Lost paradise by Kathy Marks

Book set in Adamstown, Pitcairn Islands. Reviewed on 2019/03: https://www.instagram.com/p/BvEg7jWH5oN/

I have never been a fan of the #utopian idea of moving to an #island in the middle of nowhere and live with just a handful of people. These idyllic places full of homogenous people where everyone is happy and tolerant and welcoming are always hiding something sinister and they inevitably blow up at the end like most cults. #pitcairnislandsand the tragic events of #sexualabuse against women and children which took place for years and years were not a fantasy. As #kathymarks so wonderfully notes in her book, the locals preferred to ignore the abuse or explain sexual abuse as a cultural custom in an exotic island left isolated during so much time. Despite the #hollywood and tourist attention to the myth of the movie and story of the #mutinyonthebounty and #fletcherchristian , people, specifically men in power in #pitcairn did manage to get away with committing heinous crimes for decades including rape and all kinds of sexual abuse against girls and women. This book is half an explanation of the events as they unfolded and the subsequent #judicial process and the second half is more about the international allure of the island and the group mentality. #marks lived on the islands during the legal process and suffered herself from disinformation and intimidation as the “group” felt threatened by journalists and foreigners. With #lostparadise I was captivated and enticed since the very first pages despite the fact that I didn’t know anything about the case or the islands and my sometimes personal aversion to #nonfiction . Yes, Marks does work here with an already powerful story. However she also adds to it a sense of perfect editing and building suspense when it comes to telling a story. This is definitely a #highlyrecommended read especially for those interested in #groupmentality and how groups whether on an island or anywhere else prefer to reinforce their ideas and defense those whom they know instead of allowing dissent or any external criticism. #investigation #adamstown #freepress#pitcairnwomen #britishcolony #ruleoflaw#auckland