Set in Northern California during the late 1960s, the narrative follows fourteen-year-old Evie Boyd as she becomes mesmerized by a group of older girls led by the magnetic Suzanne. Evie joins their makeshift commune on a dilapidated ranch governed by Russell Hadrick, a manipulative aspiring musician. The story shifts between Evie’s adult life and her adolescent involvement with this cult-like family. She navigates neglect at home and a desperate need for belonging, eventually witnessing the violent descent of the group as Russell’s influence leads to a notorious act of mass murder.
Readers interested in the psychological dynamics of female adolescence and the mechanics of cult recruitment will find this a clinical examination of social isolation. It appeals to those who study the history of the Manson Family or the social upheavals of the hippie era. The reader walks away with an understanding of how systemic boredom and the desire for female validation can lead a teenager to overlook extreme danger. It provides a sobering look at how proximity to violence leaves a permanent imprint on an ordinary life.
Inward-looking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Empathetic Explorer. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2016
- Language
- EN
