Children of God: Poems, Dreams and Nightmares From The Family Of God Cult is an astounding collaboration between Craig DiLouie and Jonathan Moon, featuring a fictional literary collection written by cult members coping with PTSD through writing. Do you understand? These two authors created The Family of God history and the cult's surviving members, complete with personal backgrounds, individual traumatic memories and their own voices. Take a moment to let that level of creativity sink in.
Fictional or not, the diversity, both in form and tone, of each entry is exquisitely crafted...intense, dramatic and heart-wrenching. Not to mention, the great detail and research put into the introduction of this masterpiece. I would even venture to call this historical fiction, as the stories within are strikingly similar to The Family International led by David Berg, and the Journal of Self by Kathleen Adams, which is referenced as a healing tool is a legitimate form of self-help.
The days leading up to the mass suicide and murder of the cult's followers, as well as the final day, are laid out through the haikus, sonnets and song lyrics of the surviving members. Some have finally turned away from their former family, while others can't seem to let go, even after the torture and killings they've witnessed. Through the eyes of children, parents and the elderly, readers are shown how these lost souls were brought into the fold.
While this book is a work of fiction, the authors based the characters and events on real events involving past and present cults.
As always,
AstraDaemon
Thanks to astradaemon's lair,I've just received my copy of 'Children of God'
ReplyDeleteIt's every bit as good as you said and then some.
If you like looking into darkness disguised as light through the medium of poetry, and are prepared to read between the lines, as you must with good poetry, then this book is for you.
In a way the writing is more disturbing because of its seeming simplicity. I haven't read anything that builds a vision of terror so convincingly like this work since I discovered The Beckoning Fair One by Oliver Onions. Brilliant, brilliant work. Buy it.
I'll be posting an interview with the co-authors this weekend!
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