THE WORD

When two things can be true at once, how do you decide on your own truth?

When 7-year-old Lisa DeAndreis’ mother gained custody of her, her father manipulated her into leaving during the night, absconding with her to live in the Christian cult community the Citizens of the Word. Later, they went to live on the streets of Seattle, where Dad proselytized, and finally in a ramshackle house in Port Angeles, Washington, with Carlo Estevez, Lisa’s adopted brother. Nine years later, Lisa is found by the cops and returned to her mother in Eugene, Oregon. Lisa is determined to follow the plan her father laid out for her in the event that this happened, but she grapples with reconciling the conflicting worldviews she’s being exposed to. On the one hand, there are the judgments of her father and the gospel of the Word—on the other, she’s being exposed to the outside world of her mother, stepfather, half brother, and a new, surprising boy she meets. The story culminates in a shocking event that forces Lisa to decide who she really is. Unfolding in alternating timelines throughout Lisa’s life, the plot moves forward with increasing tension while examining themes of misogyny and family in thoughtful ways. Thompson adeptly portrays Lisa’s battle with her father’s manipulation and her own intelligent understanding of her situation. Lisa and her family read white; Carlo is cued Latine.

A compelling story of self.