Review of The Cult Next Door
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Erin Adams
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- Latest Review: The Cult Next Door by Elizabeth R. Burchard, Judith L. Carlone
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: A Manhattan Memoir is the not-so-uncommon story of a young woman who gets caught up in the grandiose ideas of a charismatic man. Elizabeth's, or Liz as she is known, mother, Rachel, has spent her life searching for the greater picture, some meaning or purpose to life that she just can not see or reach. She goes through many a guru, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, only to move on when she realizes she is being used. George is the most recent guru, using biofeedback energy to cure anything that may ail you or keep you from accomplishing the Energy’s goal. Rachel brings Liz into the group, satisfying George’s need for more followers and victims to prey upon. He uses classic grooming and manipulation tactics to lure many women and men into his group, even using them sexually to gratify his needs. Liz escapes this dark way of living with the help of Judith. From there she has to rebuild her life and come to terms with her past in order to move on, including Liz going back to school.
I enjoyed The Cult Next Door’s different view on what we as a society normally think a cult is. This was an unsuspecting cult that grew out of a grassroots idea and how somehow taken to being spread. Elizabeth R. Burchard describes a normal girl, with regular issues, insecurities, and anxieties, turning to a group to seek the love and attention she was dying for. It paints a better picture of how people can be convinced to join a cult, even those who say “that would never happen to me”.
I didn’t like the usage of vocabulary in the book. I felt like the author used above-average vocabulary that a majority of readers would not understand, thus limiting her audience's reach. I have a Master’s degree and still had to look up certain words to understand a sentence or scene in the story. This took time out of the reading and made it seem like I was back in school studying.
I rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars. I did not give it a 3 because despite the upper-level vocabulary, I still highly enjoyed the story. Elizabeth R. Burchard’s life experiences with pyramid schemes that slowly developed into her participation in a cult are fascinating and provide a warning to others. Liz’s slow realization that she did not actually believe in the cult doctrine, eludes courage and strength.
This book is well suited for an adult audience. It does involve many adult topics that are definitely not suited for a younger audience. In all honestly, there should be a trigger warning on the cover of this book and on the inside front page with all the different topics that are discussed in the story. If I had not read a detailed description, I would have been very caught off guard when certain scenes were described.
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The Cult Next Door
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Cult Next Door: A Manhattan Memoir is the not-so-uncommon story of a young woman who gets caught up in the grandiose ideas of a charismatic man. Elizabeth's, or Liz as she is known, mother, Rachel, has spent her life searching for the greater picture, some meaning or purpose to life that she just can not see or reach. She goes through many a guru, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, only to move on when she realizes she is being used. George is the most recent guru, using biofeedback energy to cure anything that may ail you or keep you from accomplishing the Energy’s goal. Rachel brings Liz into the group, satisfying George’s need for more followers and victims to prey upon. He uses classic grooming and manipulation tactics to lure many women and men into his group, even using them sexually to gratify his needs. Liz escapes this dark way of living with the help of Judith. From there she has to rebuild her life and come to terms with her past in order to move on, including Liz going back to school.
I enjoyed The Cult Next Door’s different view on what we as a society normally think a cult is. This was an unsuspecting cult that grew out of a grassroots idea and how somehow taken to being spread. Elizabeth R. Burchard describes a normal girl, with regular issues, insecurities, and anxieties, turning to a group to seek the love and attention she was dying for. It paints a better picture of how people can be convinced to join a cult, even those who say “that would never happen to me”.
I didn’t like the usage of vocabulary in the book. I felt like the author used above-average vocabulary that a majority of readers would not understand, thus limiting her audience's reach. I have a Master’s degree and still had to look up certain words to understand a sentence or scene in the story. This took time out of the reading and made it seem like I was back in school studying.
I rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars. I did not give it a 3 because despite the upper-level vocabulary, I still highly enjoyed the story. Elizabeth R. Burchard’s life experiences with pyramid schemes that slowly developed into her participation in a cult are fascinating and provide a warning to others. Liz’s slow realization that she did not actually believe in the cult doctrine, eludes courage and strength.
This book is well suited for an adult audience. It does involve many adult topics that are definitely not suited for a younger audience. In all honestly, there should be a trigger warning on the cover of this book and on the inside front page with all the different topics that are discussed in the story. If I had not read a detailed description, I would have been very caught off guard when certain scenes were described.
******
The Cult Next Door
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
