Growing up in the South, I lived behind a Baptist Church. In the summer it was common to see the familiar white tent set up and hear the festivities late into the night. This book was nostalgic for me and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in Southern fiction.

Book Review for Revival Season by Monica West
Full review for this title can be found at: @fyebooks on Instagram!

Literary coming-of-age stories with a supernatural twist are my kryptonite. Especially when it involves a teenage girl with potentially magic powers. Revival Season was an absolute must-read as soon as I read the synopsis.

Fifteen-year-old Miriam Horton is heading out on the road with her family. For as long as she can remember, Miriam has spent the summer traveling across the US, visiting small towns to help her father host religion healing ceremonies. The tent goes up, Reverend Samuel Horton takes the stage, and the sick and desperate put their faith in a similarly sick and desperate man.

Reverend Horton’s many flaws are quickly revealed. His contempt for his disabled youngest daughter, the way he makes no qualms in striking his wife or Miriam, and his tendency for extreme physical violence towards anyone who questions his “gifts”. He hides his fear of women under sneers and snarls. As Miriam begins to see the cracks in her family, she discovers her own talent for healing, one which women are not supposed to possess.

Revival Season is a compelling, but brutal story. Monica West writes in very direct, simple prose. This is appropriate for the young age of our narrator, as well as Miriam's limited education. Interestingly, I did notice that Miriam’s vocabulary grew as she became more confident, and defiant against her father.

There are some really disturbing scenes of physical abuse dotted throughout this book. I quickly fell in love with young Miriam, so the helplessness she mentions during these torturous scenes absolutely broke my heart. Every single character in this book, even the savage Reverend Horton, is so vividly created. Their relationships are so clear, and their intentions well-defined. Despite the horror they face, I loved spending time with Miriam, her siblings, and her mother.

One of the main reasons I raced through this book is that I badly wanted Miriam’s father to get some sort of spectacular punishment for all the hurt and misery he inflicted on his family. In this regard, I was initially let down. But the more I considered the final chapters, the ending seemed suitable for this quiet, often ambiguous tale. Did Miriam or her father possess healing powers? Taking into account everything else that happens in this book, it’s a relatively minor question.

Revival Season is a story of faith, family, and fury. The evil in this world takes many, many forms, and this book reminds us that everyday terror does not come in the form of epic firestorms, but strategically delivered blows in an area easily hidden by clothing.

I think I was hoping for a different ending for Miriam and her family, but at the same time, it fit with the rest of the book.


Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A very special and unique book that gives the reader a slice of life view of evangelical Black Christians. I loved this book and this less-than-perfect-family. This coming of age story is told through the eyes of Miriam, who discovers her father's failings and her own power. The descriptions are beautiful and the story flows well. This would be an excellent choice for book groups. A powerful first novel and I can't wait to see what West writes next.

I could not get into this one. The main character's inner dialogue felt really repetitive and simple, and I had a hard time connecting. Ultimately, I just felt bored and restless while reading this and wishing that the experience would move by faster. I know that this book will find its key audience, and those people will really enjoy it! For me, however, I just know what I like and this wasn't it.