Starred Review ALA Booklist (Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2015)

Starred Review Jacob lives in Nodd, a fenced-in compound in Montana run by Father Grace, who demands faith, loyalty, and a total rejection of the outside world. Men and women are separated, all work hard to sustain their land and livestock, and disobedience is severely punished. It's all Jacob knows, though he has a few fleeting memories of his life before, and he has internalized Father Grace's ideas about condemnation, penance, and the impending doomsday. In his matter-of-fact voice, laced with old-fashioned turns of phrase and a parochial vocabulary, Jacob narrates the story of Nodd's downfall, beginning with the appearance of a wolf that preys on their sheep and a chance meeting with a beautiful, worldly girl on the other side of the fence as well as the arrival of an angry outsider who's desperate to leave. Is Father Grace truly a conduit for the divine? Can Jacob be righteous even if he strays from Nodd's strict path? And what, exactly, constitutes goodness? While projecting a unique and expressive voice in Jacob, Hautman sensitively and gracefully explores powerful ideas about faith and church communities, keeping a deft balance between criticism of religious fervor and deep respect for faith and belief. Thought-provoking and quietly captivating.

School Library Journal Starred Review (Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2015)

Gr 10 Up-Since he was five years old, Jacob has lived inside the Nodd, 12 square miles of Montana land that he works on along with other members of the Grace. Jacob has been taught that the world is wicked and that the Grace will return to Heaven on an ark that the Prophet Zerachiel will be sending shortlyit is The Truth. Jacob's world begins to turn upside down with the arrival of several beings. Tobias's family travels from Colorado to join the Graceand yet Tobias won't stop questioning and pushing against The Truth. During his patrols along the Grace's border, Jacob meets Lynna, a worldly girl with whom he should not interactbut he cannot help but be attracted to her. The third newcomer, a lone wolf, begins to slowly kill off the sheep and threaten the well-being of all the Grace. Jacob's faith is tested as he struggles to reconcile what he knows to be The Truth and what is happening around him. Hautman delivers a captivating character study, studiously demonstrating the reasons why some people are drawn into cults and quietly revealing how unquestioned power turns rotten. Jacob is a realistic and relatable protagonist and his complex relationships with those around himand himselfring true. Eden West is both quiet and loud, understanding and judging, and absolutely engrossing. Readers will be quick to judge the Grace but may find themselves looking inward to their own beliefs as they move through the story. VERDICT A heartbreaking, uplifting, and fantastic read. Emily Moore, Camden County Library System, NJ

Voice of Youth Advocates

A big part of being a teenager is deciding who you are, what you believe, and what direction you want your life to go. Seventeen-year-old Jacob ponders these questions while living as a member of a tight-knit religious community in the middle of Montana called Nodd. When Jacob was little, his parents decided to leave their lives in the normal world and join a strict religious sect (or is it a cult?) known as the Grace. Jacob is blissfully content until he meets two other teenagers who throw his life into a tailspin. First he meets Lynna, who lives on the other side of the fence that separates Nodd from the rest of the world. She is feisty and free spirited, and Jacob is drawn to her. Then Tobias arrives in Nodd with his mother and pregnant sister. Tobias resents being forced to join the Grace and bucks against their way of life. He makes Jacob realize that there is a whole world outside of this small community, and Jacob feels a connection with Tobias despite their opposite demeanors. After meeting Lynna and Tobias, everything begins changing in and around Jacob.Hautman is an excellent writer, so it is no surprise his newest book is easy to get into and grips readers from start to finish. Teens who like deeper books that make them question themselves and their beliefs will naturally gravitate toward this book, but other teens may like it because they relate to Jacob, Lynna, or Tobias. Whether readers are religious or not, the book will make them think about how religion can bring people together and tear them apart.Kate Neff.