Devoted: A Novel

After reading Kathryn Joyce's book about the Quiverfull movement, I've been waiting for a book like Devout. Rachel did everything she was told to do but she had a yearning and an unquenchable need for learning. She was sheltered from the big bad world because her church told her it was evil. Her wondering about a young woman who came back to their little town after being shunned was the opening of the door for her. Read's like fiction, a family shunning a young woman because she wanted more than to marry young, have baby after baby, and be at the beck and call of her husband, to whom she would be handed over like a piece of property at her wedding. Shirt shows more collarbone than acceptable, you are called out. Bra straps show through 2nd hand me down clothes, called out. Always being warned that you are the cause of a mans lust because they can't control themselves? Sadly there is a percentage of religious cultures here in the US who raise their daughters this way. No interaction with the outside world if they can help it.Sermons which condemn, no loving God in these homes, the God of condemnation and hellfire.This was one of the best books that I have read this year. Kudos to the author.

I bought this one for the sole reason that Jennifer Mathieu was coming into town for the Fierce Reads tour. As soon as I read the blurb, I realized I needed to read it.Books about religion are tricky, especially when they are critical. Sometimes, by telling a sensational story about a girl (or woman) trapped in a patriarchal religion, it becomes a spectacle. It's relatively easy for those who aren't raised in these kinds of environments to watch a TV show about someone's "weird" religion and feel isolated from it and superior to it. It's a form of entertainment to watch the strange beliefs of these people and treat them like a zoo animal—gawked at or pitied. But doing this further victimizes women.I've taken a special interest in patriarchal Christian religions lately. I've done extensive research on polygamy and its effects on my own Mormon culture and in so many ways it rocked me. I've read books, listened to podcasts, and really immersed myself in this very dark part of my religion and even family history.This book isn't about polygamy, but some of the same rules apply. Tread lightly and don't eviscerate the beliefs of others, but don't hide the truth.Mathieu does this beautifully. This is a kinder, gentler book than I was expecting and it was refreshing. Of course it's devastating, sad, and riveting. But, Rachel doesn't get caught in an endless cycle of victimization. This is more a story of rebuilding rather than wandering through darkness. It's a book that would be appropriate for younger teens as well, given how sensitive Mathieu is with this subject. I was truly moved by Rachel's story. If you'd like a glimpse of what it's like to leave a religion that rules with a tight patriarchal structure, pick up this novel. It's going to give you a clearer picture of survival than Kimmy Schmidt ever would.

Grade: AThis e-galley was provided by Roaring Brook Press in exchange for an honest review.The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: I'm always leery how Christianity will be treated in books. Often, I don't find that it's viewed positively or portrayed correctly. So going into Devoted, I was nervous but hopeful. The Quiverful movement is at an extreme end of the spectrum, and I knew it would need to be handled carefully but addressed full-on. Devoted was an eye-opening book that was surprisingly pleasing. Rachel is a wonderful character. She isn't super naive but she does realize how wrong certain beliefs can be. I loved how she found a balance between extreme Christianity and atheism. To escape her controlling family and cult, she befriends Lauren, a girl who previously left the Calvary Christian Church group. Lauren is about 24 and a vet tech who has recently moved back from Houston to the small town of Clayton. It warmed my heart to see how she took Rachel under her wing. She's not perfect; she's made mistakes and my heart went out to her since she feels she can no longer believe in God or pray. It made my heart ache that she couldn't disassociate a loving God with a father who was so blind. Because of the Quiverful cult, Lauren is an atheist but I think she came to respect why Rachel could still believe. When the escape from Calvary Christian happened about halfway through the book, I worried the rest of the plot wouldn't carry smoothly. But it did! I read Devoted in one day and enjoyed every minute of it. The whole book felt very real with sincere emotions and realistic outcomes. None of the endings were happily ever afters, but there wasn't overwhelming sadness or dismal results - just hope for the future and a sense of freedom and strength. I appreciated that there wasn't much of a romance (hints of one, but nothing big). I liked that there was no forced marriage for Rachel but the reform camps were touched upon. Overall, I was just very impressed and touched by Devoted. (And more importantly, I was glad that Christianity wasn't vilified. Homeschooling wasn't viewed completely positively, perhaps, but I think it can be excused, given the circumstances.)Some foul language - mostly on Lauren's part - and talk of physical abuse, sleeping together, and drugs and drinking.The Verdict: Do yourself a favor and read this book. Wow.

I did like this book, but I felt like it was exaggerated. The plot was more memorable than the characters, and even the plot was entirely driven by ONE topic. The style was good, but I wanted to connect to the characters more, and I wanted another component to the story (besides the "leaving religious group" aspect). The only somewhat memorable character was Lauren.Also, why did her father look suspiciously at Rachel when the discussion of Lauren arose? I kept thinking that they'd had some sort of history based on that scene, and when Rachel finally introduces herself to Lauren as a stranger, I was confused.

I should preface this review by saying that I usually don't use amazon.com because I don't live in the US, so that's the reason there are no other reviews from me. Because this book wasn't published in my Native language, I read it in English and am writing the review here because I think more people will see it this way.I should also say I am oddly obsessed with Christian cults in general and Quiverfull in particular, so any (hopefully constructive) criticism is criticism on a very high level - it's just tiny aspects.Devoted is one of the best books I have recently read. I usually almost exclusively read thrillers, so coming from me, that means something. Jennifer Mathieu did an amazing job of grasping the concept of the Quiverfull reality (as far as I can judge as an outsider), and the strict rules that these kids (mostly girls) grow up with.I usually do not like coming-of-age stories, but I finished this within two days. It was not a thriller, but it kept the suspense up because I wanted to know what happens to Rachel. It is more of a character study, but because everything that happens to Rachel is so new and foreign to her, it is exciting all the time because the reader feels with her. I also really liked both the main characters of Lauren and Rachel.I would LOVE to read a sequel, knowing what happens to Rachel after she starts her own life (can't say more than that without spoilers). Mabye her sister also starts questioniing the parental values? That would make for a good story line, I think.OK, the following could contain spoilers!Now for my very few critical aspects:- It, to me, seems unlikely that a girl who hasn't really questioned her life too much just runs away at the prospect of going to "Journey to Faith". In these communities, these camps are sold as "time to focus and pray". The negative view mainly comes from (worldlier) outsiders. It seems more likely to me that she would go and the tension between her and her parents would build up over time, erupting in her leaving. Then again, that would have made for a much longer book, maybe that had to be sacrificed for the sake of the novel length.- Calvary seems to be used often as an example for a fundamentalist church in books and movies. I have only ever been to one Calvary, but it was fairly mainstream. Women wore pants, shorts even; people had tattoos. Maybe Calvary is not the best example. Also, the extreme fundamentalists often home-church (control about everything!).- It as mentioned that one of Rachel's friends went to public kindergarten. Fundamentalists who home-school ususally don't send their kids to public kindergartens/pre-schools either.Again, all this I only realized because I know a lot about this topic. Any other reader probably doesn't even notice.Thank you, Jennifer Mathieu, for writing this amazing book about one of my favorite topics, and please don't leave us hanging and write a sequel!

Rachel has lived her entire life as a member of the Calvary church, a reclusive Christian sect who believe that women's purpose is simply to be a good wife and mother, and to be obedient in all things to the male figures in their life. As she nears the age where she was will married off and expected to bear a large family, she begins to question her fate. This feeling is only exacerbated by the story of Lauren, who escaped the community. Soon Rachel is forced to decide what she really believes and what she'll risk for her own freedom.This could have been a typical book about a religious cult, where the cult members are depicted as slightly deranged and dangerous, but the author handles things far more sensitively than that, and we get a clear sense of the struggle Rachel goes through to find her own freedom while trying not to lose her family. Her family aren't painted as religious lunatics, but simply as people who are in many ways good and caring, but whose beliefs are, for Rachel at least, too controlling and limiting. It's a really absorbing book which I couldn't put down - it's easy to care about the characters and sympathise with the situations, and it's even possible to see Rachel's family's side of things, even if most readers absolutely wouldn't agree with their handling of things or their extreme beliefs.Excellent book for young adults, very thought-provoking and well written.

Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu is both a compelling but unsettling read focusing on the pressures of growing up a girl in a fundamentalist Christian sect; a direct allusion with a Biblical quote is made to the Quiverful movement without ever naming the ‘flock’ as such.Viewers of reality tv may be acquainted with Quiverful or similar groups from the shows depicting super-sized devout families where the girls have long hair, no make up and wear demure clothing usually long denim skirts, not allowed to ‘court’ unless their fathers have basically agreed that they will get married soon after and a happy family in Jesus vibe is firmly extolled.But online, in recent publication, and indeed in the news a darker side emerged of abuse and suppression within the Quiverful and similar movements with many escaping to find they can’t return but struggle to fit into the ‘worldly’ society they’ve been taught is wicked.Matthieu has clearly researched deeply into this and takes a cautious but an incredibly respectful and tactful tone to exploring the real feelings of young women who have been raised in this movement without degrading them nor the personal beliefs of these women but still enough to leave the reader quivering with anger at the injustice of it all.Rachel is 17yrs old the second daughter in a ultra-conservative Christian family and is basically terrified of becoming her mum and older sister Faith who is 19, married with a child and another on the way and equally of not being good enough to be a good wife and mother in Christ like them.After her mother sinks into depression after a miscarriage, Rachel has to take on her mother’s chores alongside her own. Rachel begins to get frustrated and questioning things especially her own feelings ignited by the return to the district of a girl who ran away from the church which leads her to use the family computer without supervision.Guilt and Shame are a major theme throughout as Rachel is in a constant state of guilt and shame; that she is not a good enough Christian, daughter or sister; that she dreams of more than being a wife; that she wants to leave; that she isn’t quite ready to shake off her manners and behaviours; that she is curious about a boy; that she is immodest; that she still wants a relationship with God.Along with a unbearable need to please or ‘be sweet’; her parents; siblings; the preacher; and in time Lauren.The inner turmoil of Rachel burns and sears through the page and across your heart, I think it’s a book that caring parents should read as much as young people should to assess their own intentions, vocabulary and behaviour for its potential impact on the long term happiness of their children.Jennifer Mathieu has written a deep, compelling and powerful book here in the quiet but earthshaking rebellions of feminism as the awakening of such feelings can challenge, unsettle and even destroy worlds of existence.I found this an emotional read on several levels, my heart breaks for the mindset of guilt and shame for any feelings of individualism or desire to be anymore than a wife and mother, I raged at the injustice of the indoctrination and misogyny by the movement and my heart burns with pride for those who like Rachel have the courage to free themselves from these thought shackles.

Texas. Seventeen year old Rachel Walker narrates, her family members of the Calvary Church cult. Life is dominated by prayer and quotes from the Bible, father determined all shall remain on the path to eternal glory. Any hint of wavering means being sent to the "Journey of Faith" programme, to return cleansed after a thorough brainwashing.This is chilling fare, Rachel understandably wondering if God really intended for women to exist simply to be wives and mothers, everybody to be hemmed in by so many restrictions. She knows of one who managed to get away, Lauren Sullivan now a pariah as far as the cult is concerned. Can she similarly make the break?Movingly she tries. Can she cope in a world so new to her, able to do things hitherto so strictly denied - speak to boys who are not her brothers, watch television, read books like Madeleine L'Engle's "A Wrinkle in Time"? Soon to be eighteen, can she enrol herself at school? Will her family ever forgive, the cult forever to try drawing her back in?Many may find this read thoroughly disturbing, horrified at the straitjacketing inflicted by extremists in the name of the Lord. Hopes will be high Rachel can still be faithful to God whilst developing talents which will be so appreciated by others.MIssion impossible? Here we find out.

A young adult novel (but interesting enough to engage readers over that age bracket), 'Devoted' is set in Texas in the modern day, and tells the story of seventeen year old Rachel Walker, born into a family following the Quiverfull religious movement (one in which a strong patriarchal leadership predominates, with the girls being expected to marry young, be extremely modest, shun formal education and have many children once married). Rachel is one of the oldest in her family of ten children and has to take a lot of responsibility for caring for and educating her younger siblings, especially once her mother becomes ill. She is less devout than others in her family, and has a real soft spot for reading, which leads to her downfall when she is caught with 'A Wrinkle In Time' by Madeleine D'Engle - its magical content renders it unsuitable in the eyes of their church. Youngsters from their community are sent to a sort of re-education camp when they transgress, a fate which seems destined to be Rachel's once she develops an interest in a girl called Lauren who escaped their community but has recently returned to the area...A story with real thoughtfulness and depth, I loved this. The depiction of the Quiverfull community is nuanced and realistic, as were the reactions of those who had left it. Absolutely brilliant.