Overview

Home follows Zoe, a woman who escaped from a strict cult known as the Children and their isolated compound called Home. She has built a life in Dublin but when a figure from her past appears and threatens her independence, Zoe must confront the forced worship, gender roles and abuse she left behind while trying to rescue the sister who helped her escape.

Writing & Voice

We found Steed’s writing gripping and propulsive. The tone is tense and urgent, reflecting Zoe’s fear and determination. The pacing keeps the reader engaged with a mix of psychological unease and action rooted in Zoe’s past and present struggles.

Content & Perspective

The story shifts between Zoe’s current efforts to maintain autonomy and her forced return to the compound where indoctrination and strict hierarchy defined her life. We see how her past abuse and indoctrination shape her choices and relationships, and how confronting that past forces Zoe to rethink her identity.

Themes

Home explores control, indoctrination, identity and survival. It looks at how cult dynamics shape belief and behaviour, how individuals reclaim agency after trauma, and how family bonds can both trap and free. We were struck by the novel’s tension between past harm and present hope.

What Worked

• Strong psychological tension rooted in Zoe’s struggle.
• Engaging pacing that keeps the stakes high.
• Clear focus on identity and indoctrination as core themes.

Minor Quibbles

• The dual focus between past and present may feel busy at times.
• Some plot elements lean into thriller tropes rather than deeper character study.

Final Thoughts

We found Home tense and emotionally driven, using cult trauma and reclaimed agency to examine how hard freedom is won when belonging once meant survival.

Rating: ★★★★☆ / 5