Children of the Sun by Beth LewisSynopsis: “Welcome to Atlas. What would you do for a second chance? Summer 1982. Deep in the Adirondack Mountains, over three hundred people live off-grid in a secret community. Atlas is a refuge for broken souls who long for a different life. Founded by the enigmatic Sol, the group now prepares for their final ceremony: the opening of the Golden Door. They believe they will cross to another world, to a new life where their past decisions never ended in tragedy. James Morrow is a rookie New York City reporter intent on making his name with an exposé of the crazy cult in the woods. He secures an invitation to the camp on the condition he tell the world of its wonders, but James is a sceptic. He’s sure there must be more to the mysterious leader and his endgame than his followers have signed up for. James soon finds there is a darker side to the cult beyond the prayers and yellow robes. A group of children are treated like gods, there are iron strips embedded in the earth, and nobody talks about what’s behind the gates of Sol’s private sanctuary. As James learns the stories of the members and how they came to be there, he begins to understand the desperate nature of their beliefs – a desperation he knows all too well. As the final ceremony draws near, James must ask himself: what will it cost them to reach this other life? And is that a price he’s willing to pay?“

My Review

This was so good! I’m so glad that I finally listened to this after reading Eva’s brilliant review!

Set in the U.S.A in 1982 it’s told from three different points of view. James Morrow a young reporter doing a story about the Atlas Cult, Root a child in the cult, and Eve a mysterious woman who’s trying to find the cult leader, Sol.

I loved the way this story was told through the eye of the three characters, enabling me to get inside what was going on in the cult, from an insider and outsider’s points of view. I could feel the tension between the cult members and James the reporter, although some of them were very willing to share their stories with him. As the day of the eclipse gets closer James is desperate to find out what’s really going on, but  also keep to own his secrets from being discovered. 

I’m going not to write much more, because I really don’t want to spoil it, if you think you might read or listen to it.

The narration by David Wayman and Kate Handford, both new-to-me narrators, was perfect, which made it a fantastic listening experience.

It’s my first book by Beth Lewis and I definitely want to read or listen to her back catalogue!

Highly recommended if you enjoy thrillers featuring cults!