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bootsmom3's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexism, Child death, Death, Grief, and Misogyny
Moderate: Alcohol, Car accident, Cursing, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Suicide, and Toxic friendship
hollidayreadswithme's review against another edition
4.0
For more of my reviews, check out my book blog at www.readingreckless.wordpress.com
Leaving the witness by Amber Scorah is about a woman, Amber, going to China and losing her faith. The irony of that is not lost on us is the fact that Amber goes to one of the most restrictive countries in the world and finds her freedom. Initial reaction: I really enjoyed the book. There were a couple of things that happened later in the book that I found confusing or just not worded correctly.
I picked this book because I’m a huge fan of podcasts like Last Podcast on the Left and Let’s Talk about Sects. These podcasts talk about cults and emerging religious movements in a very informed way. But it is very different from someone who has actually experienced it.
I think that it’s really important for people in these situations to voice what is going on with them. I’ve read a number of memoirs from ex- “cult” members. I use the word “cult” in quotations because a cult is just a religion or a faction that hasn’t been accepted by mainstream society. At one point, early christians would have been considered “cult members” because what they believed was so off the wall compared to the widely held beliefs at the time.
As for the writing, it was solid. It was easy to follow along with, but also had that choppy style that is common in translated works. It is almost as though Scorah was engrossed in Chinese culture and language for so long that the writing of this work reflected that.
I really enjoyed the story itself. It was interesting to see how her life was interwoven in the present narrative. She would mention her husband and then go into a flashback / story about why she wasn’t a virgin when she got married and then bring you right back to the back of the taxi cab that she shared with her husband. I liked the aimlessness of it. It felt like a natural progression of the way you get to know someone. Usually they are not just from beginning to end, you meet someone and every once in a while you tell them a story.
All in all, I think it’s a very informative read. There were tidbits about chinese culture that I’ve never heard before and information about JW (Jehovah’s Witness) including the history that is most likely well documented but I had never seeked out myself. This book made me want to delve deeper into that history, which is why it was disappointing when she didn’t name the book that Jonathan read from an Ex-JW member. There is also a really tragic story at the end which felt disjointed in regards to the rest of the book.
I would give this book a 4 star.
Leaving the witness by Amber Scorah is about a woman, Amber, going to China and losing her faith. The irony of that is not lost on us is the fact that Amber goes to one of the most restrictive countries in the world and finds her freedom. Initial reaction: I really enjoyed the book. There were a couple of things that happened later in the book that I found confusing or just not worded correctly.
I picked this book because I’m a huge fan of podcasts like Last Podcast on the Left and Let’s Talk about Sects. These podcasts talk about cults and emerging religious movements in a very informed way. But it is very different from someone who has actually experienced it.
I think that it’s really important for people in these situations to voice what is going on with them. I’ve read a number of memoirs from ex- “cult” members. I use the word “cult” in quotations because a cult is just a religion or a faction that hasn’t been accepted by mainstream society. At one point, early christians would have been considered “cult members” because what they believed was so off the wall compared to the widely held beliefs at the time.
As for the writing, it was solid. It was easy to follow along with, but also had that choppy style that is common in translated works. It is almost as though Scorah was engrossed in Chinese culture and language for so long that the writing of this work reflected that.
I really enjoyed the story itself. It was interesting to see how her life was interwoven in the present narrative. She would mention her husband and then go into a flashback / story about why she wasn’t a virgin when she got married and then bring you right back to the back of the taxi cab that she shared with her husband. I liked the aimlessness of it. It felt like a natural progression of the way you get to know someone. Usually they are not just from beginning to end, you meet someone and every once in a while you tell them a story.
All in all, I think it’s a very informative read. There were tidbits about chinese culture that I’ve never heard before and information about JW (Jehovah’s Witness) including the history that is most likely well documented but I had never seeked out myself. This book made me want to delve deeper into that history, which is why it was disappointing when she didn’t name the book that Jonathan read from an Ex-JW member. There is also a really tragic story at the end which felt disjointed in regards to the rest of the book.
I would give this book a 4 star.
laura_corsi's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed this memoir. As someone who has been through her own faith transition i related so much to the things Amber was going through. My favorite part was the after when we get a glimpse into how truly difficult it was to put her life together again after leaving her religion. I really wish there had been more details about that and about her new significant other.
mariahistryingtoread's review against another edition
5.0
As someone raised as a Jehovah's Witness who is no longer religious, I have never felt so seen.
My experience was nowhere near hers, but the overlap we did have was chilling. It was like finding a diary I forgot about stuffed in a closet; circumstances I vaguely identify through the eyes of a stranger.
She gets it, that's all I can say. More power to anyone out there going through the same; it will get worse before it gets better. And 'better' will not look like you expect it to.
"This alchemy of life, this magical planet, they bewilder me, they awe me. But no understanding comes, any more than it did to any other human who walked this hard land, feeling entitled to explanations where there are none. I have called a truce with the unknown, and I am learning to live with the disquiet. I do not attempt to pray to a God who will not answer."
I will be thinking of this quote until the end of time.
My experience was nowhere near hers, but the overlap we did have was chilling. It was like finding a diary I forgot about stuffed in a closet; circumstances I vaguely identify through the eyes of a stranger.
She gets it, that's all I can say. More power to anyone out there going through the same; it will get worse before it gets better. And 'better' will not look like you expect it to.
"This alchemy of life, this magical planet, they bewilder me, they awe me. But no understanding comes, any more than it did to any other human who walked this hard land, feeling entitled to explanations where there are none. I have called a truce with the unknown, and I am learning to live with the disquiet. I do not attempt to pray to a God who will not answer."
I will be thinking of this quote until the end of time.
jannythelibrarian's review against another edition
3.25
listened to the audiobook 7hr. interesting and pacing was not for me. last section with the kid was abrupt
she moves to china to spread the cult. learned the language. talks about childhood/young adult in the cult and eventually getting disfellowshipped. gets into cultural differences. eventually gets deprogrammed by some stranger she met online through work. she thought they were in love but nah. last bit is about restarting life in new york then wtf her 3 month yr old dies bc of daycare neglect
she moves to china to spread the cult. learned the language. talks about childhood/young adult in the cult and eventually getting disfellowshipped. gets into cultural differences. eventually gets deprogrammed by some stranger she met online through work. she thought they were in love but nah. last bit is about restarting life in new york then wtf her 3 month yr old dies bc of daycare neglect
curiouslykatt's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
easage81's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
kayla_kamldecker's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.5