Review by Jyockel08 -- The Cult Next Door

[Jyockel08]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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Elizabeth has a tumultuous relationship with her mother. Even though she is an intelligent and loving girl, she still struggles to connect with the woman who is raising her. One of the main ways she tries to please her mother and connect with her is by following along with the many wacky and off the beaten path doctors that claim to have the cure-all for them in life. In this non-fiction account, Elizabeth follows her mother into a cult led by the charismatic and manipulative George Sharkman. Elizabeth, who suffers from severe anxiety and depression, is an easy target that follows along blindly while looking for love, affection, and guidance. Inviting friends and family to join, Elizabeth’s entire life reloves around George Sharkman and his group of followers. Money, success, love and any other displays of individuality are no longer plausible for Elizabeth as she falls deeper and deeper into the dependance of George and his doctrine of Energy.

The Cult Next Door: A Manhattan Memoir by Elizabeth R. Burchard and Judith L. Carlone is a nonfiction account that spans decades of the life of Elizabeth and the depths in with she falls into this cunning cult. While the book is mainly from Elizabeth’s perspective, it is well detailed and flows at an interesting pace. It reads like it could be a fictional story and at times it feels too unbelievable to be true, but it is. The details about the environment around her, conversations with others, and the feelings of confusion and heartache really come alive on the pages. Halfway through, Judy, the co-author, also gains a voice in the book. While it first
felt like it interrupted the flow, it ended up being extremely helpful in seeing her outside perspective of the cult and the journey it takes to help Elizabeth along the way.

Through years of abuse, manipulation, and isolation, Elizabeth is brutally honest about how she is feeling and what she is thinking during her tenure with George and his cult. She provides enough background of her life, history of abuse, and tumultuous childhood, to really give you an inkling to why she was such an easy target. The heartbreak and losses in her life add up and I think that she is willing to share the good and the bad, making her a very reliable narrator. I never once thought she was exaggerating or changing facts to make herself look better. It comes across as a raw and brutally honest story of struggle and abuse. While I did not agree with the belief system she is taught, Buchard gives such an informative background, that it makes you realize how she fell victim to Sharkman and why she cannot just get up and leave.

What I liked the most about this book was the honesty and the way the story flowed without becoming boring or repetitive. The only thing I struggled with was trying to digest the tactics George and his family used to make money and monopolize Elizabeth’s life. It was drudging work to slosh through his long rants and doctrines. While important and necessary to the story itself, I just found it hard to read at times. The abuse and disturbing actions of the cult leader led me to take breaks and to step away from the book. It just became that intense at times and knowing it was a true story made it even harder to absorb. Also, the therapy tactics that lead to manipulating the women of the group to take off all their clothes, perform sexual acts individually or as a group, was extremely hard to read for me. While it is necessary for the story, I just personally struggled with some of these parts. In spite of these brutal details, I rate this book a 4 out of 4 stars. It was impeccably organized and written, well-edited and descriptive. I was unable to stop thinking about it long after I put it down.

I would recommend this book to an audience of adults that like the non-fiction genre, especially those that find psychology interesting. This book does contain sensitive material of sexual acts, physical and mental abuse, and idolizing George as a God. If these subjects prove to be too hard for you to read, I would recommend against you reading this particular book. While it was hard to digest most of what happened to Elizabeth, this honest account of her life and journey into and out of cult life is truly an exceptional read.

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The Cult Next Door
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[djr6090]

When I began to read your review, I thought you were describing a psycho-fiction. But when I realized it is factual, I really became intrigued. A terrific review. I especially liked the part about how you reacted to the book, thinking about it long after you put it down. I have had the same experience with non-fiction and find myself inspired to thank God for the positive influences in my life. Keep writing those reviews, I really like your style.

[Jyockel08]

When I began to read your review, I thought you were describing a psycho-fiction. But when I realized it is factual, I really became intrigued. A terrific review. I especially liked the part about how you reacted to the book, thinking about it long after you put it down. I have had the same experience with non-fiction and find myself inspired to thank God for the positive influences in my life. Keep writing those reviews, I really like your style.

Thank you so much, your kind words really made my day. Thanks for stopping by!

[Manali_DC]

Great review! I read this book a few months ago and I couldn't believe it was a true story! The courage it must have taken to break away from that Cult is unbelievable! A truly touching story and it was very brave of the author to write about it!

[Jyockel08]

Great review! I read this book a few months ago and I couldn't believe it was a true story! The courage it must have taken to break away from that Cult is unbelievable! A truly touching story and it was very brave of the author to write about it!

I agree! Thank you so much for stopping by

[Diana Lowery]

Your use of the term "cunning cult" is so correct. This was also a hard book for me to read, very haunting.
I appreciate the honesty in your review.

[Nerea]

I kind of like well-organised and written narratives that are descriptive. Unfortunately, I prefer not engaging into books that feature cultism. I'll skip this one. You did a good job presenting a detailed and honest review. Kudos.

[Sanju Lali]

I have read and reviewed this book. I found your review giving more insights from another point of view. Thanks for your honest review. Do you feel people like George exist even today ?. I think if we observe keenly we may at-least a few people who can be related to George.

[SunVixen]

It must be a very dark and scary book. However, such books are also needed. Thanks to these books, people can learn to beware of dangerous persons who can allure them in a cult.