94 International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 1, No. 1, 2010
The Patron Saint of Butterflies
Cecilia Galante
Reviewed by Edward A. Lottick, M.D.
Bloomsbury: New York, NY. 2008. ISBN-10:
1599902494 ISBN 13-978-1-59990-249-4
(hardcover). Barnes &Noble (bn.com), $16.99
Amazon.com special, $3.99 304 pages.
A charming book of such graphic realism described
as fiction must at the very least be tangentially based
upon personal experience of the author, however
indirect. I first read Cecelia Galante’s fascinating
book in the summer of 2008, about two months after
publication. On my very long and otherwise mundane
plane flight from Hong Kong to Los Angeles, the
book was a great diversion. Unfortunately, I did not
write any notes while I was reading. I put the book
aside during a very full schedule writing a book of
my own, and I did not undertake a reread until
January of 2009.
This time, enmeshed in the intriguing story of two
early adolescent girls at a commune in Fairfield,
Connecticut, I researched the book further and took
some notes. The story line progresses in alternating
chapters told by Agnes, the believer, and Honey, the
skeptic. Agnes’ parents, who are also devout
followers of Emmanuel, the leader of the commune,
are tightly programmed and controlled while Honey,
the skeptic, abandoned at the commune shortly after
birth, is a more earthly rebel.
To give you a sample from the story: Agnes’
grandmother, Nana Pete, from Texas, turns up
unexpectedly. Similar to me in age, she is my favorite
character. Nana Pete is just learning about the
punishment room behind Emmanuel’s quarters. As it
is becoming clear that she will have to rescue Agnes,
Honey, and Agnes’ young brother, Benny, Benny is
suddenly severely injured when a steel door slams
shut and crushes his fingers.
The above are the book’s main characters, but it also
is populated by many others who are clearly and
interestingly presented. The title, The Patron Saint of
Butterflies, is charming but gives little indication of
what to expect in this well-told tale. However, I can
promise you more than a glimpse of an authoritarian,
totalist cult and some pretty rigid mind control,
punctuated by illustrative sadistic corporal, mental,
and, if you will, spiritual punishment. Despite some
necessary horror, the book is tastefully written with a
young audience in mind. Such things do still take
place in the 21st century, and many persons are totally
unaware. I would categorize this book as a must read
for teens to grandparents and all in between.
The Patron Saint of Butterflies would make a great
movie it fits well with the current movie-going
audience. The author conveys graphic visual images,
and the staging would be quite manageable and not
need a massive budget. It is a tale well worth
promulgation.
The Patron Saint of Butterflies
Cecilia Galante
Reviewed by Edward A. Lottick, M.D.
Bloomsbury: New York, NY. 2008. ISBN-10:
1599902494 ISBN 13-978-1-59990-249-4
(hardcover). Barnes &Noble (bn.com), $16.99
Amazon.com special, $3.99 304 pages.
A charming book of such graphic realism described
as fiction must at the very least be tangentially based
upon personal experience of the author, however
indirect. I first read Cecelia Galante’s fascinating
book in the summer of 2008, about two months after
publication. On my very long and otherwise mundane
plane flight from Hong Kong to Los Angeles, the
book was a great diversion. Unfortunately, I did not
write any notes while I was reading. I put the book
aside during a very full schedule writing a book of
my own, and I did not undertake a reread until
January of 2009.
This time, enmeshed in the intriguing story of two
early adolescent girls at a commune in Fairfield,
Connecticut, I researched the book further and took
some notes. The story line progresses in alternating
chapters told by Agnes, the believer, and Honey, the
skeptic. Agnes’ parents, who are also devout
followers of Emmanuel, the leader of the commune,
are tightly programmed and controlled while Honey,
the skeptic, abandoned at the commune shortly after
birth, is a more earthly rebel.
To give you a sample from the story: Agnes’
grandmother, Nana Pete, from Texas, turns up
unexpectedly. Similar to me in age, she is my favorite
character. Nana Pete is just learning about the
punishment room behind Emmanuel’s quarters. As it
is becoming clear that she will have to rescue Agnes,
Honey, and Agnes’ young brother, Benny, Benny is
suddenly severely injured when a steel door slams
shut and crushes his fingers.
The above are the book’s main characters, but it also
is populated by many others who are clearly and
interestingly presented. The title, The Patron Saint of
Butterflies, is charming but gives little indication of
what to expect in this well-told tale. However, I can
promise you more than a glimpse of an authoritarian,
totalist cult and some pretty rigid mind control,
punctuated by illustrative sadistic corporal, mental,
and, if you will, spiritual punishment. Despite some
necessary horror, the book is tastefully written with a
young audience in mind. Such things do still take
place in the 21st century, and many persons are totally
unaware. I would categorize this book as a must read
for teens to grandparents and all in between.
The Patron Saint of Butterflies would make a great
movie it fits well with the current movie-going
audience. The author conveys graphic visual images,
and the staging would be quite manageable and not
need a massive budget. It is a tale well worth
promulgation.
