Krista Reviews: Amy Christine Parker's - "Gated"
A fast-paced, nerve-fraying contemporary thriller that questions loyalties and twists truths.
Appearances can be deceiving.
In the Community, life seems perfect. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Pioneer invited Lyla’s family to join his group and escape the evil in the world. They were happy to be chosen, happy to move away from New York and start over in such an idyllic gated community. Now seventeen, Lyla knows that Pioneer is more than just their charismatic leader, he is their prophet . . . but his visions have grown dark.
Lyla is a loyal member of the Community, but a chance encounter with an outsider boy has her questioning Pioneer, the Community—everything. And if there’s one thing not allowed in the Community, it’s doubt. Her family and friends are certain in their belief. Lyla wishes she could feel the same. As Pioneer begins to manipulate his flock toward disaster, the question remains: Will Lyla follow them over the edge?
From the outside looking in, it’s hard to understand why anyone would join a cult. But Gated tells the story of the Community from the inside looking out, and from behind the gates things are not quite so simple. Amy Christine Parker’s beautiful writing creates a chilling, utterly unique YA story. Perfect for fans of creepy thrillers and contemporary fiction alike.
Hardcover, 352 pages
Published August 6th 2013 by Random House Books for Young Readers
Living behind the gates is not so bad for most of the community. They know what’s expected of them and the adults in particular like the safety that the walls provide. Then the prophet—or Pioneer—tells them that the world is ending and soon it will be their turn to fight for survival. The adults know how bad it is on the outside and only want to provide safety for themselves and their families. Lyla knows that her mother feels safe there; she loves her parents and believes they would do the right thing. But when Lyla is asked to do things she is uncomfortable with, she begins to question the community.
Lyla’s first sign of defiance is in shooting class. They are taught to prepare for the end of the world by learning how to guard their community. Lyla doesn’t disagree with the shooting lessons in principle and she always hits her mark, yet her idea of aiming to maim instead of kill pushes Pioneer’s buttons. She seems to always be pushing Pioneer to his limits and forcing him to take extreme measures to make sure his Flock stays in line.
While Lyla is on guard duty, they receive visitors from town and she’s asked to give a young teen boy a tour. His questions spark ideas in her head and she begins to question things around her and analyse the decisions Pioneer makes.
This story has a relentless build-up of tension and paranoia. Although the whole story is told from Lyla’s perspective, we get to see all sides of the situation. We see the town’s perspective of the community through the teenage boy, and Pioneer’s and most of the adult’s perspectives through his rules and interactions with Lyla.
What I loved about this story, and why I recommend it to others, is the connection I felt to Lyla and her situation. Most people do not have firsthand experiences with cults, and this puts us right in the middle of what appears to be a happy, tight-knit community. But when Pioneer is pushed too far, there are consequences. The writing pulls you into the story, and the great setting and perfect placing of events builds the tension and fear for how this story might end. It transports you into another world and way of seeing different communities. The tension grows and intensifies right up to the last page.
