Rift

“A powerful meditation on what it means to be trapped and what it takes to break free.”–Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Cait West’s rift is all of our rifts as we break away from the old and find hope and healing in the new. This is a story we must all come to understand, as West did: ‘In the rifting of my life, I learned who I really am.’”–The Englewood Review of Books

“In this beautifully crafted memoir, Cait West offers readers an intimate glimpse into growing up and coming of age in a world defined by Christian patriarchy. Written with unusual sensitivity and unflinching honesty, hers is a story of aching loss and gritty resilience, of brokenness, beauty, and hope.”–Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author of Jesus and John Wayne

“Cait West writes a remarkable coming-of-age memoir that offers an inside view of the Christian patriarchy movement–a world that few know about, but in which many girls and women increasingly find themselves trapped. Amazingly, West manages to hang onto her own soul, stand up to her father, and leave the misogyny behind. Riveting and compelling. I can’t wait to see what West will accomplish next.”–Kate Carroll de Gutes, author of Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear

“Beautiful, tragic, hopeful, and real. Rift is a heartbreaking story told with breathtaking words. Cait West gives you a glimpse into her life and reveals how manipulative control can masquerade as Christian love. As I read, I shed tears with her and cheered for her. And when I reached the end, I felt freer having journeyed alongside her.”–Jenai Auman, author of Othered

“Rift is a gorgeously written, intimate portrait of a girl raised in Christian patriarchy. This close, inside view shows the reader what it is like to be stuck under male authority and feel oneself vanishing away. The inability to choose one’s own path in education, romance, and faith, even as an adult woman, leaves a wrenching void. Rift becomes a story of overcoming. Here you’ll meet a woman finding herself and the hard, brave steps it takes to break free, to heal a broken space inside.”–Sarah Stankorb, author of Disobedient Women

“In Rift, Cait West has given us a rare gift: a chance to see behind the curtain of the Christian patriarchy movement’s smiling faces and witness the personal devastation the movement has wrought in the lives of so many young people, especially girls. This is a harrowing yet deeply necessary book about a family’s descent into radicalization–and West is a skilled narrator and courageous guide.”–Ryan Stollar, author of The Kingdom of Children

“Wow, this book is beautiful. Rift is captivating and compelling, and though her story takes center stage, West’s writing–so graceful and elegant–is what truly shines in this book. In my work as a writer, editor, and professor, I read dozens of books in a year. This story, along with the craft behind it, is one of the best I’ve read in recent memory. I have no doubt that West’s work is sure to make waves.”–Kelly Sundberg, author of Goodbye, Sweet Girl

Cait West is a writer, editor, and survivor advocate working to spread awareness about the harms of religious patriarchy and authoritarianism. She was featured in the documentary For Our Daughters, and her work has been published in Dunes Review, the Revealer, Fourth Genre, Hawai’i Pacific Review, and Newsweek, among others. She lives in Traverse City, Michigan, with her cat, Sherlock.

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