Agnes at the End of the World

Starred review from May 18, 2020
The Red Creek compound is the only life Agnes, 16, has known. Adhering to the belief that “perfect obedience produces perfect faith,” she and her siblings have been taught by Red Creek’s prophet that women are inferior to men and that outsiders are not
to be trusted. Devout though she is, Agnes secretly seeks outside help to save her brother, who has type 1 diabetes, and she experiences doubt when faced with an arranged marriage and her outsider mother’s pleas that she run away. When a viral pandemic encroaches, Agnes uncovers an aural realm long forgotten. In three parts, McWilliams (Doormat) follows faithful Agnes and her doubting 15-year-old sister, Beth. As Agnes learns more about the virus—a disease infecting animals and humans that causes hardened red skin, hostility, and grouping together in grotesque nests—she must come to grips with the tension between science and faith. Strong apocalyptic worldbuilding alternates with dialogue-laden scenes, while minor characters, such as the Burn Squad captain charged with eradicating nests, move the plot forward in absorbing and dynamic ways. Ages 12–up. Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel, Goderich and Bourret.

Starred review from April 1, 2020

Gr 9 Up-Agnes is a dutiful follower of the Prophet, as are her family members and all of the residents of Red Creek, a town set in a breathtakingly beautiful and protected setting nestled between a canyon and a forest. Almost immediately, the dark realities behind Red Creek's natural beauty come into high relief. In the Red Creek cult men dominate, women and girls have little choice, and education and freedom are afforded even less respect. While Agnes has never struggled to remain pious, she has a secret. Her beloved little brother Ezekiel has diabetes. In order to keep him alive (sickness "must be corrected by prayer alone"), she's resorted to secret meetings with a nurse from the Outside to obtain insulin. Agnes's story is not a predictable one (teenage girl catches a glimpse of the world beyond her own; her faith begins to unravel; she's torn between her family and freedom). The familiar narrative device is one layer of this genre-defying story. The Prophet uses the threat of an apocalypse to manipulate his followers, but the world may actually be ending because an epidemic is sweeping the Outside. And, yes, he may be a fraud, but if he is, who are the real prophets? Might Agnes be the one to save the world after all? In this near-apocalyptic adventure and spiritual contemplation, McWilliams provides readers with a believable world, deeply drawn relationships, and an inspiring heroine. VERDICT An empowering narrative and trope-busting plotting earns this book a place on almost every shelf.-Jill Heritage Maza, Montclair Kimberley Academy, NJ

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from April 15, 2020
The story of a 16-year-old's journey to freedom at the end of the world. Raised in the ranch commune of Red Creek, Agnes has always followed the Prophet's adage, "perfect obedience produces perfect faith." With a mother in the depths of depression, Agnes dutifully takes care of her father and younger siblings and the household chores; she is the perfect follower. Her one sin is the lifesaving insulin she receives from Matilda, an Outsider nurse, for her brother Ezekiel, who has Type 1 diabetes. Agnes' 15-year-old sister Beth is her complete opposite--questioning the cult's strict laws for women and sneaking around with a boy. Events ramp up as Agnes becomes aware of the Prophet's lies and a viral pandemic ravages the outside world. As the Prophet forces his followers into an underground bunker, Agnes realizes she must leave with Ezekiel. With the help of Matilda's son, Danny, who exposes them to life outside, and prayers in which Agnes communes with God, they escape into a dying world. The novel unfolds in chapters alternating between Agnes' and Beth's perspectives, blending science fiction with the harsh realities of life in a cult. The ornate, complex text takes readers through Agnes' and Beth's journeys of reconciling their faith and desires, imbuing the well-rounded characters with purpose. Residents of Red Creek are white; Danny and Matilda are black. An excellent read. (map, author's note) (Dystopian. 13-18)

COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 1, 2020
Grades 8-12 As a plague ravages the planet, the community of Red Creek believes they are chosen survivors. But Agnes is having serious doubts about the Prophet's visions, especially because his distrust of the Outside means that Agnes has to break the rules in order to get insulin to keep her younger brother alive. But when the Prophet says it's finally time to move into the bunker for the impending apocalypse, Agnes knows she has to get out. McWilliams (Doormat, 2004) explores societal collapse and religious doubt through an initially fragile protagonist who overcomes her fears of the Outsiders when it becomes painfully evident that her life up to that point was never fully her own. Agnes is eventually able to emerge as a young woman with agency, even as the world around her continues to spiral into chaos. In this character-driven novel, full of the mundane and the extraordinary, McWilliams delves deeply into the varied and complex relationships between spirituality and idolatry, feminism and patriarchy, love, family, and hope?all set against a nightmarish dystopian backdrop.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2020
Agnes breaks the rules of her isolated fundamentalist community to treat her younger brother Ezekiel's diabetes. She remains otherwise faithful, even keeping herself from hearing the voice of God because Red Creek doesn't allow women to be prophets. Her sister Beth is more rebellious, but at a moment of crisis, the sisters' roles reverse. Beth obediently follows the community into the bunker where they plan to hide from the pandemic ravaging the world, while Agnes flees with Ezekiel to the outsiders who have been supplying insulin. Both sisters learn about Red Creek's corruption and how to fight its limitations, particularly as Agnes reestablishes her prophetic abilities and realizes she is able to bring the pandemic to an end. The writing is vivid ("The otherworldly humming...was like spectral armor, a cloak that billowed and let nothing evil near") and compelling, with a complex cast of characters moving the story forward as McWilliams presents a nuanced interrogation of faith, knowledge, and duty. The book combines elements of cult and pandemic stories in a fresh take on themes that now have an unanticipated relevance. The result is a solid novel that is both page-turning and thought-provoking.

(Copyright 2020 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

November 1, 2020
Agnes breaks the rules of her isolated fundamentalist community to treat her younger brother Ezekiel's diabetes. She remains otherwise faithful, even keeping herself from hearing the voice of God because Red Creek doesn't allow women to be prophets. Her sister Beth is more rebellious, but at a moment of crisis, the sisters' roles reverse. Beth obediently follows the community into the bunker where they plan to hide from the pandemic ravaging the world, while Agnes flees with Ezekiel to the outsiders who have been supplying insulin. Both sisters learn about Red Creek's corruption and how to fight its limitations, particularly as Agnes reestablishes her prophetic abilities and realizes she is able to bring the pandemic to an end. The writing is vivid ("The otherworldly humming...was like spectral armor, a cloak that billowed and let nothing evil near") and compelling, with a complex cast of characters moving the story forward as McWilliams presents a nuanced interrogation of faith, knowledge, and duty. The book combines elements of cult and pandemic stories in a fresh take on themes that now have an unanticipated relevance. The result is a solid novel that is both page-turning and thought-provoking. Sarah Rettger

(Copyright 2020 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)