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311 reviews for:
The Witness Wore Red: The 19th Wife Who Brought Polygamous Cult Leaders to Justice
M. Bridget Cook, Rebecca Musser
4.01 AVERAGE
311 reviews for:
The Witness Wore Red: The 19th Wife Who Brought Polygamous Cult Leaders to Justice
M. Bridget Cook, Rebecca Musser
4.01 AVERAGE
Four stars. It's a beautiful memoir and yet one of the most disturbing ones I've read so far. I've not yet read Elissa Wall's book (Rebecca's sister), but I am seriously considering it.
I enjoyed this book. It's quite a page turner, and for someone like me who's not influenced by any kind of religion at all (having grown up with hippie parents), I sat with my mouth open or goosebumps every time I turned another page. I was quite uncomfortable at one point as well: my body shaking and I shed several tears while reading about the sex tape of a 12 year old.
I've always been quite weary with memoirs and especially co-authored books. But given a litte research I seem to understand it. I'm a bit pissed when reviewers say there's too much dialogue, it has to be made up cause' you can't possibly remember sentences by heart.
Here's where you're wrong. Going through psychological and physical trauma often result in two things: loss of memory (you suppress it) or you memories are enheightened.
There is not a lot of dialogue going on in this memoir... Get off your high horse. Most of the dialogue that Musser recites are quite terrifying and life-altering, which is probably why word for word has been stuck in her brain/head/memory.
And perhaps every sentence is not completely correct. I could imagine some of the dialogue between the rangers and Musser is a bit blurry, but Musser still gets to the point of what was possibly said through the dialogue.
A lot of reviewers also complain that the escape scene is dull and not given much attention.
Yes the escape scene was rushed, but looking into it, Musser's escape happened in a rush. Everything happened so fast. She didn't have time to contemplate over what she was doing. She just did it. Hoping her plan would work out and she wouldn't get caught. Let's be hoenst and say it: her idea of leaving flds was quite spontanous (just because Cole phoned her).
When you do spontanous things, when you rush through something, or when you make life-changing and altering decisions it's very common that the memory of it is rather blurry, because of the frigthening and yet exciting emotions/feelings you're going through while doing the action. That's probably why the escape scene seem so rushed. It's actually quite authentic.
I personally loved to learn about Musser's life outside of flds, which is half of the story. I find her story inspiring and filled with hope for people who are in the situation she has been. She tells us what we never get to hear.
When I pick up a newspaper with the title: girl kidnapped for 27 years escapes (made up), I always wonder how the hell that girl is going to live, after having gone through that kind of trauma.
Musser gives her reader a view of that, after a life filled with so much pain. I was in awe that Musser managed to find faith anyhow in God. Not that it was easy. Musser tells her reader that she went through depression, she struggled, her marriage failed etc etc etc. It was somewhat very life-confirming!
Why is it co-authored. I despise co-authored books. I hate it. There's a reason when a book is co-authored, and often it's because the author is not talented enough to write it by herself or himself!
This is different though. Musser is not an author! Musser is a story teller. She got help from another author because you have to face facts. This would've been a very confusing book, if her memories were just rambled out in one long stream-of-conciousness-way.
Take a look in the mirror. When you tell your friend, husband or mother about yesterday's exciting events you're often just ranting out a lot of things and you have to repeat yourself several times in order for your partner to understand what you're saying and getting it right. Therefore is this book co-authored. Else it would have been messy and confusing and much more of a rant than a memoir.
So why didn't I give this book 5 stars. I seemed to have liked it. I enjoyed it. Even though it was co-authored, I felt like I could hear Musser's voice loud and clearly. I cared for the people she mentioned, and I'm sitting here wondering what happend to Christine, or Zach and Cole and Amelia and Mother Sharon.
Well, I'm a bit greedy when it comes to stars! 5 stars are for fantastically well-written books. And to be fair. It did lack in some places, does that mean it's a terrible book! NOT at all!!!
Something I've been wondering about is Cole. In this memoir he helps Musser escape, or at least he's one of the factors that makes Rebecca make that lifer-altering decision. Though not long after Musser's book came out and received a lot of positive attention, Cole self-published a book, based on Musser's memoir, where he claims that Rebecca is lying on several occasions, just like her father claims (saw it on doctor phil). I find that rather odd, since I was quite fond of the Cole that Musser introduced us to, though he showed clear flaws, but I guessed that was mainly because he'd grown up in an environment that opposed women.
All in all. This is a great memoir. It's authentic and real and beautiful and inspiring and I'm very much in awe of Rebecca Musser!
I enjoyed this book. It's quite a page turner, and for someone like me who's not influenced by any kind of religion at all (having grown up with hippie parents), I sat with my mouth open or goosebumps every time I turned another page. I was quite uncomfortable at one point as well: my body shaking and I shed several tears while reading about the sex tape of a 12 year old.
I've always been quite weary with memoirs and especially co-authored books. But given a litte research I seem to understand it. I'm a bit pissed when reviewers say there's too much dialogue, it has to be made up cause' you can't possibly remember sentences by heart.
Here's where you're wrong. Going through psychological and physical trauma often result in two things: loss of memory (you suppress it) or you memories are enheightened.
There is not a lot of dialogue going on in this memoir... Get off your high horse. Most of the dialogue that Musser recites are quite terrifying and life-altering, which is probably why word for word has been stuck in her brain/head/memory.
And perhaps every sentence is not completely correct. I could imagine some of the dialogue between the rangers and Musser is a bit blurry, but Musser still gets to the point of what was possibly said through the dialogue.
A lot of reviewers also complain that the escape scene is dull and not given much attention.
Yes the escape scene was rushed, but looking into it, Musser's escape happened in a rush. Everything happened so fast. She didn't have time to contemplate over what she was doing. She just did it. Hoping her plan would work out and she wouldn't get caught. Let's be hoenst and say it: her idea of leaving flds was quite spontanous (just because Cole phoned her).
When you do spontanous things, when you rush through something, or when you make life-changing and altering decisions it's very common that the memory of it is rather blurry, because of the frigthening and yet exciting emotions/feelings you're going through while doing the action. That's probably why the escape scene seem so rushed. It's actually quite authentic.
I personally loved to learn about Musser's life outside of flds, which is half of the story. I find her story inspiring and filled with hope for people who are in the situation she has been. She tells us what we never get to hear.
When I pick up a newspaper with the title: girl kidnapped for 27 years escapes (made up), I always wonder how the hell that girl is going to live, after having gone through that kind of trauma.
Musser gives her reader a view of that, after a life filled with so much pain. I was in awe that Musser managed to find faith anyhow in God. Not that it was easy. Musser tells her reader that she went through depression, she struggled, her marriage failed etc etc etc. It was somewhat very life-confirming!
Why is it co-authored. I despise co-authored books. I hate it. There's a reason when a book is co-authored, and often it's because the author is not talented enough to write it by herself or himself!
This is different though. Musser is not an author! Musser is a story teller. She got help from another author because you have to face facts. This would've been a very confusing book, if her memories were just rambled out in one long stream-of-conciousness-way.
Take a look in the mirror. When you tell your friend, husband or mother about yesterday's exciting events you're often just ranting out a lot of things and you have to repeat yourself several times in order for your partner to understand what you're saying and getting it right. Therefore is this book co-authored. Else it would have been messy and confusing and much more of a rant than a memoir.
So why didn't I give this book 5 stars. I seemed to have liked it. I enjoyed it. Even though it was co-authored, I felt like I could hear Musser's voice loud and clearly. I cared for the people she mentioned, and I'm sitting here wondering what happend to Christine, or Zach and Cole and Amelia and Mother Sharon.
Well, I'm a bit greedy when it comes to stars! 5 stars are for fantastically well-written books. And to be fair. It did lack in some places, does that mean it's a terrible book! NOT at all!!!
Something I've been wondering about is Cole. In this memoir he helps Musser escape, or at least he's one of the factors that makes Rebecca make that lifer-altering decision. Though not long after Musser's book came out and received a lot of positive attention, Cole self-published a book, based on Musser's memoir, where he claims that Rebecca is lying on several occasions, just like her father claims (saw it on doctor phil). I find that rather odd, since I was quite fond of the Cole that Musser introduced us to, though he showed clear flaws, but I guessed that was mainly because he'd grown up in an environment that opposed women.
All in all. This is a great memoir. It's authentic and real and beautiful and inspiring and I'm very much in awe of Rebecca Musser!
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
heartbreaking
Growing up I watched “ Escaping Polygamy” and I also grew up in the LDS church. So I always had a hard time listening to the FLDS stories. Reading Rebecca’s story made my heart hurt for all of the people involved with Warren Jeffs and his wrath.
Growing up I watched “ Escaping Polygamy” and I also grew up in the LDS church. So I always had a hard time listening to the FLDS stories. Reading Rebecca’s story made my heart hurt for all of the people involved with Warren Jeffs and his wrath.
heartbreaking
Growing up I watched “ Escaping Polygamy” and I also grew up in the LDS church. So I always had a hard time listening to the FLDS stories. Reading Rebecca’s story made my heart hurt for all of the people involved with Warren Jeffs and his wrath.
Growing up I watched “ Escaping Polygamy” and I also grew up in the LDS church. So I always had a hard time listening to the FLDS stories. Reading Rebecca’s story made my heart hurt for all of the people involved with Warren Jeffs and his wrath.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
This was a very interesting and disturbing book. To imagine how these women and children are treated is heart breaking. Even the men who are not a part of the hierarchy are treated horribly. This book gave me nightmares but I love how Rebecca Musser brought Warren Jeffs and his inner circle to justice and found her own inner strength and independence.
dark
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
I wish I could hurt warren jeffs myself
Rebecca Musser's story is one that is so full of courage and empowerment, but is also so full of sadness and injustice.
Having grown up in the FLDS faith, Rebecca "Becky" Wall aspired to be a "sweet wife" and to be married to whomever her Prophet chose for her when the time came. Anything that came from the Prophet was of God. She didn't realize she would be forced to marry the Prophet himself (well into his 80s) as his 19th wife. After her, there would be over 40 other wives that would act as her sister-wife. In this role, she would not only fall victim to sexual abuse, but mental and emotional abuse as well, basically having her basic human rights withheld from her (she would not know that she even had these rights until later in life).
When her husband and Prophet passed, his son, and her "son" as a sister-wife, Warren Jeffs, man handled control of the church and was going to force her to remarry and once again be subject to multiple abuses by a man she didn't really love.
Rebecca had the courage to escape, putting her eternal salvation on the line, and to stand up for all the injustices that had grown out of hand in the FLDS church. She helped with the rain on the YFZ Ranch in Texas and helped bring the men accused of sexual assault and bigamy to justice.
The most empowering part of this was that she still loved her FLDS family and wanted to make sure that they were not only victimized, but that they were understood and treated with respect. Despite the FLDS animosity towards her help, she loved them and worked to make their lives better, if not more fair and full of justice.
I enjoyed the read and her story struck me and I could not help but think about it when I wasn't reading it. Some parts of the story seem jumbled and a bit thrown together, but overall, it is her story and she told it with conviction and honesty.
Having grown up in the FLDS faith, Rebecca "Becky" Wall aspired to be a "sweet wife" and to be married to whomever her Prophet chose for her when the time came. Anything that came from the Prophet was of God. She didn't realize she would be forced to marry the Prophet himself (well into his 80s) as his 19th wife. After her, there would be over 40 other wives that would act as her sister-wife. In this role, she would not only fall victim to sexual abuse, but mental and emotional abuse as well, basically having her basic human rights withheld from her (she would not know that she even had these rights until later in life).
When her husband and Prophet passed, his son, and her "son" as a sister-wife, Warren Jeffs, man handled control of the church and was going to force her to remarry and once again be subject to multiple abuses by a man she didn't really love.
Rebecca had the courage to escape, putting her eternal salvation on the line, and to stand up for all the injustices that had grown out of hand in the FLDS church. She helped with the rain on the YFZ Ranch in Texas and helped bring the men accused of sexual assault and bigamy to justice.
The most empowering part of this was that she still loved her FLDS family and wanted to make sure that they were not only victimized, but that they were understood and treated with respect. Despite the FLDS animosity towards her help, she loved them and worked to make their lives better, if not more fair and full of justice.
I enjoyed the read and her story struck me and I could not help but think about it when I wasn't reading it. Some parts of the story seem jumbled and a bit thrown together, but overall, it is her story and she told it with conviction and honesty.
emotional
informative
fast-paced