Scan barcode
taelights's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Death, Child death, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Racism, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Violence, Body shaming, Suicide, and Sexual harassment
carisamarie's review
3.75
Moderate: Suicide, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, and Classism
youreawizardjerry's review against another edition
3.5
Minor: Body shaming, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Child death, Fatphobia, and Religious bigotry
elspeth_h's review against another edition
3.5
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).ashleycmms's review against another edition
3.5
Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Suicide, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Cursing, Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Racism, Death, Confinement, Cancer, and Emotional abuse
mateoj's review
4.75
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.
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
burnt_milk's review
4.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Suicide
Moderate: Drug abuse and Body shaming
nickoliver's review against another edition
4.25
Montell did state that she focused on the US because US-Americans apparently were more into cults than other countries, but I still would've liked to see the way other countries' experiences with them. Because truth to be told, I've never actually heard of cults that weren't based in the US, so it would've been extremely interesting to see those. Though I guess it might be hard to talk about the language used in cults when the language used isn't English and you're an English-speaker from the US.
Despite what I've read in reviews, I don't think it was bad that she talked so much about cults like Heaven's Gate or Jonestown, because fun fact, not everyone knows about them outside the US. For example, I personally have only heard of the former, and only because I saw a video talking about it once. So I was glad and thrilled that she explained what exactly had happened.
Graphic: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Murder, Racism, Body shaming, and Death
Minor: Sexism, Sexual harassment, Cursing, and Child death
dealingwithdragons's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Suicide, Bullying, Child death, Child abuse, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Fatphobia, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Ableism, Body shaming, Classism, and Cursing
Minor: Abortion, Addiction, Cancer, Confinement, Stalking, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Vomit, Alcohol, Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Racism, and Trafficking
Cults and "cultish" organizations do a lot of terrible things.yeojinqueen's review
5.0
Graphic: Gaslighting
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Drug use, Misogyny, Rape, Addiction, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Murder, Pedophilia, Slavery, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Mass/school shootings, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Self harm, and Toxic relationship