Doris W. (dlwidder) reviewed on 7/1/2008 + 5 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

Carolyn Jessop, a sixth generation polygamist (on her mother's side), is born and raised to believe in a celestial marriage where absolute obedience to your husband and sharing your husband with your "sister wives" is how you earn your place in heaven. She takes the reader on a journey beginning with her childhood ignorance, when she faithfully believed what she was told and never for a moment considered questioning the foundation of her religion, through moments of "rebellion" in her youth, all the way through to her greater revelations and self-discovery in her adulthood. Her account of the changes within the FLDS from the time of her youth until her eventual escape give a greater understanding of how such blatant brainwashing and control can dominate an entire community of followers and how hopeless the women were made to feel so that freedom seemed an impossibility. I applaud Carolyn's ingenious resourcefulness, and the courage and determination it took for her to survive within the confines of the FLDS, escape with all eight of her children and win the legal battle to retain custody of her children. And the fact that she had such an integral role in exposing Warren Jeffs and what he was doing as the leader of the FLDS? Well...that was a spectacular bonus!

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