Unreformed by Deirdre Sugiuchi (eBook)

“Brutal, buoyant, and beautiful… Impossible to read this book and not feel completely moved, and capable of change.” Kiese Laymon, author of Good, God and Heavy

When 15-year-old Deirdre Sayre boarded a plane in New Orleans bound for the Dominican Republic, she believed she was heading to a Christian boarding school. Instead, she was entering a two-year nightmare that would strip her of all autonomy.

Her destination was Escuela Caribe, a Christian nationalist reform school operating within the unregulated troubled teen industry, and the setting for Julia Scheeres’ New York Times bestseller Jesus Land and the 2016 documentary Kidnapped for Christ.

At Escuela Caribe, every gesture Deirdre made was scrutinized by staff and fellow students, and her progress was tracked on a daily point sheet. With every letter censored and every phone call recorded, she had no way to tell the outside world about the abuse she and her fellow students endured. Under relentless pressure, Deirdre gradually found herself becoming the very person she had vowed never to be.

With its nuanced exploration of survival under religious indoctrination, Unreformed is Parable of the Talents meets The Handmaid’s Tale—but real.

Examining the devastating impact of racism, misogyny, and homophobia within high-control religious communities, Unreformed exposes the dangers of unchecked authority in the hands of those who claim to have God on their side. Ultimately, it is a testament to the importance of holding fast to one’s dreams, even against overwhelming odds.

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Pub date: 16-Feb-2027

Page count: 300