I found this book very interesting--a memoir from a woman who joined a Carmel convent for various reasons, including a desire to be closer to God. I'm not a religious person but for some reason I have a fascination with nuns. This memoir gives a 'behind the grille' viewpoint of what life is like and, disappointedly, how convents can be as institutionally flawed as most other large and historic institutions. It was well written, I learned a lot, and my heart broke several times during the reading. It does get a little slow in some places and seems to jump around a lot, but I still recommend it.

I was fascinated by Cloistered from first till last page.I know nothing about what being a nun entails so this book was a true eye opener for me .I was so interested in her experiences I hated putting the book down and leaving her life.#netgalley #st.martins

Synopsis (From Netgalley, the provider of the book to review)
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An astonishing memoir of twelve years as a contemplative nun in a silent monastery.

Cloistered takes the reader deep into the hidden world of a traditional Carmelite monastery as it approaches the third Millennium and tells the story of an intensely personal journey into and out of an enclosed life of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Finding an apparently perfect world at Akenside Priory, in Northumberland, Catherine trusts herself to a group of twenty silent women, believing she is trusting herself to God. As the beauty and mystery of an ancient way of life enfold her, she surrenders herself wholly to its power, quite unaware of the complexity and dangers that lie ahead.

Cut off from the wider world for decades, the community has managed to evade accountability to any authority beyond itself. When Sister Catherine realizes that a mesmerizing cult of the personality, with the distortions it entails, has replaced the ancient ideal of religious obedience, she is faced with a dilemma. Will she submit to this, or will she be forced to speak out?

An exploration of the limits of trust, Cloistered shows us how far youthful idealism can take us along the road of self-surrender, and of how much harm is done when institutional flaws go unacknowledged. Catherine’s honest account of her time in the monastery – and her dramatic flight from it – is both a love song to a lost community and an exploration of what is most compelling, yet most potentially destructive when closed human groups become laws unto themselves.

I am not Catholic so my experience with nuns is all from Call the Midwife, but this is a serious read … it is almost hard to describe aside from what was provided above. Not a bad book and not a great book - I think you have to be religious to really appreciate it.

#shortbutsweetreviews

At first, I really didn't know what to write in this review, or even how to rate it. The subject matter interested me, as having attended catholic school, taught by nuns and at one time thought of being one. I found the book getting slow toward the middle, and I almost felt as if I were reading a teenage girls' diary. The stories and descriptions of some of the main characters were just like high school clicks. And then it took off, and I couldn't read fast enough. Although I heartly disagree with some of the author's decisions, how can I say that a book you couldn't read fast enough deserves less than four stars? I thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance read.

Cloistered: My Years as a Nun by Catherine Coldstream is an interesting memoir about one woman’s journey into the faith and then out.

I picked up this book initially as I was hoping to read something inspiring and even at the attempt to get a peak inside a Carmelite monastery. This really wasn’t that kind of a book.

This was a memoir of one woman’s journey into joining a specific monastery and her bad experiences with the Sisters inside of it, and her decision to leave to go back to secular life.

While I sympathize with her to a certain extent, I also felt that this was just one side to the story and that there were probably faults present within multiple people. The Sisters are all imperfect, as we all are, and to expect more from humans is not something that will be achieved. I am sorry for her rough experience, but I have a feeling it isn’t “like this” everywhere.

2.5/5 stars

Thank you NG and St Martin’s Press for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on3/12/24.

An interesting book about a life most of us no nothing about. The authors journey was intriguing but I did find myself skipping some sections as it became a little dull. Perhaps that is a result of the life of a cloistered nun. I will say this, the author was able to find her true self that the majority of us never succeed in achieving. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.