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The Children of Red Peak

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The Children of Red Peak by Craig DiLouie is a chilling tale of five survivors of a religious cult who reunite after one of them takes her own life. As the group pieces together their traumatic past at Red Peak, they are drawn back to confront the horrific truth they had long buried. The novel delves into themes of trauma, cult fanaticism, and the blurred lines between good and evil, with a narrative that jumps between past and present, revealing the characters' struggles to cope with their haunting memories.

Characters:

The characters are well-developed, reflecting the complexities of trauma as they navigate their memories and relationships stemming from their experiences in the cult.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by evocative prose that wraps around a compelling narrative, balancing horror with emotional and introspective elements.

Plot/Storyline:

The story centers on a group of survivors from a cult and explores their journey back to the site of their past trauma, with a mix of flashbacks and present-day investigations.

Setting:

The setting alternates between the cult's closed environment and the characters' present-day explorations, creating a haunting atmosphere.

Pacing:

The pacing is slow to moderate, allowing for an introspective build-up of tension and character exploration.

Notes:

The story revolves around survivors of a doomsday cult called The Family.
The cult's mass suicide mirrors real-life events like Jonestown.
The protagonists are only 5 survivors of the horrific event.
The book alternates between the past and the present, revealing trauma and coping mechanisms.
The narrative explores themes of religious mania and community isolation.
Characters struggle with PTSD and haunting memories from their childhood.
The setting is primarily focused on a place called Red Peak, linked to their past.
The book has elements of supernatural horror, leaving much to the reader's interpretation.
The ending is open-ended and has sparked mixed reactions from readers.
Despite the dark themes, many readers found the writing style engaging and poignant.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of suicide, trauma, abuse, and cult-related horror.

From The Publisher:

The most intense novel yet from an unmissable voice in horror fiction, Bram Stoker award-nominated author Craig DiLouie. "Horror readers will be hooked." ( Publishers Weekly )

"A heart-wrenching, thought-provoking, terrifying tale about the meaning of life . . . A great choice for fans of Stephen Graham Jones' The Only Good Indians (2020), Paul Tremblay's Disappearance at Devil's Rock (2016), or Alma Katsu's The Hunger (2018)." - Booklist

They escaped the cult, but are they free?

David Young, Deacon Price, and Beth Harris live with a dark secret. They grew up in an isolated religious community in the shadow of the mountain Red Peak, and they are among the few who survived its horrific last days.

Years later, the trauma of what they experienced never feels far behind. And when a fellow survivor commits suicide, they reunite to confront their past and share their memories of that final night.

But discovering the terrifying truth might put them on a path back to Red Peak, and escaping a second time could be almost impossible....

"A subtle character story and a chilling tale of horror. It goes deep into the heart of people caught up in terrifying events." - Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author.

For more from Craig DiLouie, check out:

Our War

One of Us

Ratings (5)

Loved It (4)
Liked It (1)

Reader Stats (17):

Read It (5)
Currently Reading (1)
Want To Read (9)
Not Interested (2)
 
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