I would have given this two stars but the ending where he is an adult saved it a bit for me. I think the problem with narrating this cult from a child's perspective is he's not privy to all the information, so the reader isn't either. I just have so many questions.Why did Lucien's mom disappear for three weeks?Why were people being marked?What the heck was going on with Evie?What happened to Gabrielle's dad? He's never mentioned at the end. Why would people even follow a cult leader who they nev...

House of EarthA story of a young boy growing of age in a secluded commune sitting. He has food to eat, a place to sleep and friends. They live frugally off the earth. No Television, only approved books and instruction. All this under the leadership of O.C. Leroux. All is well with Lucian and his mother in their small cottage, Lucian attended the House of the Earth private school. His mother was gone a lot, but he had the TV, his book which he borrowed from the library and his friend Gabrielle he...

‘We are building the future, the only future’ and they will inherit it. When 9/11 strikes Lucien is 12, ‘OC was right’ says Mama. Who exactly is OC? From the age of six, Lucien attends the House of Earth in Mater, New York State. Jack is his mentor, he teaches him to live in harmony with nature, to resist negative energy, to protect the earth and the planet. Innocent Lucien and his mama live a narrow existence with this environmentalist group. From 9/11 onwards things begin to change at the Hous...

Lucien is a young boy trapped in a doomsday cult that wraps itself in the guise of an ecological teaching school in the woods of upstate New York. At it heart is a maniac who calls himself the OC after Oliver Cromwell. After 9/11, the cult grows tremendously, but the changes within the cult do as well and with those changes, comes questions for which Lucian gets no answers, only punishment for asking the questions. I read books about cults a lot. I was raised in a quasi cult in the south and bar...

I have to say that this wasn't my usual type of story. It's told from the point of view of Lucien, a young boy who attends a nature-focused school in the woods. It's no secret to the reader that this is more than just a peaceful commune of harmonious people. They have 'mentors' not teachers, there's no grading system, and the curriculum focuses on the teachings of it's founder about 'the darkness' and 'the light.' Yes, of course, it's a cult. And as always happens, it's full of well meaning peop...

3.5 stars rounded up.An interesting doomsday cult novel with climate change at the centre.8 year old Lucien and his single mother are caught up in House of Earth and follow its charismatic leader who has some very unusual and unethical views on how to 'fix the problem'. Some very gruelling and confronting issues are raised, but it becomes easier to see how these individuals can have so many followers.

Great Read!I didn’t know anything about this book when I began reading it but it was so good I couldn’t put it down! The story is very engrossing and the characters are interesting. An unexpected awesome find, definitely recommend reading it.

I really liked this book. Stayed up way too late the last two nights reading this. The story is very well written and quite disturbing on a level that is different than what I usually read. Almost felt like it was based on a true story….I will look for others by this author.

This is a book I'm hesitant to say I enjoyed given how heavy and bleak most of it is, but it was well-done and I'm glad I read it. The Plot Lucien has grown up in House of Earth, an alternative school focusing entirely on environmentalism and saving the Earth. It's is known around town as "that weird school up the hill" but that doesn't bother Lucien much. His mama and House of Earth are his whole life and the only two things he loves in the world. As Lucien gets older, House of Earth begins to

Lucien is twelve and going to school at House of Earth, a small private school in upstate New York started by O.C. Leroux, when 9/11 happened. Everyone in the United States, and especially those so close to NYC are rocked to the core—those at House of Earth even more so. Our sense of security as Americans, as humans, in one morning is shattered. House of Earth quickly evolves from a private school for families whose parents want them to respect nature into a commune. Housing facilities are built...

If you’re a fan of books about cults then add The Night Burns Bright by Ross Barkan to your tbr pile. This was a straight-forward read and more of a YA to me, with a strong focus on our main teenage protagonist’s individual growth and understanding of himself and his community. I like how Lucien’s narrative voice ages. While a thriller, it’s more of a coming-of-age story at it’s core. In the beginning we have a much younger Lucien and we see his world through his young naive eyes. As he ages, so...

This is a good book for young adults struggling to establish their identities separate from their families. It especially illuminates the importance of maintaining self and one’s beliefs and ideas when confronted with challenges from one’s peers. Although the plot is unrealistic most readers will benefit from the overall message. I have two criticisms. First the author writes at a 10th grade level with cryptic sentences and expressions and minimal descriptions of the context or characters. I rem...

This was not an easy book to read. It was disturbing most of the way through and maddeningly frustrating. Although the story was predictable, I was still left with so many questions by the end. Reading the story from the perspective of a 12-year old boy was both interesting and terrifying at first. However as he gets older and starts questioning what he sees, experiences and hears around him it becomes so intense I almost didn’t want to finish the book. I felt so drawn to Lucien the main charact...

I read this for the Popsugar Challenge 2022 prompt #33 "a social-horror book". I probably wouldn't have run across this book without the challenge, and honestly it was a bit dark for me, but it was well written. The slow build of the growing horror of a private environmentally oriented school evolving into a closed community where students and parents both live, and eventually die is creepy, but well done. The "school" is in upstate New York, and the action takes place in the aftermath of the 20...

Starts out disturbing but intriguing - things are obviously off with Lucien's life and school, but honestly not unbelievable. The educational focus and style of House of Earth were a somewhat exaggerated version of some of the homeschooling parents I've met.Predictably, Lucien's experiences take a turn for the worse and the narrative swiftly goes downhill. The weirdness increases at a pace that stretches the suspension of disbelief to its limits, inspiring too much "how?" and "why?" with too few...