Review by shejustlovesbooks -- The Cult Next Door
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shejustlovesbooks
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Review by shejustlovesbooks -- 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 R. Burchard and Judith L. Carlone is an emotional story of Elizabeth’s involvement with a cult and Judith’s hard work and determination to pull Elizabeth out. This was well-written, and I found myself completely immersed in the story from start to finish.
I loved the insight this story gave on how a person can become involved in a cult. The author, Elizabeth, discusses how she fell into a relationship with the cult leader of “The Group” and ultimately how she ended up as a member of his cult. This is the first time I have read a book about this type of situation, and it was eye-opening for me. I feel like I have a much better understanding of how a person’s life-events and emotional state can lead to something like this.
The writing was wonderful. Elizabeth Burchard’s emotional confessions about her experiences bring the reader right into the story. I liked that it was written chronologically because it helped me to understand the circumstances that led to Burchard’s acceptance into the cult. This book is co-authored by Judith L. Carlone, Elizabeth’s friend, and ultimately her savior from George and his group. I enjoyed her perspective on the entire situation. She provided insight into the way the cult was viewed from the outside, as well as Elizabeth’s state of mind and struggles.
Elizabeth Burchard tells her story starting with a foreword addressing the reader. I really appreciated this as it gave me a chance to prepare for what I was about to read. Burchard discusses that people from all walks of life could find themselves in the same situation she did, with the right circumstances. It helped me to read her story with an open mind, and I’m so glad I did.
17-year-old Burchard becomes George’s patient. Session after session he uses the time to wear her mind down and plant the seeds that will later be used to get her to join “The Group”. George begins holding meetings at Burchard’s mother’s home to show his members “The Energy”. Burchard describes the mind-control that she, and others, experienced that led them to follow George’s every direction for more than 20 years. The experiences are disturbing and heartbreaking in detail but are also a good reminder that these events do occur. Burchard eventually befriends Judy, an outsider, who wants to help Elizabeth leave, and finally succeeds.
This book does contain content that could be a trigger for some people. There are scenes of mental and physical abuse, brainwashing, and an inappropriate doctor-to-patient relationship.
I rated The Cult Next Door a four out of four stars because this book is wonderfully written and shares a personal story in a way that makes the reader interested and invested from beginning to end. I did not find any grammatical errors in this book and found it to be well-edited. While this book would be okay for a young adult, it does reference some sexual content, and while not graphic, may not be suitable for all readers. I would recommend this book to readers that enjoy memoirs about personal struggles and overcoming difficult odds. The last pages of the story provide a discussion guide that would be great for a book club as well!
******
The Cult Next Door
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Cult Next Door: A Manhattan Memoir by Elizabeth R. Burchard and Judith L. Carlone is an emotional story of Elizabeth’s involvement with a cult and Judith’s hard work and determination to pull Elizabeth out. This was well-written, and I found myself completely immersed in the story from start to finish.
I loved the insight this story gave on how a person can become involved in a cult. The author, Elizabeth, discusses how she fell into a relationship with the cult leader of “The Group” and ultimately how she ended up as a member of his cult. This is the first time I have read a book about this type of situation, and it was eye-opening for me. I feel like I have a much better understanding of how a person’s life-events and emotional state can lead to something like this.
The writing was wonderful. Elizabeth Burchard’s emotional confessions about her experiences bring the reader right into the story. I liked that it was written chronologically because it helped me to understand the circumstances that led to Burchard’s acceptance into the cult. This book is co-authored by Judith L. Carlone, Elizabeth’s friend, and ultimately her savior from George and his group. I enjoyed her perspective on the entire situation. She provided insight into the way the cult was viewed from the outside, as well as Elizabeth’s state of mind and struggles.
Elizabeth Burchard tells her story starting with a foreword addressing the reader. I really appreciated this as it gave me a chance to prepare for what I was about to read. Burchard discusses that people from all walks of life could find themselves in the same situation she did, with the right circumstances. It helped me to read her story with an open mind, and I’m so glad I did.
17-year-old Burchard becomes George’s patient. Session after session he uses the time to wear her mind down and plant the seeds that will later be used to get her to join “The Group”. George begins holding meetings at Burchard’s mother’s home to show his members “The Energy”. Burchard describes the mind-control that she, and others, experienced that led them to follow George’s every direction for more than 20 years. The experiences are disturbing and heartbreaking in detail but are also a good reminder that these events do occur. Burchard eventually befriends Judy, an outsider, who wants to help Elizabeth leave, and finally succeeds.
This book does contain content that could be a trigger for some people. There are scenes of mental and physical abuse, brainwashing, and an inappropriate doctor-to-patient relationship.
I rated The Cult Next Door a four out of four stars because this book is wonderfully written and shares a personal story in a way that makes the reader interested and invested from beginning to end. I did not find any grammatical errors in this book and found it to be well-edited. While this book would be okay for a young adult, it does reference some sexual content, and while not graphic, may not be suitable for all readers. I would recommend this book to readers that enjoy memoirs about personal struggles and overcoming difficult odds. The last pages of the story provide a discussion guide that would be great for a book club as well!
******
The Cult Next Door
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Devil Among Us by Jack Winnick
