Review by jahagen -- The Cult Next Door
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jahagen
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Review by jahagen -- The Cult Next Door
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Cult Next Door" by Elizabeth R. Burchard, Judith L. Carlone.]
The Cult Next Door: A Manhattan Memoir, by Elizabeth Burchard, is a story of her life within a cult. The book transitions from some background on Elizabeth, detailing the way she was raised and how she grew up to provide context for her situation, to her slow integration into the cult. She recounts her stories of horror and manipulation before her friend, Judy, is slowly able to get Elizabeth to open her eyes and see the toxic and unhealthy situation that she is in.
This was an extremely informative read. For many who have never been in this type of situation, it’s hard to think of how anyone could possibly join a cult, much less fully believe in what is taught and convince others to participate. From the outside looking in, it logically does not make much sense and seems completely outlandish. Burchard, though, did an excellent job of portraying the different qualities of her own personality and how she was raised that led her into fully becoming a part of this group. As a logical and well-educated adult, it was the emotional pull and comfort that drew her in and held her. These qualities were also seen in other members of the group; many of them consisted of women who desired emotional comfort and someone they felt could protect them. Their leader knew exactly what strings to pull to lure them in and make them stay, regardless of how detrimental it truly was to their lives.
The organization of the chapters, with the dates as the chapter titles, helped keep the story focused and also allowed the reader to know how much time had passed between events. The chapters were concise and flowed well, with one or two main events being the focus of each chapter. Overall, it was very easy to follow along with and allowed the reader to see Elizabeth’s development throughout the entirety of the book.
The book is told in first person, which is an effective method for a memoir. The only time this became confusing was when Judy began with her individual chapters, also in first person. It is stated in the chapter title with the date that it is Judy’s chapter, but after consistently reading chapters from Elizabeth’s perspective, it could be easy to forget that the chapter was from someone else’s perspective. In regards to formatting, it might have been better to make Judy’s chapters more distinct from Elizabeth’s, but overall it didn’t detract from the content of the book and the reading experience.
I rated The Cult Next Door: A Manhattan Memoir four out of four stars. This book was informative and engaging, with only a few minor punctuation errors throughout. This would be an excellent choice of a read for those who enjoy reading nonfiction or stories relating to cults. There is some sexual content within, and while it is not overly explicit, it is consistently throughout the story and I would not recommend this for younger audiences.
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The Cult Next Door
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Cult Next Door: A Manhattan Memoir, by Elizabeth Burchard, is a story of her life within a cult. The book transitions from some background on Elizabeth, detailing the way she was raised and how she grew up to provide context for her situation, to her slow integration into the cult. She recounts her stories of horror and manipulation before her friend, Judy, is slowly able to get Elizabeth to open her eyes and see the toxic and unhealthy situation that she is in.
This was an extremely informative read. For many who have never been in this type of situation, it’s hard to think of how anyone could possibly join a cult, much less fully believe in what is taught and convince others to participate. From the outside looking in, it logically does not make much sense and seems completely outlandish. Burchard, though, did an excellent job of portraying the different qualities of her own personality and how she was raised that led her into fully becoming a part of this group. As a logical and well-educated adult, it was the emotional pull and comfort that drew her in and held her. These qualities were also seen in other members of the group; many of them consisted of women who desired emotional comfort and someone they felt could protect them. Their leader knew exactly what strings to pull to lure them in and make them stay, regardless of how detrimental it truly was to their lives.
The organization of the chapters, with the dates as the chapter titles, helped keep the story focused and also allowed the reader to know how much time had passed between events. The chapters were concise and flowed well, with one or two main events being the focus of each chapter. Overall, it was very easy to follow along with and allowed the reader to see Elizabeth’s development throughout the entirety of the book.
The book is told in first person, which is an effective method for a memoir. The only time this became confusing was when Judy began with her individual chapters, also in first person. It is stated in the chapter title with the date that it is Judy’s chapter, but after consistently reading chapters from Elizabeth’s perspective, it could be easy to forget that the chapter was from someone else’s perspective. In regards to formatting, it might have been better to make Judy’s chapters more distinct from Elizabeth’s, but overall it didn’t detract from the content of the book and the reading experience.
I rated The Cult Next Door: A Manhattan Memoir four out of four stars. This book was informative and engaging, with only a few minor punctuation errors throughout. This would be an excellent choice of a read for those who enjoy reading nonfiction or stories relating to cults. There is some sexual content within, and while it is not overly explicit, it is consistently throughout the story and I would not recommend this for younger audiences.
******
The Cult Next Door
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Opaque by Calix Leigh-Reign
