Book Review: Gated by Amy Christine Parker

Title: Gated

Author: Amy Christine Parker

Publisher: Random House

Release Date: August 6^th, 2013

Series: Gated #1

Source: Hardcover

Number of Pages: 335

Letter Size: Medium

Synopsis:

In the Community, life seems perfect. Lyla Hamilton believes she is one of the chosen. Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Pioneer invited her family to join the Community and escape the evil in the world. They have thrived under his strict, charismatic leadership. Now seventeen, Lyla knows certain facts are not to be questioned:

Pioneer is her leader.

Will is her Intended.

The end of the world is near.

Pioneer has visions of the imminent destruction of humanity. He says his chosen must prepare to fight off the unchosen, who will surely seek refuge in the Silo, the underground shelter where the Community will wait out the apocalypse.

            Lyla loves her family and friends, but a chance encounter with an unchosen by has her questioning Pioneer, the Community-everything. She needs time to figure out the truth. But with Pioneer’s deadline for the end of days fast approaching, time is the one thing she doesn’t have.

Review:

Lyla Hamilton's life was great. She had a loving mother and father, and was pretty close to her older sister Karen. This all changed one afternoon when Lyla and Karen were playing outside. Lyla went inside to talk to her mother, and when she returned Karen was gone. The police searched for Karen, but they were never able to find any trace of her. This was complicated by the fact that a few days later the Twin Towers fell. A mysterious man named Pioneer soon shows up in Lyla's life. Pioneer talks about a community that he wants to build to get away from the world and all of its destruction. A few months after Karen's funeral, Lyla and her parents move to Mandrodage Meadows. Lyla is now a teenager and has spent most of her life living in the community. Pioneer is their leader, and he claims he sees visions of the earth's destruction. The people in the community spend their lives preparing for the apocalypse. When Conner, the local Sheriff's son, visits, Lyla finds herself starting to question Pioneer and the apocalypse he says is coming.

This book was amazing, and I loved every part of it. The originality of this book is a refreshing read in the mist of dystopia books. I can honestly say I have never read a fiction book about a cult that doesn't rely on sci-fi or fantasy elements to draw a reader in. Gated is so well written that you could easily imagine yourself hearing about it on the news. The characters were definitely the best part of Gated.  Every character, even the most minor ones, made you feel a connection. Lyla is an outstanding main character. She is believable in her innocence about believing Pioneer can do no wrong. As the story progresses,  she draws you in and you find yourself entrenched in her journey to get away from The Community. One of the author's greatest talents is her ability to make every character not truly evil. Even Pioneer, who is the villain of the novel, is not truly evil, for you see that he is just so delusional that he believes he really is a prophet for the Brethren. I consider Pioneer to be one of the strongest characters, if not the strongest. His presence just takes over any scene he is in, and you can see why people believed his lies. The plot is truly amazing, for at no point in the book did it feel like it was dragging. Gated is helped by the fact the we, as reader, know that Pioneer is telling lies. We also know what usually ends up happening with most cults, and we desperately want it not to happen to Lyla. Overall I would say that Gated is one of the most compelling books I have ever read, and it's definitely going on my reread list.

Rating: 5/5 Stars