What a book! Cannot recommend this book enough.

I've always been fascinated by cults, particularly women in cults. So this book was absolutely perfect for me. The plot follows three women who are all married to the same man - the enigmatic leader and prophet of their religious 'end of days' cult. However, when Elijah declares that he will take a fourth wife, sixteen year old Mim, things begin to change. The story is told from each of their perspectives, as they each start to come to the realisation that this may not be the life that they want anymore.

First and foremost, this book is about the power of women. Women are the centre of the book, and that is what I love the most about it. Although Elijah is the leader, the book isn't about him; he's not the most important character of the book. I really appreciated that; I really didn't want his character to overpower the book. The women are all so different, but can come together for the greater good, especially when information comes to light which dramatically changes their view of each other. As with typical cults, the women are pushed into the background of the organisation - they're not given a voice or tasks to do that aren't "motherly". However, all three of the wives are smarter than everything believes, and find ways to rebel against their static lives and roles.

All three of the women were brilliant characters, and brilliantly written; Aoife is the oldest and Elijah's first wife. She was initially a vital part of bringing the cult to fruition but is swiftly pushed to the side. Ruth is the second wife, and perhaps the most interesting; she's a black nurse from America, who escapes her strict upbringing to life with her Aunt in London and trains to become a nurse. She's the most interesting because her skin colour isn't mentioned until the cult begins to unravel, and she worries for her and her children's welfare outside of the cult due to their skin colour. It's interesting because she feels safer within the cult (therefore, not explicitly mentioned until things take a turn for the worse) rather than in the outside world, despite not being a believer. It's just a really interesting contrast. And last but not least, my favourite, Deborah who is the third wife. She, for me, is the best character because there are so many layers to her character; she is not who she seems. It's difficult to talk about her without ruining it, but she is a brilliant mastermind.

This book is absolutely brilliant and I would highly recommend it! Such a fantastic debut and I cannot wait to see what Eirinie writes next!1 Anne2,252 1,139

This is an extraordinary debut novel from an author who seems so at ease in her writing.

The reader meets three very different women; divided by age, heritage and background but with one strong connection. All three of them; Aoife, Ruth and Deborah are the wives of Elijah, the founder and leader of Heaven on Earth.

Elijah is a charismatic man whose obey his every word. Their home is the settlement of Halcyon in the Scottish Highlands. Isolated and distant from the nearest town, encircled by a high fence, the have given up their previous lives to prepare for ‘The End’. Families do not live together, the children of Halcyon are separated from their birth parents, and mothers and fathers are punished if they try to establish any bond with their own offspring.

The three ‘sister wives’ do not always each other, and the story is told in their voices. When Elijah announces that he is to take another wife; sixteen-year-old Mim, the cracks begin to show. Elijah’s behaviour has changed and his wives are increasingly unhappy, but reluctant to anger him, or his second-in-charge, John.

However, these strong women do come together and their plans will change their lives forever. The dangers they face are terrifying, yet their solidarity is stronger.

This is an astute and gripping tale of coercive control, about power and about misplaced trust. The isolated Scottish setting adds such depth to the narrative and the bonds of motherhood are beautifully portrayed.

A novel that raises questions about power that can be gained by one man’s charisma and words. Female characters who are precisely drawn, exposing their flaws and vulnerability, but most especially, their strength.
3 s Nic Harris342 13

This book is so so good. I had to check afterwards to see if this was based on a true story because the story felt so real and it shows how well written it was that this was such a believable work of fiction.

This story left me with chills. The story of the absolute devotion that the male main character managed to inspire in these women was scary - I know it wasn't real but it was so reflective of other stories of cults that I had read and watched.

This book is incredibly well written - the characters are absolutely fascinating and I loved seeing the different perspectives from each of the wives. You get this sense throughout the first half of this book that you know something isn't right and a growing unease about what is to come. The climax of this book does not disappoint - I finished this book a week ago and I still keep thinking about it.

This was a clever and unique book - I cannot believe this is a debut novel from this author. I can't wait to see more from her in the future1 Adam Howarth1 review

I finished the book yesterday, and I am still thinking about some of the characters. What an excellent read! The pacing is great. You are bound to feel a mix of emotions with moments of empathy, excitement, anger and just a proud sense of unity. This combination and the journey of these characters ultimately makes the book so enjoyable to read.

I also loved that the setting of this book is in rural Scotland. Eirinie Lapidaki has created such an interesting platform for these brilliant characters with their own stories to interact in. The Halycon community dynamics is just so intriguing. Give this book a go, you will not regret it. Aisha331

A powerful and moving exploration of womanhood, coercive control and family that expertly and thoughtfully discusses religion in extremities, cult behaviours and abuse of power while reading one of the best and most anxiety inducing, addictive and engrossing thrillers I’ve ever read. The Wives of Halcyon is an absolute triumph - I had to keep pausing to check I wasn’t reading a true story, and that it was indeed the authors debut. An extraordinary feat!

Lapidaki writes characters as beautifully as she builds a fantastically paced and intricately woven plot in a world that is so vividly imagined and bone chillingly believable. With echoes of Kuresh’s Branch of Dividians and Berg’s Children of God - this Scottish highlands cult story makes for fantastic reading as well as hugely thought provoking and affecting literature that questions faith, dedication and family in a way that feels sensitive but unflinchingly important.

This novel is one I know will stay with me and that I’ll be recommending widely - The Wives of Halcyon is released today in all good bookshops so please do rush out to grab a copy and support this author and her fantastic writing. Thanks so much to Legend Press and Eirinie for gifting me this stunning proof copy. Aidan Scott2

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