Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

37 reviews

thursdd4y's review

informative fast-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Police brutality, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Murder, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Violence, and Suicide

Moderate: Alcoholism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Drug use, Cursing, Terminal illness, Classism, Drug abuse, and Grief

growintogardens's review against another edition

medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Toxic friendship

mfrisk's review

hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

3.5

This is a great read connecting the author’s experiences with cults and cult language to accounts from various other people and how language can be used. It does get a bit repetitive and drag towards the end but I’d still recommend it widely. 

This line in particular stood out to me as poignant - “It’s in our DNA to want to believe in something, to feel something, alongside other people seeking the same.” 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, and Violence

Minor: Sexual assault

stardustdreamer's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Classism, and Murder

Moderate: Child death, Suicide, and Racism

zoinkie's review

challenging funny informative reflective slow-paced

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting

Moderate: Suicide and Death

Minor: Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Body shaming, and Bullying

zosiablue's review

informative medium-paced

3.0

I think the author's thesis was: Cults (like Heaven's Gate) and cult-feeling orgs (like SoulCycle) are different, but share similar language, and listening for cultish language is our best chance at not getting sucked in. Which is a cool premise but she doesn't land it. There are a lot of contradictions, tons of meandering,  and occasional strong political statements that I enjoyed but were then dampened by weaker language. It was messy but it did get me thinking about how pervasive cult language is. I think this book would be most eye-opening for anyone who feels conflicted about MLMs or Instagram influencers and things like that (this will talk them out of following). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Cultural appropriation, Murder, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Mental illness, Classism, Child death, Drug use, Kidnapping, and Suicide

bashsbooks's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

This is an extremely cool linguistic exploration on how language impacts how people decided to join and stay in manipulative groups (broadly termed 'cultish'). From murder-suicides like Jonestown and Heaven's Gate to MLMs to fitness groups like Soul Cycle, the spectrum is wide, but Montell convincing demonstrates on how all these groups employ similar rhetorical strats to recruit people.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Murder, Religious bigotry, Racism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Death, and Child death

Moderate: Antisemitism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Addiction

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

risemini's review

informative reflective fast-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Child death, Suicide, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, and Violence

angreadseverything's review

funny informative lighthearted medium-paced

3.0

I think it could have been organized better overall

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Suicide

Moderate: Confinement, Sexual assault, and Child death

elsa__reads's review against another edition

dark funny informative tense fast-paced

5.0

Easy to read, it's written fairly accessible. A very interesting read as well without getting tiring. Some chapters are hard to read because the events written about led to people losing their lives, so major trigger warning for that. I really enjoyed her writing style.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Child death