Into Captivity They Will Go

by Noah Milligan

Set in rural Oklahoma, Into Captivity They Will Go tells the story of Caleb Gunter, a boy whose mother has convinced him he is the second coming of Jesus Christ and that together they are destined to lead the chosen into the Kingdom of Heaven. Believing the Seven Seals detailed in Revelation have been opened, he and his mother flee their home to join a tongue-speaking evangelical church and to prepare for the end of the world. But after tragedy ensues, Caleb must rebuild his life without the only support he has ever known--his mother and the church. An exploration of familial bonds and extremist faith, this is a whirlwind bildungsroman that reveals the fragility of a child's identity. It is at once a study of guilt and redemption and a book of how shattered trust can lay the foundation for an entire life.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

320 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2019

About the author

Noah Milligan's debut novel, An Elegant Theory, was shortlisted for the Horatio Nelson Fiction Prize and a finalist for Foreword Review's 2016 Book of the Year. He is a graduate of the MFA program at the University of Central Oklahoma, and his short fiction has appeared in Rathalla Review, MAKE Literary Magazine, Storyscape Literary Journal, Santa Clara Review, and elsewhere. A collection of short stories, Five Hundred Poor, will be released by Central Avenue Publishing in June 2018. Connect with him at http://www.noahmilligan.com.

Reviews

[Never Without a Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

First half was strong, then it kind of fizzled out a bit. Over good read. 3.5 Rounded up to 4.

[Aimee Dars · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially, I was interested in Into Captivity They Will Go by Noah Milligan because it’s set in Oklahoma, my home state. The book centers on Caleb Gunter, a preteen who is told by his mother Evelyn that the world is ending, and he is the second coming of Jesus. Even in the buckle of the bible belt, such a pronouncement doesn’t sit well, and the First Baptist Church in Bartlesville excommunicates the Gunter family. Leaving her husband Earl and older son Jonah behind, Evelyn takes Caleb to a rural religious community run by her stepfather’s friend, Sam Jenkins. The people there are more accepting of Evelyn’s message, and Caleb, speaking in tongues, lost in the spirit, and lifted up by the other congregants, finally feels at home.

Evelyn’s homilies, however, grow more extreme, and as her prophecies darken, she views the outside community with more and more suspicion. Meanwhile, Caleb struggles to accept what it means to be the savior who will lead the chosen people after the end of the world. After a series of cataclysmic events, Caleb loses everything familiar, including the foundation of his faith.

While the first two thirds of the book recount Caleb’s childhood and are told in third person, the final section gives Caleb a first-person voice and more insight into his reactions to the events surrounding him. I couldn’t help but think how damaged Caleb must be and how tempting it was to fall into old patterns of behavior, substituting one false god for another. He’s calm and accepting of his past, which is hard to understand, but Atchley, a character he later becomes close to, may provide the reader’s perspective wondering how he isn’t angry and resentful.

Throughout the book, I wondered why Evelyn had taken this religious path, but then I also asked myself if it mattered. Whatever the cause, Caleb was left to cope with the impact of her beliefs and actions and how they affected him; they also rippled into the family, changing the lives of Earl and Jonah, and beyond, so that others in the community were never the same.

One of the triumphs of the book is that Milligan writes with such compassion and empathy that is impossible to write any characters off as one-dimensional, fringe, or unbelievable. I thought that I would immediately feel anger and contempt for Evelyn. Instead, while I did feel some of that on behalf of Caleb, even more, I considered her with empathy and curiosity. Caleb’s general placidity evokes an air of forgiveness and acceptance, and despite the travails of his childhood, it seems that attitude serves him well. Furthermore, I loved the subtle Oklahoman references Into Captivity They Will Go such as the primacy of Dr. Pepper, the references to concerts at the Blue Door, the constant calibration of weather, and the love of Sonic and Braum’s.

Even though I did grow up in Oklahoma, I went to a relatively liberal church (for that state anyway), and I wasn’t familiar with the biblical passages from Revelations. I had to look up the seven seals to fully understand Evelyn’s references. I also wish that some of the characters, like Earl, had been more developed. The shift from third person to first person was a little jarring and unexpected, and Caleb seemed like such a different person, also with time passing and experience gained, the change did made sense once I reflected on it. Finally, some details concerning spatial and time relationships were confusing, but that may be a function of the advance copy I read and will be corrected in the printed version.

Readers who enjoy literary fiction, coming of age stories, narratives about extreme religion, and of course, books set in Oklahoma should read Into Captivity They Will Go.

Thank you to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Niki · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel isn't half as deep as it'd like to be.

Every other review is impressed and keeps talking about "the consequences of religious extremism" and how it's "sympathetic" and "compelling". I personally had a completely different experience: I thought the book was deeply boring.

About 60% of the book is made up of verbatim Christian sermons that I started skimming after a while. The aforementioned religious extremism was more like "a single mentally ill woman convinces people that they're the Chosen Ones and they don't hurt anyone but themselves". I think reviews should mention more that this is a cult situation and, spoiler alert, I don't care all that much about cults.

The author feels incredibly detached from everything. Serious events aren't given the necessary weight, characters are deeply traumatized and yet the emphasis is on "His coworker, that he has a crush on, is also fucking his boss", or yet ANOTHER sermon, again and again. There's no passion in the writing.

The characters aren't very developed or explored, especially Caleb, our protagonist. Even though the narration turns into first person ("I got a job" etc) in the second half, I never felt like I knew him, never felt like I was in his head. Like the author, he was detached from everything, like an observer in his own life. While it could be argued that his trauma was the cause of that, I don't think it was a deliberate writing choice at all. More like "the author wanted to write trauma but he didn't know anything about it so he chose to be super vague about it" The only interesting part of the second half of the book was when he started visiting his mother in prison and we got a little glimpse into her mind.

The story never grabbed me. It was always a hard decision when I picked up the book, "Let's just get this over with", and I was conscious of every single word instead of the pages flying by.

I don't think I'm expressing myself very well in this review. Let's just say, to wrap this up, that I was very underwhelmed with the book, and that it was very lackluster and vague considering the serious subject matter.

**I got a free coply of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own**

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the first few years of Caleb Gunter's life, he was a normal boy in 1990s small-town Oklahoma, with normal aptitudes and interests. Then his mother told him he was the second coming of Jesus Christ, and the world was about to end, as laid out in Revelations in the Bible. The prologue explains how Evelyn Gunter arrived at this belief. This would, of course, not be a belief that benefited Caleb, Evelyn, or anyone around them in the slightest.

Into Captivity They Will Go is a novel in three acts. In the first, Caleb lives happily with his mother, his father, and his brother. They are observant Christians, but not in any atypical way. When his grandfather dies, his mother snaps. This is when she explains Caleb's destiny to him. Her spiritual discipline of Caleb becomes increasingly bizarre and abusive. In the second, Evelyn takes Caleb to live in a rural community with her spiritual mentor. Everyone in their trailer park accepts Caleb, Evelyn, and their beliefs. Then tragedy ensues. In the third, Caleb must try to live as normal a young adult life as possible, after years of extremely abnormal circumstances.

I am attempting to say as little as I can because I don't wish to spoil the novel for anyone. Noah Milligan masterfully captures Caleb's emotions and surroundings in every act of his life. Caleb is a nice, good-hearted boy, but definitely no Messiah. He becomes desperate for acceptance. The physical and emotional pain he suffers is palpable. In the backdrop, normal American lives go on and the world changes.

Milligan's writing is powerful, and Caleb is a well-rounded and enduring character. The comfort of religion, the danger of religious extremism, the hatred that societies have towards difference, and the myriad wrong ways that people think they are "helping" are strong themes in Into Captivity They Will Go. I was taught an extremely interesting phrase in my high-school psychology class that would stay with me for decades: "Reacting normally to abnormal circumstances". Caleb's life is the very definition of that phrase.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Molly Ringle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Noah Milligan is an excellent writer, but more importantly than that, he's an amazingly sympathetic and fair writer. In a story like this, about Christian extremism in modern rural America, it'd be easy to go into ironic dark parody or grim horror, but Milligan skirts both of those and shows all the people involved as humans instead. Even those truly believing that an ordinary 14-year-old kid is Jesus reborn, and encouraging their neighbors to turn away from civilization and speak in tongues and invite the apocalypse, are shown as complex people who care about their families and their community--the way people really are, if we look closely and mute our prejudices. It's the kind of nuance it's too easy to forget in our divisive world. And even though it's clear in my mind, at least, that this type of extremism is dangerous and misguided (and it'd be hard to imagine anyone coming to a different conclusion after reading this story), it's important to recognize that it's our isolating society itself that sometimes encourages such extremes, and that maybe we could all do with a little more caring for our neighbors and less ostracizing and sensationalizing. America may have a long way to go yet, but the existence of thoughtful writers like Milligan gives me hope.

[Betty Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just the right amount of casual writing mixed with existentialism!

[Nel · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a compelling novel... I found it especially relevant in an age where Christian extremism has gained a foothold in the American landscape. Noah Milligan crafted a novel that makes his readers ponder the fine line that many walk between belief and zealotry, between ideology and obsessiveness. These blurred lines have carried over into politics and everyday life, most visible in the exclusionary practices of some churches and private institutions, but even in our government and ordinary citizens' practices.

My heart broke for Caleb. From a very young age, his mother convinced him that he was the second coming of Jesus Christ. As he pondered his circumstances later in adulthood, he realized "I wasn't brainwashed - it wasn't like that because in order to be brainwashed, the person convincing you must realize they're telling you lies. In my case, it couldn't be any different - my mother truly believed I was Jesus Christ reborn, and so why wouldn't I believe her?"

Even as his mother promulgated this outrageous concept, she had no malevolence in her heart, but was merely a misled individual, who caused incredible pain for many. This is where Milligan excels. He can make a reader empathize with even the most dubious individual, humanizing them, and allowing us to see every angle. These individuals felt real, like one's own neighbor, even in situations that are anything but familiar. The author also explores very relevant topics, and enables his readers to reflect on very valid concerns, ones that wouldn't normally be at the forefront. For example, his novel brought to mind how incredibly malleable a child's mind can be, and solidified the great responsibility we, as parents, have.

I must admit, I was more enthralled the first 2/3 of the book than in the end. Somehow, the novel lost a bit of its fire as it culminated. However, I truly enjoyed Mr. Milligan's easy manner of writing and his ability to make a foreign concept very accessible.

Many thanks to Central Avenue Publishing and NetGalley for gifting me with this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. This title will be released on October 1, 2019.

https://mamasgottaread.blogspot.com/

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the years leading up to his mother's religious extremism, Caleb feels the church "wrapping around him like another skin" offering him a place of belonging in an empty world described as "a large balloon slowly leaking air." But as, over time, her commitment to the belief that "they were the chosen, the 144,000 righteous and devout priest-kings who would rule with Christ over the restored paradise after the apocalypse" intensifies Caleb is instead suspended in revered isolation: his mother convincing him (and many others) that he is the second coming of Jesus Christ.
And why wouldn't he believe her? : "She was, after all, my mother. She birthed me and raised me and fed me and taught me, and so why wouldn't I trust her?"
His world shrinks as, living in a disparate community of tongue-speaking fanatics, his debilitating loneliness is kept at bay by the force of his mother's conviction and preachings; "they filled their time reading the Bible and talking about things to come, the opening of the Seven Seals and the final battle between good and evil."
As a tornado hits and desimates the entire area, the community reaches breaking point and doubts invade until tragedy is inevitable. Caleb is marooned; stripped of all that he has previously been certain.

Reading at a time when I have recently listened to a podcast about David Koresh's Branch Davidians and the Waco siege (where his followers also felt protected by their certainty that their interpretation of the Seven Seals would ensure their transition into heaven), Noah Milligan's tale mirrors real-life events. The story recognises the human desire to predict and control the future and the security of standing amongst a number of believers but also the vulnerability of a child moulded and indoctrinated; where none of the choices are his own.

The real strength of the book for me, is in the first 2 thirds before Caleb develops into an adult looking for answers and explanations where there are few to be found. But what a 2 thirds.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sharing an advance copy with me in return for an honest review.

[Juli Rahel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been on a major true crime kick lately, largely inspired by my devotion to the My Favourite Murder podcast. I share a fascination of cults with one of the hosts, which means that when I saw the blurb for Into Captivity They Will Go I was gripped immediately. Combining two highly controversial topics, family and faith, I had very high expectations going into Milligan's novel. I'm glad to say he lived up to all of them. Thanks to Central Avenue Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As I wrote in my review for Sonja Livingston's The Virgin on Prince Street, religion and faith are difficult topics to write about. Whereas Livingston took a very personal and autobiographic approach, Milligan's approach is personal in a very different way. His bio reveals he grew up in the Bible Belt and his theological knowledge does shine through in the novel. In Into Captivity They Will Go he chooses a fictional approach to the the dissection of faith. Many aspects of the novel's plot will remind the reader of sensationalist news pieces and the less savory aspects of devout religion. The novel's title itself is taken from the Book of Revelation (13:10), which is hardly standard fare for many Christians. What Into Captivity They Will Go really shows is faith can become extreme and dangerous, and how far people are willing to go for what and who they believe in. Religion isn't the only focus, or even the main focus, of Milligan's novel though. Family and childhood are just as crucial. The vulnerability of children to their parents, the endless burden of shame and guilt, and the difficulty of overcoming abuse. These are heavy topics, but Milligan handles them carefully and directly, resulting in a compelling read.

Into Captivity They Will Go is split into three "acts": The Book of Genesis, The Book of Judges, and The Book of Revelations. Without giving too much away, the first act shows us Caleb Gunter's start in life as an ordinary boy, with an admittedly quite religious background. In the second act we, and Caleb, are confronted with tragedy. The final act, 'The Book of Revelations', finds his adjusting and coping to a world suddenly strange to him. As the name of each act suggests, Caleb goes through major emotional and psychological upheaval during these times. Milligan masterfully crafts Caleb's character throughout these three acts. On the one hand he sounds like a normal boy who wants to play with his friends, who loves his mother, and who cares deeply for those around him even if he can't quite verbalize that. On the other hand Milligan always makes the reader aware of this shadow that clings to him, that heavy weight of "something" that he can't quite shake. It's a difficult balance to strike but Milligan does so brilliantly. It's not just Caleb that is written with insight, though. Milligan's own childhood growing up in America's Bible Belt shows in his portrayal of the cast of characters around Caleb. The way religion inspires people, supports them in their day to day life, but can also lead them astray, is shown with a sharp kindness in Into Captivity They Will Go.

I hadn't read any of Noah Milligan's writing before, but I had heard of him. As such, I had high expectations of Into Captivity They Will Go. As I wrote above, I was amazed by his portrayal of Caleb. he captures the awkwardness, determination and confusion of growing up. In the middle section of the novel, many pages are dedicated to the theological underpinnings of the Book of Revelation, and therefore the Church of Seven Seals Caleb now belongs to. I found this fascinating myself, although it may not be the same for every reader. Milligan also excels at describing Caleb's surroundings, which means that the more action-packed scenes are riveting. There is a slow ratcheting up of tension during the second act which, upon its conclusion, leaves Caleb and the reader floundering in the final act. The question of 'Now what?' hangs over him and as he slowly comes to grips with what happened the reader find themselves once again engrossed by his story.

Into Captivity They Will Go is a fascinating read that engrossed me. It is a highly compelling and immersive read that tackles some very challenging topics without ever loosing its way.

[Ingrid Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heavy, harrowing and satisfying to the morbidly curious. This story stuck out to me as I was browsing for titles on NetGalley as I was intrigued by a story that follows a child's perspective in a fanatically religious environment. I thought it was really powerfully done and was surprised how effected I was by it (there may have been some ugly crying in the last few chapters).

Without giving too much away, this story is divided into three sections: Caleb's early adolescent years (pre-cult) which he spent with his family, the time he spent in the cult (after his mother essentially kidnapped him) and what happens several years later. I thought the story may have been a little slow in parts, but it definitely picked up in others and I ended up forgoing sleep to finish reading it. It was very heavy in subject matter, as it is a sad and harrowing story. I don't mean to say this is a bad thing, and I thought the ending was particularly powerful (there may have been some bawling), but I did need to go for a wee walk afterwards to clear my head. 

This story did a really good job of illustrating the impact a parent's influence can have on a child and the consequences that come with religious indoctrination. It is the trust and love between Caleb and his mother that makes her fanaticism so problematic for Caleb. She manipulates the world in a way that makes the prospect of the world ending seem almost comforting to him, because it's something he can rely on. When she drags him away from everything familiar to him, she alienates him from the world even further, cutting him off from his family, his routines and his mostly comfortable lifestyle. Caleb is a sympathetic character as he is essentially of victim of his mothers behaviour and yet very few people in the story seem to offer him any sympathy or help. He also struggles to see himself as such. His mother's behaviour as a whole is abusive in parts and neglectful in others, but she justifies it all in the name of a extreme belief system she believes is 'the right thing to do'. This pushes her story into a bit of a grey area: to what extent can we forgive her for her good (but badly expressed) intentions. I particularly liked struggling with these questions throughout the novel. It left me thinking about it long after I'd put it down.

The characters felt very believable and were interesting enough to invest in. Despite the story being told in first person, Caleb is not a largely reflective character and we feel kind of distanced from him for a while, taking our best guess at how he really feels about everything. Though he's telling the story, we're not in his head, and some of his responses to other people are filtered by his desire to please. However, the snippets of insight we're given also help keep the tension going and lend themselves to a more engaging narrative.

Overall, this was a really solid read and I'd recommend it if the subject matter seems interesting to you. It's not the most uplifting story but it will make you think and question and maybe even grieve a little.

[Melanie Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was completely engrossed in this book from start to finish. Caleb lives in Oklahoma with his parents and older brother. They attend the First Baptist Church, but Caleb's mom begins to become a bit more "zealous". She starts talking about the end times, the book of Revelation and basically scaring all the Baptists out of their pews. She tells Caleb that he was born of a virgin birth and that he is Jesus. Next thing you know, Caleb and his mom leave his dad and brother (they are heathens) and they go somewhere out in the middle of nowhere to join up with some other folks like them. (Think Branch Dividian). As you might suspect, the government becomes involved and bad things happen.
As a Christian, I understand and believe the Bible and the book of Revelation; however, I also understood how her interpretations of the Bible and her overzealousness moved that belief from faith to just plain crazy. The line was tightly drawn in the beginning of the book and as you read more, you see her slide down the slope of reality. A great book that will probably make me think about it for a long time.

[Stella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Small town Oklahoma....me too!
First Baptist Church in the small town...me too!
The second coming of Jesus....NOT ME.

Caleb is growing up in a small rural town and attends a small church. As his mother grows more and more involved, she starts to study and obsess over Revelations and the end times. She also believes that Caleb is the second coming of Jesus. She and Caleb leave their town and join a group of zealots - like...David Koresh-y zealots. As with almost every over-zealous cult like group - things do not go well.

Noah Milligan is a fabulous writer and is able to capture small town Oklahoma better than anyone. I wonder if we grew up together and he changed his name because my GOD, he got it.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Noah Milligan for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful and engrossing story that will keep you hooked till the last page.
It's well written, the characters are fleshed out and the setting is fascinating.
The plot is fast paced and full of food for thought.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started out really liking this book about Caleb, a 13-year old boy in Oklahoma whose mom becomes a religious zealot, convincing him he is the second coming of Christ, then takes him away to join a religious community, a “cult” of like-minded people. The story grabbed me and I found it hard to put it down for the first 2/3rds of the book - the last 1/3rd was a slow moving letdown that made me lower my original 4-star rating to 3. It was interesting to read about the mind of the mother and her religious beliefs in the life of the cult, but the rest of the book was disappointing.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to read; all opinions expressed here are mine.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Rounded up to 4

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley. Any thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Into Captivity They Will Go is the story of Caleb Gunter and his mother Evelyn. 13-year-old Caleb's life was pretty normal. He was raised in a Christian home in Oklahoma, he went to school, went to church, had friends, he played with his brother, it was all pretty normal. One day his mother's stepfather dies and this causes something inside of Evelyn to snap. She basically stops living and only exists for awhile. When she finally comes out of this state she has changed, gone slightly crazy. All of a sudden she is telling Caleb he is the second coming of Jesus Christ and is preaching Revelations and of the The Seven Seals on the street corner. The church finds this behavior alarming and kicks the family out, parents are concerned and will not let their children hang out with Caleb or his brother anymore. Evelyn's crazy behavior is also causing problems in her marriage and one night after a fight with her husband she sneaks away with Caleb in the middle of the night and takes him away where she believes they will be safe. They end up living in a trailer park where everyone accepts Evelyn's preachings and they believe Caleb will lead them into Heaven. Things start to go wrong at the trailer park and eventually everything falls apart. Now Caleb is left to figure out how to live a normal life without any support system and must figure out how he can move on and how to cope with what him and his mother have done.

The writing was really good. The characters were really well done. I thought the characters were dimensional and showed emotion. Milligan done an amazing job of portraying the mothers desperation in her beliefs. I found myself feeling bad for Caleb, his brother and his father. The way the author describes the mentality and the beliefs of Evelyn is truly great. We see her first as a normal Christian and then after losing someone dear to her she dances right over the line of a normal Christian and right into a crazed fanatic. Caleb's mother clearly needs help, however she truly believes what she is saying.

I wasn't brainwashed - it wasn't like that because in order to be brainwashed, the person convincing you must realize they're telling you lies. In my case, it couldn't be any different - my mother truly believed I was Jesus Christ reborn, and so why wouldn't I believe her? She was, after all, my mother. She birthed me and raised me and fed me and taught me, and so why wouldn’t I trust her? My very life depended on her.

What, in my opinion, makes this book so raw and emotional is the realness of it. One of my first thoughts is 'and not one person thought maybe this chick is just crazy?' However, this is how cults work. If you look into real life cults (such as Jim Jones & Jonestown) you'll find similarities between this work of fiction and those real life accounts. Mainly, I'm talking about the charismatic leader and the first couple of ready and willing followers. In that aspect, this book was a little scary for me as I don't think it's too far fetched.

This was a pretty good read for me. I found it interesting enough to get through but not enough to just devour it, although if I had read at another time maybe I could of enjoyed it more. Overall, I do recommend this book as it is well written and interesting.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written in three sections. Set in rural Oklahoma the first section is about the birth of Caleb Gunter and his childhood. After a miscarriage Caleb’s mother Evelyn is convinced she will never conceive another child. But after her devoutly religious stepfather performs a ritual over her, eleven weeks later she is pregnant again with Caleb. At first Caleb and his older brother Jonas live a normal life, but when Evelyn’s stepfather dies she goes off the deep end. A Sunday school teacher, she is now more extreme in her teachings, focusing on the book of Revelation and the coming end of the world. She is also convinced that Caleb is the second coming of Jesus and together they are destined to lead the chosen into the Kingdom of Heaven. Everyone in the community now considers Evelyn crazy. Her family is ostracized from the church; Caleb and his brother have no friends; and the boys are bullied and beaten. My heart hurt for the way Caleb was treated by others in the community and the abuse from his mother. Can you imagine the pressure on a child when his mother is telling him “ all the souls of the world are counting on you”? Caleb had no say in his life and, of course, as a young boy he fully trusted his mother. When her husband does not support her in her teachings Evelyn takes Caleb and flees to a friend of her stepfather. There they join an evangelical church and become part of a “cult community” where Evelyn’s visions are more accepted.


The second part of the book follows Evelyn’s descent into madness and the impact of her extremist beliefs has on the “cult community” she has joined and on Caleb. When a tragedy hits the town everything falls apart eventually pitting Evelyn’s community against the outside community and law enforcement.


The first and second parts of the book were intense. With compassion and empathy Milligan expertly spelled out the impact the mother had upon her son and the consequences of religious fanaticism. He showed us how loving parents in a peaceful community which has separated itself from the outside community can be swayed by an authoritarian figure. Surprisingly, even though I could see where this was going, I had compassion for the people caught up in Evelyn’s web. I also reflected on how Evelyn ended up on this path in the first place.


The third part of the book revolves around Caleb, now 18 years old, and his effort to join “normal” society. This part of the book left me wanting so much more. This is a boy who has not known a “normal” life. He had no friends so how does he now cope? His entire life has been based on a false vision. I felt as though Milligan had not thought this part out and just quickly wrapped up the book.


Thank you Central Avenue Publishing and NetGalley for the egalley. My review reflects only my opinion.

[Elite Group · Rating 5 out of 5]

The terrifying dangers of religious fundamentalism.

I loathe extremes of any sort, whether it be in politics or religion. This book shows all too starkly, the horrors that a religious fanatic can bring down upon family and community alike.

The novel revolves around two people, Eleanor Gunter and her son Caleb. Eleanor has been brainwashed into religious fundamentalism by her father and when he dies, she becomes even more fanatical in her beliefs. She grooms her son Caleb, making him believe he is the ‘Saviour of the World’. Her extreme views are based on the Seven Seals of the Book of Revelation. Finally, her community have had enough, telling her she’s mad. They throw her and Caleb out and they go, leaving her husband and other sons behind. They settle in a trailer part, where she finds sympathy for her extremist views. A cult is formed where she becomes the leader but when a tornado hits the trailer park, she takes it as a sign and will allow no outside help, although they are left without food and water and many fall sick and die. News of the cult spreads and the National Guard is called in. Eleanor in an act of desperation shoots the remaining members of the congregation and she and Caleb are arrested.

Caleb spends five years in a juvenile detention centre and on the release is given a new identity. The last part of the book deals with his attempts at rebuilding his life. With the help of a girlfriend he manages eventually to confront his past, even visiting his mother on death row and witnessing her being given a lethal injection.

This is not an easy read and even with the uplifting ending, it is a sombre and thought-provoking story. The writing is compelling and the background convincing and authentic. It is well worth persevering to the end.

Jane

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of this book to review.

[Lia (_Lia_Reads_) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This captivating book follows Caleb Gunter, a young boy whose mother has convinced her that he is the Second Coming of Christ. You follow Caleb and his mother as their faith takes more and more extreme turns, and explore the fallout that results, culminating in their joining an evangelical church/cult far from home.

What worked for me: I enjoyed the exploration of evangelical Christianity and its perception by the surrounding community. It was difficult to watch Caleb’s loyalty to his mother even as their world collapsed around them. I appreciated the complexities that Milligan brought into the story, particularly with Caleb’s own reactions to different events and the faith that he has been brought up in. Similarly, I enjoyed the delicate way in which he tried to present both sides of Caleb’s mother’s descent into radical religion.

What didn’t work as well: The last 3rd of the book was jarring. I appreciate what Milligan was trying to do with it, but it did not work for me. Instead, I wish we had spent more time with the religious community instead and perhaps the last portion translated into a shorter epilogue. I also struggled with the lengthy sermons and biblical passages. I felt as though they slowed the story down.

However, Milligan’s writing is incredible and the story gripping. It will raise a lot of questions for readers, regardless of their faith.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in 1990s rural Oklahoma, this is a powerful and heart-breaking exploration of the havoc that religious mania can bring in its wake and an insightful and thoughtful portrait of a mother who becomes unhinged because of her religious convictions. It tells the story of Caleb Gunter, whose fanatical mother believes he is the 2nd coming of Christ, and that the two of them are destined to lead the chosen into the Kingdom of Heaven, on a day which is imminent. As they await the end of the world amongst a small community of like-minded believers, events start to spiral out of control. I found it a masterful evocation of a young boy’s conflicts when faced with his mother’s interpretation of the world while his own self-belief starts to shatter. The psychological and emotional consequences of being in a sect or cult are intelligently portrayed without judgement or condemnation. No need, the results are obvious. The pacing is excellent, especially as the tension mounts and I found it an immersive as well as a deeply disturbing piece of writing. When religious extremism seems to be on the rise worldwide, the book is a timely reminder of the human cost of such irrational beliefs. Highly recommended.

[jbgbookgirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

My husband and I often have conversations about how religion is one of the best tools we have at building communities. It provides a place for people to gather who hold a common belief. We also discuss how dangerous that community can become if the leaders within it start to use fear and shame to dictate the actions of its members. This book does an amazing job at showing both sides and just how dangerous it can get when the leaders become too powerful. It reminds me a lot of what it might have been like with the followers of David Koresh and the tragedy of Waco. We follow the life of a young boy who was led to believe he was the second coming of Christ by his mother and how he copes with the aftermath. There were parts where the main character seemed too passive, too peripheral to the story. I would have loved to have witness more of an internal battle that I’m sure he would have experienced but it’s a minor critique. Overall, I felt the story was captivating and strong.
Thank you #netgalley for ARC of #intocaptivitytheywilllgo

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Caleb is created in an unusual way and born into an ultra religious home in the new novel, Into Captivity They Will Go.

After her father’s death, Caleb’s mother, Evelyn, begins to believe she and Caleb are God’s chosen ones. In fact, they both believe Caleb is the second coming of Jesus. To prepare Caleb, who is in elementary school, Evelyn teaches him the Biblical Book of Revelations backwards and forwards. Then they begin to proselytize on street corners...

If you have studied Revelation, there are wide swaths of pages that will be as boring to you as they were to me. The story does eventually pick up the pace and plotting. However, the question is if it is worth waiting for it. For me personally, the answer is no because I didn’t need or like the elaborate setup to the main action. But you may not be as familiar with Biblical prophecies and may need the extended explanation. However, I can only rate Into Captivity They Will Go by my own experience with it. 3 stars.

Thanks to Central Avenue Publishing and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Donald Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of Flannery O’Connor, I’m always up for reading about religious zealots hijacking the stability of those unfortunate souls happening to find themselves in close proximity, so I picked up a copy of Into Captivity They Will Go. Noah Milligan’s sentences are lean and lack the unnecessary embellishments you’d often find in a less confident writer. This allows you to see the empathy he has for his characters and the tremendous respect he has for humanity. It’s hard not to feel bad for the protagonist, Caleb. Groomed as the second coming of Jesus by his mentally ill mother, he is whisked away from his father and brother and taken to a commune of like-minded religious fanatics. Halfway through the novel (or a little more than halfway), after Caleb has done his stint in juvie, the POV changes from third to first person. I applaud Milligan’s experiment. We get to see how Caleb reflects on the madness of his childhood, without the influence of his mother for the first time.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Into Captivity They Will Go is both a testament to radical ideology's potential to blur morality to the point of confusion, as well as a post-trauma coming of age story burdened with questions.

I loved the first 1/3 of the book, highlighting and annotating ironies and lessons. To me, the development of Caleb's mother's radical religious observance was fascinating --to me, it highlighted how psychological trauma including grief and loss can accompany a desire to believe in something greater than ourselves. That we have purpose.

However, I found Caleb's immersion into the commune, and the development of the commune, rushed. I was hoping for more plot on the recruitment and maintenance of the commune.

Similarly, I wish that the last portion of the book dove deeper. (To avoid spoilers, that's all I will say.)

Ultimately, while Milligan's writing was enjoyable and powerful, I wish the plot details and inner workings were beefed up.

[Joann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! It explored both the promising light side of religion, and the dangerous delving too deeply into it side of religion in a way that really resonated with me. I found myself feeling for Caleb as he was thrust into the "my son is the chosen one" spotlight by his mother, who whisks him away to live on a commune and prepare for the end of the world as the seals in Revelation are showing up - according to her.
To me, this book really takes a look at how powerful religion is, and the divides it can cause. I was brought back to the David Koresh Waco cult situation and how sadly it ended for them.
Overall, this was a very solid read, great writing and powerful characters. It will definitely make you think!
Thank you for the ARC!

[Jayne Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first 2/3-3/4 of this book is compelling, page-turning, can't-wait-to-get-back-to-it reading. The last 1/4-1/3 less so. I understand why the author needed to conclude with the fall-out of everything that happened to the main character, Caleb, but it felt a little flat. The writing was really good, in my opinion, and the premise is fantastic. I was a little bothered by the fact that a very gasp-worthy event at the beginning of the book never ended up being the prominent factor I was expecting it to be-although we know that it's part of his mother's downfall, I was expecting it to be revealed in a more impactful way to Caleb. I also think the resolution in the latter part of the book needed a little more punch. Overall, a 3.5.

[Zachary Valladon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book, overall. Prose is gripping... but something about the characters feels disingenuous and it’s hard to come to terms with what is happening in their minds. Basically a two-part book with a perspective change which I admired. Adds a little flair to it.

[Siany Flewog · Rating 4 out of 5]

A shocking read in places.

[Daisy Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This title is a cautionary story about the dangers of religious fundamentalism and grooming. Evelyn Gunter was vulnerable and brainwashed by her stepfather. Her son Caleb, becomes her obsession as she believes he is the saviour of a world that is self-destructing. It is her belief that only 144 000 souls can make their way to the gates of heaven, and so she begins radicalising her youngest son. She takes him away from his father and older brother and they begin a new life with their leader Sam Jenkins who provides them with a home in a community of trailers. Here Caleb feels accepted after experiencing bullying and ostracism in his old life. He comes to believe he is the chosen one and after a tornado hits the community of Grand Lake, leaving its inhabitants without food, clean water or medicine, he feels that perhaps this is God's punishment and he must do all he can to save the world. As more and more people become sick with dysentery, and as news of the cult spreads, the National Guard are called in, and the community barricade themselves in to their worship hall. Evelyn becomes more and more fixated on the end of the world, and as members of their cult begin to question her sanity, and leave their hiding place, she breaks down and ends up shooting the remaining members of her congregation.

The rest of the book deals with Caleb trying to rebuild his life after he serves his sentence in a juvenile detention centre. He is provided with a new identity and is able to get a job, meet a girl and move on from his past. However, as news of his mother's death row execution spreads, he is recognised and his identity is exposed. Refusing to be defined by his past, he instead confronts it head on. He visits his mother in prison, and in one of the most difficult scenes to read, he is there to witness her death by lethal injection. He makes peace with his father and brother, and in the final scene, revisits the site of the trailer community to finally lay the ghosts of his past to rest. Original and beautifully written, this is a difficult read but a brilliant one too.

[Mary Delafield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had a hard time accepting the premise because I don’t really know the culture of rural oklahoma Pentecostal religions. I struggled through the multiple events feeling all the time that the author was trying to take a dig at Oklahoman and right wing fundamentalists as well as being up every news clip that seems to define our state (farming communities, Tornadoes, home-schoolers, small town small mindedness, the Meth crisis, multi-level marketing) as well as the whole religious cult “end of the world” doomsday-ers. Wouldn’t recommend but it was well written and an easy read.

[Ken Hada · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wise book that penetrates the psyche of some misguided, if not weird, approaches to human survival. The daily struggle for meaning in the midst of self-deluded, falsely imagined catastrophe.