The Cresswell Plot By Eliza Wass Published: June 7, 2016 | Pages: 259 | Rating: ★★★★ Find it here: Goodreads | Amazon
Book Description:
Castella Cresswell and her five siblings—Hannan, Caspar, Mortimer, Delvive, and Jerusalem—know what it’s like to be different. For years, their world has been confined to their ramshackle family home deep in the woods of upstate New York. They abide by the strict rule of God, whose messages come directly from their father. Slowly, Castley and her siblings start to test the boundaries of the laws that bind them. But, at school, they’re still the freaks they’ve always been to the outside world. Marked by their plain clothing. Unexplained bruising. Utter isolation from their classmates. That is, until Castley is forced to partner with the totally irritating, totally normal George Gray, who offers her a glimpse of a life filled with freedom and choice. Castley’s world rapidly expands beyond the woods she knows so well and the beliefs she once thought were the only truths. There is a future waiting for her if she can escape her father’s grasp, but Castley refuses to leave her siblings behind. Just as she begins to form a plan, her father makes a chilling announcement: the Cresswells will soon return to their home in heaven. With time running out on all of their lives, Castley must expose the depth of her father’s lies. The forest has buried the truth in darkness for far too long. Castley might be their last hope for salvation.
Thoughts:
Basically, Mr. Cresswell believes that his family is the only one who is going to heaven. In believing this he thinks that the bloodline has to remain pure by all his children 'marrying' one another. Which is super messed up. Their mom never says or does anything and their dad is abusive and what he says, (or what he's saying God is telling him), goes.
Castley, which imo is an amazing name so unique!, appears to be the only one who has a little common sense even though she questions herself a lot in the beginning because her father has drilled his religion and thoughts into their heads so hard that no one has really questioned it or went against it. Until now. All her siblings struggle with her rebelliousness and think that anything bad that happens because of it is ‘an act of God’. So their father says.
I like the character development throughout this book. You could really see the struggles they went through and the thoughts they had the whole time. It was well written. I really liked this. It’s kind of short coming in at 259 pages. Making it a pretty quick read. I would recommend this book!
Quotes: “Sometimes you need other people to taste the stars.”
Overall: Would recommend! Find me on Goodreads (x)
