Gripping ... Huet’s balanced journalistic tone—an extension of her original articles on the case—doesn’t invite readers to chew over the juicy details so much as it deals them out like grim medicine ... Huet tells it to us straight. Indeed, she barely plays a role in her own book.
If you orgasm in public, can you reach a higher plane of spiritual bliss? Perhaps—or at least that was the promise of OneTaste, a wellness start-up that promulgated the practice of 'orgasmic meditation' ... Building on her Bloomberg Businessweek exposé 'The Dark Side of the Orgasmic Meditation Company,' Huet’s thoroughly researched book recounts the history of OneTaste and details how allegations of abuse tarnished the group’s reputation, leading to an FBI investigation and the eventual conviction of former CEO Nicole Daedone and CFO Rachel Cherwitz in July of this year on forced labor conspiracy charges ... Huet avoids pandering or mocking the organization’s followers, who were drawn in by OneTaste’s straightforward ethos of 'connection, intimacy, belonging, and purpose,' but she does not shy away from how the sexual utopia quickly turned into a workplace nightmare ... Huet details the scope of sexual abuse allegations and does so with a clinical objectivity that accepts the testimony of her former OneTaste informants. However, more could have been done to explore how self-interest, greed, and latent sexism in countercultural groups can intensify sexual exploitation ... Empire of Orgasm made me wonder how we can foster a space where orgasms happen without exploitation or abuse. While it’s not Huet’s job to answer that, I hope society can find creative ways for people to climax freely and with dignity.
A compelling, deeply researched look into the group’s manipulative and exploitative practices ... Will appeal to fans of true crime and cult narratives, and to anyone interested in the dark side of the wellness movement.
