A fast-paced, nerve-fraying contemporary thriller that questions loyalties and twists truths.
Appearances can be deceiving.
Lyla Hamilton is a loyal member of the Community. Her family was happy to be chosen by Pioneer to join such an lovely gated neighborhood. Here, life seems perfect.
But after meeting Cody, an outsider boy, Lyla starts questioning Pioneer, her friends, her family--everything. And if there's one thing not allowed in the Community, it's doubt. As Pioneer cleverly manipulates his flock toward disaster, the real question is: Will Lyla follow her heart or follow Pioneer over the edge?
From the outside looking in, it's hard to understand why anyone would join a cult. But Gated tells the story 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.
"A tense psychological thriller that will leave you gasping for breath as you race to the very last page." --Gretchen McNeil, author of Ten
HelloGiggles.com, August 3, 2013:
"When I found out that there was a YA book about cults, of course I had to read it. As it turns out, Amy Christine Parker’s Gated is an awesome, creepy book that reminds me of my favorite cult films while still being surprising."
Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, June 15, 2013:
"Parker doesn’t pull punches, indicating a level of brutality that will appropriately disturb even as it successfully conveys Lyla’s complete entrapment in the Community. Compelling and not that distant from real-world cults that have ended in tragedy."
Publishers Weekly, June 10, 2013:
"Parker skillfully explores the mindset and inner workings of an apocalyptic cult, steadily building toward the inevitable moment of truth...As for the apocalypse itself, Parker keeps things suitably ambiguous, resulting in a complex, intriguing tale rooted in real-world events."
School Library Journal, October 2013:
"This well-plotted tale will allow readers a glimpse into the possible world of a doomsday cult...The language is accessible, making it a good choice for reluctant readers. After the last page is turned, the question will linger: 'Could I ever be deceived like this?'"
Examiner.com
"A well-rounded and thorough look into cults while still remaining entertaining throughout. I look forward to reading more of Parker's works in the future."
- Used Book in Good Condition
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful.
An Unforgettable Thriller!
By Jon (Scott Reads It!)
Every now and then, I read a book--a book that opens my eyes to the world and helps me see the world in a different way. Gated is that book, the kind of book that's eye opening and just absolutely wonderful. Amy Christine Parker absolutely blew me away with Gated. Gated is an incredible, important novel that I think everyone needs to read at least once in their life because it's life-changing. Read Gated and your view of the world will forever be changed for the better. Gated hits the reader hard with a story that is extremely poignant and thought-provoking. Most books, in my opinion, don't portray good or evil in the correct way at all. So many books show good and evil in a black and white way where a person is all good or all evil. Not only is that not realistic, it's extremely irritating to read. Amy Christine Parker expresses in Gated how thin the blurred line is between good and evil; how we all have a little both of good and evil in us. The characters in Gated are extremely realistic and they are just the type of conflicted characters that I seem to love. Pioneer is the kind of character that you will never quite be able to decipher because there are just so many layers to him. Does he actually believe he's following divine orders? Does he truly believe what he's doing is right? He's one of the best characters I've ever seen written and there is just so much to his character. Lyla is also a character that was executed perfectly throughout the novel. Her transition from being a naive person to someone who is strong-headed and strong. Lyla's character really made me question whether "Ignorance is bliss"or if the old adage is a bunch of drivel. Is hiding from the evil in the world any good? Is there evil everywhere? There was just so much to ponder over while reading Gated because it was such a thought-provoking novel. I have never been in a cult and I will never join one, but I feel as if Parker hit the nail on the head with recreating what being in a cult is like. All of the little intricacies of Mandrodage Meadows were brilliant and well-done. I felt the looming danger that the outside world posed to this cult and the danger everyone felt. There is a perfect sense of urgency and tension throughout the novel like the world was actually ending. The plot of Gated was incredible and was extremely fast-paced right from the first few pages. Gated is without a doubt, an intense, memorable thriller that engrossed me right away. There is never a moment where the plot is at a stalemate and the plot is always being progressed by even the smallest details. This is one of those books where I think that the romance was absolutely necessary to add to the entire picture. The ending leaves no loose ends unattended to and this makes me as if this is a stand-alone. Gated is an incredible, fast-paced thriller that is sure to wow readers of all ages. I can honestly say that Gated has changed me as a person and how I perceive things. Just everything about Gated was enticing to me. I can't express how brilliantly this novel was executed and how everything just seemed to fall into place perfectly. I know for sure that I will be reading Amy Christine Parker's sophomore novel and I hope it's as picture-perfect. Gated is a book that will linger in your mind long after you read the final sentence, it's truly unforgettable!
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful.
Fast-paced YA thriller on an insider's perspective of a secretive cult
By Karielle @ Books à la Mode
At the brink of a falsely prophesied societal ruin, a cult known only as The Community forms around a leader named Pioneer. Not only are outsiders not allowed in... but insiders aren't allowed out, either.Pioneer's cult following borders on insane, but it's this manic totalitarian state that readers come to sympathize with once taking a glimpse at what goes on within the gates of Mandrodage Meadows. Most people would have difficulty imagining why such a group would ever form and how it could ever work at all (The Manson Family or People's Temple, anyone?), but from the inside looking out, it definitely makes sense. The perspective is unique, expertly crafted, and constantly exciting because as outsiders looking in, we never know what to expect.I personally loved Lyla's exclusive, imaginative viewpoint, and found Gated fast-paced and eventful. While it isn't at all that stylistically or structurally imposing, the plot is unpredictable and definitely made me gasp and double-take throughout.While it does have a more juvenile tone to it, Gated is overall very disturbing with its grave scenes. It may read like middle-grade fiction, but I would categorize it as YA just because of its grittier content. This is serious stuff, nothing what you'd want if you're in for a fun, light read. I did, however, find it to be a perfect escape; Parker builds the Community's world so beautifully that at times, I swear I'd lived in it.Lyla is the kind of girl who can't let go of the small things, and this is what makes her the first to wander from Pioneer's rule--which, in his book, can't ever happen. Her weakness is her passivity but she comes out of her shell when she discovers she has a strength inside of her--a strength called curiosity and ethics--that make her realize what she's been capable of all along: salvation. She has a desperate, intrinsic need to be rescued from a monster that she has yet to fully acknowledge, and her willingness to believe in good and her courage to leave everything she's ever known behind, are what will save her. When she finally faces up to reality, her insight is just what may save the misled cult members, as well... unless Pioneer has his say in the matter, that is.I really didn't like Lyla as a character. She's a decent narrator and makes mature observations, but she just acts uncharacteristically childishly; she seems overdependent and unrealistically loyal, and her whininess doesn't earn her any brownie points either. I also thought adding Cody in as a love interest was completely unnecessary. It's a shame how a good plot can ruined by one glimpse at THE one... Lyla could have easily been inspired by something bigger and better than a cute boy.Pros: Well-formed plot // Story moves swiftly // Action-packed // Doesn't hold back on the horrors and abuses of a cult leader's malicious plans // Relays the true meaning of home and safetyCons: Main character Lyla is dislikable // Narration is dull at times // Lots of plot holes and loose ends // Cody could have been eliminated as a characterVerdict: Absorbing and impressively built, the world formed in Gated is one readers will be staying up until the wee hours of the morning, just to read more about. Straightforward and deeply rooted, Amy Christine Parker's debut novel teaches a lesson on what evil and safety really are, and that neither can be prevented--and neither, guaranteed.Rating: 8 out of 10 hearts (4 stars): An engaging read; highly recommended.Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher via tour company in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Random House and Book Nerd Tours!).
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful.
Are you chosen?
By Vivien
Do the gates keep the unchosen out or the chosen in?In Madrodage Meadows nothing is what it seems. This small cluster of people have created a special community. One with gates.When the 9/11 terrorist attacks first happened, a group of people fled the evil of the world and were 'saved'. Under the careful tutelage of their leader Pioneer, the community has thrived.Like Noah before him, Pioneer has been told of the imminent destruction of humanity. They are the chosen and anyone not apart of the community is the unchosen. He says they must train to fight anyone trying to seek refuge in the compound's underground fortress.On any given day, Lyla would rather be painting than going to target practice. And lately she'd rather think about a certain boy outside the compound than plan for married life in the compound. But when Pioneer says to do something, everyone complies. Anything for the community. With the end of days drawing near, she will have to pick up a gun, take a side, and let everyone know where she stands.The beginning of this book starts off rather slow and takes some time to get into. Once you get past this initial section though the pacing flows more smoothly. Gated is a great book if this is your first cult novel. However, if you're a more seasoned reader then you might find it on the lighter side.I really wish Gated would have delved more deeply into the psychological aspects of the inner workings of cults. As soon as it got to a really good point, the plot seemed to divert away from the darker side. There were a few good bits every now and then, but for me it really skimmed the surface. I think that if the characters had been more thoroughly developed, the reader would get a better understanding of their actions.Although I have criticisms, I did enjoy reading Gated. Once I got immersed into the story it really held my attention. Gated reads like a standalone novel, but there are enough threads left dangling that it could develop into more novels. If there are, then I would be interested in them. If not, I am curious to see what else Parker can come up with next.*eARC provided by NetGalley.
