Children of paradise
Book Description
In the dense jungles of Guyana, a mother and daughter find themselves trapped within the confines of what was promised to be paradise. Joyce and young Trina followed a magnetic religious leader from California, joining nearly a thousand believers who carved their community from the wilderness under the watchful eyes of armed guards and teenage enforcers.
What began as a spiritual sanctuary has transformed into something far more sinister. Daily sermons reveal the preacher's volatile nature and his intolerance for any questioning of his authority. The rigid order that governs every aspect of life leaves little room for doubt or dissent.
Yet the outside world begins to intrude upon this isolated existence. Local tribal leaders arrive with concerns about contaminated waters flowing from the commune. A mysterious presence seems to aid in the disappearance of a young boy. Most ominously, word spreads of government officials planning to investigate the settlement.
As the community prepares for what their leader calls the ultimate test of faith, Joyce realizes she must act to save herself and her daughter. Their desperate bid for freedom will require courage, cunning, and help from unexpected allies, including the commune's most unusual prisoner.
Fred D'Aguiar weaves historical truth with imaginative storytelling to explore how spiritual seeking can become spiritual captivity, and how the human spirit fights to break free from the bonds of fanaticism.
Who Is This For?
π Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~10 hours)
π Length: 363 pages
What You'll Discover
- β Explore Fiction, general
- β Explore Water
- β Explore Pollution
- β Create spiritual family harmony
- β Explore Captive wild animals
- β Explore Jungles
- β Explore General
- β Explore Suicide
