Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape by Jenna Miscavige Hill

13 reviews

vannahcabana's review

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

This book details the Scientology journey of the niece of the organization’s current leader. It was very interesting to read her story as a child through young adult years in the “religion.” I’ve watched several documentaries regarding Scientology and other folks leaving, but this was quite interesting being the current leader’s niece. Not an easy story to read but definitely interesting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Bullying, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Abortion, Infidelity, Stalking, Death, Sexual content, and Suicide

libraryshifter's review

challenging emotional informative inspiring tense slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

thatrunninggirl's review

dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Suicide attempt

Minor: Mental illness and Abortion

siobhanward's review against another edition

emotional informative slow-paced

3.5

This book piqued my interest since I knew that Shelley Miscavige is the (probably) missing wife of the leader of scientology, so I figured a book from one of her family members was interesting, and it definitely was. I didn't know a whole lot about scientology going in other than the basics. Frankly, it just was never a rabbit hole that I fell down, but wow there's a ton out there. Learning about what it's like on the inside from someone who experienced it first hand as a child was an experience.

Hill's accounts of her time in scientology, training from an early age to be a "good" scientologist is fascinating and heartbreaking - I'm so, so glad she got out but I'm now more disturbed knowing what's happening to those who are still inside. I definitely found this book was slow at points. Hill's account was detailed, but sometimes to the point of being overly detailed or repetitive, but it was still a solid read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse

Minor: Suicide

abookofwildflowers's review against another edition

informative inspiring sad slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting and Emotional abuse

erz02006's review

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

TLDR: The epitome of the phrase “truth is stranger than fiction”

Jenna’s childhood is absolutely bonkers. I’ve never read or heard of any childhood quite as bizarre. Every chapter I would just sit there in disbelief at what I had just read.

This book does a good job of illustrating Scientology’s beliefs and practices, their views on childhood and family, as well as highlighting techniques that are used to brainwash and keep people compliant in cults. I found it fascinating, although a bit sad.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Forced institutionalization

growintogardens's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Bullying

Moderate: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Confinement

Minor: Suicide, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Death

stepnic's review against another edition

dark hopeful informative inspiring sad slow-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Bullying

Moderate: Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Mental illness, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Stalking, and Suicide

Minor: Abortion and Death

avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

3.5

 3.5 stars- I thought for a memoir the narration was excellent. It was quite slow-moving, yet there was a lot going on. I was so glad in the end that the outcome was what it was. I never realized quite how bad Scientology was. I knew it was bad, but not this much of a total cult. The fact it has been declared a religion in the US is terrifying! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Slavery, Abandonment, Confinement, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Bullying, and Child abuse

Moderate: Infidelity and Sexism

Minor: Abortion

beholderess's review

emotional slow-paced

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Child abuse

Moderate: Confinement