The Black Cloister

by Melanie Dobson

On Elise Friedman's eighth birthday, she lost her mother and any connection to her mysterious past. Now a young woman in college, Elise is traveling to her homeland of Germany to uncover her family's past, but what she finds is much more harrowing than she ever suspected.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery, Historical, Christian

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2008

About the author

Writing fiction is a fun excuse for Melanie to explore ghost towns and old houses, travel to unusual places, and spend hours reading dusty books and journals. She writes both contemporary and historical fiction with threads of romance and suspense.

Melanie is the award-winning author of almost thirty time-slip, historical romance, suspense, and contemporary novels including Catching the Wind, The Winter Rose, and The Wings of Poppy Pendleton. Five of her novels including Chateau of Secrets have won Carol Awards, Catching the Wind won the Audie 2018 Inspirational Fiction award, and Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana won Best Novel of Indiana. Catching the Wind and Memories of Glass were both finalists for Christy Awards in historical fiction.

Melanie and her husband, Jon, have two daughters. After moving numerous times with Jon's work, the Dobsons have finally settled near Portland, Oregon, and they love to travel and hike in both the mountains and the cliffs above the Pacific. When Melanie isn't writing or researching, she enjoys line dancing, biking, and making up stories with her kids.

More information about her and her books is available on her website at www.melaniedobson.com. You can also connect with Melanie at www.facebook.com/melaniedobsonfiction.

Reviews

[Ashley Daviau · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was quite pleasantly surprised by this book! In fact, I quite thoroughly enjoyed it! You get a hint at what the story's about by reading the back of the book but it doesn't come anywhere near truly telling you what the story is based on. And I was thrilled to discover it involved religious cults as I took a course on them in school and have been fascinated with them ever since! All in all, I really loved this book and the story it had to tell!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This brilliantly written novel is sure to educate and inspire readers. The insight Dobson demonstrates regarding the minds of cult leaders and their victims is incredibly accurate. In fact, this is the by far best book I've read that addresses this important issue. I've worked with abused children and pedophiles for nearly two decades and the way perpetrators view the world is clearly skewed by their own twisted desires. The author brings that out in The Black Cloister and shows why women stay in situations that are obviously abusive and why they often don't tell anyone who can help them get out. Dobson weaves a powerful and emotionally gripping tale that at times was so suspenseful that I would rather read the story than eat or sleep. The conclusion is also satisfying as it shows the power of true Godly love and how truth is more powerful than evil when you cling to His promises and minister to His children. I would love to read a sequel to this story.

[Heidi Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good vs evil darkness vs light cults vs Christ

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though this book dealt with some very serious and, frankly, downright horrifying topics, I felt like I fairly flew through it. It was easy to connect with Elise and her search for answers about her mother, and her own birth in Germany. It was also easy to connect with Carson, even though his initial purpose in the novel was to thwart Elise's efforts.
This is a book I'm going to be thinking about for a long while to come.
4.5 stars

[Lillie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard for many of us to comprehend how someone could become involved in a cult and why they stay. This powerful novel portrays how easy it can be for vulnerable people who want to serve the Lord to be deluded. Once they are members of the cult, they are coerced or conned into staying. This is a good story.

[Candis Bartlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Melanie Dobson is a good writer

This is the second book of hers I've read. Her books capture my attention at the start. Looking forward to reading another one. Cow language, Christian based but just the right amount of Christian content. Characters.that are not cut off from what's going on in the world.

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Melanie Dobson has made a name writing intriguing stories searching into the past and its effect on the present. This one features cults, was a bit difficult to follow at times but decently good.

[Stephanie Mccall · Rating 3 out of 5]

More a 3.5-3.7, The Black Cloister is nevertheless a book that sticks in my memory. It's sort of a throwback for me, in that I read it years ago but only recently reread it for review. It was the book that got me interested in Melanie Dobson, and now I remember why.

First off, Melanie Dobson was a pro at giving familiar tropes new twists even when The Black Cloister was first published circa 2008. For instance, I've seen Christians deal with spiritual warfare and cults fairly often, in fiction and nonfiction, because I find these topics interesting. However, I usually see them inside a modern American context. Here, I got to see them in the context of Heidleberg, Germany, which while still modern retained a lot of Old World tone and charm. The church where Elise finds shelter, the ruins of Marienthron, the German countryside, and Old Town are some of the best examples. The story feels authentically German and "exotic," but familiar and relevant, throughout.

So too, Elise is familiar and relevant, as well as particularly relatable. This is partially because she reminded me of myself as a college student--studious, curious, but at the end of the day, wanting nothing more than to snuggle in the safety of her warm home with her books and cats. More importantly though, Elise is relatable because she's human. She's reckless, often to her detriment. She gets into situations without considering how she's going to handle them if they go "off script," trusts the wrong people and rebuffs the right ones. Yet never did I feel she was stupid, naive, or not worth rooting for. Instead, I thought she was an intrepid, brave person who deserved answers. The fact that Elise was lied to and victimized gave me sympathy for her, but never did I think of her as pathetic or a victim.

The secondary characters aren't developed as well as Elise, but I enjoyed them, as well as the facets of them I was allowed to see. Some of these are summed up rather than shown to the reader; Addison is a good example, as we are told straight up that she is a businesslike, upwardly mobile, yet insecure and hurting person. Carson falls into this trap a bit too, since a lot of the time we spend with him, he's ruminating on how foolish he thinks Elise is being (which she is sometimes, but still). Phoebe and Sol are somewhat one-note antagonists. That said, everyone is memorable and vital to the story. For example, Sol and Phoebe may be "typical" villains--but boy, can you still root against a typical villain. I sure did. For most of the story, Sara is a victim, but I also hung in there with her and cheered for her to be okay. The same was true for Rahab, unnamed Chosen Girls, and even Addison.

Speaking of cheering for characters to be okay, there was more to that for me with The Black Cloister. Namely, Melanie Dobson paints a raw portrait of spiritual abuse here that gets under your skin like nothing I've seen in a while. Some of it comes from sheer depravity, like a scene where we see Sara tied to a bed and learn she and other Chosen members are "branded like livestock." But most of the gut punch here comes from how easy it is for people like Sol to succeed. That is, it was easy for me to read The Black Cloister and immediately think, "I'd never fall for that. I know what the Bible says and who Jesus is, and it doesn't say that and He's not like that." But within a few chapters, as I spent more time with Elise and learned more about Catrina, Rahab, Sara, and others, I found myself learning. And what I learned is, anybody could be deceived. Satan is sneaky like that. His goal is death, and he'll get it any way he can, even through twisted versions of Scripture. The exploration of this is bone-chilling and will inspire you to pray against spiritual abuse, as well as for all those trapped in it.

With all this said, why not five stars or a confident four? Well, as I said, some things are told rather than shown. I also thought that as much as I liked the characters, most of them needed more development. I wanted more introspection, especially positive spiritual introspection. For example, we know Elise and Carson are Christians, and that Carson is in fact a recent convert who became that way because he embraced the true Christ with a lot of enthusiasm. I wanted to know more about that. I also wanted to see more of Elise's journey based on her desire to help oppressed women. I got some of that with Sara, but was hungry for more. (What can I say, I'm a glutton for deep themes).

Additionally, I have a personal preference about this book. I didn't dock a star for it, but: I wanted The Black Cloister to be a split time novel. I wanted to see Elise's story better developed, and perhaps juxtaposed with that of a nun who got out of Marienthron or suffered for new Protestant faith, and struggled with the concept of grace. That, however, is purely personal preference. The Black Cloister still gets my confident recommendation, especially if you like spiritual warfare, battles between good and evil, and an Old World feel.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I always enjoy novels set around religious cults and The Black Cloister was no different. It is really quite scary how cult leaders can manipulate the minds of their victims to do their will and meet their twisted desires. The author provided an interesting insight into those trapped within the walls of a cult and how they are brainwashed to the point where they don't want to leave.

It was easy to connect with Elise as she searched for answers about her mother. However, she made rash decisions that landed her in trouble! The Black Cloister finished fairly well but it didn't leave me emotionally moved with was a shame because the rest of the novel was gripping.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unsettling. Heartwrenching. A disturbing topic, but so real in our world today. The masterminds of cult leaders and those heading up trafficking and prostitution are dangerous and demented. While reading, I felt I was pulled into the character's experiences even though Dobson tastefully scribed the horrifying experiences. The hearts of children are being crushed around us. The forgiveness of God comes through in the text and portrays vindication of unfortunate victims. Thank you for portraying this in a way to alert people to have heightened awareness.

[Kav · Rating 4 out of 5]

This made for a compelling 'read' (well, listen, for me.) I was mesmerized and unsettled and uneasy at times. Elise's past is shrouded in mystery and she's determined to find answers while in Germany as a university student. The way the mystery develops is compelling, featuring multiple points of view that heightens the suspense. I found some of the details disturbing -- I can't say what without posting spoilers -- but this story haunted my dreams!

[Shelley Stack · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a story about a cult and toxic religion. Not my favorite Dobson book, but of interest for sure.

[Shannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

didnt finish
not for me

[white · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written

Amazing read. Though a difficult subject to read about, she took care to give an idea of what they experienced at the hands of an unstable man.

[Nora St Laurent · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book grabbed at my heart strings right away. Melanie unveils a cult named "Chosen". Elise wonders how any intelligent person could ever get involved in an occult. She couldn't understand how people stayed in an occult once they knew what it was? When Elise gets right into the heart of the matter and faces the leader of the group "Chosen", she had no idea who she is messing with. She needs help but how can she go about getting it? She went to Europe with her own money and of her own free will. She lied to her family and friends about where she was going and what she was doing in Europe. Why would anyone search for her? Help her? What was she thinking when she went on this trip? Answers!! She should have thought about how to get out of a bind once she got into one. She had no clue as to how big and powerful this cult "Chosen" was.


How do cults begin? How do they keep going? This book does answer some of these questions for you. It also shows how cults twist the word of God in people's heads and get them to believe a lie. Elise is a young woman driven to find answers to her past. Who is she? Where did she come from? No one will tell her. She wants answers and she wants them now. Why won't anyone tell her about her mother? About her past? Her mother is dead and she doesn't know who her biological father is. Why won't her adoptive father Steve tell her? She has to take matters in her own hands. She has waited long enough.


Elise embarks on a mission trip to Europe to find information about her mother and her past. She doesn't have many clues to go on, but she knows that her mother's name is Catrina and she was born in Germany. She has told her adoptive family that she is off to Europe on a trip for school. She has made an appointment with her mother's closest friend Addison Wade, who has political connections and aspirations. While Elise is over seas she will find out the information that she is seeking (one way or other); Addison had to know something. It just might be the last thing she gets to do in her young life. Elise has no idea what she is up against and how dangerous it is, but she soon realizes that this might have been the biggest mistake in her life.


Elise has gone to college to study women's history. She feels it might be her mission in life to teach women about their past in history, so that they can overcome their circumstances just like the women before them did. Just like Katharina von Bora did. She was a woman that escaped from the abbey in Europe. She found freedom in Christ which lead to her marrying Martin Luther. Together they changed the world, and Elise also wanted to make big changes in her world. She knew that educating women was the key to such change. She would help teach a whole new generation of women about overcoming their situations like Katharina von Bora who have success stories against incredible odds of failure.


This story was an eye opener! It revealed the deep pain that is inflicted on innocent person when they become a cult member. Melanie felt the need to tell this story and raise awareness about how dangerous cults can be, and how they are not so easy to get out of once you are in. She discovered this affter her encounter with a woman that was raised overseas in an abusive religious cult. The message of this book is one of hope, and recovery. It will change the way you think about cults, for sure. This a story you won't soon forget.



Disclosure of Material Connection: #AD Sponsored by publisher.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine www.bookfunmagazine.com

[Chas Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was so good and eye opening.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Up until the last few chapters, this subject matter was very disturbing. Intellectually, I am aware this sort of stuff goes on, but still ...! Thank you, Ms. Dobson, for giving Elise and Sara a happy ending, and for having Ms. Wade start up shelters for cult-abused women and children. (What about the boys and young men, though? They're victims, too.)

There were a few editing oversights in the Kindle version of The Black Cloister: Location 79, information for her honor's thesis / information for her honors thesis ;132, to research my honor's thesis / to research my honors thesis ; 215, focused on the kit- ten / focused on the kitten ; 1728, All of the sudden she was / All of A sudden she was ; 1773, the major European cit- ies / the major European cities ; 2085, and snuck out at night / and SNEAKED out at night ; 2212, she snuck out to the barn / she SNEAKED out to the barn ;

Location 2312, maybe she was the one who stunk / maybe she was the one who STANK ; 2649, his hat fell to the floor when jumped out of his chair / his hat fell to the floor when HE jumped out of his chair .

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suspense Novel dealing with Abusive Cult

Elisa has been searching for answers since her mother's sudden death several years ago. When her adoptive father and then her mother's friend will not answer her questions, Elise sets off on her own to search for her mother's past. What she doesn't realize is that those from her mother's past will do anything to keep those secrets.

This book does involve an abusive religious cult but I felt that those details were handled delicately. However, if even knowing that physical and sexual abuse of minors has occurred is too much for you skip this novel. I personally don't even watch R rated movies and nothing in this novel would warrant such a rating.

With that said, this novel was an enjoyable read but one that also makes you think about the subject of human trafficking and abuse. I read it in increments over a few days and did a lot of thinking in between reading breaks.

[Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect since it is labeled Christian Suspense. What I foung was a very engaging story about a cult in Germany and how one woman escaped and 15 years later her daughter (that she saved from the cult as well) ends back up there to better understand her mother.

I really enjoyed this book and found it fascinating and it kept me engaged especially trying to figure out how they would explain various parts of the story

[Lee Button · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do not generally comment on fiction that I read. I make an exception here. A unique feature of this novel is the list of discussion questions. The storyline is not convoluted, the characters are knowable, the action is well-paced. The topic, cultic human trafficking, is not commonly addressed. A very good book

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dobson tackles the uncomfortable world of cults and how they prey on the innocents of our world. Pack your bags and explore Germany with this exciting Christian novelist.

[Trisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating read.

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing and powerful book!

[Jane Dewey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice story

This was A nice story. Not really exciting, but just a good story. I gave it 4 stars because I really did want to see how it ended.