Monday, February 23, 2009

Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante


Agnes wants to be a saint. Honey is absorbed by learning about and seeing butterflies. They live in a religious compound, Agnes has two parents and a brother on the compound and Honey is an orphan. The brainwashing and blind following of the seemingly hypocritical "father" of the group is bile-fetching.

It is amazing that Honey would have such a sense of self and right despite the limited positive adult role models among the brainwashing. The alternatives to living in the commune could have been more detailed, but perhaps that would have come across as preachy. Although Honey saw the hypocracy of Veronica and Emmanuel, no other Believers question it. Following the events in Eldorado, some folks might be up in arms against this book, others against cult communes.

5 comments:

Librarykat said...

I am so glad I got to read this book. It would be in my top 5. I really liked how the idea of faith vs. religion is explored.

Allison said...

I loved this book, I'm glad it is a top 20 but it doesn't break into my top 5.

pandamans said...

This book was awesome. Definitely in my top 5.

Patty said...

I enjoyed this title more than I thought I would, but the turnaround of the religious main character seemed so quick and convenient!

Patty said...

I enjoyed this title more than I thought I would, but the turnaround of the religious main character seemed so quick and convenient!