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vampirehelpdesk's review
4.0
This book has a lot of graphic content, but I believe it’s important to read if you come from an evangelical background. While my own religious experience was different than CoG, the constant whisper of things escalating grew louder as I read this book. I’ve seen some complaints in reviews of this book that it didn’t cover Berg or how the cult gained its power. I would argue this book is more focused on Ricky Rodriguez and the world he was forced to grow up in, and how one man’s perversion and lust for power ruined the lives of so many people and still continues. A hard read, but one that will keep me thinking for a long time.
xxstefaniereadsxx's review
informative
fast-paced
2.0
I wouldn't recommend this to those looking for in-depth history on COG/TFI or the 'Jesus People' movement. I was hoping Lattin would delve further into the early history & cultural environment in which high-demand groups like this one were able to flourish.
This book seems to sell itself on the sensationalism of already-sensational events, which makes me wonder why many reviewers seem shocked at the content, knowing in advance what the themes are.
Hopefully this book's existence serves as a small sort of victory for (instead of a simple exploitation of) those who were victimized.
This book seems to sell itself on the sensationalism of already-sensational events, which makes me wonder why many reviewers seem shocked at the content, knowing in advance what the themes are.
Hopefully this book's existence serves as a small sort of victory for (instead of a simple exploitation of) those who were victimized.
cdvalentine's review
3.0
There's not many books about The Children of God aka The Family, so we're kind of stuck with this one. There's a lot of information here, but it's disorganized which made it hard to read.
jraley_writes's review against another edition
4.0
Great information regarding the Children of God religious cult-informative and great at introducing the topic of this cult and its history.
camilla_hovda's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Pedophilia
faeriekit's review
dark
informative
sad
tense
2.5
Reading this book was an exercise in misery. It is one of those books that feels as though it delights in telling you all the awful, explicit details about the horrible things that have happened to children trapped in a cult, instead of leaving a semi-visible sketch around what happened. Instead, you're forced to visualize the awful things... This is one of those things I think ought to be left in a court document, not published to be picked up on a shelf, or in a bookshop. On one hand, knowledge is power. On the other hand, I will be distraught for several days.
There is a children of God documentary on N*tflix I will recommend over this, although the documentary is brutal as well. Read the content warnings on this review carefully: there is a great deal of graphic content. I would recommend this book to no one.
There is a children of God documentary on N*tflix I will recommend over this, although the documentary is brutal as well. Read the content warnings on this review carefully: there is a great deal of graphic content. I would recommend this book to no one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Rape, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
beansbooks912's review
2.0
This book was somewhat all over the place, and a lot of information was repeated several times throughout. The subject of the book was interesting (while some of it not easy to read due to the disturbing practices that went on in this cult) but it would have been better if the book was better written. When I was finished I just kind of said to myself "what the hell did I just read?". Not really worth it, and would not recommend.
eegriega's review
2.0
The subject matter is fascinating, and I appreciate all the effort the author put into researching the events and conducting interviews. I just felt that the writing of it was scattered, especially in a chronological sense--it seemed like it jumped around all over the place, back and forth. There were also some repetitive sections, while parts I would have liked to have had more in-depth were skimmed over. (A challenge when you're piecing a story like this together, I know, but overall it made the pacing feel uneven.) Maybe I would have enjoyed it more as a longform article?