An insight into the life of someone living under the shadow of Warren Jeffs
Stolen Innocence : My story of growing up in a polygamous sect, becoming a teenage bride, and breaking free of Warren Jeffs
by Elissa Wall
with Lisa Pulitzer
A very captivating book about the life of Elissa Wall in the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) while it was under the leadership of Warren Jeffs.
It begins with a short chapter about her preparing for marriage right after she turns 14. Then skips back to the past and talks about her early childhood. The stresses of living in a polygamy family and how it affected her and her siblings. The indoctrination is shown, too. How her dad will do anything to stay in the good graces of the leader of the community, how in depth the FLDS have taken over the city and superseded laws and people's rights.
When Elissa goes into the details of her marriage at 14 to a 19 year old boy, not only does it show how much she did not know about male/female relations and even reproduction in general, but just much much the boys do not know either.
It was disheartening to read how hard it was to leave, how they separated families making it even harder to pull away from the sect if you wanted to. How people would lie for the group if Warren Jeffs told them to.
It is not a life I would want to live or have anyone I know live.
It ended with the trial of Warren Jeffs for being an accomplice in the underage marriage of Elissa Wall. He was convicted. The book ends about 2008, so I will research what happened after the events in the book.
by Elissa Wall
with Lisa Pulitzer
A very captivating book about the life of Elissa Wall in the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) while it was under the leadership of Warren Jeffs.
It begins with a short chapter about her preparing for marriage right after she turns 14. Then skips back to the past and talks about her early childhood. The stresses of living in a polygamy family and how it affected her and her siblings. The indoctrination is shown, too. How her dad will do anything to stay in the good graces of the leader of the community, how in depth the FLDS have taken over the city and superseded laws and people's rights.
When Elissa goes into the details of her marriage at 14 to a 19 year old boy, not only does it show how much she did not know about male/female relations and even reproduction in general, but just much much the boys do not know either.
It was disheartening to read how hard it was to leave, how they separated families making it even harder to pull away from the sect if you wanted to. How people would lie for the group if Warren Jeffs told them to.
It is not a life I would want to live or have anyone I know live.
It ended with the trial of Warren Jeffs for being an accomplice in the underage marriage of Elissa Wall. He was convicted. The book ends about 2008, so I will research what happened after the events in the book.