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theprincekent's review
3.0
Graphic: Child abuse and Rape
Moderate: Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Animal death
sydneybedell's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Colonisation, Incest, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, and Sexism
Moderate: Antisemitism, Homophobia, Confinement, and Gaslighting
Minor: Animal death, Death, Murder, and Suicide
shelby1994's review against another edition
4.0
I don't think this review is the right place for me to give the internet a deep dive into my family's history with cults, or the impact that growing up in one had on my parents even after they left as adults. But that type of familial legacy sinks into your bones, leaving you looking at cult/fundamentalist members with a sort of pitying understanding.
I see you.
You're wrong, but I see you.
The Children of God ("The Family") was the subject of two bombshell memoirs in the last year, this and Lauren Hough's "Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing." The Family set itself apart from other fundamentalist, doomsday groups of the era by preaching a disturbing free love philosophy, which applied to everyone over the age of 12. The sexual and emotional trauma that Jones describes in her memoir leaves you rattled and revolted, but her spiritual quest to develop a relationship with God outside of the boundaries of The Family is what she wants to leave you with.
I think the one thing that didn't really work for me here is the narrative voice she uses, especially in the first half. Jones describes her life through the eyes of the 5,6,7, 8....year old child she was. She succeeds in drawing you into what life in The Family felt like to a child who was taught that this was normal from the get-go. But it was also frustrating to not have her zoom out at certain moments and give more nuanced explanations when it came to the religious and leadership beliefs they held.
Read If:
-- You enjoyed reading "Educated"
-- You grew up as a TCK (Third Culture Kid)
-- You read "Cultish" last year and now you want to get your hands on ALL the cult memoirs
Graphic: Child abuse and Sexual violence
Minor: Animal death
mondovertigo's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Gaslighting, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Child abuse, and Death
Moderate: Colonisation
Minor: Bullying, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Abortion, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Blood, and Body shaming
thrillofthepage's review
Graphic: Misogyny, Body shaming, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Suicide, Addiction, and Animal death
onewoman_bookclub's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Animal death and Gaslighting
Minor: Eating disorder
thelassinlinen's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Antisemitism, Biphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Colonisation, Confinement, Cultural appropriation, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and Xenophobia
enchantressreads's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Pedophilia, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Animal death