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Leaving Fishers
Dorry is unbearably lonely at her new high school until she meets Angela and her circle of friends. She soon discovers they all belong to a religious group, the Fishers of Men. At first, as Dorry becomes involved with the Fishers, she is eager to fit in and flattered by her new friends' attention.
But the Fishers make harsh demands of their members, and Dorry must make greater and greater sacrifices. In demonstrating her devotion, Dorry finds herself compromising her grades, her job, and even her family's love. How much is too much? And where will the cult's demands end?
But the Fishers make harsh demands of their members, and Dorry must make greater and greater sacrifices. In demonstrating her devotion, Dorry finds herself compromising her grades, her job, and even her family's love. How much is too much? And where will the cult's demands end?
272 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 1997
22 people are currently reading
967 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Peterson Haddix
132 books6,352 followersMargaret Peterson Haddix grew up on a farm near Washington Court House, Ohio. She graduated from Miami University (of Ohio) with degrees in English/journalism, English/creative writing and history. Before her first book was published, she worked as a newspaper copy editor in Fort Wayne, Indiana; a newspaper reporter in Indianapolis; and a community college instructor and freelance writer in Danville, Illinois.
She has since written more than 25 books for kids and teens, including Running Out of Time; Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey; Leaving Fishers; Just Ella; Turnabout; Takeoffs and Landings; The Girl with 500 Middle Names; Because of Anya; Escape from Memory; Say What?; The House on the Gulf; Double Identity; Dexter the Tough; Uprising; Palace of Mirrors; Claim to Fame; the Shadow Children series; and the Missing series. She also wrote Into the Gauntlet, the tenth book in the 39 Clues series. Her books have been honored with New York Times bestseller status, the International Reading Association’s Children’s Book Award; American Library Association Best Book and Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers notations; and more than a dozen state reader’s choice awards.
Haddix and her husband, Doug, now live in Columbus, Ohio, with their two children.
She has since written more than 25 books for kids and teens, including Running Out of Time; Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey; Leaving Fishers; Just Ella; Turnabout; Takeoffs and Landings; The Girl with 500 Middle Names; Because of Anya; Escape from Memory; Say What?; The House on the Gulf; Double Identity; Dexter the Tough; Uprising; Palace of Mirrors; Claim to Fame; the Shadow Children series; and the Missing series. She also wrote Into the Gauntlet, the tenth book in the 39 Clues series. Her books have been honored with New York Times bestseller status, the International Reading Association’s Children’s Book Award; American Library Association Best Book and Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers notations; and more than a dozen state reader’s choice awards.
Haddix and her husband, Doug, now live in Columbus, Ohio, with their two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
May 29, 2007
This is one of my very favorite books. It's definitely one of Haddix's creepiest works, and not for the reason you'd think. The heroine is a girl named Dorry, who after years of living in the country just moved to a big city. She thinks she's going to be totally alone all of junior year... until she meets Angela. Angela's friends are the nicest people Dorry's ever met. She soons learns that they're part of a religious group called the Fishers of Men. Desperate to fit in, Dorry willingly goes to a few functions, and soon she has converted to Christianity and been welcomed into the folds of the Fishers.
But the Fishers of Men are strict. What first struck Dorry as an innocent church group soon reveals itself to be frighteningly similar to a cult. But Dorry is oblivious to the danger, blindly following their every command, until something changes...
What I loved about this book, though, is that it takes a harsh viewpoint on cultish fanaticism, but not on Christianity. Haddix herself is a leader of a Christian youth group. Dorry, too, believes that it was the Fishers who were warped, not the religion. All in all, it's an incredibly drawn story, one that will send shivers down your spine.
But the Fishers of Men are strict. What first struck Dorry as an innocent church group soon reveals itself to be frighteningly similar to a cult. But Dorry is oblivious to the danger, blindly following their every command, until something changes...
What I loved about this book, though, is that it takes a harsh viewpoint on cultish fanaticism, but not on Christianity. Haddix herself is a leader of a Christian youth group. Dorry, too, believes that it was the Fishers who were warped, not the religion. All in all, it's an incredibly drawn story, one that will send shivers down your spine.
January 13, 2015
This is a solid YA novel about one teenage girl's brush with religious fanaticism.
Dorry is a lonely highschooler who's just moved to the Indianapolis suburbs. She's left all her friends behind, and she feels completely out of her depth at her new school. After a couple of miserable weeks, she's finally invited to join a group of students at lunch, who make it clear that they're eager to welcome her. Soon, they begin to invite her to parties and gatherings with their church group, the Fishers of Men. Dorry, a casual Methodist, has never really thought about God or salvation before, but soon she is bombarded with talk of salvation, and is drawn into the church. As she gets more involved, the love and excitement takes a darker turn: it now seems that every move she makes, every thought she has, is controlled by the Fishers. But if the alternative is to be cast out of God's grace, it's worth it, isn't it?
As I was reading this, I kept thinking back to an excellent documentary I watched a while back on Jonestown. One of the things that was most chilling about that documentary is that, learning about the church's beginnings and how people were drawn in, it didn't seem that crazy that people would end up so deeply involved. I could almost imagine myself getting sucked in, too. Haddix manages to hit the same notes with this book -- the reader can understand completely why Dorry wants to be part of the Fishers, and why she stays as long as she does. I also appreciated that in spite of everything, the book is very strongly anti-fanaticism, without being anti-God or anti-religion.
Dorry is a lonely highschooler who's just moved to the Indianapolis suburbs. She's left all her friends behind, and she feels completely out of her depth at her new school. After a couple of miserable weeks, she's finally invited to join a group of students at lunch, who make it clear that they're eager to welcome her. Soon, they begin to invite her to parties and gatherings with their church group, the Fishers of Men. Dorry, a casual Methodist, has never really thought about God or salvation before, but soon she is bombarded with talk of salvation, and is drawn into the church. As she gets more involved, the love and excitement takes a darker turn: it now seems that every move she makes, every thought she has, is controlled by the Fishers. But if the alternative is to be cast out of God's grace, it's worth it, isn't it?
As I was reading this, I kept thinking back to an excellent documentary I watched a while back on Jonestown. One of the things that was most chilling about that documentary is that, learning about the church's beginnings and how people were drawn in, it didn't seem that crazy that people would end up so deeply involved. I could almost imagine myself getting sucked in, too. Haddix manages to hit the same notes with this book -- the reader can understand completely why Dorry wants to be part of the Fishers, and why she stays as long as she does. I also appreciated that in spite of everything, the book is very strongly anti-fanaticism, without being anti-God or anti-religion.
December 31, 2012
Margaret Peterson Haddix delievers another harrowing, thought-provoking, chilling book. It is much too real and believable for comfort. In fact, it may serve as a warning for what some of it's readers will encounter in their lives. Dorry, an averagely unpopular, average-looking, smart, hard-working tenth-grader moves to a new town with her averagely busy and lazy parents. Slowly but surely, she gets sweeped into a cult. It starts off as fun, with any unease quickly frosted with the shining, glossy radiance of her new friends, but the demands stack and mount until the reader feels Dorry is standing on the edge of the cliff. Although a thin book, it seems to last long. The book is not too scary,as it is for young teens, but the fact that the content is not R-rated seems to make it even more effective, even easier to imagine. It is not at all offensive to religion; it may even strengthen actual peaceful and loving personal beliefs. A fascinating read, psychology for young adults, and definitely not too creepy to not read it (a lot less scary than, say, Harry Potter).
May 22, 2019
When Dorry's father loses his job in Bryden, Ohio, the family is forced to move to Indianapolis. Due to lack of money, they live in a small apartment. Dorry finds it difficult to make friends at her new high school. She's lonely and eats lunch by herself every day. One afternoon, Angela invites Dorry to eat with her group of friends and Dorry jumps at the chance. The friends are nice to Dorry and readily include her in their conversation. One even offers to help her with homework. Finally, some new friends and acceptance!
The group asks Dorry to a party that Friday night, and Dorry is introduced to their church, 'Fishers of Men'. On a retreat, Dorry accepts the Lord and becomes baptized as a member of the Fishers. Although some of the demands the Fishers begin to make of Dorry - for more and more of her time, and pushing for evangelism - seem benign at first, she eventually starts to question what is happening. The group's commands become almost impossible for Dorry to obey, and her life and health begin to suffer. Can she get out before it's too late?
This book takes a fascinating look at how cults work in the world today. The basic premise behind Fishers is not necessarily a bad one - it's basic Christian principles, based on the Bible. Yet the Fishers take that idea and create their own beliefs based on supreme loyalty to the group. Dorry is just like most teens, insecure and wanting friends. It's interesting for her to look back and see just how readily she was sucked into the group and how easily any one of us could do the same thing under similar circumstances.
I was enthralled with this story from the beginning and literally could not put it down until the end. Margaret Haddix is an excellent writer, who continues to push the envelope with timely and captivating topics. Although we often think of cults as something strange, that only attract crazy people, this novel will help everyone be aware of their subtle dangers. Leaving Fishers will give you a lot to think about and discuss with friends.
The group asks Dorry to a party that Friday night, and Dorry is introduced to their church, 'Fishers of Men'. On a retreat, Dorry accepts the Lord and becomes baptized as a member of the Fishers. Although some of the demands the Fishers begin to make of Dorry - for more and more of her time, and pushing for evangelism - seem benign at first, she eventually starts to question what is happening. The group's commands become almost impossible for Dorry to obey, and her life and health begin to suffer. Can she get out before it's too late?
This book takes a fascinating look at how cults work in the world today. The basic premise behind Fishers is not necessarily a bad one - it's basic Christian principles, based on the Bible. Yet the Fishers take that idea and create their own beliefs based on supreme loyalty to the group. Dorry is just like most teens, insecure and wanting friends. It's interesting for her to look back and see just how readily she was sucked into the group and how easily any one of us could do the same thing under similar circumstances.
I was enthralled with this story from the beginning and literally could not put it down until the end. Margaret Haddix is an excellent writer, who continues to push the envelope with timely and captivating topics. Although we often think of cults as something strange, that only attract crazy people, this novel will help everyone be aware of their subtle dangers. Leaving Fishers will give you a lot to think about and discuss with friends.
April 1, 2018
1. Overall, I thought this was a good book that kept me reading. I didn't want to put it down. Mainly, because I'm obsessed with any book about cults.
2. The book did gloss over a lot of things thought that I thought hindered the story. For example, the relationship between Dorry and her parents and Lara's side of things.
3. There were so many typos in this book! It looks like some of the letter "n" kept getting replaced with a "y" with two dots over it. There was a misspelled word. Those kinds of things drive me insane and don't take the writing as seriously. And the dad, "Weren't nothing you could do." If you wanted to put dialect in there, that's fine, but this was the only instance of that.
4. And these kids live in the United States but two British terms were used in one page: jumper for shirt and shags for haircut.
5. Angela needs punched in the face.
6. It sounds like the lower the Fishers were on the rung, the more they questioned the religion. I'm guessing it's because they were more controlled and the higher ups like power.
7. If you liked the book Keep Sweet by Michele Green, you will like this book.
8. I liked that Dorry was in high school, isolated, and new. It made her a perfect candidate to be controlled.
9. What would have happened if Lara would have been the one to disciple Dorry?
10. This would have been interesting in Angela's point of view.
2. The book did gloss over a lot of things thought that I thought hindered the story. For example, the relationship between Dorry and her parents and Lara's side of things.
3. There were so many typos in this book! It looks like some of the letter "n" kept getting replaced with a "y" with two dots over it. There was a misspelled word. Those kinds of things drive me insane and don't take the writing as seriously. And the dad, "Weren't nothing you could do." If you wanted to put dialect in there, that's fine, but this was the only instance of that.
4. And these kids live in the United States but two British terms were used in one page: jumper for shirt and shags for haircut.
5. Angela needs punched in the face.
6. It sounds like the lower the Fishers were on the rung, the more they questioned the religion. I'm guessing it's because they were more controlled and the higher ups like power.
7. If you liked the book Keep Sweet by Michele Green, you will like this book.
8. I liked that Dorry was in high school, isolated, and new. It made her a perfect candidate to be controlled.
9. What would have happened if Lara would have been the one to disciple Dorry?
10. This would have been interesting in Angela's point of view.
September 30, 2012
I heard Margaret Peterson Haddix talk about this book at a recent book signing and I was intrigued. It's one of her first books (she's written more than 30!) and she mentioned that it was the most difficult to write, probably because it has to do with religion.
I picked it up and found that it was an absorbing account of a girl's journey into a weird religious cult. Dorry's new in a big city suburban school and the only friendly people are kids that belong to a group called the Fishers. Totally believable and (kind of horrifying) description of how a seemingly "nice" group can ensnare new members. Started this book in the morning and couldn't put it down until I found out how Dorry left the Fishers.
I picked it up and found that it was an absorbing account of a girl's journey into a weird religious cult. Dorry's new in a big city suburban school and the only friendly people are kids that belong to a group called the Fishers. Totally believable and (kind of horrifying) description of how a seemingly "nice" group can ensnare new members. Started this book in the morning and couldn't put it down until I found out how Dorry left the Fishers.
August 29, 2022
Not a favourite, though I usually love Haddix's books (and for that matter, books about cults). The narrator's voice is just too babyish to endure for the entire book.
November 8, 2016
I’m always searching for well-researched fiction about religious abuse, so when a fellow book blogger recommended Leaving Fishers to me, I immediately tracked down a copy.
The main character, Dorry, moves from a rural town to the city. She’s lonely in her new high school until she meets a group of kids who call themselves the Fishers of Men. They all attend the same church. Eager to fit in, Dorry quickly joins their church and makes a bunch of new friends, but soon her friends’ demands become overwhelming. They want her to spend all of her time with them. They punish her for her “sins” and convince her to give her college savings to their church. Dorry feels like she’s losing control of her life and decides to leave the Fishers. (That’s not a spoiler. Look at the title.) But, leaving isn’t as easy as it seems.
The research in this book is on-point. I have read a lot of nonfiction about cults and religious extremism, so I have a fairly good understanding of how these things work. Leaving Fishers follows the cult-initiation “script” so closely that I could almost predict what would happen next in the story. That might sound like a bad thing, but it isn’t. I love that the author actually did her research. So many authors don’t. They just repeat stereotypes and misinformation.
Unfortunately, the research is the only thing I love about the book. The writing is very bland, and I never got invested in the characters’ lives.
My main problem with the book is the character development. There isn’t any. I know that the Fishers’ religion has completely taken over the characters’ lives, but they should still have personalities, right? Dorry has a crush on one of the boys in the group, and I don’t know why. I don’t even remember his name because he’s a cardboard “hot guy” character. All of the characters are flat, even Dorry. I think this book would have benefitted from being longer and slower-paced. It’s only 260 pages. So much stuff happens in those pages that we don’t have time to learn about the characters. Everything feels rushed.
I also wasn’t a huge fan of the ending. I’m thrilled that the author did her research, but is it possible for a book to be too well-researched? At the end of the novel, Dorry meets an ex-Fisher who tells her all about cults. Their discussion is too educational for my tastes. Between the lack of character development, the rushed plot, and the educational ending, the book feels like a cautionary tale instead of an entertaining novel. The message is Watch out for cults, kids. I guess that’s a helpful message, but it’s too heavy-handed for me.
Leaving Fishers is one of the better-researched cult novels I’ve read, so if you’re looking for accuracy, I’d recommend this one, but I was expecting more than just a cautionary tale.
The main character, Dorry, moves from a rural town to the city. She’s lonely in her new high school until she meets a group of kids who call themselves the Fishers of Men. They all attend the same church. Eager to fit in, Dorry quickly joins their church and makes a bunch of new friends, but soon her friends’ demands become overwhelming. They want her to spend all of her time with them. They punish her for her “sins” and convince her to give her college savings to their church. Dorry feels like she’s losing control of her life and decides to leave the Fishers. (That’s not a spoiler. Look at the title.) But, leaving isn’t as easy as it seems.
The research in this book is on-point. I have read a lot of nonfiction about cults and religious extremism, so I have a fairly good understanding of how these things work. Leaving Fishers follows the cult-initiation “script” so closely that I could almost predict what would happen next in the story. That might sound like a bad thing, but it isn’t. I love that the author actually did her research. So many authors don’t. They just repeat stereotypes and misinformation.
Unfortunately, the research is the only thing I love about the book. The writing is very bland, and I never got invested in the characters’ lives.
My main problem with the book is the character development. There isn’t any. I know that the Fishers’ religion has completely taken over the characters’ lives, but they should still have personalities, right? Dorry has a crush on one of the boys in the group, and I don’t know why. I don’t even remember his name because he’s a cardboard “hot guy” character. All of the characters are flat, even Dorry. I think this book would have benefitted from being longer and slower-paced. It’s only 260 pages. So much stuff happens in those pages that we don’t have time to learn about the characters. Everything feels rushed.
I also wasn’t a huge fan of the ending. I’m thrilled that the author did her research, but is it possible for a book to be too well-researched? At the end of the novel, Dorry meets an ex-Fisher who tells her all about cults. Their discussion is too educational for my tastes. Between the lack of character development, the rushed plot, and the educational ending, the book feels like a cautionary tale instead of an entertaining novel. The message is Watch out for cults, kids. I guess that’s a helpful message, but it’s too heavy-handed for me.
Leaving Fishers is one of the better-researched cult novels I’ve read, so if you’re looking for accuracy, I’d recommend this one, but I was expecting more than just a cautionary tale.
October 6, 2011
Have you ever felt like you are being forced to do things you dont want to by your friends? Well the book called Leaving Fishers is pretty much all about "friends" pushing her into doing things she doesn't want to do. The author had a good strategy to keep readers hooked to the book. What I did and didn't like about this book. I would recommend this book to youth or people still in high school.
"Do I really have to do this?" Dorry thought. Dorry didnt want to do a lot things her "friends" were having her do. All this started when Dorry had to move to "the big city." The first week of school she finds her self alone with no friends. Then she meets Angela and her group of friends. Dorry eventually becomes a fisher, but becoming a fisher didn't seem right. With every event and all the thing she "had" to do, made her want to leave and get out of fishers. But does Dorry have the courage to leave her "friends" and have to go back to her old ways?
Can Dorry do it? Well read and find out! This is pretty much what the author does through out the whole book. There will be a problem then Dorry will be so close to solving it. All the sudden theirs a new problem in the middle of that problem she will solve the last problem. It is an interesting way to keep readers hooked. Especially if they understand the problems she is trying to solve. That is one of the things I like about the book.
I like this book because the author keeps readers hooked. There are a lot of other reasons to like this book, but I would say this is my favorite reason. I have a hard time getting into books, especially if there aren't a lot of attention getters. I like books that have a problem and then a resolution and then a new problem. Realistic books get my attention easily too.
I didnt like some things in this book because the fishers were pushing Dorry into doing things she did not want to do. "I hate heights" she wanted to say. "I don't have to do this, do I?... Angela's clear voice asked behind her, "Do you trust us?" "Yes" Dorry mumbled "Are you willing to stake your life to prove it?" "Yes" Dorry mumbled again. Dorry felt she had to do this because she did not want to loose her new "friends"
This book is great!! I would recommend it to youth or people still in high school. Its great because it is realistic. If you have ever moved and felt you didn't fit in then that is another great reason to read this book. This book tells people that "friends" or people you know may act nice and do things to be your friend, but in the end they may stab you in the back. So be careful to whom you may choose as a friend.
This book is great! I was hooked from the first day I started it! Don't let people push you into doing things you dont want to do! Read books your interested in. Books that get you hooked. Make sure you like the book and is something you will like. If you don't like some things that are in the book that doesn't mean it isn't a good book. Have fun and read more books. I liked this book it was awesome. I was hooked, and I would recommend it to people my age!
"Do I really have to do this?" Dorry thought. Dorry didnt want to do a lot things her "friends" were having her do. All this started when Dorry had to move to "the big city." The first week of school she finds her self alone with no friends. Then she meets Angela and her group of friends. Dorry eventually becomes a fisher, but becoming a fisher didn't seem right. With every event and all the thing she "had" to do, made her want to leave and get out of fishers. But does Dorry have the courage to leave her "friends" and have to go back to her old ways?
Can Dorry do it? Well read and find out! This is pretty much what the author does through out the whole book. There will be a problem then Dorry will be so close to solving it. All the sudden theirs a new problem in the middle of that problem she will solve the last problem. It is an interesting way to keep readers hooked. Especially if they understand the problems she is trying to solve. That is one of the things I like about the book.
I like this book because the author keeps readers hooked. There are a lot of other reasons to like this book, but I would say this is my favorite reason. I have a hard time getting into books, especially if there aren't a lot of attention getters. I like books that have a problem and then a resolution and then a new problem. Realistic books get my attention easily too.
I didnt like some things in this book because the fishers were pushing Dorry into doing things she did not want to do. "I hate heights" she wanted to say. "I don't have to do this, do I?... Angela's clear voice asked behind her, "Do you trust us?" "Yes" Dorry mumbled "Are you willing to stake your life to prove it?" "Yes" Dorry mumbled again. Dorry felt she had to do this because she did not want to loose her new "friends"
This book is great!! I would recommend it to youth or people still in high school. Its great because it is realistic. If you have ever moved and felt you didn't fit in then that is another great reason to read this book. This book tells people that "friends" or people you know may act nice and do things to be your friend, but in the end they may stab you in the back. So be careful to whom you may choose as a friend.
This book is great! I was hooked from the first day I started it! Don't let people push you into doing things you dont want to do! Read books your interested in. Books that get you hooked. Make sure you like the book and is something you will like. If you don't like some things that are in the book that doesn't mean it isn't a good book. Have fun and read more books. I liked this book it was awesome. I was hooked, and I would recommend it to people my age!
March 19, 2014
Dorry is a new girl that just moved from a small town in Ohio to the big city of Indianapolis. She is not that pretty and she does not really care about appearance. She wants to be noticed but she is not always wanted by other people. She is shy and does not want to be the center of attention. They moved because Dorry's dad got a new job, but their plan was to move back as soon as they could, which would be when Dorry graduates high school. Dorry is having a rough time making friends and she feels very left out. The only thing she wants is someone to call a friend. She had plenty of friends back in Ohio but she does not have any in Indiana.
Dorry is then taken into a group of very religious friends. They try to hide it at first but then they involve her more and more and all she wants is friends so she does not ever disagree. They call themselves The Fishers. In that group the main girl is Angela. She is a very pretty blonde girl. She wears fancy clothes and likes to be in charge. The main boy is Brad and he is very good looking. He has a witty attitude. They all seem very nice at first. They all want to be good friends with her and they never stop telling her how much they care.
The Fishers take Dorry to many different church parties and retreats. She really enjoys it and she watches as people give their lives over to God and she thinks it is crazy. The Fishers make the people in the groups do scary things to prove their trust. They keep wanting more and more from her. They want her to put The Fishers before everything else in her life like her grades, family, and job. She just needs to know where to stop and hope that she has not gone too far already.
Dorry is then taken into a group of very religious friends. They try to hide it at first but then they involve her more and more and all she wants is friends so she does not ever disagree. They call themselves The Fishers. In that group the main girl is Angela. She is a very pretty blonde girl. She wears fancy clothes and likes to be in charge. The main boy is Brad and he is very good looking. He has a witty attitude. They all seem very nice at first. They all want to be good friends with her and they never stop telling her how much they care.
The Fishers take Dorry to many different church parties and retreats. She really enjoys it and she watches as people give their lives over to God and she thinks it is crazy. The Fishers make the people in the groups do scary things to prove their trust. They keep wanting more and more from her. They want her to put The Fishers before everything else in her life like her grades, family, and job. She just needs to know where to stop and hope that she has not gone too far already.
November 24, 2017
Though written with high accessibility for the less-advanced reader and featuring a high school-aged protagonist, this book is the single greatest exploration I've ever read about what it's like to move into the inner workings of the church world. It's fiction, to be sure, but the overlap with our experiences serving in four different churches over 20 years is spot on.
I picked up this book in our school library because I needed a new book for our independent reading time, and I try to stay current with what we are offering our students. I had no idea what it was about, but I recognized the author's name. She's the one who wrote *Running Out of Time,* which is the book my daughter, Laura, had to read in 5th grade, and that I stayed up with until 1:00AM because I could not put it down! *Leaving Fishers* had the same effect on me. Highly engaging!
I picked up this book in our school library because I needed a new book for our independent reading time, and I try to stay current with what we are offering our students. I had no idea what it was about, but I recognized the author's name. She's the one who wrote *Running Out of Time,* which is the book my daughter, Laura, had to read in 5th grade, and that I stayed up with until 1:00AM because I could not put it down! *Leaving Fishers* had the same effect on me. Highly engaging!
October 2, 2017
I liked Leaving Fishers. It just wasn't my type of book. Nothing dramatic happened until the end of the book. There were no shocking moments until the end of the book. If the entire book was like the ending of it the book it would've been 10x better.
September 16, 2015
I enjoy a good church cult story.
November 3, 2018
I picked up this book because I try every year to read a book for every state, some years closer, some years not so much
This covers Indiana since Dorry moved form a small country town to a bigger city in Indiana in her junior year. Such a tough year to move and she is outcast and lonely until Angela invites her to join her group at lunch. It starts out causally as just hanging out at lunch and see each other in the hallways and classrooms.
Soon Dorry is invited to join them for a church outing, doesn't seem to bad just a social party to get to meet new friends. Before she knows it the church has taken over her life, and makes very high demands on her. Her parents start to question how much time the Church is consuming of Dorry's life and object to the requirements/demands it places on her.
Dorry manages to break away and is an outcast again, a former member finds her and they start talking about their experiences. After reading this I have a better understanding of how cults operate and manage to convince people their way is the only right way and why people would do anything for the acceptance of the cult
This covers Indiana since Dorry moved form a small country town to a bigger city in Indiana in her junior year. Such a tough year to move and she is outcast and lonely until Angela invites her to join her group at lunch. It starts out causally as just hanging out at lunch and see each other in the hallways and classrooms.
Soon Dorry is invited to join them for a church outing, doesn't seem to bad just a social party to get to meet new friends. Before she knows it the church has taken over her life, and makes very high demands on her. Her parents start to question how much time the Church is consuming of Dorry's life and object to the requirements/demands it places on her.
Dorry manages to break away and is an outcast again, a former member finds her and they start talking about their experiences. After reading this I have a better understanding of how cults operate and manage to convince people their way is the only right way and why people would do anything for the acceptance of the cult
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May 25, 2023 When small town girl Dorry moves with her family to Indianapolis, she finds herself depressingly lonely, until a girl named Angela invites her to eat with her friends. Dorry is welcomed immediately, and eventually they tell her about their religious group, the Fishers. Eagerly, Dorry joins, but finds that their demands are bigger and bigger, driving a wedge between Dorry and her schoolwork, her parents, her job, and even her self-esteem. Dorry begins to hate everything about the Fishers, but struggles to know if she should break away.
Personally, I loved this book. Haddix did a wonderful job of showing the gradual process of brainwashing Dory undergoes, especially with her internal dialogue. It's a reminder to think critically about what you believe, but the book doesn't fall into the classic trap of "all religion is bad", quite the opposite. It advocates real religion and figuring out your own beliefs, and while the ending doesn't completely resolve everything, that feels appropriate, given where the story ends. There are some pretty psychologically intense moments in this book, but it's nothing too graphic, so most teens should be fine reading it.
Personally, I loved this book. Haddix did a wonderful job of showing the gradual process of brainwashing Dory undergoes, especially with her internal dialogue. It's a reminder to think critically about what you believe, but the book doesn't fall into the classic trap of "all religion is bad", quite the opposite. It advocates real religion and figuring out your own beliefs, and while the ending doesn't completely resolve everything, that feels appropriate, given where the story ends. There are some pretty psychologically intense moments in this book, but it's nothing too graphic, so most teens should be fine reading it.
October 27, 2016
I liked this book because I feel like it was very original and creative. You probably won't find many books that revolve around a teenage girl joining and leaving a religious cult. Which is why I like Margaret Peterson Haddix's books. Though it was a little slow in the beginning, and she only really starts "leaving" the Fishers towards the end of the book. She also doesn't really seem to have a mind of her own, blindly following every command the Fishers give her. That may just be a part of her personality, but I personally can't relate to that. I would be doubting them even after they apparently "brainwashed me". But overall, it was definitely an interesting read.
I would recommend this book to people interested in cults or people who like other books by Margaret Peterson Haddix, like myself. I probably wouldn't recommend it to people who are constantly doubting everything that is told to them, as they may be frustrated with how Dory accepts everything the Fisher's feed to her.
I would recommend this book to people interested in cults or people who like other books by Margaret Peterson Haddix, like myself. I probably wouldn't recommend it to people who are constantly doubting everything that is told to them, as they may be frustrated with how Dory accepts everything the Fisher's feed to her.
February 3, 2023
It's some years since I read this book, but it made a deep impression on me.
It's well written and hard to put down. It shows how a cult can disguise itself as a legitimate church and draw in a lonely person. And how hard it is to leave, even after you've caught on to how destructive it is. But it's not didactic, it's a story, and more powerful because of that - you come to care about the protagonist very much.
I believe a character points out near the end that not all churches are bad just because some are predatory - I appreciated that.
The 1997 Simon and Schuster hardback which I read had a website at the end for anyone who needed more information about cults or help getting out of one. But when I went to that website (in the early 2000s, I think), I found that, sadly, it had been taken over by a cult (Scientology?) and instead of helping to divert or rescue people from cults was now trying to convince them that there was no such thing as a cult and that these groups are good.
It's well written and hard to put down. It shows how a cult can disguise itself as a legitimate church and draw in a lonely person. And how hard it is to leave, even after you've caught on to how destructive it is. But it's not didactic, it's a story, and more powerful because of that - you come to care about the protagonist very much.
I believe a character points out near the end that not all churches are bad just because some are predatory - I appreciated that.
The 1997 Simon and Schuster hardback which I read had a website at the end for anyone who needed more information about cults or help getting out of one. But when I went to that website (in the early 2000s, I think), I found that, sadly, it had been taken over by a cult (Scientology?) and instead of helping to divert or rescue people from cults was now trying to convince them that there was no such thing as a cult and that these groups are good.
September 29, 2017
This book is kinda disturbing, but that's how it's supposed to be. When you start out, Dorry's new friends don't seem terribly abnormal. If you're at all familiar with these types of cults and especially if you know the premise of the book, there's something that feels a little off, but it still seems fairly harmless. But the further you get in the weirder and creepier it gets. And you hope that Dorry isn't trapped in it forever. Due to thematic material and some references to more Adult things (not described, just mentioned) I wouldn't recommend it for children, but I would recommend it for older teens and adults. It was a good book.
May 18, 2018
I think everyone should read this book. The main issues of identity and religion are well thought out. My only complaints would be that it was a little hard to read and that the ending could have been better written. The end occurs to suddenly and while there is a conclusion, I wish I could have seen that conclusion happen instead of having it explained in the last chapter. I believe this book is important because it important to be a critical thinker, especially in our world of readily available information. This book does an amazing job of explaining why critical thinking is important and how it isn’t always the easiest thing to do.
February 15, 2020
Honestly, I didn't think that it would be that good. I thought it would just show the surface level of how a cult works and give some kind of generic story. It wasn't that deep but it actually gave a good and compelling story about how cults tend to get to vulnerable people and how it can affect them. I just kind of wish it was darker.
Maybe that's why I wasn't that comfortable with the ending. I didn't really feel like a conclusion. It just felt like some things were missing.
I still recommend that book though. It's an interesting read
Maybe that's why I wasn't that comfortable with the ending. I didn't really feel like a conclusion. It just felt like some things were missing.
I still recommend that book though. It's an interesting read
July 24, 2022
[ spoilers ]
It was an interesting book to read, I had never read about religious cults in young adolescents, not even out of fiction, I liked it a lot.
As I read, I felt desperate because of the things that Angela said to Dorry, how she should avoid eating in Thanksgiving, how she made her feel guilty about many things, or even giving all her work money to the Fishers. I had to make a pause because it overwhelmed me sometimes, but I wanted to end the book to see what happens at the end. The fact that it gave me that trapped sensation is what I liked about this book.
It was an interesting book to read, I had never read about religious cults in young adolescents, not even out of fiction, I liked it a lot.
As I read, I felt desperate because of the things that Angela said to Dorry, how she should avoid eating in Thanksgiving, how she made her feel guilty about many things, or even giving all her work money to the Fishers. I had to make a pause because it overwhelmed me sometimes, but I wanted to end the book to see what happens at the end. The fact that it gave me that trapped sensation is what I liked about this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2018
This book is about a girl named Dorry Stevens who moves from a small town outside of nowhere. Her father has to get a job transfer. She then moves to a city in Illinois where she has no friends.
One day a group of nice looking people asks her to site with then she becomes there friends. Her new friends then ask her to join their religious cult called the fishers. Its very funny the things dorry does to try to fit into this group and that's why it's a good book.
One day a group of nice looking people asks her to site with then she becomes there friends. Her new friends then ask her to join their religious cult called the fishers. Its very funny the things dorry does to try to fit into this group and that's why it's a good book.
November 6, 2018
To start with... you can't go wrong with Margaret Peterson Haddix. You just can't it's not possible so buckle up and enjoy this book. Just go to your local library and find her on the shelves and just start reading.
This one in particular, everyone wants to figure out where they fit in, wants to have a friend group they are solid in but when that friend group has a bit of a cult vibe... well you might be better off eating lunch alone.
I loved this book, finished it in one sitting because why not, I didn't have a life I needed to tend to at all, it's cool Margaret.
If you like a bit of coming-of-age-tale, attempting to find your place in school and a bit over zealous religious touch then pick this up and thank me later.
This one in particular, everyone wants to figure out where they fit in, wants to have a friend group they are solid in but when that friend group has a bit of a cult vibe... well you might be better off eating lunch alone.
I loved this book, finished it in one sitting because why not, I didn't have a life I needed to tend to at all, it's cool Margaret.
If you like a bit of coming-of-age-tale, attempting to find your place in school and a bit over zealous religious touch then pick this up and thank me later.
August 17, 2019
The M.O. of a cult is mind control, thus control of every part of a person's life. I want to clarify a couple things: The mother said "we are all christians". That is not our default. A Christian is one who follows Jesus Christ. Another statement said the Bible is full of contradictions. That is not true. There are no contradictions with God's word. Find one.
February 25, 2023
This book is misnamed; the main character doesn't leave Fishers till chapter twenty-five, but to say so here is no spoiler, since it's right there in the title. I rarely read a book that I wish were longer, but this book felt too short and one-dimensional to me. I could have handled two more parallel stories told from the POV of nearby characters to give Dorry's story the nuance it deserves.
January 4, 2024
This was very interesting. If you like a book that keeps your mind racing and never stops twisting and turning, this is for you. It kept me on my feet, and once I got into it, it was hard to put down. My only complaint would be that it was a big slow to get in to at first, but once I got through the first few chapters I just wanted to understand what was going on!
December 11, 2025
An interesting YA read with a story of a teenage girl drawn into a cult. It paints a believable picture of how someone can get drawn into a coercive group. While some cultural elements of the story may feel dated the protrayl of how love bombing, control, and isolation can draw someone into a cult.
August 15, 2017
I loved this book it was raw and truthful and not everything works out in the end. She deals with a real problem, although we can't all relate, as we have not gone through it we all have felt the way the main character had.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2020
Well done. Is as described. Realistic, reasonable and what I would consider accurate. The ending fits well on all points. Important subject matter for high school and college in particular, but also for anyone interested in this topic.
December 30, 2022
Religious cults are scary and compelling and hard to escape and run by people who are evil scammers. There are all these things out there that "everyone knows obviously," and it's easy to forget where we first encountered and learned each one.
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