Extasia follows a girl on the cusp of becoming the saint Amity in a tight-knit oppressive community named Haven that formed after an apocalyptic event. Together with her three sisters, she will stand against the evil power that lives beneath the black mountain by serving as a vessel for the Elders to take their sins out on so they won’t hurt anyone else. But the community has been plagued by unnatural deaths that lead Amity to learn that there’s much more to Haven—and the Saints—than she thought. As Amity struggles with her new Sainthood and strange creatures start to haunt her every step, it’s up to Amity to either save her community— or burn it to the ground.
This was my first Legrand novel and I definitely get the hype about her writing now. For years, people have told me how atmospheric and downright chilling Legrand’s prose is and after reading Extasia, I can only agree: this woman knows what she’s doing.
What I love about these types of stories set in religious cults and what Legrand delivers on is the journey of self-discovery and disillusionment the protagonist goes through. Initially anticipating becoming a saint, Amity experiences tremendous disillusionment as she realises the victimisation (and violent glorification) of women, the abuse and misogyny they have to go through in the name of God—or what the community’s elders deem to be God’s will. These pages are filled with trauma, disillusionment, anger, and questioning everything you’ve ever learned in your life and it’s captivating to read about the protagonist going through all of it in part thanks to a string of killings that targets abusive men and women—and there are plenty of those in the community.
This won’t be everyone’s cup of tea (and I deeply encourage you to read the trigger warnings, especially if religious trauma is one of those triggers) but even if you’re not in it for the topic (or, like me, are atheist and not too big on anything that involves religion in writing), there’s still so much to gain from this story. It’s hard following Amity and her blind faith, watching her be excited about becoming a vessel elders take out their violent aggression and devious deeds out on only to then be completely disillusioned. But this, of course, is also when the story gets interesting. The rage and disbelief Amity experiences and the way witchcraft and friendship are interwoven into the narrative as Amity tries to not only save herself from escaping abuse but helping others escape the oppressive nature of the cult that is Haven, is downright chilling.
While I would say that this book isn’t so much scary as it is gruesome, I still loved all the horror-esque vibes Extasia delivered. You can feel the underlying sense of dread and despair seeping from the pages and even the more grotesque aspects are described so lyrically that it’s hard to turn away from the writing even if you’re in need of a break from this dreary world. Speaking of, a welcome reprieve from the very dark elements of the story is the romance between the protagonist and a fellow saint. While I won’t spoil anything, I loved the vibes surrounding that slow build-up and it enhanced the immediacy of the stakes for me while reading.
Filled with a harrowing journey of disillusionment that will wreak havoc on your emotions, atmospheric writing, tons of female rage and a touch of magic, Extasia is perfect for fans of women-fight-back-narratives and Szpara’s First Become Ashes!
Extasia is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of February 22nd 2022.
Will you be picking up Extasia? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
From New York Times bestselling author Claire LeGrand comes a new, bone-chilling YA horror novel about a girl who joins a coven to root out a vicious evil that’s stalking her village. Perfect for fans of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Grace Year.
Her name is unimportant.
All you must know is that today she will become one of the four saints of Haven. The elders will mark her and place the red hood on her head. With her sisters, she will stand against the evil power that lives beneath the black mountain–an evil which has already killed nine of her village’s men.
She will tell no one of the white-eyed beasts that follow her. Or the faceless gray women tall as houses. Or the girls she saw kissing in the elm grove.
Today she will be a saint of Haven. She will rid her family of her mother’s shame at last and save her people from destruction. She is not afraid. Are you?
This searing and lyrically written novel by the critically acclaimed author of Sawkill Girls beckons readers to follow its fierce heroine into a world filled with secrets and blood–where the truth is buried in lies and a devastating power waits, seething, for someone brave enough to use it.
Fantastic review! I can’t wait to get my hands on this!