern family. Compact, suspenseful, and written with incredible elegance, Revival Season is a highly rewarding, utterly original read -- one of my favorite debuts of the year.
May 18, 2021
Miriam Horton is the oldest daughter of a celebrated preacher. She is a faithful daughter who is disciplined in her prayer life and Bible study. Over the years she has become the primary caregiver for little sister Hannah. Her tender and loving care for Hannah was one of my favorite parts of the narrative. We view the annual revival tour of the Horton family at its beginning. Thousands of miles are logged that summer, but one event will topple Miriam's father from the throne he had built for himself. That one interaction is like the top of a slippery slope and the Reverend Horton seems to be taking his family and church down with him. I wanted to like this book. The prose is lovely. Miriam will break your heart. What I missed is the redeeming power of the gospel. Every church is full of sinners. That is why we are there. The Horton family is flawed, but not beyond redemption. I had hoped to see that hope as a part of the narrative arc.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2021
Desperation can do cruel things – driving people to magical thinking that they can be cured if only they “have faith.” With 4,300 religions in the world, it has always fascinated me to view the lengths to which people go to believe theirs is the one and only path.
As a result, I’ve read a number of nuanced books on fundamentalist religions with their man-made (it’s almost always man-made) rules and dogma. Unfortunately, I don’t believe The Revival is one of them.
It’s not the subject matter; as I stated, I find the subject matter intriguing. It’s the voice, which didn’t feel authentic to me. The writer wants to have it both ways: present a young narrator named Miriam who has been raised from birth to believe and at the same time, have her be a feminist and an agent of change. The two are pretty much incompatible.
Any kind of religion brainwashing at a young age creates submission. That is why the vast majority of children grow up to believe in what their parents believe and refuse to question it. Yet Miriam displays a lot of spunk, confronting her father who commits an act of violence and standing up for her own possible ability to heal. It wasn’t believable.
Perhaps most troubling, any novel with the title “The Revival” owes it to its readers to deliver a charismatic revivalist and draw the readers into the circle of hope. Surprisingly, that didn’t happen. The father from the start presents as a charlatan and I never got the feeling he could inspire anyone. The fact that the novel presents a Southern, Black, evangelist community somehow gets lost. It’s easy enough to believe, for example, that this is a Northern and white saga.
This debut writer definitely has writing talent and I believe she has the chops to write more authentically in her next effort. For me, this just didn’t ring true enough.
As a result, I’ve read a number of nuanced books on fundamentalist religions with their man-made (it’s almost always man-made) rules and dogma. Unfortunately, I don’t believe The Revival is one of them.
It’s not the subject matter; as I stated, I find the subject matter intriguing. It’s the voice, which didn’t feel authentic to me. The writer wants to have it both ways: present a young narrator named Miriam who has been raised from birth to believe and at the same time, have her be a feminist and an agent of change. The two are pretty much incompatible.
Any kind of religion brainwashing at a young age creates submission. That is why the vast majority of children grow up to believe in what their parents believe and refuse to question it. Yet Miriam displays a lot of spunk, confronting her father who commits an act of violence and standing up for her own possible ability to heal. It wasn’t believable.
Perhaps most troubling, any novel with the title “The Revival” owes it to its readers to deliver a charismatic revivalist and draw the readers into the circle of hope. Surprisingly, that didn’t happen. The father from the start presents as a charlatan and I never got the feeling he could inspire anyone. The fact that the novel presents a Southern, Black, evangelist community somehow gets lost. It’s easy enough to believe, for example, that this is a Northern and white saga.
This debut writer definitely has writing talent and I believe she has the chops to write more authentically in her next effort. For me, this just didn’t ring true enough.
June 9, 2021
This book is a family drama about an abusive husband and father. It is told from the point of view of his oldest daughter Miriam who begins to doubt her father’s omnipotence as she has her own experiences as a faith healer. The book is written without any skepticism at all about the ability to heal. It is extremely earnest. That was a complete turn off for me. As far as I’m concerned, all of these people should have been arrested for duping the naive and vulnerable. The writing was ok, it just wasn’t my kind of book. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
June 15, 2021
A story of the Reverend Samuel Horton, an evangelical preacher, and his family shared through the words of his 15-year-old daughter, Miriam. A summer that followed a shameful incident during the previous revival season when her father had assaulted a pregnant teenage girl and they were forced to leave in shame. Since then, word had spread, and the number of attendees had dwindled, which only served to make him more anxious and angry. As his world slowly unravels, his family, particularly his wife, is the recipient of his ‘righteous’ anger, using not his words to lash out, but his fists. The same fists he used in his early years as a prizefighter.
’We had lived under the canopy of that belief my whole life, eating and drinking faith in God first and Papa second, never questioning Papa’s healing abilities the same way we never questioned the existence of the sun, even when it was hidden behind clouds. Our belief left no directives about what to do if our faith in Papa faltered.’
Miriam tries to remember and hold on to the good days, to focus on those good memories, rare as they were. Those days without rain, with large crowds filling the tents, days when her father left these meetings with his ears ringing from the praise of the people inside the tents. Days when her father didn’t falter, and her mother, Joanne, was happier. Before her brother Caleb began to distance himself from her, and spent his time trying to become more like their father. She believes in the miracles that have come from faith.
When Miriam’s best friend Micah faints and collapses from diabetes, Miriam calls for help, but her anxiety gets the better of her as she waits on the arrival of the ambulance, without much thought beyond desperation for her friend, she recites her father’s words for a healing. Words that are forbidden to her and other women, she immediately begins to atone for her sin as the sound of the ambulance draws near, but Micah seems to vaguely recall hearing, or at least feeling the truth. Miriam saved her.
More complications arise as this story moves forward in time, and Miriam’s life begins to unravel, her father’s temper seems to flare more often as he begins to see that others are losing faith in him. His wife who has had many reasons to not openly question his actions begins to withdraw emotionally seemingly from everyone. When his church begins to question him on his decisions, he begins to unravel even more. The more he unravels, the further he pulls away from everyone, and his family pulls away from him in return, which only seems to serve as proof to him that he has reason to be angry.
An atmospheric debut shared through the voice of an unforgettable narrator, I couldn’t put this book down.
Published: 25 May 2021
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Simon & Schuster
February 24, 2021
The novel opens with The Horton Family making its annual rounds to backwoods tent meetings throughout the South where Rev. Horton hopes to redeem himself as a faith healer after a scandal during last year’s Revival Season leaves his reputation in question. The narrator is a sweet, loving 15-year-old Miriam, the oldest daughter in this tightly controlled, patriarchal household. She bears the brunt as primary caretaker to a special needs sister and helpmate to a broken, subservient mother.
When the sheltered Miriam witnesses a series of events involving her self-professed “servant of God” father, she has an awakening where the once hero-worship admiration of her father sours. She begins to question much of what she was taught and believed as “gospel truth.” She also discovers her voice, God-given talents and begins to use both in good faith with alarming results.
Part cautionary tale rife with the consequences of hubris, part coming of age amid family crisis -- this novel is packed with life lessons. While the story is set in a heavily evangelical setting and glimpses at controversial teachings and edicts, the novel is not “religious” or “preachy.” It delicately maintains a neutral tone while shedding light on some of the more questionable aspects of this lifestyle and belief system.
I’m surprised that this is a debut novel - the author handles the character development, pacing, plot (which included the taboo topic of religion) with aplomb -- definitely at a level that would imply veteran status. I’ll definitely look to read her next release!
When the sheltered Miriam witnesses a series of events involving her self-professed “servant of God” father, she has an awakening where the once hero-worship admiration of her father sours. She begins to question much of what she was taught and believed as “gospel truth.” She also discovers her voice, God-given talents and begins to use both in good faith with alarming results.
Part cautionary tale rife with the consequences of hubris, part coming of age amid family crisis -- this novel is packed with life lessons. While the story is set in a heavily evangelical setting and glimpses at controversial teachings and edicts, the novel is not “religious” or “preachy.” It delicately maintains a neutral tone while shedding light on some of the more questionable aspects of this lifestyle and belief system.
I’m surprised that this is a debut novel - the author handles the character development, pacing, plot (which included the taboo topic of religion) with aplomb -- definitely at a level that would imply veteran status. I’ll definitely look to read her next release!
dnf
May 30, 2021I got up to 50% and just was not enjoying the story line. The writing itself was good, but the story was just not for me.
June 11, 2021
Finished this a while ago but have been slacking on sharing my thoughts/updating Goodreads. I don’t think I’m up to a full review just yet but I will share my scatterbrained notes and a few thoughts, and try to tidy things up this weekend!
Pros: This is very readable (finished in ~24 hours) and also very painful. Church kids will definitely relate to a lot, and appreciate the careful way Monica West handles the gradual process of becoming disillusioned with one’s faith (particularly BEFORE you are safe to abandon it.) There is masterful work and reflection here on family systems, and the ways we structure our nuclear and church families to shelter and sanction abuse.
Cons: I docked a star because something about the church environment felt off to me? Mormon or Duggar-like at times, which is not how I’ve experienced cult-ish Black faith communities. The seductive/performative nature of the church (music, sermonizing, pageantry and carrying on) was missing and that felt very empty to me. Revivals are some of the most exciting events in the church, but the way she described things was too dry to harness that excitement. Their world is almost Puritanical, and I very much could not relate. (Black) Church is many things but rarely this boring. There’s also a way that straight girls trust their fathers that I’ll never relate to, and so I found myself wanting to quickly get beyond the part of the book where Miriam was all “but my dad is my hero!”
Messy Notes (and quotes):
1. So harsh re: the ways women are expected to study but not profess or question the world
2. Seeing mothers “weakened by proximity to patriarchal conditioning”
3. Also something here about the anti blackness of health and how religious “healing” miracles rely on ableism and other oppressive systems to function.
4. Way the house goes around what he wants—family arranged around a certain person. We can say the same about the version of God which is worshipped in many Evangelical dominations.
5. Constantly telling children to lie about the behind and in front of scene disparity they see, and also how the abuses of power are actually quite similar when you think about it.
6. “We had lived under the canopy of that belief my whole life creating and drinking faith in God first and Papa second, never questioning Papa’s healing abilities, the same way we never questioned the existence of the sun, even when it was hidden behind clouds. Our belief left no directives about what to do if our faith in Papa faltered.” I get this for the mom/extended women in the family. But where is the daughter’s doubt? How is that voiced?
7. The isolation from the Mom’s side of the family!!!!
8. Problem with the church is it gives preachers WAY too much power. And it’s hard to not hear what they’ve said in every facet of your life.
9. Most relatable component: “I wanted to roll down the window and tell everyone what had happened, to tell them to go to one of the other churches in town because the person they’d put all their faith in wasn’t who they thought he was, but then Papa put the car in park and we all got out.” Even more terrible: knowing that it wouldn’t work, that everyone was in the church because they had already determined certain “sins” (verbal or emotional abuse, intimidation of children, etc.) were commonplace enough not to be a real problem. These were things I saw from most all of the men I knew freeing up, specifically in the church. Ignored because they were providers, or simply because they were there. And when it couldn’t be ignored, the women seemed resigned or uninterested in stopping these outbursts. More interested in consoling (and sometimes chastising) kids for now they hadn’t behaved to cause a certain way—never saying no one should treat you that way regardless of what you’ve done to upset them, or what they’ve done FOR you.
10. Mrs. Cade broke my heart. The way church mothers handled so much abuse, and couldn’t fully express their babies from it, is so so raw for me and likely always will be. Sorry need to revisit what I said about her!! She’s certainly doing what she can.
11. A lot of this is thankfully not my ministry: them serving the men the bulk of the food and then “ducking into the kitchen to eat the crispy corners of lasagna that we deemed not good enough for the men.” I have unfortunately seen one person whose mom and aunts had her “serve” her dads or brother food, but overall it didn’t strike me as a very Black thing.
12. I also think Miriam was relatable in the ways she begins to use her denial and disinterest in the charade as the only “safe” forms of discontent and doubt that she can voice in an environment that is structurally unsafe for her opinions.
13. The fact of them not being able to read ANY secular books? My parents pitched a fit about Harry Potter, but like no Beverly Cleary? Come on now…
14. I also loved how Miriam sees her mother. While she may not agree with the choices she makes, Miriam innately understands how it’s hard for Joanne to stop loving a toxic man when she still believes in a toxic God: “The boy who came to town wearing a suit that was two sizes too big happened to be in the right place at the right time and distorted her sudden love for God into a love for him. For a moment, all the power that she let him wield in the house made sense—she had never known Papa without God and never known God without Papa.”
15. Taking her mother’s half apology for “bringing all of you along on this ride” that isn’t fully realized because she’s still bringing the kids on the ride, and not trying to leave it anytime soon.
16. Lots of sympathy for a mom who tried to find a partner who was better than her own father. But years later, looks up and sees her kids being harmed by a different man.
17. The immense power of girls despite their subjugation: “Dawn had asked me what harm there was in trying. She didn’t understand that it would cause a scandal along the lines of something the church had never seen. My father, the head of the church, had tried to heal Dawn on multiple occasions. Anything I did to discredit him would disrupt the delicate ecosystem of our church, throwing everything that the Lord has established, and Papa had built into chaos.”
18. Like the secret convos and saying the quiet parts outright. Pastor mad at the Deacon for “showing him up”…all about the show for him
19. Anger at the people who refuse to play into the charade…telling them “you always see a problem when there isn’t one.” Not realizing the problem is ever present, even in the honeymoon phase because people are still walking on eggshells. They are so exhausted they can’t look up from the charade, so it’s hard not to blame them.
20. This is about disillusionment, falling out of love with who she was shown (if not told) was to be worshipped above all. “But Papa had carefully cultivated our belief in him. He never said it outright—that would have been obvious blasphemy and idolatry. But he was the all-consuming presence that had filled my entire life, taking up all the space in the house and in revival tents. In its absence was a black hole that seemed bigger than the presence that had inhabited it. Like the gap left behind after losing a tooth—the ragged, sore space in your mouth always felt larger than the tiny bit of enamel that fell out.”
21. So much sympathy for Miriam, who can’t heal the non-physical ailments of the people she loves.
22. Resentment for the mom abandoning her children, even when I knew it wasn’t that simple. It’s hard to realize that in abusive dynamics, both parents are a disappointment to the children they should be protecting.
23. “She was so quick to shift—to become the woman Papa needed her to be rather than the mother I so desperately craved. For once I wanted her to choose my needs over his.” This is so so hard—Joanne lives interaction to interaction, which makes her think that it is in her children’s best interest for her husband to not feel he is being chosen over them. But, still gross.
24. “Next to Papa, Ma pretended to be focused on the food. Papa has done a good job conditioning her all these years. She was compliant. Subservient.” This reminded me of what Obaa Boni on Twitter has said—look what happens when you have years of exposure to patriarchy!!! Not by accident that Miriam’s mother is broken down in this way, and it is heartbreaking because as the pastor’s wife she has the “respectable black woman” life that many aspire to. This is the problem—the aspirations themselves are rooted in our oppression as people of marginalized genders!
25. LOVE to see Miriam and Caleb coming back together. The sibling bonds can be so fluctuating with abuse and so their coming back around to care for each other means everything.
Pros: This is very readable (finished in ~24 hours) and also very painful. Church kids will definitely relate to a lot, and appreciate the careful way Monica West handles the gradual process of becoming disillusioned with one’s faith (particularly BEFORE you are safe to abandon it.) There is masterful work and reflection here on family systems, and the ways we structure our nuclear and church families to shelter and sanction abuse.
Cons: I docked a star because something about the church environment felt off to me? Mormon or Duggar-like at times, which is not how I’ve experienced cult-ish Black faith communities. The seductive/performative nature of the church (music, sermonizing, pageantry and carrying on) was missing and that felt very empty to me. Revivals are some of the most exciting events in the church, but the way she described things was too dry to harness that excitement. Their world is almost Puritanical, and I very much could not relate. (Black) Church is many things but rarely this boring. There’s also a way that straight girls trust their fathers that I’ll never relate to, and so I found myself wanting to quickly get beyond the part of the book where Miriam was all “but my dad is my hero!”
Messy Notes (and quotes):
1. So harsh re: the ways women are expected to study but not profess or question the world
2. Seeing mothers “weakened by proximity to patriarchal conditioning”
3. Also something here about the anti blackness of health and how religious “healing” miracles rely on ableism and other oppressive systems to function.
4. Way the house goes around what he wants—family arranged around a certain person. We can say the same about the version of God which is worshipped in many Evangelical dominations.
5. Constantly telling children to lie about the behind and in front of scene disparity they see, and also how the abuses of power are actually quite similar when you think about it.
6. “We had lived under the canopy of that belief my whole life creating and drinking faith in God first and Papa second, never questioning Papa’s healing abilities, the same way we never questioned the existence of the sun, even when it was hidden behind clouds. Our belief left no directives about what to do if our faith in Papa faltered.” I get this for the mom/extended women in the family. But where is the daughter’s doubt? How is that voiced?
7. The isolation from the Mom’s side of the family!!!!
8. Problem with the church is it gives preachers WAY too much power. And it’s hard to not hear what they’ve said in every facet of your life.
9. Most relatable component: “I wanted to roll down the window and tell everyone what had happened, to tell them to go to one of the other churches in town because the person they’d put all their faith in wasn’t who they thought he was, but then Papa put the car in park and we all got out.” Even more terrible: knowing that it wouldn’t work, that everyone was in the church because they had already determined certain “sins” (verbal or emotional abuse, intimidation of children, etc.) were commonplace enough not to be a real problem. These were things I saw from most all of the men I knew freeing up, specifically in the church. Ignored because they were providers, or simply because they were there. And when it couldn’t be ignored, the women seemed resigned or uninterested in stopping these outbursts. More interested in consoling (and sometimes chastising) kids for now they hadn’t behaved to cause a certain way—never saying no one should treat you that way regardless of what you’ve done to upset them, or what they’ve done FOR you.
10. Mrs. Cade broke my heart. The way church mothers handled so much abuse, and couldn’t fully express their babies from it, is so so raw for me and likely always will be. Sorry need to revisit what I said about her!! She’s certainly doing what she can.
11. A lot of this is thankfully not my ministry: them serving the men the bulk of the food and then “ducking into the kitchen to eat the crispy corners of lasagna that we deemed not good enough for the men.” I have unfortunately seen one person whose mom and aunts had her “serve” her dads or brother food, but overall it didn’t strike me as a very Black thing.
12. I also think Miriam was relatable in the ways she begins to use her denial and disinterest in the charade as the only “safe” forms of discontent and doubt that she can voice in an environment that is structurally unsafe for her opinions.
13. The fact of them not being able to read ANY secular books? My parents pitched a fit about Harry Potter, but like no Beverly Cleary? Come on now…
14. I also loved how Miriam sees her mother. While she may not agree with the choices she makes, Miriam innately understands how it’s hard for Joanne to stop loving a toxic man when she still believes in a toxic God: “The boy who came to town wearing a suit that was two sizes too big happened to be in the right place at the right time and distorted her sudden love for God into a love for him. For a moment, all the power that she let him wield in the house made sense—she had never known Papa without God and never known God without Papa.”
15. Taking her mother’s half apology for “bringing all of you along on this ride” that isn’t fully realized because she’s still bringing the kids on the ride, and not trying to leave it anytime soon.
16. Lots of sympathy for a mom who tried to find a partner who was better than her own father. But years later, looks up and sees her kids being harmed by a different man.
17. The immense power of girls despite their subjugation: “Dawn had asked me what harm there was in trying. She didn’t understand that it would cause a scandal along the lines of something the church had never seen. My father, the head of the church, had tried to heal Dawn on multiple occasions. Anything I did to discredit him would disrupt the delicate ecosystem of our church, throwing everything that the Lord has established, and Papa had built into chaos.”
18. Like the secret convos and saying the quiet parts outright. Pastor mad at the Deacon for “showing him up”…all about the show for him
19. Anger at the people who refuse to play into the charade…telling them “you always see a problem when there isn’t one.” Not realizing the problem is ever present, even in the honeymoon phase because people are still walking on eggshells. They are so exhausted they can’t look up from the charade, so it’s hard not to blame them.
20. This is about disillusionment, falling out of love with who she was shown (if not told) was to be worshipped above all. “But Papa had carefully cultivated our belief in him. He never said it outright—that would have been obvious blasphemy and idolatry. But he was the all-consuming presence that had filled my entire life, taking up all the space in the house and in revival tents. In its absence was a black hole that seemed bigger than the presence that had inhabited it. Like the gap left behind after losing a tooth—the ragged, sore space in your mouth always felt larger than the tiny bit of enamel that fell out.”
21. So much sympathy for Miriam, who can’t heal the non-physical ailments of the people she loves.
22. Resentment for the mom abandoning her children, even when I knew it wasn’t that simple. It’s hard to realize that in abusive dynamics, both parents are a disappointment to the children they should be protecting.
23. “She was so quick to shift—to become the woman Papa needed her to be rather than the mother I so desperately craved. For once I wanted her to choose my needs over his.” This is so so hard—Joanne lives interaction to interaction, which makes her think that it is in her children’s best interest for her husband to not feel he is being chosen over them. But, still gross.
24. “Next to Papa, Ma pretended to be focused on the food. Papa has done a good job conditioning her all these years. She was compliant. Subservient.” This reminded me of what Obaa Boni on Twitter has said—look what happens when you have years of exposure to patriarchy!!! Not by accident that Miriam’s mother is broken down in this way, and it is heartbreaking because as the pastor’s wife she has the “respectable black woman” life that many aspire to. This is the problem—the aspirations themselves are rooted in our oppression as people of marginalized genders!
25. LOVE to see Miriam and Caleb coming back together. The sibling bonds can be so fluctuating with abuse and so their coming back around to care for each other means everything.
April 24, 2021
Thank you SO much to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this Masterpiece!
Wow, this book is a masterpiece, Monica West is a Debut writer and this book seems like it's her 20th novel, It's clear to me that Monica West is someone who needs to write, And we need people like Monica West around and celebrate her way with words... Just Junoesque.
Revival Season is an utterly original read, riveting story about tempestuous family about a evangelical family and young girl who starts to have doubts.. Monica West writes with so much compassion and clarity even as it tangles with the complexities and flaws of this DEEPLY troubled Southern family..
Revival Season opens with the Horton family preparing to travel on their summer revival circuit—a sermon and healing tour headed by patriarch Rev. Samuel Horton. Unease settles in the family remembering a past healing service gone wrong and what it foreshadows for their future. Once Miriam Horton witnesses the aftermath of another botched healing, her beliefs about her father, their life, and her own possibilities began to unravel and expand... Miriam is such a beautifully written heroine.
The way Monica West writes about women especially in the evangelical community is Spot on, capturing the intricate details of the social interactions within a faith community, particularly the deep sexism that seeks to damper the agency of women.
This obviously gets 5 stars from me and I don't give 5 stars very often. Please pre-order from your local book store or pre- order on the kindle.
Wow, this book is a masterpiece, Monica West is a Debut writer and this book seems like it's her 20th novel, It's clear to me that Monica West is someone who needs to write, And we need people like Monica West around and celebrate her way with words... Just Junoesque.
Revival Season is an utterly original read, riveting story about tempestuous family about a evangelical family and young girl who starts to have doubts.. Monica West writes with so much compassion and clarity even as it tangles with the complexities and flaws of this DEEPLY troubled Southern family..
Revival Season opens with the Horton family preparing to travel on their summer revival circuit—a sermon and healing tour headed by patriarch Rev. Samuel Horton. Unease settles in the family remembering a past healing service gone wrong and what it foreshadows for their future. Once Miriam Horton witnesses the aftermath of another botched healing, her beliefs about her father, their life, and her own possibilities began to unravel and expand... Miriam is such a beautifully written heroine.
The way Monica West writes about women especially in the evangelical community is Spot on, capturing the intricate details of the social interactions within a faith community, particularly the deep sexism that seeks to damper the agency of women.
This obviously gets 5 stars from me and I don't give 5 stars very often. Please pre-order from your local book store or pre- order on the kindle.
March 3, 2021
Days after finishing this novel I am still thinking about young Miriam. Worrying about her, rooting for her, hoping she finds safe harbor in a confusing world. Monica West writes her young heroine with extreme tenderness, but also reveals flashes of strength in Miriam that make her fascinating and unpredictable to follow.
July 8, 2021
A Crisis of Faith. Common enough among all the pew-warmers out there, but when you're a travelling preacher working the revival circuit with your family in tow, it can shake everything you believe in and endanger your family's livelihood.
Told from 14yo Marion's perspective, she shares the events of a year or so, starting and ending with the summer revival season. Her father Samuel is a faith healer, and believers come to his sermons with ailing loved ones hoping that a laying-on of his hand will bring forth a miracle cure. Although he claims to be the Lord's instrument on Earth, Samuel is still just a man and he suffers from the sins of Pride and Wrath. Before he found his calling he was a fairly successful Golden Gloves boxer, and when life gets overwhelming he tends to use his fists instead of his faith to solve his problems.
Things get a lot more complicated when Marion discovers she's a faith healer herself - an impossibility (and a sin for her to claim so) in her father's interpretation of the Bible.
This novel was probably not a great choice for me. The subject didn't appeal to me as I was reading it, and the pace through the first half was slow. But once Samuel meets a man accusing him of fraud, the story really picked up and I enjoyed it until the end - which was way too open-ended for my satisfaction.
Told from 14yo Marion's perspective, she shares the events of a year or so, starting and ending with the summer revival season. Her father Samuel is a faith healer, and believers come to his sermons with ailing loved ones hoping that a laying-on of his hand will bring forth a miracle cure. Although he claims to be the Lord's instrument on Earth, Samuel is still just a man and he suffers from the sins of Pride and Wrath. Before he found his calling he was a fairly successful Golden Gloves boxer, and when life gets overwhelming he tends to use his fists instead of his faith to solve his problems.
Things get a lot more complicated when Marion discovers she's a faith healer herself - an impossibility (and a sin for her to claim so) in her father's interpretation of the Bible.
This novel was probably not a great choice for me. The subject didn't appeal to me as I was reading it, and the pace through the first half was slow. But once Samuel meets a man accusing him of fraud, the story really picked up and I enjoyed it until the end - which was way too open-ended for my satisfaction.
May 17, 2021
Revival Season is a coming of age story about a 15 yr old preacher's daughter who has grown in a very sheltered and restricted Christian household. She's homeschool and lives under her father's very strict rules which require dressing a certain way, only listening to church music, only Christian literature, no television, etc.
Every summer her family travels on the revival circuit as her father proclaims to heal people. Though lately he hasn't been healing anyone. After she witnesses a heinous act committed by her father she takes off her rose-colored glasses and starts to realize her life isn't the façade her family presents. Her father is abusive and controlling behind closed doors and her mother often takes the brunt of that aggression. Her little brother is being trained to follow in his father's footsteps and that includes turning a blind eye to the less than godly acts he commits.
This book sheds a light on the darker side of the evangelical community that's often ignored or covered up. Miriam is questioning everything she's been taught to believe in and acknowledging what she's been trained to ignore. There were some uncomfortable instances of abuse to read in this story but I couldn't stop turning the pages as I was sucked in. It was like being a fly on the wall in this family's home. This story has the opportunity to open up great discussions about faith and family. Fans of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw will probably enjoy this.
I received an arc from Simon and Schuster in exchange for an honest review.
See more in depth review on my blog
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
Every summer her family travels on the revival circuit as her father proclaims to heal people. Though lately he hasn't been healing anyone. After she witnesses a heinous act committed by her father she takes off her rose-colored glasses and starts to realize her life isn't the façade her family presents. Her father is abusive and controlling behind closed doors and her mother often takes the brunt of that aggression. Her little brother is being trained to follow in his father's footsteps and that includes turning a blind eye to the less than godly acts he commits.
This book sheds a light on the darker side of the evangelical community that's often ignored or covered up. Miriam is questioning everything she's been taught to believe in and acknowledging what she's been trained to ignore. There were some uncomfortable instances of abuse to read in this story but I couldn't stop turning the pages as I was sucked in. It was like being a fly on the wall in this family's home. This story has the opportunity to open up great discussions about faith and family. Fans of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw will probably enjoy this.
I received an arc from Simon and Schuster in exchange for an honest review.
See more in depth review on my blog
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
June 7, 2021
Overall, I didn't enjoy Revival season all that much. I felt like I was waiting for something to happen in the plot, something that would turn this into a good story. But for me, that something never came. There were a few times I was hurrying to the next paragraph or page-- expecting something that would turn the novel around--but all deflated into more of what I had seen or easily expected. But some finer points that lead me to give it only two stars:
I grew up in a southern Baptist church and was surrounded by the culture. I have even been to one or two tent revivals. The dialogue, the culture, and the world the characters inhabited seemed too unrealistic. A part of this as to do with the setting, the year 2002. I found it hard to believe the world the main characters lived in took place in the 21st century at all. It honestly kept interrupting my reading flow lol. This story seems situated at least decade or two before what we were told. Maybe it was the constant reference to 'Ma', and 'Papa'? The prominence of radio as a media? Tent revivals in general being most prominent half a century ago? All of the above maybe, Idk. But every time the author mentions a cell phone, it jolted me out of the world I was (erroneously) in.
**Major And minor Plot Spoilers Below**
Things that could have been interesting were broached, but not explored. This was probably intentional, but as someone waiting for something to happen, It would have been nice to take a break from 'Papa's' spiraling to explore something more interesting. First, we see the fifteen year old get a pang of sexual desire and healthy attraction to a guy. Nothing happens with the guy, and no further commentary is made about her feelings. The biggest for me was Ma's pre Papa life. This was given great detail, and I was happy to see the scene where it is revealed that that person is still alive and well in Ma's character. Something ALMOST happened with that person. But then it didn't. -_- Perhaps this kind of action is just not my style.
The book ends on a cliffhanger that didn't work for me. I felt nothing would change regardless of how she responded. She had already earlier decided not to live the duplicitous life that her mom did earlier in the book when she announced herself a healer at the breakfast table. A no wouldn't have been all that shocking considering her previous actions- and a yes wouldn't have been believable because of the inner dialogue occurring.
Lastly, it seemed cheesy to me that the guy who can't control his temper (fists) used to be a boxer lol. This is not substantive by any means, but because nothing else was going on for me-- I couldn't help but roll my eyes at this.
2.5 stars. Congratulations to the author on her first novel. I didn't enjoy it all, but I'd like to end my critique acknowledging that is easy to be critical. Much harder than writing a novel.
I grew up in a southern Baptist church and was surrounded by the culture. I have even been to one or two tent revivals. The dialogue, the culture, and the world the characters inhabited seemed too unrealistic. A part of this as to do with the setting, the year 2002. I found it hard to believe the world the main characters lived in took place in the 21st century at all. It honestly kept interrupting my reading flow lol. This story seems situated at least decade or two before what we were told. Maybe it was the constant reference to 'Ma', and 'Papa'? The prominence of radio as a media? Tent revivals in general being most prominent half a century ago? All of the above maybe, Idk. But every time the author mentions a cell phone, it jolted me out of the world I was (erroneously) in.
**Major And minor Plot Spoilers Below**
Things that could have been interesting were broached, but not explored. This was probably intentional, but as someone waiting for something to happen, It would have been nice to take a break from 'Papa's' spiraling to explore something more interesting. First, we see the fifteen year old get a pang of sexual desire and healthy attraction to a guy. Nothing happens with the guy, and no further commentary is made about her feelings. The biggest for me was Ma's pre Papa life. This was given great detail, and I was happy to see the scene where it is revealed that that person is still alive and well in Ma's character. Something ALMOST happened with that person. But then it didn't. -_- Perhaps this kind of action is just not my style.
The book ends on a cliffhanger that didn't work for me. I felt nothing would change regardless of how she responded. She had already earlier decided not to live the duplicitous life that her mom did earlier in the book when she announced herself a healer at the breakfast table. A no wouldn't have been all that shocking considering her previous actions- and a yes wouldn't have been believable because of the inner dialogue occurring.
Lastly, it seemed cheesy to me that the guy who can't control his temper (fists) used to be a boxer lol. This is not substantive by any means, but because nothing else was going on for me-- I couldn't help but roll my eyes at this.
2.5 stars. Congratulations to the author on her first novel. I didn't enjoy it all, but I'd like to end my critique acknowledging that is easy to be critical. Much harder than writing a novel.
September 1, 2021
This debut novel was outstanding. It is a novel about a revivalist preacher who has lost his touch, and the ramifications this has for his family and his community.
September 1, 2021
Revival Season is not the kind of story I can read completely objectively. My faith is a huge part of my identity. I’m a Christian, and I’ve attended Baptist churches my entire life. When something is so integral to who you are, it’s difficult to remove yourself from a story that centers so profoundly around that trait or belief. And that was one of my biggest problems with this book. There were so many religious red flags that I wanted to take the whole fictional family to counseling. This was a twisted, maimed version of my faith staring back at me from the page, a funhouse reflection of what I believe. I just wanted to look away. I didn't. I finished the book. But it was a struggle for me.
A particular subset of Christian leaders I’ve always had a ton of issues with is the faith healers. While I fully believe that God is still performing miracles every day, including those so profound that there’s no other explanation, I’ve seen too many exposés on said faith healers lying to congregants and staging their healings in order to gain larger followings or more financial contributions. I don’t trust them as a group, though I’ve never met a self-professed faith healer in person. So it was interesting to see the life of a faith healer from the inside. The story is set in 2017, but it feels more historical than that. I kept thinking about the 70s as I read for some reason. There was something about the lifestyle this man was forcing upon his family that just screamed “abusive situation waiting to happen” to me, while also shooting me back into the past.
I can’t imagine how hard it would be to live with knowing the truth about something while everyone you love believes a lie, and not being able to tell them the truth because you know they would never believe you. Well, I can, but I’m thankful to not be in that situation. But that’s where Miriam, our perspective character, finds herself. She’s the eldest child in this family, and she sees something one night during revival season that leads her to question everything she’s ever known about God and faith and her father. The rest of the story is her wrestling with that knowledge and those questions.
If you’re a Christian, it’s so desperately important to never tie your faith to another person, whether that person is a family member or a preacher or someone famous who professes to follow Christ. The only beings who should be involved in your personal belief are you and God. The same can be said for any religion or belief system. The people in your life will fail you. They’ll make mistakes because they’re human. And if your faith is somehow tied to them, it will break when they do.
I don’t generally do trigger warnings, but there’s a fairly graphic scene depicting self-harm in this book of which I think some more sensitive readers need to be made aware. There’s also a good bit of child and spousal abuse, though most of it happens off-screen, at least in the front half of the story. Between those issues and the depiction of religion, this book was hard for me to read, and I don’t consider myself a particularly sensitive reader in most cases. The unhappiness in this family was palpable from the beginning of the novel and only worsened from there. Something about it felt relentlessly bleak to me.
For a story so supposedly centered on God, there was actually very little of Him in these pages. While the characters proclaimed faith in God, it felt more like their faith was in either themselves or another person. If any of them prayed for a sign, they would interpret whatever happened as an affirmation. The entire approach to faith and having a relationship with God as portrayed in this book rubbed me the wrong way and made me deeply uncomfortable. Perhaps that’s because I’ve seen this type of religious fervor firsthand in my life, and have seen the damage it can wreak. I think it’s always hard to look at the twisting of your own faith. However, I also think this was a very deliberate, purposeful choice by the author. Because God was indeed present in the pages, and his scarcity made his presence all the more powerful to our perspective character when she did feel Him. Or was it simply the power of her own belief that she felt? That question is one of the things that made the story interesting.
I both hated and respected the ambiguous, open-ended ending. Where the story went after that final sentence is anyone’s guess, which will surely keep it at the front of readerly minds far after they finish the book. But I couldn’t decide if it was a brave decision or a weak one. But that’s often how I feel when reading such endings, and is one of the main reasons I have such a love/hate relationship with literary fiction.
I’m glad to have read Revival Season. And I’m even more glad that I’ve finally finished reading it. It made me think deeply, and my husband and mom both heard way more about it than I’m sure they wanted to. And it made me feel, though the emotions it evoked the strongest were anger and sadness. This is a book that, while I appreciated it, I didn’t enjoy it, and I won’t be reading it again. That being said, the writing was excellent, and I would definitely be interested in reading more of West’s work.
You can find this review and more at Novel Notions.
A particular subset of Christian leaders I’ve always had a ton of issues with is the faith healers. While I fully believe that God is still performing miracles every day, including those so profound that there’s no other explanation, I’ve seen too many exposés on said faith healers lying to congregants and staging their healings in order to gain larger followings or more financial contributions. I don’t trust them as a group, though I’ve never met a self-professed faith healer in person. So it was interesting to see the life of a faith healer from the inside. The story is set in 2017, but it feels more historical than that. I kept thinking about the 70s as I read for some reason. There was something about the lifestyle this man was forcing upon his family that just screamed “abusive situation waiting to happen” to me, while also shooting me back into the past.
I can’t imagine how hard it would be to live with knowing the truth about something while everyone you love believes a lie, and not being able to tell them the truth because you know they would never believe you. Well, I can, but I’m thankful to not be in that situation. But that’s where Miriam, our perspective character, finds herself. She’s the eldest child in this family, and she sees something one night during revival season that leads her to question everything she’s ever known about God and faith and her father. The rest of the story is her wrestling with that knowledge and those questions.
If you’re a Christian, it’s so desperately important to never tie your faith to another person, whether that person is a family member or a preacher or someone famous who professes to follow Christ. The only beings who should be involved in your personal belief are you and God. The same can be said for any religion or belief system. The people in your life will fail you. They’ll make mistakes because they’re human. And if your faith is somehow tied to them, it will break when they do.
I don’t generally do trigger warnings, but there’s a fairly graphic scene depicting self-harm in this book of which I think some more sensitive readers need to be made aware. There’s also a good bit of child and spousal abuse, though most of it happens off-screen, at least in the front half of the story. Between those issues and the depiction of religion, this book was hard for me to read, and I don’t consider myself a particularly sensitive reader in most cases. The unhappiness in this family was palpable from the beginning of the novel and only worsened from there. Something about it felt relentlessly bleak to me.
For a story so supposedly centered on God, there was actually very little of Him in these pages. While the characters proclaimed faith in God, it felt more like their faith was in either themselves or another person. If any of them prayed for a sign, they would interpret whatever happened as an affirmation. The entire approach to faith and having a relationship with God as portrayed in this book rubbed me the wrong way and made me deeply uncomfortable. Perhaps that’s because I’ve seen this type of religious fervor firsthand in my life, and have seen the damage it can wreak. I think it’s always hard to look at the twisting of your own faith. However, I also think this was a very deliberate, purposeful choice by the author. Because God was indeed present in the pages, and his scarcity made his presence all the more powerful to our perspective character when she did feel Him. Or was it simply the power of her own belief that she felt? That question is one of the things that made the story interesting.
I both hated and respected the ambiguous, open-ended ending. Where the story went after that final sentence is anyone’s guess, which will surely keep it at the front of readerly minds far after they finish the book. But I couldn’t decide if it was a brave decision or a weak one. But that’s often how I feel when reading such endings, and is one of the main reasons I have such a love/hate relationship with literary fiction.
I’m glad to have read Revival Season. And I’m even more glad that I’ve finally finished reading it. It made me think deeply, and my husband and mom both heard way more about it than I’m sure they wanted to. And it made me feel, though the emotions it evoked the strongest were anger and sadness. This is a book that, while I appreciated it, I didn’t enjoy it, and I won’t be reading it again. That being said, the writing was excellent, and I would definitely be interested in reading more of West’s work.
You can find this review and more at Novel Notions.
October 19, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
I was raised in a deeply religious Southern Baptist family, and I can tell you that summer revival season is legit. I looked forward to seeing a new preacher, a new voice, and a new dynamic when evangelists would come and preach for a whole week. I think Revival Season by Monica West captures that anticipatory excitement for something miraculous, something exciting, and the breath of God to move over a congregation. I also know that women in the Southern Baptist faith have rarely been accepted in the pulpit. There’s an old saying that goes: “Never meet your heroes because they're sure to disappoint you.” This book covered many different topics but hero-worship, especially for evangelists, is a natural phenomenon. But our young protagonist, Miriam, also worships her Dad, the man, an integral part of the story, and the summertime evangelist of note. The problem is, it’s hard to keep that heavenly crown from slipping, and it’s hard for Fathers to always be heroes. This is never more evident than in Revival Season. I also think that questioning God and questioning your belief system sometimes is good because it makes you more reflective and less surface-oriented on your faith. I don’t know if this makes sense, but this was a good book, an excellent book, and I am so glad to have read this and watched this experience through the eyes of our young African-American healer, Miriam. Can I get a witness? #religion #revival #preachers #evangelist #healers #baptist #revivalseason @mlaurenwest
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. #reading #books #bookstagram #book #booksofinstagram #booklovers #bookish #lindaleereads2021 #mmdbookclub #idratherbereading #readinglife #mmdsummerreading @modernmrsdarcy #October 🎃
I was raised in a deeply religious Southern Baptist family, and I can tell you that summer revival season is legit. I looked forward to seeing a new preacher, a new voice, and a new dynamic when evangelists would come and preach for a whole week. I think Revival Season by Monica West captures that anticipatory excitement for something miraculous, something exciting, and the breath of God to move over a congregation. I also know that women in the Southern Baptist faith have rarely been accepted in the pulpit. There’s an old saying that goes: “Never meet your heroes because they're sure to disappoint you.” This book covered many different topics but hero-worship, especially for evangelists, is a natural phenomenon. But our young protagonist, Miriam, also worships her Dad, the man, an integral part of the story, and the summertime evangelist of note. The problem is, it’s hard to keep that heavenly crown from slipping, and it’s hard for Fathers to always be heroes. This is never more evident than in Revival Season. I also think that questioning God and questioning your belief system sometimes is good because it makes you more reflective and less surface-oriented on your faith. I don’t know if this makes sense, but this was a good book, an excellent book, and I am so glad to have read this and watched this experience through the eyes of our young African-American healer, Miriam. Can I get a witness? #religion #revival #preachers #evangelist #healers #baptist #revivalseason @mlaurenwest
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. #reading #books #bookstagram #book #booksofinstagram #booklovers #bookish #lindaleereads2021 #mmdbookclub #idratherbereading #readinglife #mmdsummerreading @modernmrsdarcy #October 🎃
February 2, 2021
Hard to believe that this is Ms. West's debut book! It is so well written and very fast paced in my opinion. The character's were well rounded out and each had something special to offer like Hannah. She's my favorite. My heart really went out to her and I felt like I knew her well by the end of the book.
One thing about it I really loved this book told from Miriam's point of view but I sure didn't like the ending!
Ms. West did a fabulous job with this heart stopping book! Showing the human side of an evangelist and his family was like wow! From the outside in looking at a preacher's family we really have no idea what is happening inside their homes. This book really opened up my eyes and I just wanted to applaud Miriam.
This book will rip your heart out in more ways than one but it will also leave you with hope that maybe things will turn out ok for this preacher's family.
You know, I've always wondered about the things that happen in revival meetings. This book has answered many questions that I had.
I've never read a book quite like this but I know this, this book had a story to tell and wouldn't let me put it down until I was finished with it. I finished it about 3 am in the morning. I was flabbergasted!
I do wish this though. I hope there is a sequel because this story isn't finished.
I am hoping for more and I like what one woman had to say about Hannah.
" Maybe this is God's way of saying that Hannah is perfect for Him. This is his way of healing Hannah. This made want to cry for Hannah because of so much that she is going through. But yet, at the same time my heart was hopeful and then was dashed when it didn't happen. Yet there is still hope throughout this book.
People can't help what happens to them when they are born. We as parents have to learn how to help them through life as best as we know how with God's help. All we need is to ask Him. Let Him guide us for He has a bigger plan than we'll ever know.
Five stars for this amazing well written book that will make you sit on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. I really really highly recommend this and this book will be on my list of 2021 at the end of the year! What a book! Wow!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review of this book. All opinions are my own.
*Warning*
There is some hard scenes with abuse in them
One thing about it I really loved this book told from Miriam's point of view but I sure didn't like the ending!
Ms. West did a fabulous job with this heart stopping book! Showing the human side of an evangelist and his family was like wow! From the outside in looking at a preacher's family we really have no idea what is happening inside their homes. This book really opened up my eyes and I just wanted to applaud Miriam.
This book will rip your heart out in more ways than one but it will also leave you with hope that maybe things will turn out ok for this preacher's family.
You know, I've always wondered about the things that happen in revival meetings. This book has answered many questions that I had.
I've never read a book quite like this but I know this, this book had a story to tell and wouldn't let me put it down until I was finished with it. I finished it about 3 am in the morning. I was flabbergasted!
I do wish this though. I hope there is a sequel because this story isn't finished.
I am hoping for more and I like what one woman had to say about Hannah.
" Maybe this is God's way of saying that Hannah is perfect for Him. This is his way of healing Hannah. This made want to cry for Hannah because of so much that she is going through. But yet, at the same time my heart was hopeful and then was dashed when it didn't happen. Yet there is still hope throughout this book.
People can't help what happens to them when they are born. We as parents have to learn how to help them through life as best as we know how with God's help. All we need is to ask Him. Let Him guide us for He has a bigger plan than we'll ever know.
Five stars for this amazing well written book that will make you sit on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. I really really highly recommend this and this book will be on my list of 2021 at the end of the year! What a book! Wow!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review of this book. All opinions are my own.
*Warning*
There is some hard scenes with abuse in them
September 7, 2021
Revival Season is a quiet declaration of feminine power.
Miriam, at fifteen, has always believed what she was raised to believe in terms of faith, living under her preacher father’s thumb and having no real exposure to anything outside of the life she was raised in. When she witnesses a violent act by her father and discovers her own spiritual gift, both contradicting everything she’s been taught, her perception of family and faith begin to change.
Monica West writes beautifully, with gentle, yet hard-hitting truths stitched into the narrative. We see everything through Miriam’s eyes as the man she kept on a pedestal begins to crumble and West did a fantastic job reframing this perspective from beginning to end. Miriam’s melancholic tone is palpable and I found it impossible not to grieve alongside her.
Revival Season contrasts harmful religious beliefs with authentic faith. While I’m not sure how I feel about the healing focus of the book, I did really enjoy the story. Ultimately, I think Miriam was a strong character who was, slowly, finding herself - her own healing - as she began to see things in her upbringing more clearly. The final chapter’s offering was especially potent.
I was greatly impressed with Monica West’s insightful debut - a profound piece of literature that has the makings of a modern classic. If this is what she starts us off with, I can only imagine how extraordinary her future novels will be. Her talent is a gift to the reading community.
I am immensely grateful to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for my digital review copy. All opinions are my own.
Revival Season is available for preorder now and will be on bookstore shelves on May 25, 2021.
Miriam, at fifteen, has always believed what she was raised to believe in terms of faith, living under her preacher father’s thumb and having no real exposure to anything outside of the life she was raised in. When she witnesses a violent act by her father and discovers her own spiritual gift, both contradicting everything she’s been taught, her perception of family and faith begin to change.
Monica West writes beautifully, with gentle, yet hard-hitting truths stitched into the narrative. We see everything through Miriam’s eyes as the man she kept on a pedestal begins to crumble and West did a fantastic job reframing this perspective from beginning to end. Miriam’s melancholic tone is palpable and I found it impossible not to grieve alongside her.
Revival Season contrasts harmful religious beliefs with authentic faith. While I’m not sure how I feel about the healing focus of the book, I did really enjoy the story. Ultimately, I think Miriam was a strong character who was, slowly, finding herself - her own healing - as she began to see things in her upbringing more clearly. The final chapter’s offering was especially potent.
I was greatly impressed with Monica West’s insightful debut - a profound piece of literature that has the makings of a modern classic. If this is what she starts us off with, I can only imagine how extraordinary her future novels will be. Her talent is a gift to the reading community.
I am immensely grateful to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for my digital review copy. All opinions are my own.
Revival Season is available for preorder now and will be on bookstore shelves on May 25, 2021.
April 21, 2021
This is a compelling story that immerses the reader in another world: a tight knit southern Black church, and a family in which the pastor father is also a faith healer who takes the family on a revival circuit every summer.
Fundamentally it is the painful coming of age story of Miriam, who at 15 is forced to grapple with both the limitations of being female in this conservative religious community, and some difficult truths about each of her parents.
This is a universal tale, told well in a very particular setting. Dark but worthwhile.
With thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for an advance review copy.
Fundamentally it is the painful coming of age story of Miriam, who at 15 is forced to grapple with both the limitations of being female in this conservative religious community, and some difficult truths about each of her parents.
This is a universal tale, told well in a very particular setting. Dark but worthwhile.
With thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for an advance review copy.
February 14, 2022
“To us, God was more than flesh than spirit, more being than ghost. Each morning when I thanked him for a new day, I didn’t just speak into an echo chamber. As I lay in an unfamiliar bedroom, I felt God right next to me, His breath on my ear like wind.” Pg 10
This was a hard, thought-provoking read. Where do faith & action, humility & pride, submission & power meet? And what do we do when we abuse all of these things? Lots to think about in this story of Miriam’s coming of age & reconciling her faith to her family’s secrets.
This was a hard, thought-provoking read. Where do faith & action, humility & pride, submission & power meet? And what do we do when we abuse all of these things? Lots to think about in this story of Miriam’s coming of age & reconciling her faith to her family’s secrets.
January 21, 2022
A teen girl grapples with discovering that her preacher father does not have the healing powers that she's grown to revere him for as her family travels throughout the south to support his ministry.
I thought this was a good debut, but it required me to suspend my disbelief a bit too much due to my own experience within the Black church. The church and family in the novel belong to the Baptist denomination, which made this story pretty hard to believe. The preacher father was extreme in every since of the word, so the story read more like a COGIC or Apostolic household/church (not saying it was impossible, but I've never known Baptists required to wear skirts to their ankles everyday or hold the other extreme beliefs presented in the book, especially concerning women; Baptists are usually considered the wild/freer/more liberal bunch of Black Christian denominations [which is why I'm grateful I was raised in a Baptist church], so this detail nearly ruined the story for me).
There were also a few things about how the church was managed and run that made me feel like there wasn't much research done, like the first lady and children of the pastor of a mid-sized, freshly built church doing most of the cooking, cleaning, and prep for the congregation and events. There are ministries, committees, and volunteers for that, even in tiny churches. A first lady in a popular church doing this much physical work in the early 2000s didn't track for me.
The pageantry, color, MUSIC (there was no mention of a choir or praise team which is almost blasphemous), excitement, community and humor that are fixtures in Black churches was also missing. Everything was dour and drab, even on holidays, which I think did a disservice to the image of the Black church, especially for those unfamiliar. With church being a large part of the Black American experience, particularly during the time period, showing the bright side of the church would have presented a more realistic view of why we join, attend, and stay willing participants through scandal, abuse, and church hurt.
Lastly, the setting was early 2000s, but the book read like the 1950s-60s. I had to repeatedly remind myself how current the story was when something like present day technology would pop up.
Nevertheless, I'm pretty sure my gripes above will not matter to those who aren't entrenched in Black church culture. Outside of those issues, this was a well written novel and the theme kept me engaged. Looking forward to more from Monica West in the future.
The great thing about this novel is the possibility of more stories and more literary fiction centering the Black church. It is an institution RIPE for beautiful, nuanced storytelling, so I hope books like this, The Mothers, and The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (!!!) inspire more.
I thought this was a good debut, but it required me to suspend my disbelief a bit too much due to my own experience within the Black church. The church and family in the novel belong to the Baptist denomination, which made this story pretty hard to believe. The preacher father was extreme in every since of the word, so the story read more like a COGIC or Apostolic household/church (not saying it was impossible, but I've never known Baptists required to wear skirts to their ankles everyday or hold the other extreme beliefs presented in the book, especially concerning women; Baptists are usually considered the wild/freer/more liberal bunch of Black Christian denominations [which is why I'm grateful I was raised in a Baptist church], so this detail nearly ruined the story for me).
There were also a few things about how the church was managed and run that made me feel like there wasn't much research done, like the first lady and children of the pastor of a mid-sized, freshly built church doing most of the cooking, cleaning, and prep for the congregation and events. There are ministries, committees, and volunteers for that, even in tiny churches. A first lady in a popular church doing this much physical work in the early 2000s didn't track for me.
The pageantry, color, MUSIC (there was no mention of a choir or praise team which is almost blasphemous), excitement, community and humor that are fixtures in Black churches was also missing. Everything was dour and drab, even on holidays, which I think did a disservice to the image of the Black church, especially for those unfamiliar. With church being a large part of the Black American experience, particularly during the time period, showing the bright side of the church would have presented a more realistic view of why we join, attend, and stay willing participants through scandal, abuse, and church hurt.
Lastly, the setting was early 2000s, but the book read like the 1950s-60s. I had to repeatedly remind myself how current the story was when something like present day technology would pop up.
Nevertheless, I'm pretty sure my gripes above will not matter to those who aren't entrenched in Black church culture. Outside of those issues, this was a well written novel and the theme kept me engaged. Looking forward to more from Monica West in the future.
The great thing about this novel is the possibility of more stories and more literary fiction centering the Black church. It is an institution RIPE for beautiful, nuanced storytelling, so I hope books like this, The Mothers, and The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (!!!) inspire more.
April 19, 2021
This is the story of Miriam, the daughter of a Baptist preacher, who witnesses her dad doing something that fundamentally shifts what she thinks of him and starts unraveling their whole family slowly.
It's the story of what pride can do to a man, to a family. The story of what loss feels like and how we carry our thoughts, beliefs, wishes and dreams of who we are, who we can be and who we were inside ourselves. It's the story of what happens when you revere a person and come to find out they are human. It's the story of unspoken truths and how the weight of them can break a family. It's the story of how things can look one way from the outside and be completely different from the inside (as they often are.)
It's the story of what happens when you can no longer hide your own truth, your own potential and choose to step into your own sunshine even a little bit.
This is a wonderfully written, terribly sad story of a broken family and a strong heroine that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.
with gratitude to Simon & Schuster and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
It's the story of what pride can do to a man, to a family. The story of what loss feels like and how we carry our thoughts, beliefs, wishes and dreams of who we are, who we can be and who we were inside ourselves. It's the story of what happens when you revere a person and come to find out they are human. It's the story of unspoken truths and how the weight of them can break a family. It's the story of how things can look one way from the outside and be completely different from the inside (as they often are.)
It's the story of what happens when you can no longer hide your own truth, your own potential and choose to step into your own sunshine even a little bit.
This is a wonderfully written, terribly sad story of a broken family and a strong heroine that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.
with gratitude to Simon & Schuster and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
May 23, 2021
I'm so grateful to have received an ARC of this - my heart hurt for Miriam through the entire story, but it was worth it to see her growth. I savored the pages over a larger chunk of time than I normally would, but it made it so much more of an impact that way. There is absolutely nothing that I would have changed about Revival Season.
April 12, 2023
Frustrated with Revival Season because I had initially heard about it when looking for secular books about Christians losing faith, but this isn’t that kind of novel. I would argue its very much still Christian Revival literature, just one that happens to critique itself a little. I don’t know who the target audience for this would be, because I think many in the movement would dislike this, but the book positions faith healing as a real thing, and I got a major problem with that.
As a tale about the abuse of power fathers hold in the conservative family unit as well the abuse in the church and how churches sometimes hide it, its good though somewhat basic. Mix that with the main character having magical healing powers its got like a dark Matilda vibe, but that’s not intentional.
Also, this story takes place in modern times, yet because of the conservative and religious nature of the characters, you wouldn’t know it. This could have been used as a way to show just how backwards they are, but the author doesn’t do that. So that and the lack of enlightening of the magician tricks involved in faith healing, this feels like a major loss of potential.
As a tale about the abuse of power fathers hold in the conservative family unit as well the abuse in the church and how churches sometimes hide it, its good though somewhat basic. Mix that with the main character having magical healing powers its got like a dark Matilda vibe, but that’s not intentional.
Also, this story takes place in modern times, yet because of the conservative and religious nature of the characters, you wouldn’t know it. This could have been used as a way to show just how backwards they are, but the author doesn’t do that. So that and the lack of enlightening of the magician tricks involved in faith healing, this feels like a major loss of potential.
June 3, 2021
This book triggered the hell out of me. Growing up fully immersed in a Christian background I felt all of it. I still have many questions in regard to everything but it is definitely worth the read if you are looking for a plot that grips your heart. Monica just got a new fan!
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