Girl at the End of the World, by Elizabeth Esther, is a dramatic and sensitive look at the inner workings of a cult. Esther grew up in the fundamentalist Christian cult called The Assembly, which was founded by her paternal grandfather. She grew up with a desire to please Jesus and her family by being legalistically devoted to the teachings of the cult; however, as a teenager she found herself confronted with the unhealthy atmosphere of her home and church. The heartwrenching challenges she faced to leave the cult (and her family) as a young married mother keep the reader riveted, rooting for her to break free and find a healthy relationship with Jesus.
However, leaving the cult was only the first step of Esther's healing. Anxiety attacks that had a crippling effect on her life had to be addressed in therapy, her marriage had to be renegotiated outside the confines of the authoritative influence of the cult, and family relationships needed restoration.
I read this book in two days because of Esther's engaging style, admiring the courage it took her to reach back into difficult memories and tell her story. It is important for cult survivors to do so, in order that others may be encouraged to confront similar situations. If you have ever wondered what it is like to live in a cult, this book will give you an accurate picture; I have a friend who spent 10 years in a cult, and the story she tells is very similar to Esther's. The road to spiritual health is a long one, but it is one worth walking.
For more on the author, go here. I received this book for free for review purposes from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers.
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