The things I’ve seen are burned into me, like scars that refuse to fade.Before, she lived inside the fence. Before, she was never allowed to leave the property, never allowed to talk to Outsiders, never allowed to speak her mind. Because Father John controlled everything—and Father John liked rules. Disobeying Father John came with terrible consequences. But there are lies behind Father John’s … are lies behind Father John’s words. Outside, there are different truths.
Then came the fire.
“Genuinely different…thrilling and spellbinding!”—Patrick Ness, #1 New York Times bestelling author
“The gripping story of survival and escape…It will keep you up late until you get to the very end.”—Maureen Johnson, New York Times bestselling author of Truly Devious
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After the Fire weaves a heartbreaking story of one teens life before and after being rescued from the Holy Church of the Lord’s Legion, a Texas cult lead by Father John. Moonbeam is only seventeen years old, but for most of her life she has lived in the Lord’s Legion and has been taught to never trust Outsiders as they only want to hurt, torture or kill you. The Government is to be feared and the only people one can trust is your fellow brothers and sisters. Father John, The Prophet, expects loyalty and obedience as he speaks directly from the Lord, but Moonbeam slowly starts to question her own beliefs as well as Father John. When a fire breaks out at the compound, Moonbeam’s life is about to change. Will Moonbeam be able to find herself or are the teachings of Father John ingrained to deeply within her?
I have always been fascinated with cults and I remember the news footage shown on television on David Koresh and the Branch Davidians which After the Fire is loosely based on. This story really gives a harrowing look inside of a cult and its teachings. While After the Fire is purely fiction, a lot of what is shown here rings true for a lot of members swayed into joining something they believe in whether it is for religious reasons or just the feeling as if they are apart of something meaningful. This story really gives a profound look inside of a cult and the damages it can and will cause. It is really sad to see children being exposed to this kind of life and sometimes it is all that they know especially being born in this kind of environment. Imagine your entire life being taught to believe one way and never seeing the outside world for what it truly is. It really is tragic.
Moonbeam’s story is told in before the fire and after the fire snippets. Here we learn what life was like for her living in the Lord’s Legion and just how far she was brainwashed and manipulated into believing a charismatic leader such as Father John. Living on the compound was not easy. There is child, mental and physical abuse that might make it hard for some readers to get through. But, Moonbeam tells her story the best she can while learning how to trust again. Moonbeam fights her inner demons and everything she has learned at the compound and along the way she slowly starts to find herself. There is an added element of suspense in Moonbeam’s story thats leads up the fire and it is done in such an honest and believable way.
Will Hill writes with such compassion and brutal honesty which never turns judgmental. It is refreshing to see an author write with such conviction and portray a fictional story that for the most part rings true to so many people who are currently inside something so disastrous as a cult and also for people who have escaped. Hill does not put down anyone for their beliefs and he writes from the heart and even with a little bit of understanding how someone can be sucked into a life that is so dangerous to the mind and body. Will Hill is an exceptional author that simply tells a story without inserting his own beliefs and narrative between the pages.
After the Fire is a story about survival. It is a moving, touching and emotional journey one teenager takes to finding redemption within herself. I found myself unable to put this story down and was completely captivated right from the start. This truly is a remarkable read and well deserving of five stars. What an outstanding portrayal of life inside of a cult. Hill has definitely acquired a new fan.
Wow, I was surprised how into this book I became and quickly. The story was phenomenal and the world building was outstanding. I decided to try a few pages and before I knew it I had devoured the entire book. This book flowed so easily I didn’t realise I had read the entire thing until I had turned the last page. Wow!! Will definitely be following this author from now on.
Moonbeam a former cult member of the Holy Church of the Lord’s of Legion tells her story of sexual, mental abuse and brainwashing from the cult leader Father John. She survived the aftermath of the fire at the church. This inspiring fictional story of survival and triumph over devastation after leaving a cult will make you think twice about joining a cult.
A compelling narrative After the Fire explores the lives of young adults after escaping a cult.
The novel begins with Moonbean running through the cult compound as it is on fire and invaded by police and armed forces. She is running through fire to save the children locked in their dorm.
Compelling Approach to Storytelling
The story continues to follow Moonbeam as she begins her rehabilitation and recovery at the hospital.
In some ways, this story was reminiscent of The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly, exploring the effects of brainwashing and elitism. The story is an emotional one that goes back and forth between the past and the present, exploring the details of Moonbeam’s life in a cult.
The way the story is written is terrific. It showcases Moonbeam, flashing back to the present as interludes, answers to questions by the FBI and Child Psychologist. I loved seeing how different children acted and dealt with being away from the cult. Moonbeam is 17 going on 18, and there are children as young as five that she has to care for now. The reader gets to see this protective nature of her character, but what the reader also sees is how the cult changed her slowly over time.
Moonbeam was not blind. On a subconscious level, she understood the changes that happened in the cult when John took over. It went from being this haven for people who needed God to this brainwashed society. Many people leave over time, but others stayed and allowed themselves to be brainwashed. For Moonbeam, she was a child with a mom who had nowhere else to turn and stayed until she could leave until it was safe for her daughter.
Lasting Feelings
After the Fire is a thoughtful read, once again, Moonbeam is not blind, she is aware, but she has gone through so much. She was raised in a sexist and misogynistic community that took away the rights of women. It was a community that prided itself on violence and power. Moonbeam faces the struggle of silencing Father John’s voice in her head, shutting it up and growing out of it.
Hill did an excellent job with the story, going back and forth from beginning to end and exploring the passage of time in a way that worked with the story. The Before was not always linear, but the way the writer introduces the past makes it work.
There is also immeasurable character development. The reader sees how much Moonbeam grows throughout the story, and it is empowering. Moonbeam rises to the occasion and stands up for what is right. That is a significant moment in the story that makes this novel so compelling from beginning to end.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
Moonbeam was raised in a religious cult and has had essentially no interaction with the outside world. One day it all goes up in flames, literally. Then, from a children’s mental hospital, she relates important aspects of life inside the cult and events leading up to the fire to a psychiatrist and an FBI agent.
MY OPINIONS:
After the Fire by Will Hill was an amazing experience. This story is about how a charismatic person can manipulate others’ faith to benefit them personally, about corruption and power. It’s also a story of survival. And it was inspired by a real incident: The Waco Siege.
Moonbeam, a 17-year-old, is our narrator. She was an intricately developed character who showed real growth as the story progressed. Unbelievably strong. The minor characters lacked the intricacy of Moonbeam, but were also well done.
The book packed some emotional punches. I chuckled and I cried. I was horrified. I still can’t fathom someone actually believing the load of crap that was Father John, “The Prophet.” And yet people have done things like that before, continue to do so, and will in the future. I thought this was an original idea for a young adult book. It’s definitely geared towards more mature young adult readers. I did find the need to put the book down on occasion because it was emotionally heavy for an empath like myself. However, I was utterly gripped during the last 25%.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is a book I’d recommend to those who enjoy diving into the psychological. Even though it was emotionally difficult at times, I’d also recommend it to those who are more empathetic. If you’re a reader looking for a moving experience, it will provide that for you.
There are two time dimensions in this story: two eras with a single point of reference – the fire. The fire has destroyed a compound which was a home of a religious cult led by the charismatic and savage father John. The opening chapter thrusts the reader straight into the inferno as the reader follows the female narrator and watches with her eyes the death to the people she called her brothers and sisters and the destruction to the place she knew as her home. She doesn’t take it passively – she does everything in her power to save lives.
After the Fire she is examined by a psychologist and interviewed by an FBI agent, and the events Before the Fire are masterfully pieced together to recreate the life within an extreme religious sect. The young woman embarks on a journey of self-discovery which is a bit of a minefield as she has too many secrets to bury while at the same time uncovering the truth.
Fundamentalism and religious brainwash are pitted against the failings of human nature and against the power of rational mind. There are no winners as such, but this book isn’t about the black-and-white victories, it is about salvation and survival of reason.
Just wanted to read and read this book!
Exquisitely told in Moonbeam’s voice, After the Fire rings true from page one to the final pages. Potentially unreliable but always real, she is a likable character teens will root for and empathize with throughout the book. Moonbeam is strong but never overbearing, and as distant as her world is from theirs, she will win their hearts. If you are looking for a book to foster empathy, After the Fire is an excellent choice.
This is among the best teen cult books I’ve read. Moonbeam’s voice as a trauma survivor is authentic. I suggest reading it with the adult memoir by Tara Westover, Educated. Tara’s true story strengthens the truths Hill explores in After the Fire. He captures the trauma and reality of a world most teens will hopefully never have to experience for themselves and makes it excruciatingly tangible and brilliantly plausible, without judgement or denigration.
An Edgar Award Best YA finalist and CILIP Carnegie Medal Shortlist title for 2018.
I felt like it really could have been a true story.
I had never heard for Will Hill before I chose to read After the Fire and now I would probably read his grocery list. It had been a while since i had read anything other than a romance novel when I stumbled upon After the Fire. First the cover grabbed my attention, and then the blurb snagged me up for good.
I remember the Waco incident. And while I was still a teenager the whole aspect of how it came to be intrigued me. I’ve always wondered what the people involved felt and how they thought. Hill helped me satisfy some of that curiosity with his book.
After the Fire deals with the aftermath of a fire on a “religious” compound. There are only a few survivors and none over the age of 19. Moonbeam is the main character. She is a 17 year old girl who is one of the two oldest survivors of the fire. She is drowning in guilt. Hill has done an outstanding job in getting into the psyche of Moonbeam.
Once I started this book I didn’t want to put it down. Which is sometimes difficult when you work 12 hours a day. I personally find anything about Cults fascinating. I think the reason being is because I could never see myself ever being in one, so I find it’s interesting to see how other people could be so drawn into them. This book focuses on Moonbeam a 17 year old girl who has lived almost all her life in this compound. The book goes back and forth between what is going on now and what has happened while actually in the compound. I only found 2 things that bothered me with this book. In the book it is mentioned many times that all books, tv, etc. were taken away at least 5 years before the present time. Which would make Moonbeam about 12 years old. The problem I have is how talks, if all learning and the outside world got shut off when she was 12 how is she so far beyond her thinking for a 17 year old especially one so insulated. You can get past that and still enjoy the book but it did irk me a little. Also I thought the end wasn’t that great for Moonbeam, I didn’t find it believable about her mom. Overall I did truly enjoy this book.
*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*
After the Fire is Moonbeam’s story of the cult that she lived in and survived. I’ve always been fascinated by cults and how the leaders use fear to control the masses, so when I had a chance to read this I jumped at it. This is the first book I’ve read of Will Hill’s and I was not disappointed. The characters in this book will have your emotions all over the place. You hate what they do, but your heart will break because they really do not know any better. Moonbeam is the strongest girl I know. Her bravery and strength really know no bounds. I really liked the story, how it was written with the “before the fire” and “after the fire”. Very well done!
3.25-3.5 STARS
Delving into the psyche of 17-year old cult survivor, Moonbeam, “After the Fire” is a fictitious exploration of the manipulation and brainwashing that took place within the confines of a cult compound, right up until a government siege that led to the death of many of its members.
Alternating between past and present, the story unfolds through a young girl’s eyes, as she struggles with an unfamiliar world in the aftermath of tragedy. As a member of Father John’s Holy Church of the Lord’s Legion for most of her life, Moonbeam is haunted by Father John’s words that are so deeply embedded in her mind. But even before witnessing the death of her brothers and sisters, Moonbeam had begun to question all that she’d been taught. Was Father John the spiritual deity he claimed to be? Or, was he nothing more than a snake oil salesman who had been conning them all for years?
While I found the book’s premise interesting, and the subject matter fascinating, the story’s execution left a bit to be desired. With no true revelations and a story that fell flat, there were times that I found it difficult to stay engaged. Still, I was drawn to Moonbeam’s character and was committed to seeing her journey through. To the author’s credit, much of what was portrayed behind the compound’s gate, came across as brutally raw and real, making it all the more chilling and tragic. Hence, “After the Fire” is a good story overall, just not as compelling as I had hoped it would be.
This book brought to mind the real life actions of a number of cults that received plenty of media attention years back. The story is reveled thru the eyes of a young survivor with flashbacks as she deals with the after effects of the fire that killed, injured and rescued them. It’s an emotional replay as the healing process begins. This author has done a great job of balancing the action and building the world where they are ruled by fear and fire and brimstone. Lies and deceit, cruel punishments and things people especially kids should never have to deal with. Ridiculous fanaticism, misguided individuals, religious manipulation. As a believer myself it always amazes me how people can twist, destroy, abuse, in the name of God.
Great read from an author who is new to me.
After the Fire was unlike any other YA Fiction I’ve read, with it’s religious cult based story line and struggle with faith, trust and survival. I could not put this book down! Moonbeam’s retelling of what happened to her After the Fire was captivating and raw. A complete emotional roller coaster. The author did an incredible job of making you feel like you were right there beside her, living through what she experienced. The fear, the anger, the uncertainty and everything in between.
I had nothing but compassion for the supporting characters in this story, from the individuals who shared Moon’s upbringing to the staff that assisted in her recovery. Each and every character brought something unique and essential to the story.
I enjoyed the fact that the story came full circle and did not leave any loose ends or questions. I felt that everything was wrapped up nicely by the end of the read. I would absolutely read more work by this author. I enjoyed his writing style and voice as much as the story itself.