Genre Fiction
![Alison Wisdom - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B08RC8LVJZ.jpg)
The Burning Season: A Novel
ONE OF GLAMOUR'S BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
"This masterful novel combines readable, lyrical prose with a compelling plot and complex characters. . . . Wisdom weaves these tangled threads with overarching themes of how the patriarchy controls women's minds and bodies." -Booklist (Starred Review)
The acclaimed author of We Can Only Save Ourselves returns with an urgent and unsettling story that journeys into the heart of religious fanaticism and cult behavior as it probes one woman's struggle to define life on her own terms.
"Here comes trouble," Rosemary's high school English teacher used to say whenever he saw her. Rosemary has often felt like trouble, and now at thirty-two, her marriage to her college sweetheart, Paul, is crumbling. In a last-ditch attempt to restore it, she agrees to give herself over to a newly formed Christian sect in central Texas, run by charismatic young pastor Papa Jake.
While Paul acclimates quickly to the small town of Dawson and the church's insistence on a strict set of puritanical rules, Rosemary struggles to fit in. She finds purpose only when she's called upon to help Julie, a new mother in the community, who is feeling isolated and lost.
Then the community is rocked by a series of fires which take some church members' homes and nearly take their lives, but which Papa Jake says are holy and a representation of God's will.
As the fires spread, and Julie is betrayed in a terrible way, Rosemary begins to question the reality of her life, and wonders if trouble will always find her-or if she'll ever be able to outrun it.
"This masterful novel combines readable, lyrical prose with a compelling plot and complex characters. . . . Wisdom weaves these tangled threads with overarching themes of how the patriarchy controls women's minds and bodies." -Booklist (Starred Review)
The acclaimed author of We Can Only Save Ourselves returns with an urgent and unsettling story that journeys into the heart of religious fanaticism and cult behavior as it probes one woman's struggle to define life on her own terms.
"Here comes trouble," Rosemary's high school English teacher used to say whenever he saw her. Rosemary has often felt like trouble, and now at thirty-two, her marriage to her college sweetheart, Paul, is crumbling. In a last-ditch attempt to restore it, she agrees to give herself over to a newly formed Christian sect in central Texas, run by charismatic young pastor Papa Jake.
While Paul acclimates quickly to the small town of Dawson and the church's insistence on a strict set of puritanical rules, Rosemary struggles to fit in. She finds purpose only when she's called upon to help Julie, a new mother in the community, who is feeling isolated and lost.
Then the community is rocked by a series of fires which take some church members' homes and nearly take their lives, but which Papa Jake says are holy and a representation of God's will.
As the fires spread, and Julie is betrayed in a terrible way, Rosemary begins to question the reality of her life, and wonders if trouble will always find her-or if she'll ever be able to outrun it.
Editorial Reviews
"A dark, often shocking glimpse into the ways in which religion at its most extreme and devout can mask deeply held ideologies around misogyny, violence, and chilling conformity. A simmering novel I couldn't stop thinking about for weeks after." - Glamour, The Best Books of the Year
"A trenchant parable for our moment." - The Millions
"Where does faith end and fanaticism begin? The Burning Season centers this provocative question inside a fiery landscape where men conjure holy visions and women serve as the vessels of God. In a stark and haunting tale, Alison Wisdom has written her way to the core of belief and submission, finally arriving at a deeply human prayer to be free." - Rachel Yoder, author of Nightbitch
"Dark and ruthlessly compelling, Alison Wisdom's THE BURNING SEASON asks big questions about religion, community, and love in all its various-and twisted-forms while also being a hell of a good read. You'll still be thinking about Dawes, Texas long after you finish the last page." - Rachel Hawkins, author of Reckless Girls and The Wife Upstairs
"This emotionally nuanced, eerily beautiful portrait of a lost woman and a troubled marriage evokes the gothic tradition of Brontë and du Maurier while remaining utterly fresh and contemporary. THE BURNING SEASON shines with an uncanny apocalyptic light." - Dan Chaon, author of Sleepwalk
"We've all seen photos of women in fringe religious sects, and we've wondered who would willingly choose that life. The Burning Season shows us, with both empathy and eviscerating insight, that those women could easily be us. Wisdom spools out two taut threads: the tension of a cult, with misogyny and violence barely buried beneath the surface, and the beauty of submitting to God, to community, and to the people we love. Both a chilling thriller and a lyrical marvel, this novel dug under my skin and changed how I looked at the world." - Stacey Swann, author of Olympus, Texas
"Where is the pleasure and the power in submission and subjugation? Where's the dange...
"A trenchant parable for our moment." - The Millions
"Where does faith end and fanaticism begin? The Burning Season centers this provocative question inside a fiery landscape where men conjure holy visions and women serve as the vessels of God. In a stark and haunting tale, Alison Wisdom has written her way to the core of belief and submission, finally arriving at a deeply human prayer to be free." - Rachel Yoder, author of Nightbitch
"Dark and ruthlessly compelling, Alison Wisdom's THE BURNING SEASON asks big questions about religion, community, and love in all its various-and twisted-forms while also being a hell of a good read. You'll still be thinking about Dawes, Texas long after you finish the last page." - Rachel Hawkins, author of Reckless Girls and The Wife Upstairs
"This emotionally nuanced, eerily beautiful portrait of a lost woman and a troubled marriage evokes the gothic tradition of Brontë and du Maurier while remaining utterly fresh and contemporary. THE BURNING SEASON shines with an uncanny apocalyptic light." - Dan Chaon, author of Sleepwalk
"We've all seen photos of women in fringe religious sects, and we've wondered who would willingly choose that life. The Burning Season shows us, with both empathy and eviscerating insight, that those women could easily be us. Wisdom spools out two taut threads: the tension of a cult, with misogyny and violence barely buried beneath the surface, and the beauty of submitting to God, to community, and to the people we love. Both a chilling thriller and a lyrical marvel, this novel dug under my skin and changed how I looked at the world." - Stacey Swann, author of Olympus, Texas
"Where is the pleasure and the power in submission and subjugation? Where's the dange...
Readers Top Reviews
ConstantineSeasonedR
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ Genre: Literary Fiction Rosemary is married to her college lover, Paul. When their marriage is in trouble the couple joins a religious cult formed by a young pastor called Papa Jake. This cult or community is governed by some strict and stringent rules and regulations that are set by Papa Jake. While Paul finds it easy to be a part of this community, Rosemary struggles big time to adapt to these fanatical rules. She becomes a friend of another woman, Julie. When the occurrence of fires kills several members of the community, Rosemary finds herself responsible to take care of Julie’s daughter, Lilly. Eventually, Rosemarie will decide to face her fears and insecurities and take all the steps needed to free herself. The Burning Season is the story of human struggle. The concept behind the crazy beliefs and this closeted cult made the story interesting. The book is narrated from the main character’s point of view in a first-person style. The narration depends a lot on the stream of consciousness form of storytelling. This can be either a plus or bothersome depending on the reader’s taste. Rosemary is not a loveable character, yet she is awfully honest in her narration. When she cheated on her husband she explicitly said that she feels no feeling of guilt or shame. The only burden for her is keeping the thing a secret. I didn’t like Paul’s character in some situations especially when he knew that his wife cheated on him again. He was OK with it because it was not the first time! Papa Jake was a meaty character obviously. This is what you expect from the leader of a cult. The man is so crazy that according to him even calling firefighters is against God’s will! The story is decent with an exciting premise. The characters' likeability is questioned and depends on the reader’s taste and preferences. At times the pace seemed to slow down in some parts but then picked up in other scenes. I feel readers who like to read about religious cults will enjoy this book the most. Many thanks to the publisher Harper Perennial and Paperbacks, Harper Perennial, and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book.
Jodi Kirspel
I couldn’t stop thinking about the book when I wasn’t reading it! Really liked the story!
Cullen Ashly Swaty
I Loved it! I Didn’t want to put it down. I think it’s a Great read. It was interesting from the beginning
Ashley Winstead
The Burning Season is a beautiful, unsettling story of a woman who finds herself trapped in a fundamentalist cult in Texas and has to discover her own agency and power in order to free herself. It's a haunting page-turner and so incredibly good!
