When 15-year-old Ivy discovered that she was pregnant, she was rejected by the father of her baby. After her parents wanted her to terminate the pregnancy, she ran away and found refuge at the Community, a cult in Western Mass. under the dictatorial control of Joel, its leader. Contact with the outside world and access to books are forbidden. When Ivy's daughter, Mia, is born and matures to adolescence she begins to chafe against the commune's oppressive environment. During a visit to the bordering town to sell produe from the Community's farm, she is befriended by a librarian who gives her a book, which she hides and reads after all have gone to bed. One book turns into several, which she hides under the floorboards of a barn. These books offer her a method to escape her current situation and to explore other worlds. Soon, the boundaries between reality and fantasy blur.
Ever since reading Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, I have always enjoyed books which include themes of books and reading. The setting in the book is so well described that I felt as if I became part of its world. Although most of the cult's characters were stereotypes of what one would expect, the Ivy and Mia were well fleshed out. I particularly appreciated those that Mia encountered that showed her kindness. Alice Hoffman also introduced a touch of magical realism which is a literary device used in her books.
Ever since reading Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, I have always enjoyed books which include themes of books and reading. The setting in the book is so well described that I felt as if I became part of its world. Although most of the cult's characters were stereotypes of what one would expect, the Ivy and Mia were well fleshed out. I particularly appreciated those that Mia encountered that showed her kindness. Alice Hoffman also introduced a touch of magical realism which is a literary device used in her books.