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aklovekorn's review against another edition
4.5
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Racism, and Toxic friendship
elenatamsen's review
4.25
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Cultural appropriation, and Emotional abuse
okarenhelena's review
4.75
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Rape, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Child abuse, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, Body shaming, Kidnapping, and Genocide
Minor: Cancer
rorikae's review against another edition
4.25
What I appreciated most about this book is that it not only delves into the more well known fringe cults like Jonestown and Scientology but that Montell also explores how similar language techniques are used by popular fitness workouts, brands, and multilevel marketing schemes.
By starting with the most insidious cults and then branching out into the more common day examples, Montell does a great job of cementing a base understanding of how cults use language and how this has been coopted for everyday uses. Montell balances interrogation of methods and language uses with empathy, which I felt gave the book a more open view of how people get involved with cults. Montell also includes stories from people who have been in cults to provide first hand experience on how language can manipulate perception. If you have any interest in linguistics or have ever wondered how people get involved with cults, I recommend this book as a great source of information.
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Body shaming and Bullying
lindseyrenee's review
4.25
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Classism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Cursing, Fatphobia, and Racism
og_tomatogirl's review
4.25
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Death, and Suicide
Moderate: Cultural appropriation
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, and Body shaming
cghegan's review
4.25
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Suicide
Minor: Ableism, Body shaming, Sexism, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, and Slavery
shanhorsey's review
4.0
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Suicide, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
imstephtacular's review
4.25
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, and Racism
Minor: Suicide
caseythereader's review
4.0
- Particularly, the emphasis on the fact that someone getting tangled up in fringe religious groups or MLMs isn't necessarily a sign of stupidity or gullibility, rather that these organizations have carefully calibrated their pitches to bring in the most driven, committed people.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cultural appropriation, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Racism, Rape, and Religious bigotry