Also published as The Cresswell Plot
Published by: Quercus Children's Books, April 21st 2016
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Thriller, Dark (is dark a genre?)
Pages: 304
Format: Paperback
Source: Quercus
The woods were insane in the dark, terrifying and magical at the same time. But best of all were the stars, which trumpeted their light into the misty dark.
Castella Cresswell and her five siblings—Hannan, Caspar, Mortimer, Delvive, and Jerusalem—know what it’s like to be different. For years, their world has been confined to their ramshackle family home deep in the woods of upstate New York. They abide by the strict rule of God, whose messages come directly from their father.
Slowly, Castley and her siblings start to test the boundaries of the laws that bind them. But, at school, they’re still the freaks they’ve always been to the outside world. Marked by their plain clothing. Unexplained bruising. Utter isolation from their classmates. That is, until Castley is forced to partner with the totally irritating, totally normal George Gray, who offers her a glimpse of a life filled with freedom and choice.
Castley’s world rapidly expands beyond the woods she knows so well and the beliefs she once thought were the only truths. There is a future waiting for her if she can escape her father’s grasp, but Castley refuses to leave her siblings behind. Just as she begins to form a plan, her father makes a chilling announcement: the Cresswells will soon return to their home in heaven. With time running out on all of their lives, Castley must expose the depth of her father’s lies. The forest has buried the truth in darkness for far too long. Castley might be their last hope for salvation.
Castella Cresswell and her five siblings—Hannan, Caspar, Mortimer, Delvive, and Jerusalem—know what it’s like to be different. For years, their world has been confined to their ramshackle family home deep in the woods of upstate New York. They abide by the strict rule of God, whose messages come directly from their father.
Slowly, Castley and her siblings start to test the boundaries of the laws that bind them. But, at school, they’re still the freaks they’ve always been to the outside world. Marked by their plain clothing. Unexplained bruising. Utter isolation from their classmates. That is, until Castley is forced to partner with the totally irritating, totally normal George Gray, who offers her a glimpse of a life filled with freedom and choice.
Castley’s world rapidly expands beyond the woods she knows so well and the beliefs she once thought were the only truths. There is a future waiting for her if she can escape her father’s grasp, but Castley refuses to leave her siblings behind. Just as she begins to form a plan, her father makes a chilling announcement: the Cresswells will soon return to their home in heaven. With time running out on all of their lives, Castley must expose the depth of her father’s lies. The forest has buried the truth in darkness for far too long. Castley might be their last hope for salvation.
There are no words for this book. It far surpasses any language. I'm not even going to attempt a full review of this book because it has left me emotional and practically speechless. Here are the points I wrote down:
- Atmospheric, real-world thriller (no fantasy or magic)
- Unsettling, upsetting, chilling
- Makes you doubt what's real, who's good or bad, if God exists in the way we know it today (as faith) or as something more (as magic)
- Realistic, easy-to-like MC. I honestly cannot say the right words to describe her. Amazing doesn't cover it, brave is nowhere near powerful enough. Maybe I should just say powerful - Castella is powerful in her own right.
- A brilliant cast of characters. I appreciated all the siblings but I ADORED Caspar. I'd go to the ends of the earth to protect him.
- Cult-like family that is honest-to-gods terrifying. I don't mean scary or creepy or eerie. I mean TERRIFYING. Do not read this and expect an easy read. It will disturb you. It will push you out of your comfort zone. It will captivate you too.
- A haunting insight into the horrors of humanity
- Just wonderful, resonating, and emotional. It's written with such care and compassion that you can't help but be swept away.
- I will read anything Eliza Wass writes. She could write about a secret rebellion (ugh) in a virtual reality game (ughhhhhh) with a super cliche story, and I would still devour it.
- Atmospheric, real-world thriller (no fantasy or magic)
- Unsettling, upsetting, chilling
- Makes you doubt what's real, who's good or bad, if God exists in the way we know it today (as faith) or as something more (as magic)
- Realistic, easy-to-like MC. I honestly cannot say the right words to describe her. Amazing doesn't cover it, brave is nowhere near powerful enough. Maybe I should just say powerful - Castella is powerful in her own right.
- A brilliant cast of characters. I appreciated all the siblings but I ADORED Caspar. I'd go to the ends of the earth to protect him.
- Cult-like family that is honest-to-gods terrifying. I don't mean scary or creepy or eerie. I mean TERRIFYING. Do not read this and expect an easy read. It will disturb you. It will push you out of your comfort zone. It will captivate you too.
- A haunting insight into the horrors of humanity
- Just wonderful, resonating, and emotional. It's written with such care and compassion that you can't help but be swept away.
- I will read anything Eliza Wass writes. She could write about a secret rebellion (ugh) in a virtual reality game (ughhhhhh) with a super cliche story, and I would still devour it.
Characters ★★★★★
Setting/world ★★★★☆
Writing ★★★★★
Setting/world ★★★★☆
Writing ★★★★★
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