Review: Coming of Age at the End of Days by Alice LaPlante

Until now, Anna was your typical teenage girl. She was attractive, fit in with her peers and, in general, had a positive outlook on life.  Yet, at sixteen, severe depression has taken over her, forcing her to lose friends, struggle in school and life in general.

When the Goldschmidts move in next door, Anna sees a brightness at the end of the dark tunnel of depression. The Goldschmidts, and their son Lars, are active members of a religious cult.  They are staunch believers that the end of days is near.  Suddenly, Anna's life has purpose, something she can stand behind and support. The once attractive young girl, however, takes drastic measures to alter her appearance. In her mind, everyone is beautiful in the eyes of God. Taking care of one's appearance is not a priority, so she sheds the beautiful identity she once held.

When her life is sent on a sudden spiral, she becomes an even stronger supporter of the cause. Leaving her life as she knew it behind her, she embarks upon a journey that is not only spiritual and emotional, but physical as well. On this journey, she discovers the beliefs she held so dear are tittering on the edge of a line she's uncomfortable crossing.  As she hits the bottom, so close to destruction, she is able to rely upon the most unlikely of supporters, who guides her on a path to appreciating, and understanding, her battle with faith and identity.

A staunch fan of LaPlante’s work, I was instantly intrigued by the premise of this most recent novel. In college, working toward a degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice, I found cults and sects incredibly intriguing. The ability of one group, led by one ardent individual, to so easily capture the will of individuals is both terrifying and amazing.

That said, Anna’s journey, while motivated by this group, is more personal.  The reader watches as she spirals out of control, losing her identity and ability to stand up for her own original beliefs, rather than being captured by those forced upon her.  While we learn a great deal about this religious group, it isn’t really the focus of this novel.

I found myself completely irritated with Anna’s character. I wanted to grab her by her shoulders and violently shake. Had I not read this novel on my iPad, I might have chucked the book across the room. I was frustrated by her naivety, her stubbornness, her inability to realize that she had a strong and supportive family that wanted the best for her.  Many of us have read stories of individuals pushed into the arms of cults because they lacked that familial support. Anna had that and she rejected it.

As I continued to read, I understood that LaPlante’s ability to evoke such a strong reaction from me is indicative of her writing brilliance. In any other novel, with any other writer, I would have stopped reading. My dislike for Anna was that great.  Yet LaPlante’s writing kept me afloat, encouraging me to continue and trust that this emotional response was intended and had purpose.  By the end it did. While I wasn’t completely sold on Anna’s character, I appreciated the journey she embarked upon, and the several layers of self-discovery she passed through to her re-evolution of sorts.

Don’t let my feelings about Anna’s character dissuade you from reading this novel. I’ve always stated that reading is a very individual, we each have different experiences as we read. Additionally, my feelings about this novel prove that you don’t have to like, or care for, a main character in order to embrace, and understand, the impact of a book.

All this said, I highly, highly recommend this title.

Have you read it yet yourself? Plan on doing so? Come back and share your experiences. I’d love to hear them!