Family by Micol Ostow

Family by Micol Ostow was a fascinating read.  This was a story that explores the workings of a cult and what may draw people to them.  It is a story about finding a "family" and the lengths one may go to in order to be a part of that family.  But it also tells a story of self-discovery and the realization that we may all be stronger than we think.

Family is the story of Mel, a young girl who can no longer take the abuse she suffers in her home.  She has been subjected to it for too long and decides to get away.  In San Francisco, as she is struggling to find her way, she meets Henry.  Henry is a man full of life and full of charisma.  He tells Mel about his "family" and asks her to come be a part of it.  Since family is something Mel has never really had, the prospects sound enticing.  And once she experiences it for herself, she finds something that she always longed for.  She finds a group of people who care for each other, who share everything.  But she also sees the signs of something more sinister.  And when Henry is wronged, it is up to Mel and others to make them right.  But is Mel stronger than she thought?  Is she not quite as broken as she once believed?

Based somewhat on the Manson Family and the murders they committed, Ostow takes us in to the terrifying world of cults and maybe makes us see the appeal for those who are lost.  Told in verse, Ostow plays with words in an incredible way that make the reader understand how important each of those words are as the story unfolds.  This was a quick and very enjoyable read.  


From Amazon:

I have always been broken. I could have died. And maybe it would have been better if i had.


It is a day like any other when seventeen-year-old Melinda hits the road for San Francisco, leaving behind her fractured home life and a constant assault on her self-esteem. Henry is the handsome, charismatic man who comes upon her, collapsed on a park bench, and offers love, a bright new consciousness, and—best of all—a family. One that will embrace her and give her love. Because family is what Mel has never really had. And this new family, Henry's family, shares everything. They share the chores, their bodies, and their beliefs. And if Mel truly wants to belong, she will share in everything they do. No matter what the family does, or how far they go.


Told in episodic verse, Family is a fictionalized exploration of cult dynamics, loosely based on the Manson Family murders of 1969. It is an unflinching look at people who are born broken, and the lengths they'll go to to make themselves "whole" again.