If you have ever heard the phrase, “Drinking the Kool-Aid,” but didn’t know where it came from, look no further than Jonestown, the cult settlement in the Guyanese jungle where over 900 people took their lives by drinking Flavor-Aid laced with cyanide in 1978. The cult, led by madman Jim Jones, was purported to be an agricultural project, but as the members of the People’s Temple soon discovered, starting a settlement in a remote jungle is difficult. It is even harder when the leader feeds his people propaganda, lies, and a paranoia, which is how so many followers, including over 200 children, perished in Jonestown’s act of “revolutionary suicide.”

The subject matter is grim, but it is the basis for Sharon Maas’ The Girl from Jonestown. Maas, a Guyanese native and journalist, once lived in a settlement not far from Jonestown in the late 1970s, and she often wondered what might have happened had she crossed paths with the infamous Jim Jones. The Girl from Jonestown is her re-imaginings told through the eyes of journalist Zoe Quint, recently moved back to Guyana after losing her husband, and looking for her next big story. When encountering a distressed member of the People’s Temple at a local store, Zoe decides to infiltrate the cult and discover what’s actually lurking behind the Jonestown facade.

It should be stated from the start that The Girl from Jonestown is not a true retelling of the events at the settlement. Rather, I prefer to classify this novel as an “alternate history,” as Maas employs great creative license in writing her story. While the character of Jim Jones is real, and he did lead his people to commit suicide by way of a horrific mass death, most of this story is fabricated, especially when it comes to the events of November 18, 1978. Maas completely rewrites the events of that night, distorting the motives and mechanisms of the people involved, and inserting characters who did not exist into the narrative, changing the trajectory of that night in such a way that it is almost unrecognizable. While it is fine for a creative writer to do this, I think it needs to clearly be stated that this is an alternate history, which I am not seeing mentioned much surrounding this book.

I think that most people who are drawn to this book will be because of Jonestown, which is an absolutely fascinating subject. It is a situation so horrible that you are compelled to look away from it, but find that you can’t. This novel does contain a good bit of factual information about the settlement - enough to satisfy the curiosity of readers and inspire them to do their own research into Jim Jones and the People’s Temple - but it also tells the story of fictional character Zoe Quint. In fact, a large percentage of this book is about Zoe’s life outside of Jonestown, and it is not until she makes a visit to the settlement that the narrative really zeroes in on the cult. Zoe’s story did wear on me over time - I just wanted Maas to focus on Jonestown - but once I realized that Maas was deviating far from actual events, it made sense why she spent so much time building her story around Zoe.

In all, The Girl from Jonestown is a solid read if you keep in mind that this narrative is not actually what happened at Jonestown. This book is well-written and is structured in such a way to keep you just on the periphery of Jonestown, being fed bits and pieces of information, drawing you closer and closer into the orbit of the notorious Jim Jones. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I was fascinated by the story of Jonestown when it happened so this book was very compelling to me. This book is very well written and researched. I couldn’t put it down.
Many thanks to Bookotoure and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I've always had a bit of a fascination with cults. How does someone get drawn into one? Do people ever come to their senses and leave or are they not allowed? What happens if they try? Do they know they're going to die? Do they accept that dying is the right thing for them? These are the thoughts that go through my head. The questions that I want answers to.
Here Maas gives us some answers in this well researched and thought provoking book, Based on true events sometimes it was hard to remember that this was in fact a piece of fiction.
Chilling and unputdownable (is that a word?) I was really engrosses. The last 25% I raced through the twists and turns, not wanting to put it down.

Sharon Maas has a knack for writing compelling historical fiction involving famous events that people actually know very few details about. The Girl from Jonestown is no exception. The story is equally Lucy and Zoe. Lucy is writing from inside Jonestown. From her we get the entire backstory of how it came to be and what is currently happening in the camp. Zoe gives us the “outsider” point of view. She has family in the area, so we learn about traditions and how people view the area they live in. The chapters flow seamlessly into each other, looping around to include other characters, then moving back to the main plot lines. You know the general events of Jonestown; this is memorable historical fiction that gives the reader plausible insight. For more details, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. This review was written based on a digital copy of the book from Bookouture.

Zoe is a journalist who returns home to heal. She can hear cries and music from an encampment close by. When she meets a “resident” it leads her down a route fraught with danger. The encampment is not what it seems, who are her friends and how will it all end. Brilliant, gripping would really recommend.

✨ The Girl From Jonestown ✨⁣
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⁣I have a strange fascination with cult books and The Girl From Jonestown takes place right in the middle of one of the world’s most famous cult events. Journalist Zoe Quint returns home to Guana after the death of her husband and child- hoping to somehow rest and recover. When she runs into an American woman who appears terrified and begging for help, she finds herself investigating Jim Jones and his followers. ⁣
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⁣Holy moly. This historical fiction novel riveted me… I found myself pausing the audiobook so I could look up real facts about Jonestown. I love it when novels make me want to do my own I independent research. Completely captivating!⁣
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⁣This one was a little low moving and had quite a few triggers- but wasn’t necessarily gory. I wish it would have focused less on Zoe and her personal backstory (and romances), but overall I really enjoyed it! ⁣
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⁣Four stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC for The Girl From Jonestown. #Netgalley #theGirlFromJonestown

⭐⭐⭐.5

I am a little on the fence with this one. The first 65%ish of this book I really enjoyed. This author does a really great job of immersing you into the setting of the story (in this case Guyana). I also really enjoyed the characters and the plot with the Jonestown tie in was really interesting. However, at @65% Zoe makes a decision that just threw me completely out of the story because it was so...dare I say...stupid?? Because of that I never quite got back into the story and felt that it dragged on a bit too long. 🤷🏻‍♀️

**ARC Via NetGalley**

The Girl from Jonestown is a haunting story portraying how power can turn charisma to rot. It is based on true events that horrified the world in 1978. Although the main characters in the novel are fiction I didn’t quite appreciate how true the story was until I was a few chapters in. Even though I was not really aware of the devastating history of Jonestown prior to reading this novel by Guyanese author Sharon Maas, the cult of the Peoples Temple did ring vague bells with me. By that time I was fully invested in the captivating but very disturbing story.

Mainly set in the Guyanese jungle, the thriller centres around journalist Zoe Quint who is still recovering from the tragic loss of her young husband. After spending some time travelling the world in an escape to run away from all she has lost, Zoe returns to her home country of Guyana in South America to try and write a book based on her travels. She ventures to the North West of the country, a district ‘so remote they haven’t troubled to name it.’ Here she keeps hearing about the Jonestown community, a group of mass settlers that have come to escape the capitalism of America, ‘not hippies…some crazy church.’

Although ‘some preacher giving a sermon‘ can be heard on loud speaker across the nearby remote jungle communities ‘day and night,’ those that love and care for Zoe tell her to ignore it and stay away from Jonestown. Yet Zoe’s journalistic curiosity is ignited when she encounters Lucy, a Jonestown settler who is raw with terror as she pleads with Zoe for help.

This sets in place a chain of events involving intrigue, spies and government corruption as Zoe tries to get close to the ‘Father’ of the Jonestown settlement, Jim Jones. But at what cost to Zoe, to the vulnerable people she is trying to help and to Guyana, the country she loves?

Please note I am being quite vague in my review of The Girl from Jonestown as I don’t want to give away any spoilers if you do not know the history of the settlement. If you do know the history, I think you will find this book a real page turner, enhancing your understanding of the tragedy.

Although I don’t think Sharon Maas encountered the infamous Jim Jones or any Jonestown settlers herself, she had very personal reasons for writing this powerful book. Maas comments that ‘ Jonestown brought notoriety to Guyana; undeservedly so…the words Jonestown and Guyana have ever since been irreversibly linked, to the discomfort of Guyanese everywhere.’ Maas tells the horrific tragedy of the historic event from an authentic Guyanese point of view that is full of compassion.

The Girl from Jonestown was released by digital publisher Bookouture on Thursday 23 June, so it is available for you all to read. Thank you to Sarah Hardy from Bookouture for inviting me to the blog tour, ultimately bringing my attention to this heart breaking story in history. To follow the blog tour, please see below.

My Thoughts: I went into this book completely blind, I’d never heard of Jonestown before 🤦🏻‍♀️ and now I feel like I’ve been hiding under a rock.

Wow this book took me on a journey, chewed me up & spat me out and I feel like it’s safe to say I’ll never be the same again!

I know this book is only based on true events and shouldn’t be taken as verbatim but bloody hell, it’s chilling & gripping in equal measure. My heart broke for the ‘residents’ of Jonestown most of them had been truly brainwashed, they knew deep down that things weren’t right but genuinely believed it was for the best.

There were parts in this story where I was turning the pages almost quicker than I could read them because I just needed to know the outcome.

Religious cults are something that fascinate me and baffle me in equal measure and as far as novels about them go, this one was fantastic – just maybe have some tissues at the ready if you’re going to read it!

3.5 Stars
One Liner: Mixed feelings
The Girl from Jonestown is based on Jonestown or The Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, where many innocents followed a maniac and committed mass suicide. Lucy realizes what she’s gotten into by joining the project. She is desperate for help and asks Zoe to help her.
Zoe Quint is a freelance journalist fighting demons of her own. She’s at her Uncle’s place in Guyana after traveling for three years. Lucy fires up Zoe’s instincts. Zoe starts to find out more despite people asking her not to bother. The more she digs, the murkier it gets.
Zoe knows she has to help Lucy and plans ways to enter Jonestown. But things aren’t as easy as they seem. Can Zoe save Lucy and many others trapped in Jonestown? Is Zoe going to be too late? Can she save herself, at least? After all, Jim Jones doesn’t like his plans being messed with.
The story comes from Zoe’s POV, with Lucy’s POV interwoven into the narrative.

My Observations:
I knew a little about Jim Jones and the mass suicide (massacre). This book caught my attention because I wanted to read fiction before I read non-fiction about the same.
I also expected a slow-paced story with loads of triggers and got it right. It is dark without being gory but is not an easy read.
The story took its own sweet time to unfold, and I did lose my patience with Zoe’s personal track taking up more space than the core theme. Still, it continued to be a compelling read.
The setting was vivid and easy to picturize. I could see Guyana, its people, and the forest.
I loved Lucy and Moria’s character arcs. They were on the opposite ends of the spectrum and had distinct personalities. I wished they had more to do in the story. This book has too much of Zoe and not enough of those from Jonestown.
Zoe was going strong until she did the most stupid thing at around 65% of the book. I immediately checked how many pages were left to understand why this had to happen. Yes, I know that certain elements cannot be changed as it was based on a true story. That doesn’t mean a character should go against her character development. This is also where the rating crashed from 4 to 3.5 stars.
The climax made up for the slow pace, and the final chapter answered the remaining questions, even if it was chunks of dialogue. Still, I liked how the story ended. It kept things rooted.
The author's note at the end provided what I wanted. She detailed what was real and what was fiction. The blend was very smooth though I wished the book didn’t focus so much on Zoe (pretty much a minority opinion).
To sum up, The Girl From Jonestown is a fictionized version of a dark and disturbing real-life incident. Pick this up when you’re in the right frame of mind (a bit of prior research would help).
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
*****
Review rounded up to 4 stars on Amazon.

I believed a historical novel about the Jonestown Massacre would be completely my type of book. I anticipated an unnerving and claustrophobic read. I expected substantial interactions with the infamous Jim Jones and thought likely he would be drawn in a way that was equally charasmatic and repulsive.

Unfortunately, this novel has a lot of things happen but lacks the characterisation necessary to carry the fictionalised events. And it was the fictionalisation and veering from actual significant parts of what happened in Guyana that I also struggled with.

I feel source material of such magnitude does not require a grief stricken protagonist or her side plot romance.

Thank you Netgallery for the opportunity to read this title for an honest review.

Wow guys! This book was a ride. I read it months ago and still think of it often.

This is based on real life events that the author herself has first hand knowledge of.

This story weaves the harrowing tale of the infamous mass suicide of over 900 people, The Peoples Temple members which was a cult led by Jim Jones.

Zoe runs into Lucy, who is a member of said cult. Lucy is terrified and begs for Zoe's help. As a reporter Zoe feels obligated to not understand what's happening, but helps those who are in need.

We gain both Zoe and Lucy's point of view in the amazing tale!.

Thank you @bookouture for the advanced copy of this beautiful book. It is available now!

White Night!

Help!!!Mom and a number . Those were the words that Zoe saw written on the piece of paper Lucy handed her. Zoe, a young journalist, was taking a break and relaxing in the jungle at her Aunt's house in Guyana, fall of 1978. She told herself to not get involved, let it go, you are here to rest, but the journalist in her could not let it go.

In her quest for the biggest scoop and story on the community called Jonestown created by the Reverend Jim Jones of the People's Temple Zoe uncovers secrets and truths of the evil of this founder and this community.

The story is told of Lucy a member of the community and of Zoe the journalist trying to rescue Lucy from the community and the danger in which she places Lucy and ultimately herself. The terrifying rituals and punishments put upon the residents of Jonestown and their terrifying story and ultimate sacrifice for the People's Temple.

It is a story of a moment in history that was ugly and terrifying. It could have been prevented but for greed and politics.

This story was filled with suspense and breath holding action. It was a great read and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Sharon Maas for writing a great historical fiction book, to Bookouture for publishing it and to NetGalley for making it available for me to read and review.

This story is based on the true events from Jonestown and Jim Jones. #SharonMaas writes with her real knowledge, being from Guyana herself and is known for her authentic writing. I learned a lot I didn’t know about this country and about the #Jonestown tragedy. #TheGirlFromJonestown is exceptionally written.

I remember seeing the front cover of Newsweek when I was a teenager at my school library, with all those people dead, huddled together in family groups, mostly. It made a very big impact on me, those images were seared into my brain. I actually borrowed that issue so I could read about Jonestown. It shocked me to the core. So, when I saw that this book was available to read, by a lady whose writing I enjoy, it was a bit of a no-brainer for me to read it. I particularly like books which are based on true events.

Zoe is a journalist, a native of Guyana, who has had a life-changing tragedy happen to her. She comes home and stays with her aunt and uncle, in a little shack on their land. She tries to write a book about her travels, but she is distracted by the noises that emanate from Jonestown, some of them very disturbing indeed. This piques her curiosity, and she tries to find out what is going on there. When she is passed a note from a frightened woman, Lucy, she knows she has to do something.

This is a work of fiction but there is plenty of history woven in with it, and there are facts about what happened at Jonestown and the response of the Americans, which gave me chills.

Very powerful book.

5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

Zoe comes home to Guyana to finally try and heal after the loss of her husband and child, but her peace is interrupted by strange voices and chantings in the jungle. That is when she learns about the group of Americans living there. They are The People’s Temple, led by the charismatic Jim Jones, and seem to be there of their own accord. When Lucy, a terrified girl from this group, passes her a note, Zoe realizes everyone may not be present willingly. Determined to help, she decides to go inside “Jonestown” and try to help.

This powerful book takes a fresh look at Jonestown through the eyes of a Guyanese reporter, Zoe, and a Jonestown captive, Lucy. We look at the reality of Jonestown as not just a group of willing people who “drank Kool-aid,” but as prisoners, some of whom were killed before the mass suicide, and many who were poisoned against their will. We see desperate people trying to escape, and evil leaders determined to stop them. The jungle setting and its deadly beauty is brilliantly described by Sharon Maas, who is from Guyana and knows it inside and out. She does a masterful job of portraying the tactics of an evil and malicious cult and of putting faces on the victims and survivors through the character Lucy and others. The absolute crazy of Jim Jones flies off the page, but we learn that his was not the only malicious mind in the group, and we are shown more about those who helped him wield his iron fist. True crime meets Historical Thriller in this fictionalized story of the complete horror that was the People’s Temple.

I received a free copy of this book from Bookouture via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

A nuanced read that makes you think. This author is one of my top favourites and she is also one of the most versatile writers ever. She writes in multiple genres with a sensitivity and honesty that is rare and special. Her books are thought-provoking and tackle harrowing subjects with great delicacy and beauty. With this book, however she has raised the bar on perfection. Beautifully written, this is a literary masterpiece. One of my top reads ever. Just breathtaking.

HOLY S#$%, I was a young girl when the Jonestown massacre took place. This book and author, Sharon Maas does an excellent job of bringing this horror to light.

Jim Jones attracted the most vulnerable population to lead and he lead them right to their graves. So much to unpack from the moment these innocents joined Jones and drank the Kool-Aid.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for this advanced readers copy. This book released on June 23, 2022.

This had really great potential but unfortunately for me it was far too slow and not very engaging.

Thank you for the copy of this book.

He got them when they were most vulnerable, when they were down and out, poor and alone and in trouble. He was kind to them when they needed kindness. He took their trust, and then robbed them of everything else. They don’t dare betray that trust.
The Girl from Jonestown is one gripping and heartbreaking read, based on the true story of the Jonestown cult, one of the darkest chapters in American history
I love reading books based on true stories and this one was absolutely fascinating. I was not very familiar with all the details regarding The Peoples Temple Agricultural Project in Guyana run by Jim Jones. Followers drank the laced KOOL aid and over 900 people died
Zoe is a journalist who lost her husband and child and she is back to Guyana. She can't help but hear the cries at night and when she meets Lucy, one of the followers and she sees the terror in her eyes, Zoe is determined to infiltrate in the cult and help everyone
This is one powerful and unputdownable novel about a woman's brave attempt to save people who were promised paradise and found only lies
I don't want to reveal much in case you haven't read the book or aren't familiar with the events that happened in 1978 in Guyana. I can only say READ IT. The author did an incredible job researching and portraying the terrible events with such grace and compassion
Definitely one book I recommend with all my heart
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