"Since the age of ten, Mia has lived under the iron fist of the fundamentalist preacher who lured her mother away to join his fanatical family of followers. In Edenton, a supposed “Garden of Eden” deep in the South American jungle, everyone follows the Reverend’s strict but arbitrary rules—even the mandate of whom they can marry. Now sixteen, Mia dreams of slipping away from the armed guards who keep the faithful in, and the curious out. When the rebellious and sexy Gabriel, a new boy, arrives with his family, Mia sees a chance to escape.
But the scandalous secrets the two discover beyond the compound’s façade are more shocking than anything they ever imagined. While Gabriel has his own terrible secrets, he and Mia bond together, more than friends and freedom fighters. But is there time to think of each other as they race to stop the Reverend’s paranoid plan to free his flock from the corrupt world? Can two teenagers crush a criminal mastermind? And who will die in the fight to save the ones they love from a madman who’s only concerned about his own secrets?"
Can I throw up yet? Maybe I need to explain this a little.
Escape from Eden is a religious book about an isolated world with lunatics. In fact, everyone is a lunatic at some point in the story, especially Gabriel. This is not a book about angels and demons, meaning paranormal stuff. It's about a place named Edenton in the distant future, where Mia is a prisoner and more than longing to escape. It all becomes a reality when Gabriel comes into her life, giving her some fire in the mouth.
The plot is a crazy rollercoaster. It's even worse than Silver Bullet at Knott's Berry Farm. It goes more than up and down, side to side. It goes upside down and off the tracks. Escape from Eden stars a crazy car scene along with bloody battles to awkward situations. Awkward situations like a lady, who happens to be Mia's mom, stripping down to naked lady.
Yeah, the ball goes pretty far. Physics is amazing.
The story is pretty amazing. I wouldn't had thought about a world with religion and evilness, located in South America and in the future times. I would had thought about something similar, but with real angels. (Okay, I'm getting off track).
Mia is a smart and talkback girl, with no push. Gabriel was the one who had to give that tiny push that will take her off the edge and into a strange new place. (Is this going to be a series? Goodreads doesn't say anything about it). Mia is kind of admirable and a lunatic towards the middle part of the book. Sometimes there are parts where you wish for her to kill off the Reverend, because you are so sick of the evilness in Edenton. But she doesn't until...
Gabriel is perhaps the most confusing character I'd ever met. Then again, I can't see to remember confusing characters because Mr. Darcy is the father of all confusing characters and...Ahh! I'm getting off topic again. Please ignore my rantings. *Sighs* Gabriel is no archangel. He's a true bad boy, who puts the bad in bad boy. Someone tell me that he has multi-personality disorder. He was nice, then he was mean and distant. Then he was nice again and so, so friendly. Then...well, I guess you got the point.
The ending is going to make me throw up and hurl. Gabriel said: "I'm so happy you're not my sister." That's right before he kissed her! Please tell me I'm delusional! This is...ugh! Gabriel is one confusing and insane person!
Rating: Four out of Five