Cult Worship

Book review of:
"Tangled Vines"
by Diane Noble (also published as Amanda MacLean)

Set in the vineyards of California, this book takes us into the inner circle of a cult group that is on the verge of a mass suicide. Published after such tragic events as Jonestown, this book is sure to stir up strong remembrances and emotions.

I am normally a little wary of novels that deal with such heavy topics, not wanting to feel afterward that I have been "slimed" and left with a nasty taste in my mouth. As I started this book, I was a little concerned with it's direction, but I soon found it to be "palatable".

There are some books that are purely for enjoyment, and some books that reveal truthes. These are the books that I prefer. This is one of those books.

Diane Noble skillfully weaves numerous truths about the psychological tactics used in cults to brainwash and control their people. One of the most interesting, I found, was the degredation of the individual. For example, instead of allowing them to use the pronoun "I", they had to refer to themselves as "it", thus reducing their importance and value. She also touched on subjects such as physical labor (to weary the body), food deprivation, creating a false sense of security within the compound, and creating a heightened and false alarm about the "dangerous" world outside.

If you are interested in the topic of cult worship and the psychologies around how people could get sucked into this kind of a situation, this book does a good job of giving an introduction to it, while lightening the mood with a little romance and friendly banter among the main characters. It also has a mystery feel for those who are interested in that.

Has anyone else come across this book? What did you think?