A beautifully written, extraordinary novel which is an engrossing and haunting read, The Poison Garden is one of those rare books you finish reading and immediately want to read again. It is the story of Romy, an engaging character who is taken by her mother to live in a commune in deepest Wales, which gradually reveals itself to be less a power-sharing group and more a patriarchal cult. Everyone has their role, and children are expected to acquire life skills from an early age and play their part in community life. However, as power struggles begin, who can resourceful Romy trust? And, when she escapes the confines of the community, how can she and her siblings learn to live in the world the rest of us know? You may be able to take the girl out of the commune, but can you take the commune out of the girl? This is a thoughtful and intelligent story which raises many question about how we raise and protect our children, and being an Alex Marwood book, there are strong psychological themes and twists to entertain and surprise the reader. I thoroughly recommend this superb read.

My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group U.K./Sphere for an eARC via NetGalley of Alex Marwood’s ‘The Poison Garden’ in exchange for an honest review.

‘The Poison Garden’ opens with a deeply shocking scene as two police officers pay a welfare visit to the Ark, a survivalist community in Wales, after reports by neighbours that something isn’t right.

The timeline of the narrative moves between the present and events earlier in the life of twenty-year old Romy. She serves as the narrator for a good portion of the novel slowly revealing her life in the Ark as well as after in chapters titled: among the Dead reflecting the cult’s attitude towards non-members.

Also in the present day we are introduced to Sarah, who was a younger sister to Romy’s mother, Alison. Romy has a brother and sister, Ilo (13) and Eden (15) and Social Services places them with Sarah as their only living relative. She is quite nervous about taking on the responsibility for them, especially as they have grown up outside of society and quite naturally have difficulty fitting in with their peers.

From the opening this was a very dark tale and this continues to its final pages. Certainly it makes for grim and uncomfortable reading and drives home the potential dangers inherent in such extremist cults.

Unfortunately there were no notes or acknowledgments included with the advance reading copy. Still I will seek out interviews and the like as I am interested in finding out more about Marwood’s inspirations for this powerful, thought-provoking novel.

An unflinching and multi-layered depiction of the complicated dynamics of an apocalyptic cult.

Romy is one of the main voices of this book. Her navigation of the world outside the cult creates a completely skewed narrative that adds to the reader's feeling of being off-balance and yet is surprisingly revealing about the insidious nature of the apocalyptic cult she was part of. In flashbacks to her life in the cult, she is clearly warring with the others unwavering conviction that the charismatic leader is always right. However, this is explored further and the complicated dynamics at play are uncovered; is the unadulterated belief real? Are people too afraid to voice dissent because this would mean acknowledging their own complicity in the cult hierarchy? Or is there genuine fear of the repercussions for challenging the leader?
As the book progresses it becomes clear that the hold that the cult has over its members is deeply ingrained, and there are some truly disturbing moments as the book nears its conclusion.

My thanks go to the publishers andNet Galley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for a copy of this book.

This book wasn't for me. I found the back and forth story line a bit confusing. That being said, it was a good story.

The cult that Romy has grown up in has imploded. Many people are dead & she is suddenly thrust into the “real” world. At 22 she has little idea of social interaction, shopping, travel or much else that we take for granted. Everyone presumes that she is happy to be “free” but is she?

This is an unusual book which had various twists which took me to unexpected places with unexpected ideas. The “world” always presumes that people who have come out of cults are rescued. That they were unhappy and kept against their will. However, if it is all you’ve known do you really want to be deposited in a strange complex, noisy world where you don’t know people & have no idea of the social cues? I loved this way of looking at the situation.

This book does quite a lot of swapping backwards and forwards – back to see Romy growing up in the cult & then back to the here and now when Romy is tackling the real world. There are a variety of other characters as well each with their own baggage & agenda – I’ll leave you to discover them for yourself.

The ending of this book is brilliant – not quite the expected ending for this type of book. This is a clever and quirky book which is well written with good characters. It is interesting to view thew world from a different point of view……

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.

A dark and disturbing look at life inside a cult, The Poison Garden by Alex Marwood was an enthralling read. I was transfixed by the character of Romy and her decidedly unorthodox upbringing inside a cult. The book opens with the discovery of a tragedy at the site of the cult compound, where almost all the members are found lifeless. The only adult survivor is Romy, who joined the cult as a toddler with her mother. Through a series of flashbacks we learn about the harsh realities of life in the cult, a survivalist organisation busy prepping for the end of the world. Those outside the cult are called the Dead as they will inevitably die off due to lack of being ready. The cult leader regards himself as the "Progenitor" whose primary function is to create a messiah like offspring, known as the "one" who will lead the cult members safely through the end days. When Romy's mother becomes one of the chosen women to bear his child, it seems like their future is secured, but sometimes being special brings burdens of its own.
In the outside world Romy's aunt Sarah had given up on ever finding her sister or niece , but in the wake of the tragedy she is contacted to say that not only did Romy survive, but so too did her two younger siblings, and so Sarah agrees to take them in, knowing that it will be a huge challenge to help them come to terms with a whole new world on top of the loss of almost everyone they ever knew.
As the story unfolds it seems like there may be more to it than initially meets the eye, and to say anything more would spoil it, but suffice it to say the unpredictability of the characters and their actions mean that this book is not for the faint of heart.
I can only applaud the author for their skill in creating a disturbing yet completely believable setting, the cult, its leader and beliefs are almost too plausible which can make for very uncomfortable reading, though I mean that in an entirely positive way. From the beginning I wanted to know what had gone so badly wrong, and as the book went on , I found myself ever more engrossed . I also thought the sections about Romy and her siblings trying to adjust to life outside the cult were fascinating, the gaps in basic knowledge caused by their unique upbringing were cleverly used to create some drama in what could otherwise have seemed like the more boring side of the story when compared with the drama and tension of so many of the sections set within the cult.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I adore Alex Marwood’s writing and she never fails to bring her characters vividly to life so that you know how they think and feel. The Poison Garden is a different kind of book to her most recent novels but it is just as dark and unnervingly brilliant.

This time she has taken the world of cults as her subject and shows us just what life is like in a world where children are brought up to believe that the law of the cult is the only way to be safe and that whatever happens, the word of the cult leader is not to be denied. These are children who know nothing of the world outside of their own desolate, harsh rural upbringing; whose rituals and slavish behaviours are difficult to comprehend and whose survival skills whilst exemplary will not equip them for what is to come.

This is a bleak and dangerous world. Those who live in the outside world are referred to as ‘the dead’ and every ounce of energy is put in to preparing for an apocalyptic world end. Members of the cult slavishly follow their charismatic leader, Lucien.

Told from three different perspectives, we first learn about our central characters after a cataclysmic event at their commune in Wales. Romy is young, pregnant and was born in the cult; Somer is her mother and Sarah is Somer’s younger sister who was brought up with her sister in a strict faith and now works at a Finborough school.

Sarah lives alone in the house that belonged to her deceased parents. Her sister Alison, renamed Somer in the cult, was ejected from the family home after she became pregnant. She had three children in the cult, Ilo and Eden, who are Romy’s siblings.

When the story begins we find Romy alone and in the hands of social services. She desperately needs to find her siblings whom Sarah, as their sole living adult relative is now looking after.

Marwood creates a layered narrative moving from present to past and back again to show us what life in the cult was like and how the cult’s power structure worked.

The Poison Garden is not a comfortable read. It is the story of life in a poisonous, pernicious culture where interpersonal relationships are toxic and ever shifting. It is particularly distressing to read at this time in our society, because one is left with the over-riding impression that such cults will grow in number as our political and cultural landscape lends itself to more extremism and the blind following of larger than life figures who promise everything and yet only serve their own needs.

Marwood’s depiction of her characters and their situations feels horribly close to an unpalatable, realistic scenario and it is all the more chilling for that. Monsters do live among us and they can command unswerving adoration which inexorably leads to obsessive, destructive behaviours.

She skillfully lays down a scenario which is disturbing and utterly compelling leaving this reader somewhat shell-shocked and horrified. There are faint echoes for me of The Handmaid’s Tale in her apocalyptic vision of life and that is one of the scariest things about this book.

By no means a conventional thriller, but all the better for it, Marwood has presented a story that will chill you to the bone and give you nightmares because you fear it may not be at all dystopian.

Verdict: Remarkable, chilling, uncomfortable and ultimately devastating. This is a must read.

Alex Marwood writes crystal clear, compelling prose and is expert at maintaining distinct and vivid voices and points of view. In this book she creates a cult that is totally separate from the readers' experience yet totally believable. She also doesn't shy away from complex endings. Loved it!

It's an exciting book that begins with the poisoning of most members of a doomsday cult and then follows one of the survivors. The 'father' of the cult had children scattered among the women - he took his pick - and from these children will come 'The One'. This person - male or female - will lead them after the apocalypse..

The last few chapters surprised me.

I read a free advance review copy. This review is voluntary, true and my own opinion.

A story of a small cult, led and orchestrated by, to my mind, a perverted sexual predator. A difficult story to relate to or engage with. The story seemed a little cliched in that it took every perverse action related to cult life and added it to the narrative.

Unlike some readers who enjoyed this narrative I found I struggled to engage with the story or the characters as all of them seemed wholly unlikeable. The writing was well executed and the author was committed to portraying life within a cult in its most extreme but this book wasn’t for me.

From there, we meet Romy who is the lone adult survivor of the deaths at the cult at Plas Golau in rural Wales. We follow her before and after; life within the cult she grew up in and after 'among the Dead' (what they call those of us on the outside who aren't prepared for the impending apocalypse). We also meet Sarah, a woman who's lead a very ordinary life, until a few strays left over from the tragedy at Plas Golou turn up on her doorstep.

The cult life was fascinating; I love a good cult story and this one ticks a lot of boxes; it's a dark, creepy and frank look at the effects of a lifetime of brainwashing. The group at Plas Golou are convinced the end is coming and they're preparing for it. But they are also convinced that there will be 'one' to save them all and that's the bit where things really get weird, because the one has to be the son of their 'Father' Lucien, and Lucien can choose to have sex with whoever he wants in order to achieve this goal. Of course it's more in depth, there's a lot of rules and layers and rituals including the classic Solstice party and coming of age parties for when girls get their period. It's all incredibly bizarre, but told from the point of view of someone who is so deeply ingrained and so fully accepting of this culture, it feels authentic and I could see parallels with famous cults in the real world.

One issue I did have with the story is that I struggled to connect with the characters, there's always a feeling of distance but I think this may be intentional. Looking back, all of their character arcs are perfectly pitched and while not everything went quite the way I expected, it was right for each individual character's journey. It's just that none of them are particularly likeable, which seems to be a common theme with the Marwood novels I've read.

This story definitely leaves a lot of unanswered questions, both about how the cult began and what happens after. I think it's intentionally ambiguous, but I would have liked some characters' stories fleshed out a little more. Who knows - if there's a sequel, I'll definitely be reading it.

Compulsive reading, this is an addictive suspenseful psychological thriller like no other.

The plot is unpredictable with lots of twists and turns along with solid engaging characters.
There is also a sense of dread as the story deals with the deep and dark corners of the human psych.

I very much enjoyed this and would recommend it to anyone!

Fantastic. An absolutely amazing story. Cleaver and insightful and compelling. I loved it. Alex marwood just gets better and better. I loved the cult theme too

Oh this was excellent - and extremely dark! It is terrifying how some people can get caught up in a cult like existence by blindly following an ideology headed up by charismatic personalities. I found myself getting angry at some of the characters, thinking stop being so ridiculous and get out of there! Frighteningly realistic portrayal of how people can be manipulated with their insecurities and vulnerabilities being exploited for the benefit of the 'elite'.
I am a huge fan of Alex Marwood's books, I love the horrible self absorbed characters in them and they are so well written. I would certainly recommend this.

I know very little cults and their beliefs and is not usually my genre for reading. I am so glad I took the chance. This read has certainly opened my eyes. Toxic and darn right scary.
A survivalist cult is always preparing for the end of the world. Now imagine what would happen if someone decides to give it a helping hand. This is wonderful story telling and beautifully written. Evil, hierarchy and who will be the ONE. I was hooked from the first page and found it very hard to put down. Plenty of twists and turns and heart in your mouth moments. This read will stay with me long after I have finished the last page. An easy five stars and so Highly Recommended.
I would like to thank the author, Little Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

I quite enjoyed this read, but it didn't totally grab me. Alex Marwood's skillful writing evoked a real sense of unease in me and I was deeply uncomfortable reading a great deal of this book. I felt, however, as if I had heard it all before, particularly as I recently watched a television series on cults. Perhaps it was just bad timing. What elevated this book for me was my gradual realisation as to where things were heading, and the totally unexpected ending. It really was a dark read with very little respite. Even sweet, timid, eager-to-please Sarah doesn't bring much light into the book as, for me. she was merely a foil to show up the almost inhumanity of the 'rescued' cult members. Scary and intense, dark and uncomfortable, this read will no doubt appeal to a great many readers.

Gripping and twisty, this book explores the world of cults and draws you in! Fine story telling and good characters. Thank you for the chance to review.

A survivalist 'cult' who believe the world will end have been preparing and surviving off the radar for many years and now suddenly, after an accident, Romy, Ilo and Eden are the only ones left. They move in with their Aunt Sarah who tries to guide them in their new world but because of their beliefs it's not easy for anyone.

Not the usual type of book I'd pick but I did enjoy reading. I was a little confused to start as the plot jumped forwards and back in time but after a couple of chapters I knew where I was at and I enjoyed the jumping back where the characters and their lives and experiences were explained more. I liked the characters, I became invested in them and from the writing could understand their fear in the new world.
Personally, I felt the ending was disappointing....lots of unanswered questions though. It kind of felt like it was suddenly wrapped up all a bit too quick and after such a dramatic and well written build up it was all a bit of an anticlimax. I do think that if this is the start of a series of books I would definitely be interested in following the story on.

I’m always excited by Alex Marwood books – she addresses difficult issues sympathetically but unflinchingly. The book is about cults and belief systems, and the toxic effect they can have on people and relationships.
It opens with a gruesome discovery on a remote farm in Wales, when a group of people having been living a communal life, cut off from the outside world, for many years.

Romy is a survivor of this apocalyptic cult who is brought to live among the Dead (the rest of us, who won’t survive the apocalypse).
Her mother Alison/Somer was brought up in a very strict Christian family who believed that Jesus was going to return to live with them, and she was disowned by her family when she became pregnant.
The timeline switches between earlier times in the commune, and after the break-up, and the story of how charismatic characters can brainwash vulnerable people, and children is truly chilling.
Also, how power can corrupt and change those who wield it, or want to wield it, and how all forms of organised religion can be misused.

The story races along to a shocking, but inevitable conclusion, and remains with you - as with all her books, I want to know what happens next!
The sign of a good book!

Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book group UK for the opportunity to read this book.

The Poison Garden grabs you from page 1 .
A shocking discovery is made -of what appears to be a Jones like mass suicide in and around the grounds of the head quarters of a cult in rural Wales.
Their main purpose was to prepare for the Apocalypse under the watchful eye of their leader - Lucien
The story is then told from 3 perspectives - Romy one of the survivors - who knows hardly anything about life outside the cult - Somer her mother - and Sarah -Somer's younger sister .
This was my first Alex Marwood novel and won't be my last - great story -well written

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy in return for an honest review !