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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
Rather than a memoir about the author's experience in 'The Community', this is a book about family, trauma, mental abuse and other forms of abuse linked to the author's unconventional upbringing and familial relationships. In that way, the blurb and the title are very misleading, because while having been a member of The Community had an ongoing impact on the author's life, it felt like they were reaching to make connections between it and the rest of the situations talked about in the memoir. They were too young to recount the experience fully, so often rely on others' recollections, particularly that of their mother, which can hardly be unbiased. This means we don't get much about life in The Community, but dramatic moments strung together by the thread of that initial trauma, which doesn't make for a particularly strong book - in my opinion - and it's not well written enough to be compelling in spite of that, unfortunately. Glad I got this through Amazon First Reads, as I would have been annoyed to have paid full price for a book that was so obviously mismarketed.
challenging
dark
medium-paced
dark
informative
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
I really enjoyed reading about the author’s perspective of an Islamic cult that she was in during the earlier years of her life. It made me think of how people uproot their identities and lives to follow someone else’s guidance. The “happy ending” was nice but you can still see some trauma within the family.
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
This is a hard book to write about. It evokes anger against those people who take advantage of fellow humans. But it also evokes empathy for those who have been manipulated, trapped, and indoctrinated by society's predators.
Sad, frustrating, and eye-opening.
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
This was a good book, but I expect more about living in a cult from the blurb.
This is a story about a relationship between a mother, a daughter, and the culture that shapes them. This is a story about growing up black and Muslim.
This is a story about a relationship between a mother, a daughter, and the culture that shapes them. This is a story about growing up black and Muslim.
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
The Community is a great book club book. Lots of historical references, philosophies and facts. Very comprehensive. Confusing at times because the narrative mixes with the history a lot. But very informative. I think the history presented almost overshadows the author's personal story. The story itself is told well and you can sympathize with the parents and Jamiyla. The explanation for why the parents wanted to be Muslim and isolate themselves is very relatable, as well as, the feeling of betrayal felt by Jamiyla. It is humbling for parents to be able to admit their mistakes and faults. I had not previously heard of Imman Issa and I'm glad he is in prison. It's interesting you still have people that follow his teachings despite him being a horrible man.
I would give this a 3.5.
If you’re looking for a book that looks into the cult set up by Dwight York, this is not the book.
This much a memoir that delves into the personal rather than the whole, and a lot of the memoir come from the perspective of the author when she was a toddler. It’s obvious (and mentioned) that the author did a lot of work to piece together the recollection of the abuse and confusion she experienced during her time at The Community making some of the thoughts more sophisticated than what a toddler would normally think.
The book was a reflection from three different points: 1. What happened in the community 2. What happened after leaving the community 3. How this ties into post-9/11 sentiments against Muslims
If you’re looking for a book that looks into the cult set up by Dwight York, this is not the book.
This much a memoir that delves into the personal rather than the whole, and a lot of the memoir come from the perspective of the author when she was a toddler. It’s obvious (and mentioned) that the author did a lot of work to piece together the recollection of the abuse and confusion she experienced during her time at The Community making some of the thoughts more sophisticated than what a toddler would normally think.
The book was a reflection from three different points: 1. What happened in the community 2. What happened after leaving the community 3. How this ties into post-9/11 sentiments against Muslims