So similar to Carol Lynch Williams' The Chosen One. However I honestly wouldn't even compare the two novels... Keep Sweet is much too short. No character development, no resolution. If you want to read about fundamentalist Mormons, this isn't the book to read. There are some really good memoirs and novels out there and Keep Sweet definitely isn't one of them. ( )

This is a decent read, though at this point it does seem to feel as though all of these books with the same general plot all tell the same story with different character names. Granted, for good reason, but they really do all progress in essentially the same way, which also serves to make them fairly predictable. And, this one is no exception. Still worth the read though, if the subject matter sounds interesting to you. ( )

This was a really good book. I couldn't put it down.
It did make me angry though. I know it's fictional, but its based on real events and real beliefs. I just... I just can't agree with polygamy. In my mind, that doesn't work.

I learned a lot of this book. Some I knew and some I didn't. I just can't believe that eleven year old girls are married off to men in their 50's. That woman are expect to give birth to a child every year they are married. Just blows my mind!

Gah! ( )

This short, harrowing young adult novel tells the story of Alva Jane, a fourteen-year-old girl living in a Fundamentalist Mormon community. The story is familiar to anyone who's previously read on the subject, and while the pages turn quickly, as you worry for Alva's safety and sanity, the overall experience leaves something to be desired. Alva's voice is inconsistent; sometimes she seems to know nothing about the "Gentile" outside world, at other times she explains her religion and community as if from an outsider's perspective. There's a lot of exposition, and a lot of clunky dialogue. And although this book is marketed as young adult, there's a brutal, graphic rape scene of Alva by a much older man that would make me hesitate recommending this to all but the most mature teenagers. I can only recommend this if you're really interested in the FLDS and want to read whatever you can on the subject. For the casual reader, I'd say skip it. Two and a half stars. ( )

I found this young adult novel about life in a polygamist cult to be an incredibly compelling read. Alva Jane is the oldest daughter of a favored wife, and has enjoyed her childhood on the compound, oblivious to the darker tones that underpin her life. She is looking foward to marrying a young man in her community until one innocent stolen kiss shatters all their dreams. Married off to a violent abusive older husband, Alva Jane is forced to take a new look at her life and the lives of those around her.

Alva Jane reads as a complete and believable character with a strong narrative voice. I read this book through in one sitting, unable to walk away from Alva Jane and her suffering. An excellent novel, this book does deal realistically with the darkness of child marriage and so includes sex scenes that may be disturbing to some readers. A highly recommend read. ( )