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Armageddon Summer
The world will end on Thursday, July 27, 2000. At least, that’s what Reverend Beelson has told his congregation. That’s why Marina and Jed and their parents have joined the rest of the Reverend’s flock at a mountain retreat to await the end of the world. But this world has only just begun for Jed and Marina, two teenagers with more attitude than faith. Why should the world end now, when they’ve just fallen in love for the first time?
272 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 1998
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831 people want to read
About the author
Jane Yolen
971 books3,231 followersJane Yolen is a novelist, poet, fantasist, journalist, songwriter, storyteller, folklorist, and children’s book author who has written more than three hundred books. Her accolades include the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Awards, the Kerlan Award, two Christopher Awards, and six honorary doctorate degrees from colleges and universities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Born and raised in New York City, the mother of three and the grandmother of six, Yolen lives in Massachusetts and St. Andrews, Scotland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 210 reviews
August 5, 2016
Although I'm sensitive about books that portray anyone who believes in the Bible as a lunatic, I am also aware that cults exist that have used God's Word to justify weird and dangerous behavior. So this book is plausible although uncomfortable for someone like me who really does believe in the millennium. I hate to see people like Rev. Beelson who misuse God's Word. *Spoiler* Because of this, the main characters really end up rejecting any belief in Jesus or a personal God, only retaining a vague spiritual sense of oneness with the universe. The authors are SO much better than many Christian writers. I wish there were Christian writers of this quality who could describe people being caught up in a cult like this, and then reading the Bible for themselves, and coming to a balanced faith in Christ. I couldn't recommend this for my classroom to read, because you are led along with the main characters, feeling and identifying with them, and I would not want any of my students following along and coming to the same conclusions that they do. Jed says, "I believe no one has a lock on the truth." Well, I don't think I have a lock on the truth; I'm sure I'm wrong in many areas. But Jesus is THE TRUTH. His Word is truth. Any errors are from my misunderstanding it. I will not reject Him or His Word, even if people have misused it throughout history. BTW, at the end, Marina's family was attending Bible Baptist Church in Northampton, MA. There really is a Bible Baptist Church there; I attended their Christian school in the late 1970s. I would hope anyone who really went there would learn not to be swayed by a powerful, charismatic preacher, but to read God's Word and live by it. Being prepared for Christ's return doesn't mean retreating to a mountaintop; it means living a life guided by the Spirit (love, joy, peace, gentleness, self-control, etc.).
Quotes:
"Mom's voice was soft, but underneath there was a hardness to it that I had never heard before, except when she was arguing with Dad. It felt as if she were beginning to build some strange wall between her and us. A wall that we would have to climb over to prove ourselves worthy of her love, because she was never going to tear it down on her own."
"'July twenty-seventh . . . is the Day of Atonement. It is the Day of Anointment. It is the Day of Armageddon.' And the Day of Alliteration, I thought."
Quotes:
"Mom's voice was soft, but underneath there was a hardness to it that I had never heard before, except when she was arguing with Dad. It felt as if she were beginning to build some strange wall between her and us. A wall that we would have to climb over to prove ourselves worthy of her love, because she was never going to tear it down on her own."
"'July twenty-seventh . . . is the Day of Atonement. It is the Day of Anointment. It is the Day of Armageddon.' And the Day of Alliteration, I thought."
Read
January 4, 2008Armageddon Summer provides a front-row seat for the type of event most of us only witness on a TV screen. Reverend Raymond Beelson is gathering 144 "Believers" atop Mount Weeupcut in Massachusetts to camp out, pray, and await Armageddon--July 27, 2000--when he predicts that his faithful flock will be saved as the rest of the world is set ablaze in fire and brimstone. We experience the month leading up to this climax through the eyes of two teenagers who have never met before, Jed and Marina, each of whom have come to the compound out of a sense of responsibility toward their families. Young Jed is only on the mountain to watch over his father who "went a little crazy" after his wife left the family: "When my father told me that the world was going to end I figured he was making some sort of weird joke." Jed's sarcasm, humor, and flippancy toward the Believers does not erase the love he feels for his newly devout father, nor his capacity for empathy toward members of the congregation. Marina is a Believer, or so she tries to be, in the hope that somehow her faith will restore harmony to her family. She has traveled to the mountain with her younger brothers at her mother's fervent insistence, but her fear that her father will remain below with the rest of the nonbelievers to burn alive unnerves her.
Coauthors Jane Yolen and Bruce Coville artfully sculpt the alternating voices and perspectives of Marina and Jed, and readers will be swept up in the thoughts and emotions of these complex young people. The skillful writing raises this novel above others--these characters are immensely believable as they struggle with matters of family and faith, while maintaining a smart, convincingly adolescent outlook. Excerpts from sermons, FBI files, camp schedules, and e-mails keep the story lively and suspenseful, as the Believers begin to stockpile weapons and the media adds fuel to the flames. But perhaps more resonant than the apocalyptic ending are the careful, distinct portraits of the two teens, thrust into a frightening situation that shuttles them suddenly into adulthood. (Ages 12 to 16) --Brangien Davis
Coauthors Jane Yolen and Bruce Coville artfully sculpt the alternating voices and perspectives of Marina and Jed, and readers will be swept up in the thoughts and emotions of these complex young people. The skillful writing raises this novel above others--these characters are immensely believable as they struggle with matters of family and faith, while maintaining a smart, convincingly adolescent outlook. Excerpts from sermons, FBI files, camp schedules, and e-mails keep the story lively and suspenseful, as the Believers begin to stockpile weapons and the media adds fuel to the flames. But perhaps more resonant than the apocalyptic ending are the careful, distinct portraits of the two teens, thrust into a frightening situation that shuttles them suddenly into adulthood. (Ages 12 to 16) --Brangien Davis
July 11, 2017
Yolen and Coville, who are always a pleasure to read, do a great job unpacking the doubts, concerns, and fears of young teens in regards to religion, particularly fringe type religion with excessive evangelical fervor. The story is compelling and well presented, and the two main characters both complex and likeable. The tale is told from both of their first person points of view, as well as excerpts from The Reverend's sermons, and some transcripts of police and FBI files and conversations. Make no mistake, this is a cult, and it gets creepy.
I won't summarize the plot line but instead will offer some thoughts for devout teachers and parents like me. I think it is important for your students or your own children/ youth to be able to express their doubts to a sympathetic adult who will not slam them for having doubts. This book may open they door for that conversation, BUT it has some things you need to know about before you give it to them.
First up: this book presents a religious authority figure who is NOT trustworthy, despite being sincere in his eccentric beliefs, and for the most part truly kind to his congregants. He is simply not mentally well. He has great charisma and a real love for his flock, so they trust him-- when perhaps they would be skeptical of someone less sincere, or less gifted as an orator. He leads them in this bizarre quest to be saved from armageddon, and never seems to notice or be concerned about the obvious conflict with the message of the Gospel that arises in refusing to allow people to join the "ark of salvation" and instead leaving them to burn. His own adult son, who is a very interesting character in the book, recognizes these inconsistencies, and yet loves his dad anyway. After reading this, a youth might be able to talk to their parents about untrustworthy authority figures, and how to handle them.
Second, familial impact. The main characters both go to the camp because of their parents: Jed goes to try to protect the parent, while Marina goes as one who is genuinely trying to believe, like her parent already does. Then of course there is the Reverend himself, and his son, who has rejected his father's POV and yet returns to join him on the mountainside. Parents have a TREMENDOUS influence on their children, and the authors show several angles of this, from healthy influences to scary.
third: Cult awareness: The bit about "Adams and Eves" made me suuuuuuper uncomfortable, as it was designed to do, and for me makes this book inappropriate for students under age 15 or 9th grade. Spoiler alert: the men in the group have been promised the chance to repopulate the earth with the women in the group, including young teen girls, ew ew ew ew. But we all know of cults that have headed down this path: it is right to include this awful edge to the story. This might open the door for you to discuss cults and their typical behaviors with a teen.
I personally would eagerly give this to a child of mine in high school, and ask them to read it, and then talk with me about it. That said, I would not allow my own child under about 8th or 9th grade to read it, at least not without a compelling reason. There is violence --fatal violence--, cheating spouses, abusively neglectful mothers, creepy sexual innuendo, horrific end-of-days prophecies, and a scary charismatic preacher who makes all religious figures look untrustworthy.
I loved the book and read it in a single day.
I won't summarize the plot line but instead will offer some thoughts for devout teachers and parents like me. I think it is important for your students or your own children/ youth to be able to express their doubts to a sympathetic adult who will not slam them for having doubts. This book may open they door for that conversation, BUT it has some things you need to know about before you give it to them.
First up: this book presents a religious authority figure who is NOT trustworthy, despite being sincere in his eccentric beliefs, and for the most part truly kind to his congregants. He is simply not mentally well. He has great charisma and a real love for his flock, so they trust him-- when perhaps they would be skeptical of someone less sincere, or less gifted as an orator. He leads them in this bizarre quest to be saved from armageddon, and never seems to notice or be concerned about the obvious conflict with the message of the Gospel that arises in refusing to allow people to join the "ark of salvation" and instead leaving them to burn. His own adult son, who is a very interesting character in the book, recognizes these inconsistencies, and yet loves his dad anyway. After reading this, a youth might be able to talk to their parents about untrustworthy authority figures, and how to handle them.
Second, familial impact. The main characters both go to the camp because of their parents: Jed goes to try to protect the parent, while Marina goes as one who is genuinely trying to believe, like her parent already does. Then of course there is the Reverend himself, and his son, who has rejected his father's POV and yet returns to join him on the mountainside. Parents have a TREMENDOUS influence on their children, and the authors show several angles of this, from healthy influences to scary.
third: Cult awareness: The bit about "Adams and Eves" made me suuuuuuper uncomfortable, as it was designed to do, and for me makes this book inappropriate for students under age 15 or 9th grade. Spoiler alert: the men in the group have been promised the chance to repopulate the earth with the women in the group, including young teen girls, ew ew ew ew. But we all know of cults that have headed down this path: it is right to include this awful edge to the story. This might open the door for you to discuss cults and their typical behaviors with a teen.
I personally would eagerly give this to a child of mine in high school, and ask them to read it, and then talk with me about it. That said, I would not allow my own child under about 8th or 9th grade to read it, at least not without a compelling reason. There is violence --fatal violence--, cheating spouses, abusively neglectful mothers, creepy sexual innuendo, horrific end-of-days prophecies, and a scary charismatic preacher who makes all religious figures look untrustworthy.
I loved the book and read it in a single day.
February 27, 2020
This book was so smart and well done. People rarely get pulled into cults but raving lunatics; charismatic true believers are a lot more dangerous. The push and pull of the belief was evident throughout this book. Very enjoyable.
January 11, 2010
This is another book that stands out in my mind a couple years after I read it. Really great, and resonating.
November 2, 2017
Armageddon Summer delivers a story where two people(Marina and Jed) are going through life and ends up at the same destination. Each chapter switches the point of view of the two main characters giving each chapter their own experience and having two chapter being the same day. Early in the story it introduces the fact that the two main character's families are religious believers who worship at the Reverend Hill church. Reverend Hill church was different because of the crazy revelation that Armageddon will happen in the summer which I found interesting. Throughout most of the book was a giant build up for the main characters falling in love and getting together which I thought was a cool ways of telling a story.
There was unexpected twists that that I really enjoy and I also liked how to character development proceeded with its characters. There was extra detail I thought was unnecessary but was good for more story about the characters. I'm not a religious person so I lost interest at times so I didn't get some of the detail in the book, but if I was, I would have liked the book more because of its religious belief. I also learned a little about the religion in the book so I thought it was educational.
I believe Armageddon Summer is a good book but wasn't my favorite book(Well, I don't read much books but I still have taste). The only thing I didn't like was that in the beginning of the book, I wished there would be more story on the family and doesn't jump straight into the majority setting of the book.
There was unexpected twists that that I really enjoy and I also liked how to character development proceeded with its characters. There was extra detail I thought was unnecessary but was good for more story about the characters. I'm not a religious person so I lost interest at times so I didn't get some of the detail in the book, but if I was, I would have liked the book more because of its religious belief. I also learned a little about the religion in the book so I thought it was educational.
I believe Armageddon Summer is a good book but wasn't my favorite book(Well, I don't read much books but I still have taste). The only thing I didn't like was that in the beginning of the book, I wished there would be more story on the family and doesn't jump straight into the majority setting of the book.
March 12, 2019
IF THIS BOOK AND I WENT ON A DATE
This Book: Hi! My name is Armageddon Summer, I'm a kinda Christian, I enjoy long walks on the mountain -
Me: oh that's nice I like mountains too -
This Book: - I also like Cut Houses, borderline psychotic Reverends, and Armageddon.
Me: ........that escalated quickly dang.
Me: ........ waiter can I get the check please.
This Book: Hi! My name is Armageddon Summer, I'm a kinda Christian, I enjoy long walks on the mountain -
Me: oh that's nice I like mountains too -
This Book: - I also like Cut Houses, borderline psychotic Reverends, and Armageddon.
Me: ........that escalated quickly dang.
Me: ........ waiter can I get the check please.
January 20, 2021
1/19/21 One star. Trigger warnings for the following. Domestic violence and other abuse: Marina's mom repeatedly slaps several of her children so hard on separate occasions that their heads whip to the side. She called her daughter a mean name because a boy looked at her. She regularly makes Marina take care of her five younger brothers so she can drool over the reverend. Impending statutory rape: Older men talk about it matter-of-factly and say who out loud they want. Teen girls, when Marina informs them of this, giggle and encourage the thought, and later flirt with several of the men.
The book title alone is a spoiler to the story. I didn't know that when I read this for the first time at twelve. As an adult, I reread it for entirely different reasons. I understood it differently and had a different opinion and a different perspective. Surprisingly, I remembered a few key plot points. I'd forgotten how much of this is boring filler, but it's there for a reason. It also just makes the book super boring overall as a side effect. What a fascinating premise, though, to have two -teenagers- talk about what it's like. They have wildly different opinions. That might be both authors trying to do a "Romeo and Juliet" thing, and it doesn't work. All of the side characters except the parents and the reverend are grating, and again, filler. Their only purpose is "these are some of the 144 campers." The other girls were -so- annoying with their weird sentence fragments and finishing each other's sentences that I didn't even roll my eyes. I just kept setting the book down when they showed up, and had to keep reminding myself to read. These aren't quirky characters with defining characteristics. They're persistent gnats I'm supposed to think are pretty dragonflies. No. Persistent gnats. Marina's mom's character is actually the most well-developed. She's the villain. I went into the book remembering what happened to her, and was surprised that it was a main thing I remembered. She speaks in tongues, which didn't surprise me, but filled me with a sense of dread. She hisses at a teen boy for only looking at her daughter. Then again, she left her husband because he wouldn't drag their kids into the woods and wait for the end of the world.
I appreciated in the beginning, it's stated that the group obtained a two-week camping permit, and the reverend mispronounces the name of the mountain they'll be on since he's not a local. Deep characterization and foreshadowing right there, and in two sentences. The reverend's conversation with Jed about the laptop continued to further cement his reputation as a skeezy con man. I'd forgotten that an FBI agent had been planted, and on reread as an adult, I was -thrilled-. Ooh, this was gonna be a showdown! It was not at all. The radio programs were a nice touch: a believable way of keeping with life outside the camp and showing people knew and had opinions, so there was...hope, in my mind, for people to safely escape.
Jed and Marina fall in love a little after page fifty, and don't learn each other's names or properly interact until ninety pages later. I have seen this device used much more effectively in other books. So for the first 140 pages of the book, which is over half of the paperback I read, it's just...pining. No developing relationship, no slow burn. To quote Honest Trailer's "Twilight" video, "It's a love expressed entirely in stares. (Dramatic music plays)." It would have been far more interesting, concise, and better characterization had they found the fence and squirrel together. Marina could be scolding or lecturing Jed about the laptop or a sermon and wham, they see and hear the fence and the squirrel. The plot would thicken and the stakes would rise! I don't know how two prolific children's authors could make an apocalypse camp complete with guns and electric fences boring, but they did.
There were several things in this book that infuriated me and made it clear that this was a society that wouldn't thrive. One instance was when two ladies who were supposed to babysit toddler Leo, couldn't handle his whining and brought him back to his sister. His sister, Marina. Not his mother, who was drooling over the reverend. If these women can't handle one whining toddler out of the whopping six in the entire camp that they care for...eugh. No mention of Leo having tantrums, hitting, running away, throwing things, scream-interrupting...just whining. No mentions of sticking him in time-out or something. No, just hand him back to a young teenager who is also supposed to watch her other five young siblings.
Marina's mom has some sort of mental break upon seeing Jed in their tent, looking for his laptop, near the end of the book. He grabs an object and swings it in self-defense as she's hitting him over and over. The object is the laptop, and he slams it into her head. She crumples, then wakes up and walks perfectly, burbling about him being an angel as he leads her away. Why? Because the plot says so. She seriously needs medical attention for at the very least, a concussion, but they're on a mountain where technology has to be hidden away. But no, she toddles down the mountain. The climax of the book happens in the last fifty or so pages, and it's super rushed. It's a shooting, which causes a riot, which causes more shooting, attempted forcible removal of robes which are a purity symbol, and...someone shoots into a cabin, which uh, blows a gas tank. Marina leads the kids to safety in a cave. Because...the plot says so. That part was written weirdly, and it was unsettling. Later, when Jed and Marina are both safe and emailing each other weeks later, it's noted that twenty people died and sixty are wounded. Suddenly things were a little more believable. Marina and Jed are living each with their non-culty parents. I remembered this part, and was still relieved. I hated this book. Oh well, at least I reread it.
The book title alone is a spoiler to the story. I didn't know that when I read this for the first time at twelve. As an adult, I reread it for entirely different reasons. I understood it differently and had a different opinion and a different perspective. Surprisingly, I remembered a few key plot points. I'd forgotten how much of this is boring filler, but it's there for a reason. It also just makes the book super boring overall as a side effect. What a fascinating premise, though, to have two -teenagers- talk about what it's like. They have wildly different opinions. That might be both authors trying to do a "Romeo and Juliet" thing, and it doesn't work. All of the side characters except the parents and the reverend are grating, and again, filler. Their only purpose is "these are some of the 144 campers." The other girls were -so- annoying with their weird sentence fragments and finishing each other's sentences that I didn't even roll my eyes. I just kept setting the book down when they showed up, and had to keep reminding myself to read. These aren't quirky characters with defining characteristics. They're persistent gnats I'm supposed to think are pretty dragonflies. No. Persistent gnats. Marina's mom's character is actually the most well-developed. She's the villain. I went into the book remembering what happened to her, and was surprised that it was a main thing I remembered. She speaks in tongues, which didn't surprise me, but filled me with a sense of dread. She hisses at a teen boy for only looking at her daughter. Then again, she left her husband because he wouldn't drag their kids into the woods and wait for the end of the world.
I appreciated in the beginning, it's stated that the group obtained a two-week camping permit, and the reverend mispronounces the name of the mountain they'll be on since he's not a local. Deep characterization and foreshadowing right there, and in two sentences. The reverend's conversation with Jed about the laptop continued to further cement his reputation as a skeezy con man. I'd forgotten that an FBI agent had been planted, and on reread as an adult, I was -thrilled-. Ooh, this was gonna be a showdown! It was not at all. The radio programs were a nice touch: a believable way of keeping with life outside the camp and showing people knew and had opinions, so there was...hope, in my mind, for people to safely escape.
Jed and Marina fall in love a little after page fifty, and don't learn each other's names or properly interact until ninety pages later. I have seen this device used much more effectively in other books. So for the first 140 pages of the book, which is over half of the paperback I read, it's just...pining. No developing relationship, no slow burn. To quote Honest Trailer's "Twilight" video, "It's a love expressed entirely in stares. (Dramatic music plays)." It would have been far more interesting, concise, and better characterization had they found the fence and squirrel together. Marina could be scolding or lecturing Jed about the laptop or a sermon and wham, they see and hear the fence and the squirrel. The plot would thicken and the stakes would rise! I don't know how two prolific children's authors could make an apocalypse camp complete with guns and electric fences boring, but they did.
There were several things in this book that infuriated me and made it clear that this was a society that wouldn't thrive. One instance was when two ladies who were supposed to babysit toddler Leo, couldn't handle his whining and brought him back to his sister. His sister, Marina. Not his mother, who was drooling over the reverend. If these women can't handle one whining toddler out of the whopping six in the entire camp that they care for...eugh. No mention of Leo having tantrums, hitting, running away, throwing things, scream-interrupting...just whining. No mentions of sticking him in time-out or something. No, just hand him back to a young teenager who is also supposed to watch her other five young siblings.
Marina's mom has some sort of mental break upon seeing Jed in their tent, looking for his laptop, near the end of the book. He grabs an object and swings it in self-defense as she's hitting him over and over. The object is the laptop, and he slams it into her head. She crumples, then wakes up and walks perfectly, burbling about him being an angel as he leads her away. Why? Because the plot says so. She seriously needs medical attention for at the very least, a concussion, but they're on a mountain where technology has to be hidden away. But no, she toddles down the mountain. The climax of the book happens in the last fifty or so pages, and it's super rushed. It's a shooting, which causes a riot, which causes more shooting, attempted forcible removal of robes which are a purity symbol, and...someone shoots into a cabin, which uh, blows a gas tank. Marina leads the kids to safety in a cave. Because...the plot says so. That part was written weirdly, and it was unsettling. Later, when Jed and Marina are both safe and emailing each other weeks later, it's noted that twenty people died and sixty are wounded. Suddenly things were a little more believable. Marina and Jed are living each with their non-culty parents. I remembered this part, and was still relieved. I hated this book. Oh well, at least I reread it.
January 31, 2021
Young adult millennium cult fiction written by authors I like at a time when references to technology were hilariously clunky (he hoped he could use his laptop’s cell phone function). What’s not to like? Got it from the library discard table in the faculty lounge at school.
December 14, 2019
3.5 Stars
Reverend Beelson tells his congregation that the world will end on July 27, 2000. He explains that 144 people will be "the chosen", the ones spared to rebuild the world, everyone else will die. Two members of the church --- Marina's mom and Jed's dad --- believe this so strongly that they are happy to relocate their families to the secret mountain retreat Beelson has set up for his followers. The reverend has everyone follow him up to a portion of state park that sits above their city in Massachusetts. They dub the area "Armageddon City". Beelson orders that the all educating will be done through monitored homeschooling and there will be no tolerance of drinking, drugs, caffeine or TV viewing. Not even consumption of chocolate is allowed.
Pure coincidence, I'm sure, *smirk*...the end of the world date just happens to be the same day Beelson's two week camping permit expires!
With all the violence, epidemics, and natural disasters running through the world, it's easy for the children to calmly follow their parents' lead at first. Marina wants to remain optimistic --- she can see some truth in her mother's beliefs -- but questions begin to flood her mind when she sees that the Beelsonite Believers mountain community actually ends up being a compound surrounded with barbed wire and electrified fencing, flanked by armed guards. Why does a "retreat" need a full patrol armed with automatic rifles?
Marina and Jed eventually come together in mutual concern and skepticism over the whole situation, though many of their meet-ups have to be done somewhat in secret, since Marina's mother, Myrna, seems suspicious of any males hanging around her daughter, but especially has a sharp eagle eye on Jed. He gets a severe tongue-lashing one day when the two teens are seen just having a quiet, perfectly civil and platonic conversation!
But at the same time, Myrna herself becomes increasingly consumed with trying to catch the eye of the reverend. Over time, Myrna becomes a mother Marina doesn't recognize. When Marina's baby brother, Leo, comes down with a sickness that leaves him with feverish skin and diarrhea, it progresses enough for Beelson to give permission for a doctor "down mountain" to be brought in. Even after the doctor examines Leo and determines the kid has a severe case of dehydration requiring hospitalization, Beelson insists the boy cannot leave, treatment will have to come to him.
Jed, who has taken to calling the compound "Wicky Wacky LastChance, headed up by Rev. Beetlebutt", 100% believes his father has gone off the deep end, but agrees to move with him to Armageddon City only to ensure that his father remains safe until sanity is restored within the community. Even other children in the community take to giving silly names to things to show they are not entirely on board with Beelson's beliefs, but being dependents of their parents, they have no choice but to ride this craziness out. Chapters featuring alternating voices show kids describing the emotional shifts & rifts that begin to develop in these individual families as little by little more and more of the congregation begin to doubt the truth of Beelson's prophecy.
Yolen teamed up with Bruce Coville back in 1998 to write this piece of apocalyptic fiction. Being this many years out from Y2K, it may be a little quaint reading this type of story now. But time period aside, it still has power in the fact that there are still groups like the Beelsonites out there in the world today. Small though they may be, these groups and this type of mentality are still very much alive in pockets of the world. As violence, depression and a general sense of being lost in this world continue to be on the rise, there are still those Beelson-types out there who will happily swoop in and feed on the fears of the easily impressionable to create communities similar to the one described in this novel. Unsettling as that is, Yolen and Coville graciously incorporate humor here and there to infuse the heavier themes with a little levity now and then. They also do the reader the service of ending on a high note, with the idea that it's never too late to turn things around and rebuild.
Reverend Beelson tells his congregation that the world will end on July 27, 2000. He explains that 144 people will be "the chosen", the ones spared to rebuild the world, everyone else will die. Two members of the church --- Marina's mom and Jed's dad --- believe this so strongly that they are happy to relocate their families to the secret mountain retreat Beelson has set up for his followers. The reverend has everyone follow him up to a portion of state park that sits above their city in Massachusetts. They dub the area "Armageddon City". Beelson orders that the all educating will be done through monitored homeschooling and there will be no tolerance of drinking, drugs, caffeine or TV viewing. Not even consumption of chocolate is allowed.
Pure coincidence, I'm sure, *smirk*...the end of the world date just happens to be the same day Beelson's two week camping permit expires!
With all the violence, epidemics, and natural disasters running through the world, it's easy for the children to calmly follow their parents' lead at first. Marina wants to remain optimistic --- she can see some truth in her mother's beliefs -- but questions begin to flood her mind when she sees that the Beelsonite Believers mountain community actually ends up being a compound surrounded with barbed wire and electrified fencing, flanked by armed guards. Why does a "retreat" need a full patrol armed with automatic rifles?
JED >> You wouldn't think having a two-day lead would be that big a deal. But it was enough to give the people in the First Wave --- the Ten Families, they called themselves --- a major case of Attitude. Those of us in the Third Wave did get to look down on the people who came the next day, but by that time the major ego points had already been distributed. Besides, it was hardly worth the bother, since only eight people showed up on Day Four. Those eight meant there were 121 of us in all. I know because the Believers had put up a signboard where they kept track of how many people were on the mountain. I wasn't quite clear, yet, on whether we were worried about actually being able to get the full 144, or nervous about exceeding the limit. I also wondered what it would do to their math if I told them I didn't really believe. Would I only count as a fraction? Or even a minus number?
Marina and Jed eventually come together in mutual concern and skepticism over the whole situation, though many of their meet-ups have to be done somewhat in secret, since Marina's mother, Myrna, seems suspicious of any males hanging around her daughter, but especially has a sharp eagle eye on Jed. He gets a severe tongue-lashing one day when the two teens are seen just having a quiet, perfectly civil and platonic conversation!
But at the same time, Myrna herself becomes increasingly consumed with trying to catch the eye of the reverend. Over time, Myrna becomes a mother Marina doesn't recognize. When Marina's baby brother, Leo, comes down with a sickness that leaves him with feverish skin and diarrhea, it progresses enough for Beelson to give permission for a doctor "down mountain" to be brought in. Even after the doctor examines Leo and determines the kid has a severe case of dehydration requiring hospitalization, Beelson insists the boy cannot leave, treatment will have to come to him.
Jed, who has taken to calling the compound "Wicky Wacky LastChance, headed up by Rev. Beetlebutt", 100% believes his father has gone off the deep end, but agrees to move with him to Armageddon City only to ensure that his father remains safe until sanity is restored within the community. Even other children in the community take to giving silly names to things to show they are not entirely on board with Beelson's beliefs, but being dependents of their parents, they have no choice but to ride this craziness out. Chapters featuring alternating voices show kids describing the emotional shifts & rifts that begin to develop in these individual families as little by little more and more of the congregation begin to doubt the truth of Beelson's prophecy.
Yolen teamed up with Bruce Coville back in 1998 to write this piece of apocalyptic fiction. Being this many years out from Y2K, it may be a little quaint reading this type of story now. But time period aside, it still has power in the fact that there are still groups like the Beelsonites out there in the world today. Small though they may be, these groups and this type of mentality are still very much alive in pockets of the world. As violence, depression and a general sense of being lost in this world continue to be on the rise, there are still those Beelson-types out there who will happily swoop in and feed on the fears of the easily impressionable to create communities similar to the one described in this novel. Unsettling as that is, Yolen and Coville graciously incorporate humor here and there to infuse the heavier themes with a little levity now and then. They also do the reader the service of ending on a high note, with the idea that it's never too late to turn things around and rebuild.
June 28, 2023
Really riveting YA. Two teens are brought together on a mountain top awaiting Armageddon with their fanatical parents.
July 27, 2022
Read this as a kid and it stuck with me so I wanted to reread it to see if it was as bad as I remembered. It was worse. Like reading a B movie.
August 9, 2011
This was given to me by a friend and definitely not something would have sought out on my own. Don’t get me wrong. I like Jane Yolen (though I always wonder when you have a well known author paired up with someone just how much if anything they actually wrote). She usually writes fantasy but this isn’t really fantasy. This could be all too frighteningly real and that was part of my problem.
Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t hate this. I liked it but there were aspects that were hot button issues for me. The story is told in flip flopping point of view chapters (with a few random insertions) from the view point of Jed and Marina. Both are products of broken homes. Jed’s mother had run off with a photographer leaving his dad heartbroken. His big sister was already in college and didn’t put much stock in her brother’s declaration that dad was losing it. Marina’s father grew distant from his large family especially with her mother’s overly overt religious zealotry.
And there is the hot button for me. Religious zealotry, no matter the religion, makes me insane. I can’t stand the intolerance and that is the backbone of this story. Both Jed’s dad and Marina’s mother have turned to Reverend Beelson who has seen Armageddon and knows it’s going to be July 27th, Marinas fourteenth birthday. He is going up on the mountain with 143 followers and wait for the earth to die in fire. The 144 souls on the mountain will be saved ala Noah, and repopulate the Earth. This is the scary part. This has happened. It’s happened recently. The 144 souls is a number that’s been batted around for a long time (and a number that astonishes me that people believe because there surely are more than 144 good souls in this world and most religions preach a loving God so this never worked for me in the real world but okay in this story that’s what we’ve got).
Jed is forced up the mountain by his father, who tearfully leaves Alice, the big sister behind because she refuses to come. Marina and all her brothers are dragged up the mountain by their mother who left their philandering father behind. Neither Jed nor Marina are Believers but Marina wants to be, terrified of her mother’s predictions of what will happen to the ones with greasy souls.
At this point one of four things could have happened in my mind, a) real angels and demons pop up since Yolen does a lot of fantasy (I’ll tell you this didn’t happened) b) Beelson is right and the world dies (which would have infuriated me) c) nothing happens and Beelson loses control d) religious fighting. I won’t tell you which happened.
It started off slow but once we got on the mountain things moved. It was pretty believable. Beelson makes for a good cult leader. Marina’s mother you begin to really hate. She’s the type of Christian who gives them bad names (mainly she’s judgmental, neglectful and cruel) but Jed and Marina’s narratives are very believable and compelling. I did think though that Marina’s brothers were poorly drawn. I can only remember two of them and there were I think four. It’s a quick read and might actually be considered juvenile instead of young adult due to the ages of the main characters. It’s not something I’d normally read but for what it is, it’s good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2020
This was an interesting book. I liked how the perspectives switched every chapter. I thought there were many similarities and differences in the personality of the two main characters. I feel it made room for a larger audience of readers. I thought the plot was very detailed but was sometimes lost in the writing. Other things were explained too much, and left little to the imagination. In the beginning I felt as if it was very slow moving forward, and I was a little disappointed when I already knew the ending near the beginning because of all of the foreshadowing. As a high school student I think this book is good for someone younger than me, but the subject is also complicated for a young reader. Overall I liked the character development from the beginning to the end, but I thought it progressed too slowly. I felt the anticipation of Jed and Marina meeting each other was too built up. I felt it took forever for them to talk and then nothing significant really happened. They were just normal around each other. I enjoyed the ending much more. Many things were finally put into place. In the middle of the book Jed had worked with a man named Hank. While working on the fence Jed began to trust Hank and noticed he was fairly "normal". Then at the end when they were on the mountain Hank showed up. Hank asked if Jed had a cellphone. Jed said he did not, but he did have a laptop that would work to call someone. Hank dialed a number, after listening to his conversation they find out he is in the FBI. I admire the authors writing around Hank’s story. I think it was the perfect balance of foreshadowing and leaving it to interpretation. I felt very happy when this part of the story happened. I liked that Hank was actually a good guy and did not believe the reverend. I also liked how Marina had conflicting views about the Armageddon. I felt the same way as I was reading at first I thought it could be true and then when I saw what the camp was like I second guessed myself. I liked that the characters had corresponding views and views that differed. I also liked how the authors showed the confusion in the character's thoughts. I thought this showed what a true teenager would feel in this situation. I liked how the authors slightly hinted that the characters were taken advantage of due to their home lives. I think this was a major part of the book that can be overlooked. I think if the parents of the characters had better relationships with their spouses that they wouldn't have looked for something more in life. I think the main characters understood this as well as best they could. Overall this book was alright. I think I was just being picky, but I stand by my review. I would change certain aspects of the writing, but I would definitely recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2018
For being published twenty years ago, this story holds up remarkably well. Charismatic leader collecting followers willing to leave their lives and set up camp in the wilderness, hoping to rebuild the world as a better place after it (self)destructs? Still rings true. A teen girl's mother homeschooling her (many) children to try to protect them from too much worldly exposure in public school (with one of the male children hinted at being special needs)? Even more true today than it was then. A teen boy's father turning to religion for consolation after his wife runs off with another guy, and teen boy's college-aged sister asking to be left out of it? Yup. Just-turned-teen boy (Jed) and girl (Marina) interested in each other, flirting, being awkward, and somehow managing to start a relationship even amidst chaos and parents relocating them? True since forever.
The relocation to a mountaintop setting works in this book's favor. The Internet and cell phones, not widely available when the book was written, wouldn't work in this remote setting anyway, and so aren't missed. Without electricity for a recharge, the snatched minutes Jed spends listening for audio-only news on his "forbidden" laptop still makes sense. And, with such limited news coming in from outside, no headlines are introduced which would date the piece.
The story being told from the teen's points of view, alternating by chapter, also works in the book's favor. It's with remarkable subtlety, born of limited-experience view points, that facts about some of the adults are introduced. That Marina's dad is probably having an affair at work. That Marina's mom would like to shuck the responsibility of her children and have a do-ever. That Jed's father is sliding into mental illness. That the charismatic leader has a dead son he disowned, probably for being gay. And that, among the followers with good intentions, are some who would help the world along the path to destruction with firearms, or who intend to use re-population as an opportunity to rewrite social mores on sex.
That Armageddon comes to the followers in its own, horrible way, and that life goes on for the rest of the world, should not be a surprise. There are a few surprises in the "how," and the authors provide enough of an "after" for Jed and Marina that we can imagine their futures. All in all, a rewarding ending to a still-relevant book which can be read either lightly or with an eye to detail.
The relocation to a mountaintop setting works in this book's favor. The Internet and cell phones, not widely available when the book was written, wouldn't work in this remote setting anyway, and so aren't missed. Without electricity for a recharge, the snatched minutes Jed spends listening for audio-only news on his "forbidden" laptop still makes sense. And, with such limited news coming in from outside, no headlines are introduced which would date the piece.
The story being told from the teen's points of view, alternating by chapter, also works in the book's favor. It's with remarkable subtlety, born of limited-experience view points, that facts about some of the adults are introduced. That Marina's dad is probably having an affair at work. That Marina's mom would like to shuck the responsibility of her children and have a do-ever. That Jed's father is sliding into mental illness. That the charismatic leader has a dead son he disowned, probably for being gay. And that, among the followers with good intentions, are some who would help the world along the path to destruction with firearms, or who intend to use re-population as an opportunity to rewrite social mores on sex.
That Armageddon comes to the followers in its own, horrible way, and that life goes on for the rest of the world, should not be a surprise. There are a few surprises in the "how," and the authors provide enough of an "after" for Jed and Marina that we can imagine their futures. All in all, a rewarding ending to a still-relevant book which can be read either lightly or with an eye to detail.
September 5, 2021
I read this novel when I was a tween and recently re-visited it. This is always a risky move since, while nostalgia can make you love crappy things simply because they remind you of other times, often the book/movie/tv show/etc. does not live up to your memory. I'm overjoyed to say that wasn't the case here.
Our two MCs and POV characters, Jed and Marina, meet one summer at a mountain-top camp for a Doomsday cult who believe the world is going to end in two weeks. They bond with each other while trying to navigate this very unusual situation, and sh** gets real.
First off, I wish this book was longer. I get why it isn't, the relatively short 260-ish pages tell the tale well, and this book is written for somewhere between middle-grade and YA, which often comes with shorter page counts. I'm basically just greedy and want more of the story.
The writing style is excellent; atmospheric, and vivid without bogging the reader down in unnecessary details. I actually don't think this writing would translate well to most works, but it's perfect for this story. The "voices" of our two POV characters feel very different from one another, which is something I always appreciate in stories with more than one MC. The pacing is also super solid, and I couldn't put this down.
I found the characters to be well-developed and the romance was super sweet while also being appropriate for the age range of the target readers. That said, this story also doesn't shy away from darker themes and I think Yolen writes with respect for her readers, understanding that even younger people are capable of more intense literature if it's done well.
Basically, I have nothing but recommendations for this. Please go pick it up immediately.
Our two MCs and POV characters, Jed and Marina, meet one summer at a mountain-top camp for a Doomsday cult who believe the world is going to end in two weeks. They bond with each other while trying to navigate this very unusual situation, and sh** gets real.
First off, I wish this book was longer. I get why it isn't, the relatively short 260-ish pages tell the tale well, and this book is written for somewhere between middle-grade and YA, which often comes with shorter page counts. I'm basically just greedy and want more of the story.
The writing style is excellent; atmospheric, and vivid without bogging the reader down in unnecessary details. I actually don't think this writing would translate well to most works, but it's perfect for this story. The "voices" of our two POV characters feel very different from one another, which is something I always appreciate in stories with more than one MC. The pacing is also super solid, and I couldn't put this down.
I found the characters to be well-developed and the romance was super sweet while also being appropriate for the age range of the target readers. That said, this story also doesn't shy away from darker themes and I think Yolen writes with respect for her readers, understanding that even younger people are capable of more intense literature if it's done well.
Basically, I have nothing but recommendations for this. Please go pick it up immediately.
November 24, 2009
When a book has me so riveted that I stay up way later than I should to read it, I usually give it a 5, but this, being a teen novel, was a little too simplistic for me to rate it that high. Also, there were some parts at the beginning in which I thought, “Okay. We’ve met the two main characters. Now can they stop sneaking peeks at each other and get on with some dialogue?” Once they did, though, I was hooked.
The book is the story of a budding romance between Jed, age 16, and Marina, almost 14. The unique twist is that it’s set in a Christian cult, rather like the Branch Davidians. The cult believes that Armageddon will take place on July 27th, but by camping out with their reverend on a certain mountain, they and only they can be saved.
Both Jed and Marina have been dragged into this by parents who’ve gone off the deep end. Both are products of split marriages. But while Jed is a complete non-believer, who gets the snarkiest lines, Marina wants to believe. She has doubts, though, and her attraction to Jed is only fueling them.
The book focuses much more on their growth as people than their physical intimacy. For some readers, this may be a disappointment. Not for me, though. I see it as a tremendous advantage. Atheists might also be somewhat disappointed. There’s plenty to look down at in the portrayal of the cult, but neither Jed nor Marina become total atheists after living through “Armageddon.”
Cool surprise twists with two minor characters, too!
The book is the story of a budding romance between Jed, age 16, and Marina, almost 14. The unique twist is that it’s set in a Christian cult, rather like the Branch Davidians. The cult believes that Armageddon will take place on July 27th, but by camping out with their reverend on a certain mountain, they and only they can be saved.
Both Jed and Marina have been dragged into this by parents who’ve gone off the deep end. Both are products of split marriages. But while Jed is a complete non-believer, who gets the snarkiest lines, Marina wants to believe. She has doubts, though, and her attraction to Jed is only fueling them.
The book focuses much more on their growth as people than their physical intimacy. For some readers, this may be a disappointment. Not for me, though. I see it as a tremendous advantage. Atheists might also be somewhat disappointed. There’s plenty to look down at in the portrayal of the cult, but neither Jed nor Marina become total atheists after living through “Armageddon.”
Cool surprise twists with two minor characters, too!
January 20, 2018
I read this book as a recommendation from a friend to see what she felt was a good example of young adult reading. I liked the book, and read it through as a fall asleep read. It is a young adult book so designed for a much younger audience. Published in 1998, it is not too dated but didn't carry my desire for nostalgia. It never felt like the late nineties nor is it current. The two teenagers take turns talking in the first person literally alternating chapters which the author conveniently titled with their respective names, Jeb and Marine. The fourteen-year-olds never spoke out loud or to themselves, with the voices I expect in that age group then or now. They were too introspective and adult in some of their thinking. It almost felt like this is how an adult thinks a young teen thinks. Admittedly it is hard to get into a fourteen-year-old's head.
If you are very religious, you may find the cult content to be too much. If you are not religious, you may find the subject overwhelmed with the cult perspectives. Either way, if you have strong beliefs that you wish to present to your teen, you should think about pre-reading this book.
If you are very religious, you may find the cult content to be too much. If you are not religious, you may find the subject overwhelmed with the cult perspectives. Either way, if you have strong beliefs that you wish to present to your teen, you should think about pre-reading this book.
August 25, 2021
This was an unusual book, at least for me, and I spent most of my time reading it trying to decide whether I liked it or not. It tackles some tough topics: cults, celebrity evangelists, doomsday predictions, neglectful parenting, and more. In general, I'd say it handles them reasonably well, certainly with a great deal more nuance than I was expecting, and the conclusion it reaches isn't, as I had been half-anticipating, a dogmatic rejection of God and all things religious, but more of an uncertainty that still leaves room for the possibility of future faith. The characters are fairly compelling, and the storyline definitely held my attention. Ultimately I'd say it was a pretty good book with a premise I haven't encountered before... it just didn't happen to be a premise that I myself especially enjoyed.
May 10, 2022
Armegeddon will occur on 14-year-old Marina's birthday in July 2000, according to The Believers, a religious group in Massachussetts. The group of 144 assemble on a mountaintop to await the end, including 16-year-old Jed and his father, and Marina along with her mother and three brothers. The story is told alternately between Jed and Marina who chronicle the events leading up to that day, and who also explore their beliefs about God and about this experience. Written jointly by two well-known authors, Jane Yolen and Bruce Coville, this book will grab your attention as the activities on the mountain become more ominous. Recommended for teens in grades 6 and up who are interested in religious stories or intrigued with Armageddon.
May 30, 2022
Absolutely excellent fiction exploring two very different teen perspectives on their experiences in a religious doomsday cult. The first half kept building up to the apocalyptical day, and the climax did not disappoint. I expected there to only be a lot of emotional excitement at the peak of the story. Instead, the action did not disappoint. Knowing, in 2022 when I cracked open this book that the world in fact would not end in 2000, I was really itching to see how the characters would make sense of it. My only complaint is that one of the main character's mother did not take responsibility for her actions. But even that is well placed in a young adult novel. I will be looking for more from these authors.
January 31, 2021
This book was really bad. Perhaps it was going from the very adult and incredibly well-written Game of Thrones series to this. I usually enjoy young adult books, but this was just exceptionally juvenile. It dragged on way too long, and while the climax was exciting the conclusion was beyond ridiculous. One of the two main characters is dragged into a cult, experiences life-altering trauma and violence, loses his father, moves to Colorado with his mom’s hippie boyfriend and then at the end of it all essentially shrugs off his crazy summer and says “But I met a cute girl!”
Also, why is his dad’s funeral months after his death?
Also, why is his dad’s funeral months after his death?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2024
I read and re-read this book about teens whose parents drag them into a cult predicting the end of the world. I remember it being super engaging, and maybe hitting a little close to home as someone raised Catholic. Like, obviously it wasn't similar to my experience, but it still probably helped me to think about my own religion more critically.
December 1, 2019
What a great quick read for a flight from Arizona to home.
The topic of belief and unbelief is really well covered, as is the topic of unintended consequences.
I really liked how the story was told from people who did not know everything that was going on. It really left me, as reader, in a precarious position of wondering whether the things being told and foretold were factual or not.
The topic of belief and unbelief is really well covered, as is the topic of unintended consequences.
I really liked how the story was told from people who did not know everything that was going on. It really left me, as reader, in a precarious position of wondering whether the things being told and foretold were factual or not.
March 29, 2025
Jane Yolen and Bruce Coville are two authors I remember loving in middle school, and it's been a long time since I revisited their writing. So a book the two co-authored seemed like a good place to start. Armageddon Summer isn't the lighthearted fantasy or science fiction the two are known for, however -- it deals with a doomsday cult and is aimed at teenagers. And while it's definitely not perfect and a bit uneven in tone, it's still a fascinating look at how life in such a rigid community can affect people.
Marina and Jed are two teenagers who come from broken families, and whose parents -- Marina's mother and Jed's father -- have found religion. Or specifically, have found a purpose and sanctuary in the flock of Reverend Beelson, who has predicted the day of Armageddon and decreed that only his faithful will survive the coming fire. Joining their families on the top of a mountain that the Reverend insists will be spared, Marina and Jed struggle with roughing it in the woods, their own doubts about faith and belief, and with their growing attraction to one another. And as the day of doom approaches, it remains to be seen if their love -- or their lives -- will survive the end of the world intact.
The tone of this book feels a little uneven, as if it can't decide if it wants to be a YA romance or a more realistic look at how religious mania affects people. I'm not saying a book can't do both, but here the juxtaposition feels a little weird. I did like that Marina and Jed had distinct voices -- which makes me wonder if Yolen and Coville wrote the alternating Marina and Jed chapters separately, each of them taking on a character -- and the attempts at humor don't feel like they clashed too badly with the tone of the novel. The plot falls apart to some degree at the end, but then, the events of this book are fairly messy, so it makes sense that the plot would be too.
This book does deal with some of the harsh realities of religious abuse and cults, so be prepared for some rough topics to come up -- child abuse, a religious leader abusing his authority, clashes with the police and government, and some uncomfortable talk about polygamy and teens marrying adults that, while true to life, is still squicky. If religious abuse and all its accompanying damage is triggering to you, read this with caution.
Armageddon Summer tries to be both a look at the damage cults can do and a YA romance, and as such it doesn't entirely succeed at either. But it's still an interesting read.
Marina and Jed are two teenagers who come from broken families, and whose parents -- Marina's mother and Jed's father -- have found religion. Or specifically, have found a purpose and sanctuary in the flock of Reverend Beelson, who has predicted the day of Armageddon and decreed that only his faithful will survive the coming fire. Joining their families on the top of a mountain that the Reverend insists will be spared, Marina and Jed struggle with roughing it in the woods, their own doubts about faith and belief, and with their growing attraction to one another. And as the day of doom approaches, it remains to be seen if their love -- or their lives -- will survive the end of the world intact.
The tone of this book feels a little uneven, as if it can't decide if it wants to be a YA romance or a more realistic look at how religious mania affects people. I'm not saying a book can't do both, but here the juxtaposition feels a little weird. I did like that Marina and Jed had distinct voices -- which makes me wonder if Yolen and Coville wrote the alternating Marina and Jed chapters separately, each of them taking on a character -- and the attempts at humor don't feel like they clashed too badly with the tone of the novel. The plot falls apart to some degree at the end, but then, the events of this book are fairly messy, so it makes sense that the plot would be too.
This book does deal with some of the harsh realities of religious abuse and cults, so be prepared for some rough topics to come up -- child abuse, a religious leader abusing his authority, clashes with the police and government, and some uncomfortable talk about polygamy and teens marrying adults that, while true to life, is still squicky. If religious abuse and all its accompanying damage is triggering to you, read this with caution.
Armageddon Summer tries to be both a look at the damage cults can do and a YA romance, and as such it doesn't entirely succeed at either. But it's still an interesting read.
January 6, 2024
Disclaimer: Reading as an adult, I’ll give this a 3/5. Preteen Troy would probably rate it at least a 4.
Armageddon Summer tells the story of two families, both flawed and broken, both with one parent each who get wrapped in the throes of a charismatic preacher, who foretells of the upcoming apocalypse, and attempts to shepherd them to safety, all 144, atop a nearby mountain to await Judgement Day. It is told from the point of view of two of the children, Jed and Marina, who meet and develop a romance atop the mountain.
‘There was no devil, for the devil was within us’ feels like a pretty tired trope, but I thought the author did do a good job of displaying the kid’s views of faith and circumstance. Overall the book felt a bit simplistic, and stop-and-start, with certain plot lines and characters not focused on for decent chunks. I thought Marina’s faith, and its eventual wavering, was the most important piece of character and plot development contained within the novel, and Jed, while a bit one-dimensional, also reinforced the love for his father in the wake of a divorce, which was an important piece. Beelson was just scary enough, the mom was abhorrent and took away from the spirit of what was going on, in my opinion. Again, if I was a young adult reading this YA novel, I’m sure the budding romance and mountaintop setting would have provided a bit more intrigue. That being said, the book does a good job of looking into faith, religion, and the accompanying over-zealousness that can occur.
My 2 cents: I would have loved to have a few chapters from the point of view of the non-believing parents below the mountain, although it does add to the seclusion and atmosphere that they were omitted until the end.
Overall 3/5, a bit too singular of a focus, some odd character progression and info, and not a very descriptive novel, mostly focused on dialogue and plot action. Plus a bummer there’s no Armageddon when it’s in the title! Add a point to the total for younger ones, it’s relatively harmless fun
Armageddon Summer tells the story of two families, both flawed and broken, both with one parent each who get wrapped in the throes of a charismatic preacher, who foretells of the upcoming apocalypse, and attempts to shepherd them to safety, all 144, atop a nearby mountain to await Judgement Day. It is told from the point of view of two of the children, Jed and Marina, who meet and develop a romance atop the mountain.
‘There was no devil, for the devil was within us’ feels like a pretty tired trope, but I thought the author did do a good job of displaying the kid’s views of faith and circumstance. Overall the book felt a bit simplistic, and stop-and-start, with certain plot lines and characters not focused on for decent chunks. I thought Marina’s faith, and its eventual wavering, was the most important piece of character and plot development contained within the novel, and Jed, while a bit one-dimensional, also reinforced the love for his father in the wake of a divorce, which was an important piece. Beelson was just scary enough, the mom was abhorrent and took away from the spirit of what was going on, in my opinion. Again, if I was a young adult reading this YA novel, I’m sure the budding romance and mountaintop setting would have provided a bit more intrigue. That being said, the book does a good job of looking into faith, religion, and the accompanying over-zealousness that can occur.
My 2 cents: I would have loved to have a few chapters from the point of view of the non-believing parents below the mountain, although it does add to the seclusion and atmosphere that they were omitted until the end.
Overall 3/5, a bit too singular of a focus, some odd character progression and info, and not a very descriptive novel, mostly focused on dialogue and plot action. Plus a bummer there’s no Armageddon when it’s in the title! Add a point to the total for younger ones, it’s relatively harmless fun
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2025
3.5 Stars
Jed and Marina's parents are Believers, members of an apocalyptic Christian cult that believes the world will end on July 27th, 2000. Which also happens to be Marina's 14th birthday. Their charismatic leader, Reverend Beelson, promises his flock they will be safe on a mountain when the world goes up in flames. Marina is a believer (pun not intended), while Jed is more skeptical, and only goes to the mountain to keep an eye on his father.
Marina starts to question her beliefs when the camp is closed to the outside world, an electric fence goes up, and armed guards are posted at the gates. She meets Jed- she finds him secretly using his laptop one night- and the two teens start confiding in each other. Marina's mom hates Jed and calls him 'devil boy', though she's too obsessed with Reverend Beelson to parent her own kids. As the so-called 'Judgment Day' draws nearer, and tension reaches a boiling point, will Beelson's prophecy come true?
This book came out over 25 years ago, so it feels very dated now. Marina mentions Listservs, and at one point Jed uses his laptop's cell phone feature to call for help. But groups like the Believers really do exist, and they're still out there. I think this book did a great job illuminating how dangerous and destructive cults can be. I especially liked the climax, where an angry mob storms the camp. As incredibly dark as this story can be, at least it ends on an optimistic/happy ending.
I enjoyed Armageddon Summer, I would recommend this book to teens (and adults!) interested in cults.
Jed and Marina's parents are Believers, members of an apocalyptic Christian cult that believes the world will end on July 27th, 2000. Which also happens to be Marina's 14th birthday. Their charismatic leader, Reverend Beelson, promises his flock they will be safe on a mountain when the world goes up in flames. Marina is a believer (pun not intended), while Jed is more skeptical, and only goes to the mountain to keep an eye on his father.
Marina starts to question her beliefs when the camp is closed to the outside world, an electric fence goes up, and armed guards are posted at the gates. She meets Jed- she finds him secretly using his laptop one night- and the two teens start confiding in each other. Marina's mom hates Jed and calls him 'devil boy', though she's too obsessed with Reverend Beelson to parent her own kids. As the so-called 'Judgment Day' draws nearer, and tension reaches a boiling point, will Beelson's prophecy come true?
This book came out over 25 years ago, so it feels very dated now. Marina mentions Listservs, and at one point Jed uses his laptop's cell phone feature to call for help. But groups like the Believers really do exist, and they're still out there. I think this book did a great job illuminating how dangerous and destructive cults can be. I especially liked the climax, where an angry mob storms the camp. As incredibly dark as this story can be, at least it ends on an optimistic/happy ending.
I enjoyed Armageddon Summer, I would recommend this book to teens (and adults!) interested in cults.
July 8, 2020
First off, Jane Yolen wrote this and the How Do Dinosaurs ... series .... what? Is that mind boggling to anyone else?
I digress.
I first read this in middle school (at least 20 times, no lie) and now as an adult, I finally understand where my skepticism for religion came from. 🤣 Yolen and Coville do a great job writing their respective characters. Could this be the book that hooked me into the dual narration? Probably. It definitely feels like a late 90s/early 2000s story but still an exciting read.
I digress.
I first read this in middle school (at least 20 times, no lie) and now as an adult, I finally understand where my skepticism for religion came from. 🤣 Yolen and Coville do a great job writing their respective characters. Could this be the book that hooked me into the dual narration? Probably. It definitely feels like a late 90s/early 2000s story but still an exciting read.
March 22, 2020
I read this when I was in 8th grade. It was the first book I actually picked on my own to read that I wasn't forced to read for a book report. It was absolutely amazing. I really got swept away with the two main characters and what was happening in their world of craziness. This changed how I viewed reading by a long shot. Suddenly, I came to really love reading and there started my book obsession for finding more books that could give me this kind of feeling of completion.
March 9, 2023
I chose this book for a school project covering dystopias. Though it is a shorter read, it's not rushed in any way. The novel is immersive and I found myself reading for hours, it's hard to put down. I enjoyed the interactions between Marina and Jed but felt they weren't realistic for kids their age. However, the development of their beliefs in opposite directions was a nice touch. Overall, the story was solid and honestly made me question my own beliefs.
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