In the 1960s, seventeen-year-old Melinda leaves an abusive home for San Francisco, meets the charismatic Henry, and follows him to his desert commune where sex and drugs are free, but soon his "family" becomes violent against rich and powerful people and she is compelled to join in.
Reviews with the most likes.
Ughhhh I'm so disappointed.
I loved the first 2 “acts” of this book. Even if it is literally Charles Manson's story. I don't even think you could say it's “inspired by” because really the only thing they bothered to change was that Charles's name was “Henry”.
But I was still really enjoying it!
I love a novel told in verse, and found Ostow's writing style to be very beautiful.
I really enjoyed the fact that this didn't feel like I was being told a story, it felt like I was reading Mel's diary. I wasn't drawn into it feeling like I was experiencing what happened the way most novels are and it was a refreshing take on a cult novel.
I could really Mel's delusions about Henry and her belief in the family. And it was so cool. Getting that perspective from a cult member? I was eating it up.
And then we hit act 3. Which is just repeating previous chapters with a bit more information thrown in to clarify things. And maybe it's because I read this in one sitting but I don't want to read the same chapters over again 100 pages later. So that already knocked it down probably half a star for me.
And then the spoilery bits that knocked another half star off. This just wasn't what I wanted from an ending. For Mel to suddenly find clarity and give up on Henry and the entire family? I hated it. I wish we would have kept the brainwashed perspective through until the end. I understand wanting your character to be reformed and gave a “happy ending” where the main character is free from the cult. But it really sucked for me!
I'm just bummed because the first half I was thinking this could be at least a high 3 star, and I didn't understand the low average rating.
Well... the second half ruined it.
I've had this book on my shelves for like 8 years though and it's survived countless unhauls so I'm glad I finally got to it and I'll no longer be plagued by the mystery of “Family by Micol Ostow”.
I just wish I'd enjoyed it more than I did.