The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante****

The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante****292 pagesRealistic FictionThe Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante is about two girls, Agnes and Honey, who live at a religious commune called Mount Blessing. Everyone at the commune is called a “Believer,” and they follow a man named Emmanuel. Agnes and Honey have been best friends since birth, but as they get older, their friendship fades, too. Honey has always been a little different than everyone else: knowing what the world is like outside of Mount Blessing, breaking rules, and doubting her beliefs in Emmanuel. She doesn’t have much of a family to look after her, for her mother left her at the commune. Agnes, on the other hand, has a family, and strongly believes in the religion, trying to be perfect and become a saint. One day when Nana Pete, Agnes’s grandmother, visits the commune unexpectedly, she finds out Mount Blessing has a dangerous secret. To keep the girls safe, she brings Agnes, her little brother Benny, and Honey back to her house in Texas. On the way, they are startled by the world they’ve never known. Automatic doors, restaurants, and stores thrill Honey, while Agnes is opposed. Her only goal is to concentrate on what is holy and saint-like, hoping to someday return to Mount Blessing. Unfortunately, there is another big secret that Honey discovers soon after about herself and Agnes. What will happen to these girls, their families, and the rest of the “Believers” at Mount Blessing?
Rating: ****Alana F.Period 3