![]() Of course, that doesn’t mean there aren’t cults now. Or, like, when Emily tells her dad she’s going to Italy for an internship, her dad can’t be like “What internship? Let me Google it.” The information isn’t at their disposal. When they’re trying to isolate these people from their families, it’s a lot harder for them to reach out to their family members to find out, say, that their brother was in a terrible accident. Why do you think Moffett chose the 90s for this book? Would the story have worked as well if it was set in the present day?Įmily: Well, I think for one, setting it before the Internet and cell phones means communication is a lot harder. I think we have all heard of cults recruiting on college campuses, but apparently in the 1990s, it was a widespread problem. ![]() The coffee shop meetings and prayer groups felt really accurate to me. Susan: For sure! I went to a few meetings of a Catholic ministry group during my freshman year of college (yes, I used to be Catholic once upon a time), and it wasn’t creepy or anything, but it was definitely uncomfortable because it felt so insular. The dedication to outreach in seemingly normal ways (coffee ministry), the emphasis on love and personal growth– the pieces are all there. Like sure, we can all agree it’s a cult when we look at the deep goings-on of it, but the part that most students were seeing is eerily like the Baptist Collegiate Ministry I was a part of through part of college (you know, until I noticed some creepy things going on there and left). One of the things that struck me most was how similar to real life religious college groups the cult seemed. I’ve definitely thought about it a few times since reading it, which is way more than I can say about some other books we’ve read in this series (cough cough, Lost in the Neverwoods). I’m going to start by saying that I began this book really disliking it, but ended it enjoying myself a good bit. I really like to loko at YA books that cover topics I’m interested in, just to see how things are marketed to a younger audience. Spoilers for Those Who Prey by Jennifer Moffett to follow. I also don’t read a lot of YA and wanted to mix things up a little with this one! ![]() I thought the college setting would make for a fun way into the cult plot line. Susan: Of course, the cult was the first thing that got my attention, but I also love books set in or around schools. But what made you excited about this specific cult book, Susan? Oh, and before we get started, since Susan picked out the book for us this time, I wanted to ask her a little bit about why she picked it. Things get wild fast once Emily leaves the country, stuck with an unenthusiastic mentor that seems to be hiding something.Įmily: I’m really disturbed by the fact that this person’s name is Emily. It follows Emily, a student at BU hailing from the Mississippi Gulf Coast, as she becomes embroiled in a dangerous cult, eventually traveling to Italy on a mission trip. ![]() We read Those Who Prey (see what they did there?) by Jennifer Moffett. Mary: WELCOME TO YA BOOK CLUB! This time around we have Susan joining us, because we know that Susan loves a good cult book.
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