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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
Interesting to hear another perspective on this after having read Carolyn Jessop's books. I did find it odd that Carolyn wasn't mentioned at all, as they must have known each other. But still very interesting book, I quite enjoyed it.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
A little obsession of mine is reading about cults. I read/listened to Shari Franke’s book this month and I’m not saying it wasn’t “culty”enough for me, but it definitely was lacking a little bit for me, so I went back to see what was included in Audible Plus and this has been there a while so I decided to eventually give it a listen, just to scratch that itch.
It is a bit dated, but it provides a deep dive into the world of FLDS (Fundamentalist Later Day Saints), sacred garments and all (IYKYK). I watched a show a while back called “Escaping Polygamy” and I genuinely was so fascinated in the process, the rescue and how the rescuers didn’t know these people they were rescuing and they were related. This is the background behind that show. It explains the legislation, the God Squad, the CPS and the lengths people like Flora go to, to free people from the FLDS.
Recommend if you’re obsessed as me!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting
A tough read. My only feedback is I wish Flora had read the audiobook. She has a unique voice literally and in her storytelling. She’s so passionate when she speaks and I would have loved to hear her tell her own story.
challenging
informative
fast-paced
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Stalking
dark
emotional
medium-paced
No matter how much I learn about the FLDS, every book brings new surprises. This one in particular, because it's not just one survivor's story, it's also the story of her tireless work to help other women and children escape lives of polygamous and abuse. One of the girls Flora Jessop rescued, first from the FLDS and then from the government agencies who insisted on returning her to her parents, was Fawn Broadbent. Fawn and her friend, Fawn Holm, ran away at the age of 15 to escape being married. One was promised to a first cousin, a common practice in Colorado City (Flora herself was married to a 19 year old first cousin at the age of 16), and the other to a man twice her age who had other wives and whom she hated. Fawn Broadbent's mother, Joyce, was interviewed for a National Geographic cover story in 2010 and was portrayed as an average, happy, loving mother who delighted in her lifestyle. No mention was made of her daughter or the many court battles that had finally resulted in her freedom. It was that Nat Geo article that made me pursue the issue more fully, as the writer painted an extremely positive picture of life in a polygamous cult. Perhaps the crew didn't interview anyone without a member of the "priesthood" present. Or maybe they just weren't aware of or interested in how deeply lifelong brainwashing can affect a person's POV.
Anyway, despite a rough beginning (some of Jessop's accounts of her own childhood abuse read too much like kiddy porn, but as I read I grew to understand her lack of objectivity on the matter), it became an excellent account of life among the FLDS and how unbelievably hard it is to escape. Even those who succeed too often give up and go back due to a total lack of understanding about the outside world, which they're taught from birth is purely evil. Because the girls often leave school between the ages of 10 and 13 and are immediately married off and impregnated, their emotional and psychological development stops, making it all but impossible to take up growing and learning as adults on the outside. That makes it all the more incredible that Jessop is able to do the work she does, as well as writing such a smart and readable book as this.
Anyway, despite a rough beginning (some of Jessop's accounts of her own childhood abuse read too much like kiddy porn, but as I read I grew to understand her lack of objectivity on the matter), it became an excellent account of life among the FLDS and how unbelievably hard it is to escape. Even those who succeed too often give up and go back due to a total lack of understanding about the outside world, which they're taught from birth is purely evil. Because the girls often leave school between the ages of 10 and 13 and are immediately married off and impregnated, their emotional and psychological development stops, making it all but impossible to take up growing and learning as adults on the outside. That makes it all the more incredible that Jessop is able to do the work she does, as well as writing such a smart and readable book as this.
After reading about the FLDS, I knew of Flora Jessop, but didn't know the full extent of her story. It's pretty incredible. Her efforts to save those who have let or ran away from the cult are remarkable. This is not for the faint of heart, right away she mentions the brutal abuse she suffered at the hands of her father. It's definitely a hard read-through at times, but it's worth it.
informative
fast-paced
An interesting overview of the life of Flora Jessop and her life in and fight against the FLDS. Not a great primer on the subject but as someone who has read many books on them it made sense to me.
It was a very readable book but also very fast paced (some may find almost too much). I especially liked her discussion of her work with law enforcement and CPS regarding getting people out of the FLDS (and similar places). She was very open about their flaws, which is something that people should know more about.
Finally, for those wondering, regarding Rubyshe was able to escape after the book was published.
It was a very readable book but also very fast paced (some may find almost too much). I especially liked her discussion of her work with law enforcement and CPS regarding getting people out of the FLDS (and similar places). She was very open about their flaws, which is something that people should know more about.
Finally, for those wondering, regarding Ruby