Tenderness and Bite: A Review of C.J. Leede’s American Rapture
American Rapture by C.J. Leede follows Sophie Allen, a naïve, deeply religious teen, whose world is upended when a virus called Sylvia sweeps the Midwest - triggering feral, uncontrollable lust in those it infects and turning them violent. Book Club reviewer Vicky Malagrino shares her thoughts on this imaginative coming-of-age apocalypse story below - enjoy!
C.J. Leede’s American Rapture completely swept me away. Her writing is so vivid and atmospheric that from the very first page, I felt like I was right there in the protagonist’s skin: feeling her heartbreak, her longing, her fear, and those small, sparkling moments of hope.
At its heart, this is a story about loss. The pain of losing someone you love is written so tenderly, it hits you in that deep, quiet place where grief lives. There’s this bittersweet nostalgia running through the whole book, and if you’ve ever lost someone important, you’ll recognise that ache instantly. But there’s also this simmering, forbidden kind of love in the story: the kind that builds and builds until you’re almost holding your breath. It’s not about shock value or clichés; it’s about connection, vulnerability, and that delicious anticipation you get in your favourite slow-burn romance, where you’re practically counting the pages until that kiss.
One of my favourite parts was the way an ally emerges in the story, offering such a safe, steady presence for Sophie. The bond between them is so beautiful and grounding, and it’s written in a way that makes you feel like you’re part of it, too. It’s the kind of relationship that reminds you how powerful it is to have someone in your corner, especially when the world feels like it’s stacked against you. And that’s the thing, the world in this book is stacked against her. Religion, trauma, guilt, violence, patriarchy, all the unspoken “rules” that keep women small… It’s all here. The way Leede switches between tender, love-filled moments and the cold slap of reality is so effective. One minute you’re lost in a warm, almost dreamy scene, and the next, you’re snapped back to a world where being a young woman means having your choices limited, your body policed, and your freedom stolen because of what you’re not told. The religious influence, in particular, is haunting. That constant “mea culpa” weight, the pressure to be the “good girl” no matter what, is so relatable, and honestly heartbreaking. It’s about growing up too fast, keeping your life together, and surviving - all while smiling sweetly and never stepping out of line.
As a vegan, I also loved the way animals and the quiet presence of nature sneak into the book’s emotional world. Being surrounded by animal love has always felt healing to me, and I found it touching how this care for other living beings mirrors the way women often instinctively nurture and protect. There’s something so beautiful, and sometimes so heavy, about how women put other lives before their own, whether those lives are human or animal. That tenderness is a quiet form of strength running through the story. Some moments feel almost surreal, like they’re plucked from a sci-fi dream, but they always circle back to something painfully real. That mix of reality and strangeness keeps you hooked, and it makes the emotional beats hit even harder.
From a feminist perspective, this book absolutely shines. It’s not a polished, Instagram-ready “empowerment” story; it’s raw and real and examines what it takes for women to exist, resist, and keep claiming pieces of themselves in a world that tries to shrink them. It makes you want to talk, share stories, and hold space for each other’s truths. By the time I finished, I had that rare, bittersweet feeling: part of me didn’t want to leave her world, but part of me was full from the journey.
This isn’t a story that ties everything up in a neat bow. It lingers with you. It makes you think about love, loss, survival, and the quiet bravery it takes to just be. C.J. Leede writes with a mix of tenderness and bite that I can’t get enough of. Some lines made me pause to just feel, while others hit like a gut punch. If you’re into thrillers, books that break the rules, that speak honestly about womanhood, that make you feel deeply seen, and that remind you of the beauty of caring for life in all its forms, American Rapture is a must-read. So, so recommended. 💖
Vicky Malagrino, Book Club Reviewer
Vicky is a literary translator and writer living in London, originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She adores London and how it has allowed her to connect with women from around the world, learning from them and their stories. She has a passion for reading and creative writing, although she is currently working as a manager at a cultural centre. You can find her on Instagram at @theskyisascissor, or read more of her essays on Substack at @victoriamalagrino.
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