What Kind of Paradise: A Novel
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A WASHINGTON POST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • A teenage girl breaks free from her father’s world of isolation to discover that her whole life is a lie in this “absorbing and well-crafted” (The Washington Post) novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Pretty Things and Watch Me Disappear.
“A mesmerizing blend of coming-of-age and psychological suspense, set against the birth of the internet age.”—People
The first thing you have to understand is that my father was my entire world.
Growing up in an isolated cabin in Montana in the mid-1990s, Jane knows only the world that she and her father live in: the woodstove that heats their home, the vegetable garden where they try to eke out a subsistence, the books of nineteenth-century philosophy that her father gives her to read in lieu of going to school. Her father is elusive about their pasts, giving Jane little beyond the facts that they once lived in the Bay Area and that her mother died in a car accident, the crash propelling him to move Jane off the grid to raise her in a Waldenesque utopia.
As Jane becomes a teenager she starts pushing against the boundaries of her restricted world. She begs to accompany her father on his occasional trips away from the cabin. But when Jane realizes that her devotion to her father has made her an accomplice to a horrific crime, she flees Montana to the only place she knows to look for answers about her mysterious past, and her mother’s death: San Francisco. It is a city in the midst of a seismic change, where her quest to understand herself will force her to reckon with both the possibilities and the perils of the fledgling internet, and where she will come to question everything she values.
In this sweeping, suspenseful novel from bestselling author Janelle Brown, we see a young woman on a quest to understand how we come to know ourselves. It is a bold and unforgettable story about parents and children; nature and technology; innocence and knowledge; the losses of our past and our dreams for the future.
“A mesmerizing blend of coming-of-age and psychological suspense, set against the birth of the internet age.”—People
The first thing you have to understand is that my father was my entire world.
Growing up in an isolated cabin in Montana in the mid-1990s, Jane knows only the world that she and her father live in: the woodstove that heats their home, the vegetable garden where they try to eke out a subsistence, the books of nineteenth-century philosophy that her father gives her to read in lieu of going to school. Her father is elusive about their pasts, giving Jane little beyond the facts that they once lived in the Bay Area and that her mother died in a car accident, the crash propelling him to move Jane off the grid to raise her in a Waldenesque utopia.
As Jane becomes a teenager she starts pushing against the boundaries of her restricted world. She begs to accompany her father on his occasional trips away from the cabin. But when Jane realizes that her devotion to her father has made her an accomplice to a horrific crime, she flees Montana to the only place she knows to look for answers about her mysterious past, and her mother’s death: San Francisco. It is a city in the midst of a seismic change, where her quest to understand herself will force her to reckon with both the possibilities and the perils of the fledgling internet, and where she will come to question everything she values.
In this sweeping, suspenseful novel from bestselling author Janelle Brown, we see a young woman on a quest to understand how we come to know ourselves. It is a bold and unforgettable story about parents and children; nature and technology; innocence and knowledge; the losses of our past and our dreams for the future.
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Readers say *What Kind of Paradise* by Janelle Brown is a thought-provoking, character-driven novel blending family drama, suspense, and coming-of-age...
One of my favorites this year! A teenage girl raised in isolation in the Montana wilderness goes on a painful journey of discovery after escaping her father's control. Not only a good story but presents a lot of talking points for discussion later.
thenextgoodbook.com
What’s it about?
It is the mid-1990s, and Jane is seventeen years old and living in a remote cabin in the Montana wilderness with just her father for company. Her mother died when she was young, and she knows no other life. But her father often disappears for days at a time, and she is starting to question their existence. One day, he returns home with a computer and a modem, opening her mind up to the outside world. There is no going back.
What did it make me think about?
The choices we make individually and as a community.
Should I read it?
Very rarely do I read a book that I think almost all readers will enjoy- but Janelle Brown’s What Kind of Paradise is one of those books. I would say it’s a beach read, a coming-of-age story, a suspense thriller, and a family drama – a little bit of everything. It will also make a great book club book. So many themes to talk about!
I remember reading Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Rifka Brunt (another thoughtful book if you haven’t read it), and that story taking me back to the mid-1980s and how fearful people were of the whole AIDS epidemic. As we move forward, it is so easy to forget the mindset of an entire generation at a particular time in the past. What Kind of Paradise takes us back to the beginning of the computer age and the different mindsets about what was coming. “I flipped it open and scanned some of the writer’s predictions. An economic boom due to the new technological breakthroughs will enable everyone to join the middle class, so that there are no more working poor. The proliferation of new media will allow truth to disseminate in new ways, through new voices, bringing an end to widespread ignorance. A rise in liberalism due to a connected global citizenry will usher in the New Enlightenment and the end of fascism and authoritarianism.” It makes you wonder what we are getting wrong next. And I haven’t even touched on all of her father’s decisions….
It was a tad predictable, but still a really enjoyable, thought-provoking read. Lots to talk about in this one!
Quote-
“Never underestimate the power of love to lead you down the path toward willful blindness. Faith in the people you adore doesn’t disappear slowly, with each tiny disappointment; instead, it collapses all at once, like the final snowfall that triggers an avalanche when the weight suddenly becomes too much to bear. I was nearing the tipping point, but I hadn’t quite arrived yet.”
What’s it about?
It is the mid-1990s, and Jane is seventeen years old and living in a remote cabin in the Montana wilderness with just her father for company. Her mother died when she was young, and she knows no other life. But her father often disappears for days at a time, and she is starting to question their existence. One day, he returns home with a computer and a modem, opening her mind up to the outside world. There is no going back.
What did it make me think about?
The choices we make individually and as a community.
Should I read it?
Very rarely do I read a book that I think almost all readers will enjoy- but Janelle Brown’s What Kind of Paradise is one of those books. I would say it’s a beach read, a coming-of-age story, a suspense thriller, and a family drama – a little bit of everything. It will also make a great book club book. So many themes to talk about!
I remember reading Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Rifka Brunt (another thoughtful book if you haven’t read it), and that story taking me back to the mid-1980s and how fearful people were of the whole AIDS epidemic. As we move forward, it is so easy to forget the mindset of an entire generation at a particular time in the past. What Kind of Paradise takes us back to the beginning of the computer age and the different mindsets about what was coming. “I flipped it open and scanned some of the writer’s predictions. An economic boom due to the new technological breakthroughs will enable everyone to join the middle class, so that there are no more working poor. The proliferation of new media will allow truth to disseminate in new ways, through new voices, bringing an end to widespread ignorance. A rise in liberalism due to a connected global citizenry will usher in the New Enlightenment and the end of fascism and authoritarianism.” It makes you wonder what we are getting wrong next. And I haven’t even touched on all of her father’s decisions….
It was a tad predictable, but still a really enjoyable, thought-provoking read. Lots to talk about in this one!
Quote-
“Never underestimate the power of love to lead you down the path toward willful blindness. Faith in the people you adore doesn’t disappear slowly, with each tiny disappointment; instead, it collapses all at once, like the final snowfall that triggers an avalanche when the weight suddenly becomes too much to bear. I was nearing the tipping point, but I hadn’t quite arrived yet.”
Raised in isolation by her enigmatic father in a remote Montana cabin, Jane believes she’s living a simple, self-sufficient life—until she uncovers a devastating truth that forces her to flee. Seeking answers about her mother’s death and her own past, she journeys to a rapidly changing San Francisco, where emerging technology and buried secrets challenge everything she thought she knew about family, truth, and herself.
Told entirely from Jane’s point of view, this novel is well written and easy to read, with fully developed characters who feel grounded and believable. The plot is deeply layered, unfolding gradually as Jane questions everything she thought she knew about family, truth, and identity. The themes are thoughtful and introspective, making the story more about self-discovery and moral ambiguity than fast-paced thrills.
While the book is labeled as suspense, that aspect is slow to materialize. More than 1/3 of the way into the story, there is still little traditional suspense, which may frustrate readers expecting constant tension. However, those who enjoy character-driven narratives and philosophical questions woven into the plot will likely find it rewarding.
Overall, this is a thought-provoking novel that prioritizes depth and atmosphere over immediate suspense, offering a compelling journey even if it doesn’t fully match its genre label.
This is not my 1st Janelle Brown book, so I already knew she was a great writer/storyteller. That said, I think this book is better read not knowing too many details. The story/plot is different from anything I've read before. It explores how the impact of technology, the rise of AI, consumerism, intelligence vs madness, doomsday fears all impact societal changes. Such a fascinating read for our times! The story takes place in the mid 1990's when these things were still new, but they are everywhere today! Teachers are dealing with AI in the classroom; AI is in medicine.
The story follows Jane, a 17-year-old living in a remote cabin in Montana with her overprotective father. He gives very little clues to her life before the cabin. Jane has very little connection to the outside world except for the occasional trip to the bookstore where she befriends Helen, the bookstore's owner's daughter. Jane is homeschooled and is well versed in philosophy, survival skills yet knows very little (almost nothing) about pop culture, modern music, driver's license, etc...Her father teachers her that all technology is evil and warns her of its potential destructive ability. Sometimes, Jane is left for 2-3 days at a time while her dad goes on secret trips. He returns with an IBM computer after one of his trips and Jane glimpses her 1st encounter with the outside world when she strikes up an online friendship in a chat room. (Some of this was a bit unbelievable how she was able to do this or how they had internet but still a very good read.) Jane starts pushing against her father's boundaries and he allows her to come on one of his secret trips. When the unthinkable happens, Jane's world quickly spirals out of control, and she finds herself stranded in San Francisco. A few more unbelievable things happen. Jane has to learn how to navigate her new world while uncovering the truth about her dad and his past.
I loved the writing and pacing of the story. It almost read like a memoir. I don't want to say who her dad is very loosely based on; some readers will pick it up, but younger ones won't. I think it's more a slow burn family drama. It is interesting to think about the dot com explosion and how not that long ago, people were connecting to the world wide web for the 1st time and now people are constantly connected (just look at the use of phones!). Very thought provoking read.
The story follows Jane, a 17-year-old living in a remote cabin in Montana with her overprotective father. He gives very little clues to her life before the cabin. Jane has very little connection to the outside world except for the occasional trip to the bookstore where she befriends Helen, the bookstore's owner's daughter. Jane is homeschooled and is well versed in philosophy, survival skills yet knows very little (almost nothing) about pop culture, modern music, driver's license, etc...Her father teachers her that all technology is evil and warns her of its potential destructive ability. Sometimes, Jane is left for 2-3 days at a time while her dad goes on secret trips. He returns with an IBM computer after one of his trips and Jane glimpses her 1st encounter with the outside world when she strikes up an online friendship in a chat room. (Some of this was a bit unbelievable how she was able to do this or how they had internet but still a very good read.) Jane starts pushing against her father's boundaries and he allows her to come on one of his secret trips. When the unthinkable happens, Jane's world quickly spirals out of control, and she finds herself stranded in San Francisco. A few more unbelievable things happen. Jane has to learn how to navigate her new world while uncovering the truth about her dad and his past.
I loved the writing and pacing of the story. It almost read like a memoir. I don't want to say who her dad is very loosely based on; some readers will pick it up, but younger ones won't. I think it's more a slow burn family drama. It is interesting to think about the dot com explosion and how not that long ago, people were connecting to the world wide web for the 1st time and now people are constantly connected (just look at the use of phones!). Very thought provoking read.
Well-written. Makes me think about the mid-90’s and how deep we’ve all fallen into the hole of the internet.
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