Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - When the World Didn't End

Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

When the World Didn't End by Guinevere Turner

26 reviews

siobhanward's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

3.5

If I had a nickel for every book I read this year about a young person's experience in a cult and their escape from it, I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot, but I'm impressed that I read two.

I really liked that Turner's book focused so much on her time after leaving the Lyman family, from her struggles to realizing that she was happier and better off in the real world. I didn't know anything about the Lyman family before reading this, and wish there had been a bit more about what it was and its history but I also understand that from Turner's child POV, not a lot of that was relevant.

This was a solid read and mostly well-written, although at times it felt like the pacing was off. I appreciated Turner's honesty throughout the book, and the use of diaries was interesting and really reinforced how real a story this was.

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blaroche's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful sad tense slow-paced

4.0

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katerr's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

5.0

I got too distracted by other books- I’ll pick this one back up at some point.

Started it again a few months later (was listening to it, read on Kindle the second time) and I was very engaged very quickly. Fascinating young life

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bzm0023's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective fast-paced

4.0

Read this in a day! Similar vibes to Educated and The Sound of Gravel, which to say there were parts that made me feel sick/had to skip. (TW: childhood sexual abuse starting Chapter 34.) I was expecting it to be a big lead up until the spaceship/world ending event but the author was only 6 so the story is the aftermath. Still a very fascinating perspective on cults, what defines family, and the power of choice.

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chrisdennismyers's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

I read a significant number of cult memoirs and this one is among the best I have read. She reflects on her time in the cult but also is fair to her 11 year old self that left the cult--and continued to pine for it for years afterward. She keeps moving the narrative forward as her life moved on, but remains true to the self that experienced the trauma and the self she is now. A beautiful, heartbreaking book.

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aaraia's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.75

I want to know more about her current relationship with her mom and siblings and what happened to FP. Truly a devastating book to read and as a reader, I'm so grateful to the people who did help her. What a strong, wonderful woman who shouldn't have had to become so strong at such a young age.

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