Reviews tagging 'Cultural appropriation'

Cultos by Amanda Montell

52 reviews

tender_onion's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Cultural appropriation, Genocide, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, and Violence

bootsmom3's review against another edition

funny informative medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Child death, Murder, Racism, Sexism, Body shaming, Death, Gun violence, and Misogyny

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Alcohol

kerttuli's review against another edition

dark informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Murder, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: Mental illness and Bullying

spindeln's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

Not only was this book informative and insightful, but it was also so digestible and fun to read. I’ll probably be recommending it a lot.

Considering that the only two books I have rated 5 stars this year are non-fiction, I should probably read more non-fiction.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Suicide, and Violence

Minor: Cultural appropriation and Trafficking

marisa_n's review against another edition

dark informative lighthearted reflective slow-paced

3.5

Just okay. I think her podcast, Sounds Like A Cult, is better. The book is interesting, but unorganized. It jumps from one "cult" to another seemingly at random.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Self harm, Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

youreawizardjerry's review against another edition

informative lighthearted reflective slow-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Body shaming, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Child death, Fatphobia, and Religious bigotry

elspeth_h's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Ableism, Bullying, Body shaming, Cultural appropriation, Suicide, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Self harm, Murder, and Emotional abuse

As this book details the harm that cults and cult-adjacent groups have on their members, it covers a lot of sensitive topics. A section is devoted to suicide cults including Jonestown and Heavens Gate. The bullying, abuse, body shaming, etc. comes from quotations of cult leaders and wellness/fitness leaders (e.g. soulcycle).

toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition

dark informative slow-paced

5.0

This is a solid nonfiction book that is an examination of different types of cults within our society and how those who lead them use language to manipulate their followers. On the other hand, this book is also about how many of us have already fallen into cultish groups/dynamics. The inside flap reads, "We secretly want to know, 'could it happen to me?' Amanda Montell's argument is that on some level, it already has." From Instagram to Heaven's Gate, Montell describes cults and cult victims with both sensitivity and great intelligence.

I really enjoyed this one. It read easily for a nonfiction. I feel like even if you aren't a nonfiction person, you might like this. Anyone who has spent any time immersed in internet culture, interested in true crime, language, and obviously, cults will find something for them within these pages. I don't really have anything smart to say about it other than I really liked it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Homophobia, Bullying, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, Suicide, Violence, Mental illness, Murder, Religious bigotry, Child abuse, Rape, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Fatphobia, Eating disorder, and Racism

Moderate: War, Cancer, Medical trauma, Car accident, Drug use, Miscarriage, Vomit, and Medical content

Minor: Stalking, Addiction, and Excrement

quills4days's review against another edition

informative reflective slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Gaslighting

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Eating disorder, Dysphoria, Fatphobia, and Gun violence

mateoj's review against another edition

challenging dark informative medium-paced

4.75

at once informative and genuinely funny (but never disrespectful), Cultish is right at the intersection of two things I've pondered studying seriously: sociolinguistics and religious studies. such a fascinating, engrossing book and a rare look at cults of all types with both criticism and empathy. 
also learned that the mom of one of my childhood friends, who is a well-respected professor with a PhD, was involved in an MLM scheme (LuLaRoe), which I think cements Montell's thesis that it isn't only the uneducated who fall prey to "cultish" schemes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Suicide, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Death

Minor: Cultural appropriation, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Child abuse, Confinement, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Kidnapping, and Pedophilia