Review by jgrimshaw -- The Cult Next Door

jgrimshaw · Post by **jgrimshaw** » 14 Mar 2019, 20:20

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Cult Next Door" by Elizabeth R. Burchard, Judith L. Carlone.]

4 out of 4 stars

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The Cult Next Door: A Manhattan Memoir by Elizabeth R. Burchard and Judith L. Carlone is the true story of how Elizabeth escaped a cult. Elizabeth’s mother, Rachael, was abusive and neglectful, her only source of love was her father. However, a few days before her birthday, he died, and a year later things worsened. Rachael began to fall into the clutches of many quack doctors claiming to have the answers for good health, in reality, they were feeding off of her money. Although Elizabeth could see through their ploys, when she was 17, she fell for the same trick her mother had.

Plagued with depression and migraines her mother brought her to a biofeedback technician, this is where she met George. With both the help of Elizabeth and Rachael, George built a harem that deified him. He claimed that everyone had complete control over their bodies; illness and death were all part of the social program and as long as you truly wanted to stay healthy and live forever, you would. He controlled his victims with sexual, physical, and verbal abuse; he kept their allegiance by making them dependent on him. All of this changed for Elizabeth when Judith came into her life.

I loved every bit of this story. Elizabeth’s writing was detailed and descriptive, allowing me to feel as if I knew her personally. I found myself worrying for her and wishing the best for her. Knowing that this was a true story made me feel even more connected. Before this story, I had an outlandish idea of what a cult was but now I know better. Cults can come from anywhere and everywhere. And anyone can fall victim, regardless of wealth, intelligence, or age; George’s victims varied in all of those. George was able to slip his way into Elizabeth’s heart through her insecurity and thirst for love.

I couldn’t find anything that I disliked, Elizabeth and Judith were honest and detailed even about the most horrifying things that happened, and I was very appreciative about that. It was obvious that many topics Elizabeth brought up about those 20 years of her life were painful, especially when concerning all her regrets, such as getting her college roommates involved. She was brave for writing this book and admitting to the things that she was involved in and it allowed me to trust her completely while reading.

I recommend this story for anyone, although it’s definitely not an appropriate read for children. Majoring in psychology, I found this memoir especially intriguing as it shows how vulnerable and easily manipulatable the mind is. Elizabeth often saw the hypocrisy between George’s words and his actions, but instead of using that as fuel to remove herself, she made excuses. When we are shown something that opposes our beliefs, we will often do this. I think this would especially be a good read for anyone in an abusive and or oppressive relationship, whether it’s a cult, a parent, or a spouse; this story can be used as a motivation to break free.

I give this book 4 out of 4 stars because from start to finish I was completely immersed in the story. There were a few grammatical errors at the beginning but otherwise, the book seemed well edited. I’ve learned a lot from this story and have benefited greatly for it; I feel Elizabeth’s tale will allow me to be able to see straight through manipulators and avoid ever falling for them.

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The Cult Next Door
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InStoree · Post by **InStoree** » 17 Mar 2019, 14:50

jgrimshaw wrote: ↑14 Mar 2019, 20:20 Knowing that this was a true story made me feel even more connected. Before this story, I had an outlandish idea of what a cult was but now I know better.

I hear you. I'm also aware of these cults. I know they exist out there, but I think this story will open my eyes wider. There are so many people who use manipulation in order to receive what they want and take advantage of human's weakness. It is admiring that Elizabeth took initiative in this matter. Thank you for your honest review, grimshaw!

jgrimshaw · Post by **jgrimshaw** » 17 Mar 2019, 21:45

InStoree wrote: ↑17 Mar 2019, 14:50
jgrimshaw wrote: ↑14 Mar 2019, 20:20 Knowing that this was a true story made me feel even more connected. Before this story, I had an outlandish idea of what a cult was but now I know better.
I hear you. I'm also aware of these cults. I know they exist out there, but I think this story will open my eyes wider. There are so many people who use manipulation in order to receive what they want and take advantage of human's weakness. It is admiring that Elizabeth took initiative in this matter. Thank you for your honest review, grimshaw!

I hope that with books like this one, there will be more awareness and less victims to manipulators. Thanks for taking the time to read and reply! <3

Jaime Lync · Post by **Jaime Lync** » 19 Mar 2019, 11:28

Great review. I am always happy when people are able to share their testimony through a good book. A lot of times, good testimonies go unnoticed because of the author's lack of writing ability or lack of a professional editor...since, you said you could not find anything to dislike, I'm inferring that there were no glaring errors to distract you.
Thanks for sharing.