Keep Sweet
4.4
17
5
1
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781442409774 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Simon Pulse |
| Publication date: | 03/08/2011 |
| Edition description: | Reprint |
| Pages: | 224 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.50(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.60(d) |
| Age Range: | 14 Years |
About the Author
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Keep Sweet
4.4 out of 5
based on
0 ratings.
17 reviews.
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Alva Jane has grown up and forever known the world of Pineridge, a FLDS community in the borders of Utah. The Fundamentalist Latter-Day Saints have treated her well, and through all that she's known, they've been right. Holy. And what's more, she's caught the eye of the sweetest boy in the community - Joseph John. When she realizes he shares these unguarded feelings for her as well, her life just seems to be happier and happier. After all, Joseph John has had dreams about being together. If he goes to the prophet, he can eventually have her as his wife. His first wife.
But when a new couple moves in to Pineridge, and the wife is less than thrilled to adjust to everything, things get worse. Suddenly, Alva Jane finds herself in a world of increasing clarity. Her father has his eyes on a loose girl of sixteen - and her mother, already fighting with seven other wives for her spot as top affection holder, isn't too pleased. And the brother of the prophet discovers his wife trying to escape - leading Alva Jane and her half-sister to witness her being punished in the name of the Lord. Things only get worse. And when Alva Jane finds herself in a sect scarier than ever before, the motto 'Keep sweet' doesn't seem so innocent anymore. And neither do the people.
Books involving polygamist religions and these types of troubled faiths are always hard to judge. On one hand, these stories are interesting to me, because they handle the importance of questioning and open faith, the importance of fair treatment, and many branches of psychological issues. Plus, more often than not, these cults and religions often have dire consequences involving the children at the heart of the community. While I find these to be positives to the plot, it may very well make other people feel uncomfortable. Rape, abuse, abandonment, and brain washing are all big parts of this novel. But if the reader can suck in their fears and questions, they are bound to find a book that is both compelling and an important look into the cult ideals we hear about, but never truly see first-hand.
Alva Jane is a protagonist who's hard to pin down. Greene's writing isn't bad, though it suffers from sometimes telling more than showing. However, the first-person narrative of Alva Jane is never really awkward, and the characters manage to come off the page pretty well, though some of the wives tend to blend together. Not that juggling so many secondary characters is easy by any means. The important characters are done well, though they manage sprinklings of depth that could have been expanded upon. What's most important is that through all of Alva Jane's hardships, the reader feels immense disappointment if she fails; triumph if she succeeds. More than once I found myself wondering how I came to care so much about her escaping her life - because you really don't see the growing affection with the character so easily.
While Greene showed a lot of strong points, her book could have been longer. The story was plotted well and it never had a dull moment, but she could have expanded more on her other characters and been better off later on for it. Also, sometimes it got slow if there were many paragraphs between dialogue and action. Usually the pace wasn't bad, but the times were noticeable when it was.
This is not a book for everyone....
Read the full review at www.teensreadtoo.com
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this is a great and extremely interesting story the charayters are well developed and add a lot of depth. if only the ending were more developed..... leaves you with some questions..... overall a must must must read!!!
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The story was very well put together! The examples really made you feel like you were right in the story! It was really neat to sort of be on the inside of an FLDS compound. I wish the ending had been a little more thought out, but overall, it drew me in with every word!
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I found this book hauntingly accurate. The author has done her research and has told a tale of a fictional young woman with a story very similar to many others who have told their story of FLDS women in the culture.I was a little disappointed with some of the improbable scenarios as I think she may have gotten the LDS church confused with FLDS church which are very, very different. The FLDS don't actively proselyte. The FLDS do not attend BYU because it is difficult to get admitted and they would have to pay non-member prices since the members subsidize the school with tithes. I mean members of the mainstream Mormon church. It is much more likely a member of the FLDS church would be "chosen" and called to attend Southern Utah University or Dixie State. They are not an uncommon sight at those two colleges.Besides that, the story is solid although a couple of other facts are crossed over to the LDS church. These churches split over a hundred years ago and have clearly developed in different directions. I would have appreciated a more clear delineation.That said, Michele Greene's writing style is flowing and she weaves an engaging story that is difficult to put down. I look forward to more of her books.
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This short, harrowing young adult novel tells the story of Alva Jane, a fourteen-year-old girl living in a Fundamentalist Mormon community. The story is familiar to anyone who's previously read on the subject, and while the pages turn quickly, as you worry for Alva's safety and sanity, the overall experience leaves something to be desired. Alva's voice is inconsistent; sometimes she seems to know nothing about the "Gentile" outside world, at other times she explains her religion and community as if from an outsider's perspective. There's a lot of exposition, and a lot of clunky dialogue. And although this book is marketed as young adult, there's a brutal, graphic rape scene of Alva by a much older man that would make me hesitate recommending this to all but the most mature teenagers. I can only recommend this if you're really interested in the FLDS and want to read whatever you can on the subject. For the casual reader, I'd say skip it. Two and a half stars.
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I found this young adult novel about life in a polygamist cult to be an incredibly compelling read. Alva Jane is the oldest daughter of a favored wife, and has enjoyed her childhood on the compound, oblivious to the darker tones that underpin her life. She is looking foward to marrying a young man in her community until one innocent stolen kiss shatters all their dreams. Married off to a violent abusive older husband, Alva Jane is forced to take a new look at her life and the lives of those around her.Alva Jane reads as a complete and believable character with a strong narrative voice. I read this book through in one sitting, unable to walk away from Alva Jane and her suffering. An excellent novel, this book does deal realistically with the darkness of child marriage and so includes sex scenes that may be disturbing to some readers. A highly recommend read.
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Extremely good book to read. One that is hard to put down once you get started however once finished it leaves you with a lot of questions and wonderment. Sure wish this book would become a series that will answer what the book left behind.
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I've always been interested in reading about diverse cultures and religions, so when I picked up this book I decided it was a must read. I finished it in two days and I'm not even really sure where to begin. I won't bother to give a description of the book considering everyone else has. I highly recommend this book if you're interested in learning more about the FLDS.... Culture... but I will warn you that it can be very disturbing and intense at some points. I finished reading it yesterday and I still can't believe these terrible things are still going on today.
I'm giving this story four stars because I think it was very well structured and from what else I've studied, the facts are also correct. Not only that, but it was a quick read even though I feel like I've gain a lot of knowledge and I never got bored. My only problem is that you don't really *SPOILERS* find out about Alva's life after leaving this cult and I fell like that could make a very interesting second book or the author could have made the book longer. Also, it was well written, but I did feel like it was rushed sometimes and that it didn't go into too many details about each character.
Again, this is a very informational and fast paced book, but it's also very intense and I felt myself squirming in my seat on a few parts. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. I wouldn't consider it one of my favorites, but it was a very eye-opening experience :).
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This story really has a lot of depth and complexity. It paints a vivid picture of a girl living within the confines of an FLDS community and leaves you in suspense for most of the book. The characters have a lot of depth which helps you understand the FLDS. In one light I really loved the ending, but I wished it would've gone a little further in depth.
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wonderful
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