Review of The Cult Next Door
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Danielle Briggs
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Review of 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 is an eye-opening memoir written by Elizabeth R. Burchard that details her gradual submersion into a cult and her escape from it. The book begins with Elizabeth describing her early, chaotic childhood. We then see her introduced to George Sharkman, who promises healing and fulfillment if she follows his advice. We watch as she, along with a handful of others, gives decades of her life to this man’s every whim. Eventually, Elizabeth meets Judith L. Carlone, the co-author of this book, who helps Elizabeth understand George for the fraud he is and recognize all the horrible things that he forced on her.
Elizabeth’s writing style flowed very naturally and was easy to follow, even during difficult moments. The readers were able to see why so many inappropriate and abusive things were accepted immediately by Elizabeth and the group. The many tactics used by George were very eye-opening to me. Many of them, especially the ones used in the beginning, seemed pretty reasonable. Before reading this book, I thought that cults always stuck to the same agenda, but this memoir showed that they can change and grow, preventing the current members from seeing how outlandish they have gotten unless they escape it. With Judith as a co-author, the reader is able to see an outsider’s point of view. The contrast between Judith’s side and Elizabeth’s was extreme, allowing the readers to see how fully invested Elizabeth was before Judith came along. I was also very surprised that no legal means could be taken against George since his actions weren’t technically illegal. This made me think deeply about the amount of damage a person could do to someone else without fear of legal repercussions. I enjoyed being able to learn so many things about the everyday operations of a cult. The book also stuck with me long after I finished reading it, bringing up thoughts and questions about modern-day cults and the ease with which people could be drawn into them.
I did not have any negatives about this book. I wish the author was able to give more details on the group members after Sharkman was gone, but she may not have been able to get any more information than she already had. The lack of closure for the author is upsetting, but since this is a non-fiction memoir, the author could only write what happened, and closure was not possible.
I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. The book is exceptionally well edited, with no errors found. Many stereotypes and assumptions about cults are challenged in the book, which forces readers to think about their own thoughts on the subject.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy reading about extreme lifestyles, including cults. There are many horrifying and abusive scenes, so a strong stomach is needed for this book. Readers with a particular interest in psychological abuse used in cults and other abusive situations will also enjoy reading this book.
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The Cult Next Door
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Cult Next Door is an eye-opening memoir written by Elizabeth R. Burchard that details her gradual submersion into a cult and her escape from it. The book begins with Elizabeth describing her early, chaotic childhood. We then see her introduced to George Sharkman, who promises healing and fulfillment if she follows his advice. We watch as she, along with a handful of others, gives decades of her life to this man’s every whim. Eventually, Elizabeth meets Judith L. Carlone, the co-author of this book, who helps Elizabeth understand George for the fraud he is and recognize all the horrible things that he forced on her.
Elizabeth’s writing style flowed very naturally and was easy to follow, even during difficult moments. The readers were able to see why so many inappropriate and abusive things were accepted immediately by Elizabeth and the group. The many tactics used by George were very eye-opening to me. Many of them, especially the ones used in the beginning, seemed pretty reasonable. Before reading this book, I thought that cults always stuck to the same agenda, but this memoir showed that they can change and grow, preventing the current members from seeing how outlandish they have gotten unless they escape it. With Judith as a co-author, the reader is able to see an outsider’s point of view. The contrast between Judith’s side and Elizabeth’s was extreme, allowing the readers to see how fully invested Elizabeth was before Judith came along. I was also very surprised that no legal means could be taken against George since his actions weren’t technically illegal. This made me think deeply about the amount of damage a person could do to someone else without fear of legal repercussions. I enjoyed being able to learn so many things about the everyday operations of a cult. The book also stuck with me long after I finished reading it, bringing up thoughts and questions about modern-day cults and the ease with which people could be drawn into them.
I did not have any negatives about this book. I wish the author was able to give more details on the group members after Sharkman was gone, but she may not have been able to get any more information than she already had. The lack of closure for the author is upsetting, but since this is a non-fiction memoir, the author could only write what happened, and closure was not possible.
I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. The book is exceptionally well edited, with no errors found. Many stereotypes and assumptions about cults are challenged in the book, which forces readers to think about their own thoughts on the subject.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy reading about extreme lifestyles, including cults. There are many horrifying and abusive scenes, so a strong stomach is needed for this book. Readers with a particular interest in psychological abuse used in cults and other abusive situations will also enjoy reading this book.
******
The Cult Next Door
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Moonlit Nights by Jacob Parr
