Review by cj82487 -- The Cult Next Door
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cj82487
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Review by cj82487 -- The Cult Next Door
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Cult Next Door" by Elizabeth R. Burchard, Judith L. Carlone.]
2 out of 4 stars
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I was pretty excited to get my hands on this book. I'm a sucker for true crime and unbelievably true stories with titles like, "My neighbor was a serial killer." Anything that generally falls into that category, instantly gets added to my ever-growing to be read list. In the end, I give it a 2 out of 4. I didn't love it, but it wasn't horrible. I'm sort of ambivalent towards it.
Right off the back, I had no clue whatsoever who this guy, George Sharkman, was or what he was involved with. I tried to do a little bit of research before I started reading, but couldn't really find much information other than links to this book. I didn't let that throw me off though, because I read a book about a polygamist family that was supposedly well-known, and couldn't find any information in a basic Google search either. In that case, I had actually spoken with the author, so I knew her story was true and took that into account when I started reading this one. Just because I couldn't find much or any information on George, doesn't mean he doesn't exist. I'm running on the assumption that for safety and possibly to avoid any kind of lawsuit, his name was changed for the book.
Moving on. I got a little bored while reading. I wanted to knock this book out quickly, but not so fast that I couldn't remember details, but I found myself daydreaming while reading. I can clearly remember staring at one page for a few minutes and having to read it all over again because I started thinking about things I needed to take care of around my house. I don't usually have this problem, reading is my way of escaping the real world after all, but it could be that I was just generally distracted. I won't exactly hold that against this book, it could just be me.
The author did convey how difficult it was to leave and how easy it was to fall into the trap of a cult. We've all watched those documentaries and wondered what kind of person can fall for that, and I do still wonder, but I could understand how this charismatic man was able to pull so many people into his realm. My favorite aspect of the book was that it was in chronological order. I'm all for a book that bounces around a timeline and keeps me on my feet, but sometimes that is just a little too much for my brain to handle, especially when it comes to nonfiction pieces. The fact that it was in order from start to finish made it easier to understand how gradually she became a part of this cult.
Would I recommend it? Yes and no. It was a quick read, not too long but not too short, and it was informative. It gave me insight into how someone can easily become a member of a cult, but I did find myself drifting off into other thoughts while reading. Again, that could have just been me and not a representation of the writing. With that said, I've read my fair share of cult-related books and this one just didn't have that pizazz that some of the others do, which might be because I didn't know anything about this man or cult prior to reading. It's worth reading though, if you're interested in these types of books, which I am.
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The Cult Next Door
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
2 out of 4 stars
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I was pretty excited to get my hands on this book. I'm a sucker for true crime and unbelievably true stories with titles like, "My neighbor was a serial killer." Anything that generally falls into that category, instantly gets added to my ever-growing to be read list. In the end, I give it a 2 out of 4. I didn't love it, but it wasn't horrible. I'm sort of ambivalent towards it.
Right off the back, I had no clue whatsoever who this guy, George Sharkman, was or what he was involved with. I tried to do a little bit of research before I started reading, but couldn't really find much information other than links to this book. I didn't let that throw me off though, because I read a book about a polygamist family that was supposedly well-known, and couldn't find any information in a basic Google search either. In that case, I had actually spoken with the author, so I knew her story was true and took that into account when I started reading this one. Just because I couldn't find much or any information on George, doesn't mean he doesn't exist. I'm running on the assumption that for safety and possibly to avoid any kind of lawsuit, his name was changed for the book.
Moving on. I got a little bored while reading. I wanted to knock this book out quickly, but not so fast that I couldn't remember details, but I found myself daydreaming while reading. I can clearly remember staring at one page for a few minutes and having to read it all over again because I started thinking about things I needed to take care of around my house. I don't usually have this problem, reading is my way of escaping the real world after all, but it could be that I was just generally distracted. I won't exactly hold that against this book, it could just be me.
The author did convey how difficult it was to leave and how easy it was to fall into the trap of a cult. We've all watched those documentaries and wondered what kind of person can fall for that, and I do still wonder, but I could understand how this charismatic man was able to pull so many people into his realm. My favorite aspect of the book was that it was in chronological order. I'm all for a book that bounces around a timeline and keeps me on my feet, but sometimes that is just a little too much for my brain to handle, especially when it comes to nonfiction pieces. The fact that it was in order from start to finish made it easier to understand how gradually she became a part of this cult.
Would I recommend it? Yes and no. It was a quick read, not too long but not too short, and it was informative. It gave me insight into how someone can easily become a member of a cult, but I did find myself drifting off into other thoughts while reading. Again, that could have just been me and not a representation of the writing. With that said, I've read my fair share of cult-related books and this one just didn't have that pizazz that some of the others do, which might be because I didn't know anything about this man or cult prior to reading. It's worth reading though, if you're interested in these types of books, which I am.
******
The Cult Next Door
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
