Review by Patag Ghosal -- The Cult Next Door
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Patag Ghosal
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Review by Patag Ghosal -- 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.Buchard, Judith L. Carlone is a dark revelation into the stark realities of a cult and how it functions from an incredibly personal perspective of the author who experienced it and bares it all in a deeply harrowing account of her life. It recounts the true story of a cult led by a sadistic leader who is first introduced to the author by her mother and her subsequent descent into the rabbit hole of cruel manipulation and torture, which she finally leaves after 20 years. The story focuses more on how Elizabeth searches for answers to life and ends up relying on the wrong person and gets manipulated and controlled into dangerous relationships that sustain themselves through continuous torture and the ability to influence gullible minds. The journey covers how she slowly realizes the controlling mechanism and the fear tactics used by the group and with the help of a friend is able to finally leave the cult.
The narrative initially focuses on Elizabeth, her flawed upbringing and how it shaped her sense of desperation and the desire to be accepted and loved by friends and family. In her quest for meaningful relationships and the idea of need and purpose in life, she meets George, a self-proclaimed health professional who encourages cult-like beliefs and group ideology as the only way of identity in the world. It grows with the blind belief of the members and is reinforced by absolute devotion to the leader, where all outside views are denounced and the cult is accepted as the only way of life.
Elizabeth clearly writes about how George would seemingly provide simple solutions to all problems till she was convinced that it was the only way, and all that George did in manipulating and torturing her was about walking down that path. The explanation given by the author and the means in which George started and sustained the cult is a powerful case study on how people can lose a sense of rationality and reason at the behest of such ideologies and effective manipulation. Her simple writing style and sharp editing add crucial subtext to her emotions and the constant fear she lives in. The explicit abuse in both physical and mental forms that she undergoes is excruciatingly detailed and creates a vivid mental picture that kept me hooked to her ordeal, hoping for her escape.
The characters in the book are distinct and form the crucial backbone of the story as each play an important role in shaping her life and perspective. The friend who eventually helps her is an extremely strong character who questions those beliefs through simply building a relationship of trust and reason, a stark difference from all the other relationships in the book and is a pleasure to see unfold. The author ensures that we can feel the pressure and the massive mental strength it requires to actually leave a cult. In effect, she manages to humanize the people in a cult, showing how even intelligent and educated people with normal daily lives can become victims of such a cult and how difficult it is to leave.
The book truly gives vivid details into her life in a cult and the subsequent friendship that acts as her beacon of hope and the only chance of leaving the group. The entire journey is emotional and involves a lot of personal acceptance and facing one’s fears that are definite life lessons to be learnt. It deserves a full rating of 4 out of 4 stars and is an absolute must-read for the authentic experience alone. It is not appropriate for people below the age of 18 because of the high level of sexual content but is definitely recommended for all adults especially those who like non-fiction.
******
The Cult Next Door
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Cult Next Door: A Manhattan Memoir by Elizabeth R.Buchard, Judith L. Carlone is a dark revelation into the stark realities of a cult and how it functions from an incredibly personal perspective of the author who experienced it and bares it all in a deeply harrowing account of her life. It recounts the true story of a cult led by a sadistic leader who is first introduced to the author by her mother and her subsequent descent into the rabbit hole of cruel manipulation and torture, which she finally leaves after 20 years. The story focuses more on how Elizabeth searches for answers to life and ends up relying on the wrong person and gets manipulated and controlled into dangerous relationships that sustain themselves through continuous torture and the ability to influence gullible minds. The journey covers how she slowly realizes the controlling mechanism and the fear tactics used by the group and with the help of a friend is able to finally leave the cult.
The narrative initially focuses on Elizabeth, her flawed upbringing and how it shaped her sense of desperation and the desire to be accepted and loved by friends and family. In her quest for meaningful relationships and the idea of need and purpose in life, she meets George, a self-proclaimed health professional who encourages cult-like beliefs and group ideology as the only way of identity in the world. It grows with the blind belief of the members and is reinforced by absolute devotion to the leader, where all outside views are denounced and the cult is accepted as the only way of life.
Elizabeth clearly writes about how George would seemingly provide simple solutions to all problems till she was convinced that it was the only way, and all that George did in manipulating and torturing her was about walking down that path. The explanation given by the author and the means in which George started and sustained the cult is a powerful case study on how people can lose a sense of rationality and reason at the behest of such ideologies and effective manipulation. Her simple writing style and sharp editing add crucial subtext to her emotions and the constant fear she lives in. The explicit abuse in both physical and mental forms that she undergoes is excruciatingly detailed and creates a vivid mental picture that kept me hooked to her ordeal, hoping for her escape.
The characters in the book are distinct and form the crucial backbone of the story as each play an important role in shaping her life and perspective. The friend who eventually helps her is an extremely strong character who questions those beliefs through simply building a relationship of trust and reason, a stark difference from all the other relationships in the book and is a pleasure to see unfold. The author ensures that we can feel the pressure and the massive mental strength it requires to actually leave a cult. In effect, she manages to humanize the people in a cult, showing how even intelligent and educated people with normal daily lives can become victims of such a cult and how difficult it is to leave.
The book truly gives vivid details into her life in a cult and the subsequent friendship that acts as her beacon of hope and the only chance of leaving the group. The entire journey is emotional and involves a lot of personal acceptance and facing one’s fears that are definite life lessons to be learnt. It deserves a full rating of 4 out of 4 stars and is an absolute must-read for the authentic experience alone. It is not appropriate for people below the age of 18 because of the high level of sexual content but is definitely recommended for all adults especially those who like non-fiction.
******
The Cult Next Door
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Flat Top Mountain Ranch -- the beginning by James E Doucette
