Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Sex Cult Nun by Faith Jones

24 reviews

mrsmishler's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Gun violence and Murder

Minor: Animal death

siobhanward's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

3.0

 

I read enough that I rarely find books that churn my stomach and yet this one did. Jones is so frank and open about her experiences in the Children of God cult and oh wow it was a lot. I wish she had spent a little less time on the back and forth of what was happening day by day and more on her life post-cult. It seems like she just suddenly left, went to university and was now 41 years old and giving a Tedx talk. I wish there had been more about her deconstruction and return to mainstream society, but I also get that maybe isn't a part of her life she's ready to reflect on at this point. Either way, check trigger warnings for this book before reading, because it's incredibly heavy.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Death, Violence, and Murder

emmamargaretc's review against another edition

3.5

This read like a diary of when Faith was actually going through all of this. I knew the Children of God were bad but this was so much worse 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

bitesizedbeet's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Murder

carriemae's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

erebus53's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

This is not a book you want to start into without first being in a good place. It tells the personal story of a child born to a family pivotal to the Children of God, or "The Family"; a cult organisation based on some twisted interpretations of Christian gospel.

There is overt sexual content in the book, and descriptions of children brought up in a sexualised environment, with authoritarian discipline and privations of scarcity and poverty.

I think I would have not understood this quite so well if I had not already read about various social controls and the nature of Domestic Abuse and trauma healing. The descriptions clearly outline the methods that were used to create submissiveness, dependence, and unquestioning loyalty in people whose fundamental rights were being violated regularly.

Honestly the whole concept in such an extreme social context just makes me consider the societal norms and methods of oppression that we have in our daily lives and just normalise.. "that's just how things are".

It's a powerful account, but not really a fun read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Abortion

Minor: Cancer, Deadnaming, and Violence

redvelveting's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring sad medium-paced

4.0

I happened to pick this book up for free and it definitely exceeded my expectations. Faith’s detailed and well-articulated recounting of her life with the Family is uncomfortable and very difficult to swallow but also inspiring to see how she gradually comes to terms with the truth and finds her voice. There were definitely moments where I needed to put the book down to process what had just happened. It is not an easy read at all, even less so depending on your own life experiences. But while there were many moments of discomfort, I was desperate to hear that things worked out for her, and hence found myself wanting to read more every night. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

growintogardens's review

challenging dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

3.25

I've read a lot about cults and personal memoirs from people in cults, but this one didn't really help me understand the cult itself. The descriptions of sexual abuse are so graphic, it's very difficult to get through. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Religious bigotry, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Abandonment

Minor: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, and Fatphobia

The descriptions of assault are really graphic. Also, rape/assult continues throughout the book.

sara_m_martins's review against another edition

This book is far too graphic in the abuse described. 
Plus, the writing style and the form feel weird and dissonant, as the sequence of events goes from pages of different but relatively-mundane life (like building a wall) to extremely abusive and traumatic scenarios. 
Additionally, I think I would rather read a more removed perspective - i.e. a biography instead of an autobiography

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Excrement, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Drug use, and Cultural appropriation

lcoffey's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Something in me changed while reading this book. Emotionally it was very difficult to get through at times. She tells of experiences at each age from the frame of reference or attitude of a person at that age, so the reader experiences things through a lens of innocence or trust on through questioning and disillusionment. I was so proud of her by the end of the book, truly rooting for her success and happiness. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence