Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

A Billion Years: My Escape From A Life In The Highest Ranks of Scientology by Mike Rinder

16 reviews

i_am_judith's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective

5.0

(listened to it as an audiobook)
the tone of the book is open and intimate and the writing / voice of the autho feels genuine 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse

dmalexander's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Grief, Stalking, and Abandonment

Moderate: Death of parent

bookie22's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Stalking, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

kerrbearlib's review against another edition

dark informative reflective

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Gaslighting

peakstar's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Religious bigotry, Stalking, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Child death, Death, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia

sareidle's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Religious bigotry, and Stalking

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

pbuzzard's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

5.0

If you have watched the Scientology documentary by Leah Remini, you'll recognize Mike Rinder from there. His story is sad and heart wrenching and inspiring. If only a portion of it is true, then it is devastating. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

vannahcabana's review against another edition

informative sad medium-paced

4.5

Very interesting book. It details Mike Rinder’s journey from childhood to adult life in Scientology. He has so many stories of events and situations that happened to him personally within the church. The chapters were a great a length. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

erz02006's review against another edition

challenging dark informative slow-paced

3.0

TLDR: educational but not entertaining.

I was expecting this to be a memoir but it read more like a history of Scientology told from the perspective of a former member. While many of the events were things that the author witnessed or impacted him directly they were usually discussed in a factual and unemotional way (which may be the result of Scientology hammering out any emotions in him.) There were many names and Scientology terms thrown out that were hard to keep track of and not much in the way of an actual story.

So if you’re looking for an entertaining or enthralling read I wouldn’t recommend. However, if you’re looking to gain a deeper understanding into Scientology and their many, many abuses and scandals this book will give you more than enough content. It was very eyeopening.

Also, I randomly decided to read Jenna Miscavige Hill’s memoir at the same time and that was a very interesting comparison. I didn’t realize that they were close family friends and their books frequently mention the other and their immediate family (Jenna actually spent more time with Mike’s kids than Mike did.) It’s also interesting to hear the same events told from the perspective of a high ranking, middle aged Sea Org member and a young girl and see how their interpretations differed.

Despite not finding this to be a very fun read, I commend Mike Rinder on exposing the Church of Scientology even though it has come at his own expense.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Kidnapping, and Stalking

iirenity's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Child abuse, Terminal illness, Torture, and Murder

Minor: Death of parent