Scan barcode
A review by sgrizzle
Breaking Free: How I Escaped My Father-Warren Jeffs-Polygamy, and the FLDS Cult by Rachel Jeffs
dark
medium-paced
4.0
This had been on my list for a while as I’ve had a morbid curiosity about the FLDS for years. I’ve read a couple of other memoirs, but watching the docuseries on Netflix and Discovery Plus both funnily enough called Keep Sweet, I was ready to start this book by one of Warren Jeff’s own children. (Side note: the two docuseries are really different but good complements actually. Watch the Netflix one first for the overall info, then the Discovery Plus one to find out more about actual life there and what is happening now.)
The abuse laid out in this story is horrific and graphic. It is not an easy read at all and I give strong content warnings to anyone who finds reading about child abuse difficult. As an outsider it is so hard to understand why people stay in a life like this, but Rachel does a good job of showing how the total indoctrination keeps everyone literally terrified for their souls. Writing-wise, it can be hard to follow all of the names of people here, there are just so many siblings and cousins and leaders and etc. But that’s a by-product of polygamy I guess lol. The constant moving was also confusing- a map with place names might have been useful.
Overall if you are interested in the FLDS this first-person account is a vital resource, but just know that Warren Jeffs is evil in literally every single way possible and singularly focused on destroying his followers. The strength of those who break free is truly inspiring.
The abuse laid out in this story is horrific and graphic. It is not an easy read at all and I give strong content warnings to anyone who finds reading about child abuse difficult. As an outsider it is so hard to understand why people stay in a life like this, but Rachel does a good job of showing how the total indoctrination keeps everyone literally terrified for their souls. Writing-wise, it can be hard to follow all of the names of people here, there are just so many siblings and cousins and leaders and etc. But that’s a by-product of polygamy I guess lol. The constant moving was also confusing- a map with place names might have been useful.
Overall if you are interested in the FLDS this first-person account is a vital resource, but just know that Warren Jeffs is evil in literally every single way possible and singularly focused on destroying his followers. The strength of those who break free is truly inspiring.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Confinement