Review of The Cult Next Door

[Natalie Dostic]

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

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4 out of 5 stars

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I rate this book a 3.75 / 5. Purely based on content, this book is almost a 5 / 5 in my eyes. It's extremely honest and raw and I feel such bravery from the author for sharing her story. I also like that there are a few chapters written by her best friend (who was the one that helped her break free from the brain washing of the cult leader). I really like that the reader gets a different POV - an outsider that is able to realize what is going on with this group of people and the steps she takes to detangle her friend from them.
The reason I rate this book 3.75 is that I didn't love the style in which it was written. The chapters tend to be short and quick as they deal with a certain month or week or even day in the author's story. I am happy it was chronological and that we started with the author's childhood and onwards but, I felt that there could have been more introspection on the author's end. Certain events were quite vague and missing how the author felt at that moment in time. That's not to say that there were not moments where the author was expressing how she felt and what she was thinking, I just think the reader could have used even more of it to really empathize with them.
As I mentioned, the chapters were short and I found the organization of them strange. I think that certain dates and events could have been grouped together and then reflected on at the end of the chapter. The author also begins the book with a disclaimer on the stigma surrounding people who get involved with cults and I wish that this was expanded on more throughout and especially at the end of the book.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this. It was intriguing and honest. I also absolutely love that resources were provided for those with similar experiences.

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The Cult Next Door
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