Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Uncultured: A Memoir by Daniella Mestyanek Young

10 reviews

shermansays's review against another edition

dark hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, and War

Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, Blood, and Child death

azurae's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Sexual assault, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Islamophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Lesbophobia, Emotional abuse, Ableism, War, Xenophobia, Violence, Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Sexism, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Addiction and Transphobia

idontread's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, War, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Child abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Abandonment, Cancer, Confinement, Xenophobia, Racism, Addiction, Ableism, Alcoholism, Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Blood, Sexism, Body shaming, Bullying, Grief, Islamophobia, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

mondovertigo's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, Gaslighting, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, War, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Cancer, Racism, Self harm, and Trafficking

Minor: Miscarriage and Abortion

raquelcanread's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Islamophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, War, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Blood, Colonisation, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexual harassment, Religious bigotry, and Sexual content

mhill423's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Suicidal thoughts, War, Child abuse, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

rachreads925's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

3.25

Its hard to judge someone's memoir, since its their life. But I will tell you, if you want to really learn about what it is like to grow up in The Children of God - this isn't the book. "Sex Cult Nun" is another memoir of someone who grew up in the group, and is more focused on the experience of growing up in that particular cult / group. Daniella's childhood comprises the first half of the book or so but there is so much that seems to be glossed over, and what is there isn't necessarily told with a lot of detail. The author in my opinion has sanitized her memories in order to shape how she's viewed by readers, while acknowledging mistakes she made only when its acceptable for her to do so. But what this book does well is talk about how group think happens, and comparing cult life to military life. The way both groups shape their members with indoctrination, isolate them, and place high demands on them. Ultimately it gets a 3 star rating from me due to the slow pace, lack of honesty in some places, and just not being super compelling.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Death, War, Medical content, Self harm, and Xenophobia

Minor: Torture

chaoticnostalgia's review against another edition

inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual assault, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, War, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Homophobia, Suicide attempt, Islamophobia, Racial slurs, Slavery, Incest, Confinement, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Medical trauma, Mental illness, Addiction, Medical content, Pregnancy, Murder, and Chronic illness

lestie4short's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Cursing, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Mental illness, Infidelity, Grief, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Gaslighting

Minor: Cancer

enchantressreads's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

4.0

I first heard of the Children of God cult a few years ago, while perusing random pages about cults. It wasn’t until January of this year when I read Sex Cult Nun by Faith Jones did I realize how horrible this cult really was. I’m very glad that publishers are taking their time to publish these stories.

Daniella Mestyanek Young tells the story of her cult experience beginning from her youth, and through when she finally decided enough was enough. However, due to the trauma of her upbringing, she ended up joining another cult of sorts, the military. Uncultured follows how she was unprepared for a normal life because of the narrow view the Children of God cult had of the world.

Mestyanek Young brings up a very important topic to mental health, and that’s how traumatized people end up going back to what feels normal. In her case, it was another strict regimen with strict leaders. In other people’s cases, it means going back to an abusive relationship, or entering abusive relationship after abusive relationship. It’s a very important topic to discuss, and not one I’ve seen mentioned in relation to trauma very often.

As these brave women put out their stories, I believe we will see even more horror stories to come out of not only the Children of God cult, but more cults surrounding sex crimes. I hope telling her story was helpful for her, and I know it will be helpful for many other people who deal with trauma.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

CW for child abuse, sexual assault/violence, rape, injury detail, antisemitism, religious bigotry, pedophilia, suicidal thoughts, victim blaming, self-harm, sexism, mental abuse, war, death, racism, and trauma

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Death

Minor: Racism, War, Antisemitism, and Self harm

victim blaming