Agnes at the End of the World
Kelly McWilliams
A Bank Street Best Book of 2021The Handmaid's Tale meets Wilder Girls in this genre-defying novel about a girl who escapes a terrifying cult only to discover that the world Outside has succumbed to a viral apocalypse.Agnes loves her home of Red Creek—its quiet, sunny mornings, its dusty roads, and its God. There, she cares tirelessly for her younger siblings and follows the town's strict laws. What she doesn't know is that Red Creek is a cult, controlled by a madman who calls himself a prophet.Then Agnes meets Danny, an Outsider boy, and begins to question what is and isn't a sin. Her younger brother, Ezekiel, will die without the insulin she barters for once a month, even though medicine is considered outlawed. Is she a sinner for saving him? Is her sister, Beth, a sinner for dreaming of the world beyond Red Creek?As the Prophet grows more dangerous, Agnes realizes she must escape with Ezekiel and leave everyone else, including Beth, behind. But it isn't safe Outside, A viral pandemic is burning through the population at a terrifying rate. As Agnes ventures forth, a mysterious connection grows between her and the Virus. But in a world where faith, miracles, and cruelty have long been indistinguishable, will Agnes be able to choose between saving her family and saving the world?
No posts yet
Kick off the convo with a theory, question, musing, or update
Your rating:
0 0I found this book very original, so it’s very hard to categorize it. This is a story about two girls who grow up in a cult, a pandemic, and also about a prophet sent on a journey all wrapped in one. If you are on either end of the religious spectrum, you may not like this book. If you are looking for something refreshing that you haven’t read before, don’t mind some random bible quotes (because cult), like to see people question injustice, and dystopian fiction, then you probably will enjoy this.
I know now a days people like to see a lot of diversity in media. In this book there is some, but there are not a lot of deeply written supporting characters to know if lGBTQ is represented by those who are named outside of the handful of main characters. LGBTQ is also not negatively portrayed either, in case you are now wondering. However, polygamy is.”What does it feel like when a woman is told that one man is worth six of her? Speaking as a sixth wife, I can tell you. It feels like hell.”
I found the prophet journey interesting. It took me back to a Messianism in Judaism and Christianity class in College, and an interesting sermon from a non denominational pastor two years ago. I also enjoyed the underlying theme about how faith in yourself and the love for others can get you thru hard times.
0
© 2024 Pagebound