My latest read is Children of the Sun by the Cornish author Beth Lewis. It’s a psychological thriller with a speculative twist. Set in the 1980s, Children of the Sun explores the power and danger of hope. It is inspired by the stories of both the Star Trek obsessed Heaven’s Gate Cult – who believed when they died their souls would inhabit a UFO trailing behind the comet Hale-Bopp – and the Jonestown Cult that saw 300 Americans commit mass suicide in the jungles of Guyana in 1978.
Book Description
HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO FOR A SECOND CHANCE?
Summer 1982. Deep in the woods of one of America’s last great wildernesses over three hundred people live off-grid in a remote and secret community. Atlas is a refuge for broken souls who long for a different life. Founded by the charismatic Sol, the group is preparing for their final ceremony: the opening of the Golden Door. They believe they will cross to another world, to a new life where past mistakes will be eradicated.
Eve is desperately searching for the secret location of the Atlas compound. As a former cult member who managed to escape, she is set on deadly revenge against Sol before he can fulfil his apocalyptic prophecy.
James is a rookie New York reporter intent on making his name with an exposé on the crazy cult in the woods. He secures an invitation to the camp on the condition he tell the world of its wonders. As he rapidly begins to realise the deadly intentions of the cult’s charismatic leader, he must act fast before it’s too late.
Root is the first child born into the cult. In every parent’s worst nightmare, the eight children of the cult are treated like gods and are inextricably linked to the final ceremony. Kept separate from the rest of the group, they have no reason to distrust the adults in their midst until the truth of Sol’s plan shatters everything they thought they knew about their beloved home.
What I Thought
Children of the Sun by Beth Lewis is a haunting and captivating novel that defies genre in a way that is both fresh and unpredictable. Set in 1982, the book tells the story of a secret community deep in the Adirondack Mountains, where over three hundred people live off-grid in a refuge for broken souls who long for a different life. The group, led by the mysterious Sol, readies themselves for their ultimate ritual: the unlocking of the Golden Door, which they are convinced will transport them to a new existence in a different realm.
The book is a page-turner that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. The characters are vividly painted and laced with Americana, making them both relatable and mysterious. Beth Lewis has a talent for transforming her characters’ noble aspirations into a perilous power that endangers their very existence. The novel is pacy, with the kind of depth and resonance that makes it linger in the reader’s mind long after the final page has been turned.
Overall, Children of the Sun is a dazzling, chilling, moving, and original novel that is sure to captivate readers who are looking for a fresh and unpredictable story. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a Stranger Things fan and loves a good thriller or mystery!
Where Can I Buy It?
Thanks for stopping by today, I hope you’ve enjoyed this review. You can check out my bookcase of past reviews here.