The Children of Red Peak by Craig DiLouie
Product Details
Web ID: 16835588I Wanted More from This
I had such high, perhaps unfair, expectations for this going in. I thought the narrative was headed in a direction that would employ the horror genre as a tool to dissect religious fanaticism and family-based survivalism in North America. Instead, as with Zoje Stage's WONDERLAND, the final two thirds of the book are rushed and unfocused. And there is no particularly profound statement about cult-like behavior in rural communities––it's basically window-dressing, but as a device to build tension and nothing more. Some of these horror authors take the creative choice of not explaining the "magic" behind their plots as license not to write thematically disciplined work at all. The difference is that Stage knows how to write lyrical, reflective prose and DiLouie doesn't even try. Even so, I appreciated the adult dynamics among the characters who have known each other since childhood. It was the one avenue through which the book tries and succeeds to emulate Stephen King's IT, as most of these contemporary genre writers, consciously or unconsciously, seem to be attempting to do with everything.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Not my favorite
The book was okay, however it was so prolonged and when you get to the end, you don’t get any real answers as to what happened or why.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A riveting psychological - horror thriller
The Children of Red Peak is a psychological thriller with a supernatural horror element. Author Craig DiLouie describes it as "a novel about the search for the meaning of life and the yearning for existence beyond death." It is an absolutely riveting story. The story is set in 2020 and California is on fire again. Wildfires are raging across the state, and David Young is headed south on Interstate 5, on his way to the funeral of his childhood friend, Emily. She wrote him a note before she took her own life: "I couldn't fight it anymore." David has never told his wife, Claire, about his past. He adores their children, Alyssa and Dexter, and has established a rewarding, successful career as an exit counselor. While deprogrammers are usually retained by family members and their goal is to re-train cult members and convince them to abandon their belief systems, exit counseling is voluntary and the interventions David stages are more akin to addiction interventions. His sister, Angela, is a police detective whose anger about the past fuels her. At Emily's funeral, David is reunited with Deacon Price, a rock musician with dyed black hair and numerous tattoos. And Beth Harris, the only one of the survivors who graduated from college, earning a doctorate in clinical psychology, but she has never married. She's a successful psychologist, with a practice in Santa Barbara, who is "dedicated to a life of mental surgery to fix her scars." When they were growing up together, she was in love with Deacon and still may be. He seems interested in rekindling their attraction, but she is unsure if it is a good idea. The fifteenth anniversary is quickly approaching of the horrific event that David, Deacon, Beth, Emily, and Angela survived. They were the only survivors, and with Emily gone, only the four of them remain. In 2002, eleven months after 9/11, David's mother was convinced a war that would kill millions was coming. And they needed to be ready to meet Jesus. So she loaded all of their belongings into a U-Haul trailer and moved with nine-year-old David and Angela from Idaho to the Cummings Valley, near Tehachapi, east of Bakersfield, to join the Family of the Living Spirit, led by the Reverend Jeremiah Peale. She tells her children, "They live a pure life there, simple and close to God. We're going to live off the land." Indeed, the Family of the Living Spirit existed in the wilderness where members erected a cluster of white buildings, one of which was their church. In a narrative commencing in 2002, DiLouie describes David's arrival and assimilation into the Family. He and Angela meet the other children, and gradually become accustomed to the lifestyle, playing in the vast open spaces, attending the school and church services, and adapting to the rules imposed by Jeremiah, their charismatic and caring leader. But as time passes, Jeremiah changes. He goes off on pilgrimages by himself and when he returns, delivers new edicts, claiming that he has received messages about how the Family should function. In 2005, he leaves Shepherd Wright in charge while he is away to "investigate an important spiritual matter" and is not pleased when he returns and discovers that "new ordinances" have been enacted. He reports that he went to Red Peak, the Mountain of the Great Spirit on the western side of Death Valley, where God told him, "Deliver your tribe unto me!" So the Family migrates to Red Peak where living conditions are much worse, and Jeremiah leads them into hard labor, starvation, trance states that facilitate mind control, and unspeakable acts culminating with one horrific tragedy that destroyed the Family of the Living Spirit -- with the exception of five traumatized children. In the present-day, DiLouie compassionately explores the pain-wracked lives of David, Deacon, Beth, and Emily. They were rescued from Red Peak and provided treatment. But they carry with them the atrocities they witnessed as Jeremiah descended further into madness and his flock obeyed his crazed directives. Each of them suffers from survivor's guilt, questioning why they did not meet the same fate as the other members of the Family, and struggles to make sense of their history and present circumstances. To develop each character, DiLouie says he defined their individual personality traits and then worked to "show how their dominant childhood trait is now taken to the limit as a crutch in adulthood. This trait and their response to what happened to them form their character arc, their professions, and the choice they make at the end of the novel when the mystery is revealed." For example, "David was easily scared as a child and so he’d often hide from what scared him; as an adult, he’s now a cult exit counselor — he helps people escape — and he emotionally shuts down when confronted by stress, which costs him meaningful relationships and may cost him his marriage." Something supernatural, defying scientific explanation, took place at Red Peak on that unforgettable day. Deacon believes that wholeheartedly, David copes by living in a state of busyness and denial, and Beth chalks it up to a "glitch of mental perception." As the anniversary approaches, Beth proposes that they return to Red Peak to see if any memories resurface. "Confront the source of our trauma, clarify our memory in safety, and put it behind us forever." She is convinced that no matter what happens at Red Peak, she will "come home a new woman, strong and complete and wanting nothing." Deacon immediately agrees, but David is hesitant, noting that when Emily committed suicide he experienced the first panic attack he'd suffered in many years. But he is convinced when Beth explains that exposure therapy is an effective way to treat post-traumatic stress disorder -- returning to a place that is frightening under conditions that permit the patient to safely confront his/her fears. Angela had already returned to Red Peak numerous times in search of clues and in a quest for justice, convinced that the Family was duped. DiLouie illustrates the quartet's pilgrimage to Red Peak in search of answers and relief from years of torment. Emily had been investigating, and learned that events similar to the one in 2005 had happened before. Could it happen again? Each of them has a theory, but they are determined to find answers . . . and peace. DiLouie proves himself a master of suspense, horror, and science fiction as the story races toward its shocking and explosive conclusion. The Children of Red Peak is both an insightful, tender exploration of the psyches of five damaged people who, after experiencing unimaginable events, strive to carry on and make meaningful lives for themselves. It is also an inventive, clever study in horror and the powers of the supernatural. DiLouie says his inspiration for the story was a reading of Genesis and the story of Abraham. God commands Abraham to offer his only son, Isaac, as an offering but stops him from killing Isaac at the last second. DiLouie observes that many "people view this story as a wonderful testament about faith and obedience. Me, I wondered: What would the story sound like if it was told from Isaac’s point of view?" Cults are, of course, fascinating from psychological and sociological perspectives, but DiLouie wanted to tell a story "through the lens of a religious group that is insular but relatively content, and how it logically slides into horror after its leader comes back from a trip and basically says, 'I talked to God, he’s waiting for us at a mountain, we’re going to Heaven, and we’ll be tested when we get there' They’re of course going to go, and if the tests are horrifying, they can’t be bad if they are from God." DiLouie says his goal was to create a story readers would find "emotional and captivating." He has succeeded. The Children of Red Peak is heart-wrenching and nightmare-inducingly terrifying. Parts of the story are extremely upsetting and difficult to read, but it is also fascinating, thought-provoking, and a powerful exploration of the meaning and limits of faith, how we respond to and overcome trauma, and the resilience of the human spirit. Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Amazing Journey
I so appreciate Mr. Doug Weller. Six Word Story is a delight. Some stories are silly and some serious and heartfelt. I was surprised how easily I was able to laugh or be moved to stop and reflect on what I had read. Sometimes, six simple words are not that simple. Would recommend! Thanks to NetGalley and Hebe Publications for an ARC in return for an honest review.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Creepy cult & messily flawed characters.
4.5 stars. Like a lot of readers, I do love me a good cult novel. Honestly, I just like books based on weird stuff and this fit that bill super well. I like creepy situations, haunting atmospheres, and flawed characters who sometimes make terrible decisions. Check, check, and check. The Children of Red Peak is really well-written and I found it to be quite gripping. The writing style is right up my alley and kept things nice and tense while still doing a magnificent job of doling out information and creating a wonderfully creepy atmosphere. The pacing was somewhat slow and steady, but there was always something happening. It was an emotionally traumatic train wreck from beginning to end and I was totally here for it. The story is told on a dual timeline perspective, with experiences in both present day and the days of the cult as experienced by David, Deacon, and Beth. This was a great balance of information and I genuinely appreciated all of the little details that were given about backstories and how they moved forward after the events at Red Peak. There was definitely a lot to unpackage here and there could easily have been another hundred pages just about the cult and how the children were "rescued" and "rehabilitated", but the way the story was constructed definitely worked. I loved the characters--not because they were lovely cinnamon roll types, but because they were the total opposite. Each one of the characters in this book is a freaking mess in their own way. As a result of the trauma they sustained, they are all wonderfully flawed. I particularly liked Deacon and Beth and their messy relationship with one another. It frustrated and pained me, but it also made perfect sense to me. I enjoy when authors don't try to make all of their characters redeemable. The only shortcoming in the character department for me was that I would have liked more of the Angela perspective from beginning to end. She is probably the most level-headed of the characters and, while her perspective would have likely removed some of the overall crazy feel, it also would've added an interesting emotional response and point of view. When it came to supporting characters, I would have loved more, but I did like how the Reverend's character was developed. He isn't really in the story directly much, but his battered psychological being is definitely present in how it all shakes down. He's incredibly tangible and definitely crafted properly for a cult leader. The charisma is patent despite how few pages he graces and the descent into madness is captured fairly well, though I will admit that I could have used more of the days leading up to the Red Peak events. I was totally captivated by this story and things moved incredibly fast for me. This was a "don't put it down" read for me and I loved it. The ending was admittedly a mixed bag for me. I felt it moved a little too quickly and there were things that left too many questions and bends in the logic, but the intensity and creep factors were totally on point. Craig DiLouie has my attention. I'll be scoping out his backlist for sure. * Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. *
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Doomsday Cult Horror
In The Children of Red Peak, the survivors of a doomsday cult reunite to try and come to terms with the trauma they experienced as children of the cult. While touted as a horror novel, I felt it read as general fiction for most of the narrative, and the horror elements did not appear until closer to the end of the novel. The narrative was told from three characters’ points of view and featured alternating timelines which sometimes overlapped and often left me a bit confused. The pace was slower than I expected, and the writing frequently diverted into elaborate descriptions to the point that I found myself skimming passages and sometimes pages to return to the plot. I wish I could provide a more positive review. I’m sure there are plenty of readers that will genuinely enjoy this book. For me, it just wasn’t what I was hoping for. I’d like to thank NetGalley and Red Hook Books for a complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Horror and Mystery Done Right
Craig DiLouie’s THE CHILDREN OF RED PEAK is a terrifying look into life in a religious cult where the children are the innocent victims. From memories suppressed to memories that are continual nightmares four adults attempt to cope with their pasts and one take the final escape and then there were three who will come together to finally put the ghosts of the past to rest. Thought-provoking and frightening, one leader will use abuse, fear and religion to control his flock. Years later, will delving into the mysteries of Red Peak free three souls to heal and move forward? The element of horror and mystery is excellent, the atmosphere is dark and heavy as long buried secrets come to the surface. My only issue: the characters fell rather flat for me as adults although the reliving of their pasts was very well done. A little horror, a lot of veiled mystery and pain in this intense read. I received a complimentary ARC edition from Redhook Books! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Creepy Cult Read...
This is my first Craig DiLouie book and it definitely won't be my last.. I know it sounds wrong to say I enjoyed a book about a doomsday death cult....but I really did. I was riveted. The Children of Red Peak is a mystery that evolves into a bit of a horror novel. It bounces back and forth between present day and fifteen years prior when the "cult events" took place. This story follows three main characters, David, Deacon and Beth. They each survived the suicide/death pact of the cult, along with two others. We get a lot of their perceptions of the events leading up to the fateful day fifteen years ago. The day that everyone either committed suicide or killed those who were unwilling to. Then the bodies mysteriously disappeared. The five teenagers who survived have each struggled with the events of that day and dealt with it in their own way. For the most part, they are each still haunted by it. Early in this book, one of their friends has committed suicide. Her funeral brings them all together for the first time in years. With the fifteenth anniversary quickly approaching, they discuss revisiting Red Peak to try to put their "ghosts" to rest. I think the author did a great job of demonstrating how this experience has shaped David, Deacon and Beth. He shows how damaged they each are and that they aren't sure how to fix it. I would have liked to know more about David's sister, Angela who was also a survivor. We get a small portion of her insight later in the book. I think she was a character that had a great deal of potential. I loved the flashback scenes when the reader had an opportunity to see how each of these young people cared about their parents and the leader of their cult. It was easy to see how caught up in it all they were. Then things took a bizarre turn and they were quickly frightened of where it was heading. I was a fan of blending past and present this way. I really liked the way it helped the overall storyline to flow. I liked the premise of the cult as the basis for this story with the extra add-0n of an unknown force. It amped up the creep factor and made the book even harder to put down. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review this book and the opinions contained within are my own.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com