Gated by Amy Christine Parker

Gated by Amy Christine Parker - Review

The Gated community is a place of peace and harmony, where the members live serenely - on the outside. However, there is something dark and sinister lurking behind the gates. Lyla and her family have followed their leader, Pioneer, since joining the community. Pioneer appears to be a charismatic man who only wants the best for all his members. But after Lyla meets Cody, an outsider, she starts having doubts. Does Pioneer truly care for the community or is he driven by more selfish motives?

This novel sent chills down my spine. Reading about life in a cult-like atmosphere makes one realise that cults have just as much power over their members today as they did in the past. People like Pioneer still exist and manipulate without batting an eye. The scariest part is that Pioneer is an ordinary man. He's not a horror movie monster with fangs. He could be anyone walking down the street. And that is what's so unsettling and disturbing. Pioneer's actions and psychological games are so atrocious that 'Gated' felt like a horror movie.

Cults are fascinating because it makes you wonder how one person can have so much influence on others. That people can follow someone so blindly, putting all their trust in them. I mean, the leader is human just like them, so how can he or she overpower them to the point where they will jump into a burning flame if that person told them it could save their lives? They exploit people's heartbreak and weaknesses and lure them into a dark web from which they are held captive. And they often quote the bible as a way of making people trust them. It is a part of their manipulation. The tactics of cult leaders are similar to the devil's. He knows everyone's weaknesses and preys on them, using smooth talk to lure people in.

Gated is a suspense-filled psychological thriller that is nail-biting and is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. It's also an examination of good and evil and the line between the two. Is it just black and white, or are there grey areas in between?

Comments

Poem by @writing_15_

Photo source: writing_15_ I'd like to present a poem written by a friend of mine. She's fifteen years old and a very talented writer. You guys can check out her Instagram . Writing_15_ also has a new blog where she posts her poetry, book reviews and short stories. I watched you fade away, slowly. Then all at once. Like I watched the petals of a flower, fall to the ground. Parts of you fell away faster than others. Your sense of humour stayed, but your kindness fell of the stem. You aren’t the same person you once were. Your petals continue to fall. You are slowly changing into nothing but a stem. The water you need is no longer available, like the attention you no longer receive. Your petals have fallen to the ground, leaving nothing but a stalk. You have changed, leaving nothing but a stranger. ...

I Can't Breathe - A Cry for Change

Photo Source: Wikipedia On the 25th of March, an African American man named George Floyd was brutally and inhumanely murdered by a police officer. The police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on George's neck for several minutes. Despite George repeatedly telling him that he couldn't breathe, Derek Chauvin didn't lift his knee. George Floyd begged and pleaded for his life, but the former officers showed no remorse. They treated him with such cruelty. He was a human being and they tried to strip him of his dignity in broad daylight. The video is heartbreaking to see. No one deserves to be treated like that. He was a father, a brother, a friend and an uncle. In his final moments, George yelled out for his mother. The ultimate plea for your life. A cry to be heard. To be seen. Police brutality and racism has a long history, not just in America, but all over t...

Flight of a Starling - Review

Lo and Rita are sisters who are trapeze artists. They travel with their circus family from town to town, never staying in one place for long. Although Lo is happy in the circus, she also wonders what life on the outside is like. She meets a boy named Dean and falls in love with him. Because he's a non-traveller, they arrange clandestine meetings. Lo finds out a shocking secret that turns her world upside down. She feels like she's losing her balance. Through all the unsteadiness in her community, Lo finds solid ground and a feeling of home with Dean. As the secrets bottle up inside of her, Lo makes a decision that has heartbreaking consequences. Having read Paper Butterflies, I knew what to expect. I was mentally prepared for my heart to be shattered. Lisa Heathfield has a way of pulling you into the world she's created. You become so emotionally invested in the characters and their lives, that you just want to make everything better for them. It's clear fr...

Rowena Writes

Search This Blog