Dominion by Addie E. Citchens

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars 

Pages: 230 pages
Published: August 2025

Dominion by Addie E. Citchens is a bold debut novel centered on a pastor’s family, flock, and the church that shapes and controls their lives. As the story opens, we meet the seemingly perfect Reverend Sabre Winfrey Jr., his loyal wife, Priscilla and their youngest and most popular son of five, Wonderboy who is quietly navigating a relationship with Diamond. 

Set in a deeply religious Southern community in the small Mississippi town of Dominion, the novel exposes how faith can be weaponized. Citchens paints a vivid and unsettling portrait of this world where heterosexual male dominance is not only normalized but sanctified, and greatly affects the development of these characters. The church’s influence permeates every aspect of life, dictating behavior, reinforcing gender hierarchy, and leaves little room for diversity of thought. 

The inciting event arrives when Wonderboy, student athlete, local heartthrob, and pride of the community, experiences a strange and disorienting encounter with a stranger on his school’s running track. This eerie event shifts the entire trajectory of the novel. From there, the story turns darker exposing oppressed feelings of guilt and shame that challenges the pastor’s reputation and authority. This leads to the uncovering of dark secrets that threaten to unravel the fragile order in the small community. 

What follows is a sweeping emotional journey of epic proportions that require Priscilla, and Diamond to make some difficult choices about the flawed relationships they both have with their respective Winfrey men. The novel doesn’t shy away from violence of sexual assault, making parts of it difficult to read. But even in the darkness, the author threads moments of hope, especially through the women who begin to claim agency over their own lives. Their pursuit of independence becomes one of the most triumphant elements of the story. 

Recommendation: Dominion is relatable in many aspects and undeniably dark. The conclusion isn’t traditionally satisfying, but it made sense to me and felt true to the story. If you’re looking for a thought-provoking novel that interrogates faith, patriarchy, and also sparks lively book club discussion, I highly recommend Dominion.

Until next time ... Read on!

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