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Stolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride, and Breaking Free of Warren Jeffs

Elissa Wall,

Lisa Pulitzer

3.90 · Rating details · 23,525 ratings · 2,024 reviews

Stolen Innocence is the gripping New York Times bestselling memoir of Elissa Wall, the courageous former member of Utah’s infamous FLDS polygamist sect whose powerful courtroom testimony helped convict controversial sect leader Warren Jeffs in September 2007. At once shocking, heartbreaking, and inspiring, Wall’s story of subjugation and survival exposes the darkness at th ...more

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Hardcover, 438 pages

Published May 13th 2008 by William Morrow

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Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer

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Jun 25, 2008 Petra CigareX rated it really liked it

Shelves: biography-true-story, philosophy-religion, reviewed

I read this to gain balance after reading Caroline Jessop's Escape. I found this book too full of self-pity and self-glory but with a paucity of background information on the FLDS. That isn't to say it isn't a good book - it is a chilling story well told and the book presents a much more rounded picture of life with its happy times as well as sad than Escape did.

Stolen Innocence reads quite strangely, but you can't put your finger on what is strange and why it is until you reach the last few cha I read this to gain balance after reading Caroline Jessop's Escape. I found this book too full of self-pity and self-glory but with a paucity of background information on the FLDS. That isn't to say it isn't a good book - it is a chilling story well told and the book presents a much more rounded picture of life with its happy times as well as sad than Escape did.

Stolen Innocence reads quite strangely, but you can't put your finger on what is strange and why it is until you reach the last few chapters which are about Warren Jeffs trial as late as February 2008 (I am writing this June 2008) when you realise that the co-writer, Lisa Pulitzer, has used all the trial material for the book.

The central mystery of why the women stay when they are treated like property (and told so) is that from birth they are told that the wicked will be destroyed soon i.e. in the next few years and that only those who are observant members of the FLDS will be saved. Further, should they die before this final apocalypse, then they can only get into heaven and eternal life at the invitation of their husband who must have at least three wives. Now this may sound ridiculous to you and me, but if you think of your own beliefs of whatever religion you are or were brought up, they probably sound equally ridiculous to a non-adherent.

This brainwashing and control by fear is exploited by one further factor, that the FLDS has a prophet with a direct line to heaven, much as the Catholics have a Pope who is equally infallible. It is the prophet who controls where someone will life, who and when they will marry, and has the power to confiscate property, remove spouses and children and have the person literally, physically thrown out of religion and the place they live in.

Hard to stand up against all that? Elissa's brothers merely questioned it and were thrown out. She was strong and won through, gaining a conviction of accessory to rape against Jeffs, but her mother - her mother with all her love let her children be used because her faith said it was the right thing.

Through reading these two books, I have come to understand that it was a good thing to remove the children from the FLDS compound in Texas. Its a shame that the centre couldn't hold - a generation raised without brainwashing, without hating people of a different colour and fearing the evilness of us, the people of the world, would have had a chance of self-determination and freedom. But maybe the prophet that has taken over from Jeffs will be a benevolent one. I hope so.

All in all a story like a fantasy, an alternative world, but chillingly true and a good read. ...more

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Mar 29, 2017 Matt rated it really liked it

Recommended to Matt by: Mariah Roze

Shelves: audiobook, buddy-read

Biographies that detail the lives of those who have been involved in religious organisations can be particularly difficult to present, though my literary journey has brought me three in a row. While the thoughts of this review are my own, I realise that religion and politics are so deeply seeded in the psyche of us all that we can take opinions that differ from our own to heart. I fall victim to personal sentiments at times and am using this book as a foundation to discuss fundamentalism within Biographies that detail the lives of those who have been involved in religious organisations can be particularly difficult to present, though my literary journey has brought me three in a row. While the thoughts of this review are my own, I realise that religion and politics are so deeply seeded in the psyche of us all that we can take opinions that differ from our own to heart. I fall victim to personal sentiments at times and am using this book as a foundation to discuss fundamentalism within the Church of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons). My long and convoluted biography journey brought me to this piece by Elissa Wall, whose entire childhood was shaped by the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS). Born into the Church, Wall grew up with the rigid beliefs of the FLDS, many of which are peppered throughout the narrative. Wall offers the reader a backstory of both the Church and how it broke from the modernising ways of Mormons in the late 19th century. The schism went through a few permutations, finally becoming a strong and compact community, primarily focussed in Utah and on the border with Arizona, though also closely affiliated with a community in rural British Columbia. Wall also crafts her own familial story to allow the reader to see a personalised cog in the wheel that is the FLDS. Throughout the narrative, Wall returns to discussions of The Prophet, a man drawn from the Church Elders who is seen to have a direct connection with God and whose will is not to be challenged. This is how the reader learns of Warren Jeffs, who would play a key role throughout Wall's story. She explores the hold the FLDS has over its members, particularly the children in their scholastic endeavours, with this trust and complete subjugation continuing into adulthood. Wall offers countless examples of strict adherence to a set of beliefs, due both to tradition and the decisions of the Prophet. To question these pose the possibility to banishment, which comes with complete isolation from one's family. Apostates are vilified by FLDS members and it is encouraged that a complete mental and emotional scourge occur to retain purity. Leaving to practice even with the mainstream Mormon Church is seen as complete apostasy and Wall shows how the community pressured her own family to banish her after she challenged a number of the preconceived notions the Church laid out for her and the feelings of abuse that she was not able to vocalise. This treatment that Wall faced at the hands of the FLDS is almost beyond comprehension, detailed throughout the narrative and then further challenged when Wall was used as a victim to bring Warren Jeffs to trial. It is at this point that the biography takes on its most interesting aspect, as lawyers seek to parse through insinuation and actual messaging by Jeffs, going so far as to turn the entire subservient nature of members on its head. Wall has a powerful story to share and she does so well. Readers who have the stomach for some of the most heart-wrenching tales of abuse and subservient behaviour in the name of God may find this glimpse into the FLDS fascinating, as well as the legal battle that opened it up to the jury of public opinion.

I found myself drawn to this piece more than simply because it was a recommended buddy read. I am always drawn to churches and religious sects that fail outside the norm, especially those who are vilified in mainstream media. Trying not to paint the mainstream Church with the same brush as the FLDS can require mental acuity, though I admit I know there IS a difference and that not all are drinking from the Kool-Aid of the teachings Warren Jeffs professed in this book. Wall offers a wonderful insight into growing up inside the FLDS and how she pushed boundaries on a regular basis. Her narrative does pose a number of legal and sociological questions that remain with me even afterwards. 'Can a woman be raped by her husband?', 'How can the State of Utah be so clear that sex with a 13 year-old is rape, but one with a fourteen year-old has a slew of caveats?', 'Is religious teaching a defence against some of the criminal charges brought up in this book?', and even 'Does society have the right to "help" those who are living blindly under these strict rules to be "free"?' I will not respond to these now, but have a number of opinions after completing this book. My academic side must also rear its head, leaving me to wonder at times if Wall remembers things as clearly as they happened or if she sought to spin a youth that would fit all the checkboxes in order to highlight the evils that lurked in every corner of the FLDS. I was left to query how much was fact and where the fanciful storytelling might have gone, not because this is not a life that one woman could live, but that it was so all-encompassing. One might turn to the co- (ghost?) author, Lisa Pulitzer, to wonder if they tried to cram everything into one biography. This is my second book where Pulitzer has helped a child within a religious sect tell their story, both of which use a strong format of vilification and the struggle to leave the fray. That should not detract from the fact that the book was well-paced and clearly sought to exemplify much to the reader. The true message of any higher power is rife with interpretation, as can be any book one reads. That is why the world created Goodreads, for readers to offer insight and present their passionate opinions, right?!

Kudos, Madam Wall for your succinct look into a life riddled with hurdles and struggle. Thankfully, you have made it out and I can only hope, looking forward, you have a healthy future as you surround yourself with those who love you.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/ ...more

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Mar 14, 2016 Elyse Walters rated it really liked it

I've read other books on polygamy, seen movies, and had a friend who grew up in a polygamous family in Utah. Many of the stories in this memoir are similar to others I've read:
...religious cult community...1 husband with many wives and children.
...The prophet determines when a marriage is to take place. Husband is encouraged to rape his wife.
...Sex is never talked about with girls until her wedding night- and then she is suppose to submit to her husband.
...clothing covers the body -is very c ...more

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Feb 04, 2009 Carmaletta Hilton rated it it was ok

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I didn't care for this one nearly as much as those by Carolyn Jessop and Flora Mae Jessop. When I first started this book, I had high expectations. Learning that Elissa's father was not born and raised in the FLDS was intriguing and drew me in. How do two intelligent people (Mr. Wall and his first wife) find themselves conned by this cult of fundamentalism? I would have preferred to hear his story, if anyone could ever get him or his wife, Audrey, to talk. After all he'd been through, why didn't I didn't care for this one nearly as much as those by Carolyn Jessop and Flora Mae Jessop. When I first started this book, I had high expectations. Learning that Elissa's father was not born and raised in the FLDS was intriguing and drew me in. How do two intelligent people (Mr. Wall and his first wife) find themselves conned by this cult of fundamentalism? I would have preferred to hear his story, if anyone could ever get him or his wife, Audrey, to talk. After all he'd been through, why didn't he leave?

Unfortunately, the story I was given was a lot less interesting, and by the end, I was forcing myself to finish the book. The hardest part was reminding myself that she was a child at the time, and that at heart, despite her relationship with Lamont and her children, Elissa Wall is still a child who does not take responsibility for her actions.

Now, I fully admit that everything that happened to her was wrong. There is no question of that, and I am very glad that a jury found Warren Jeffs guilty. I wish the community itself had been deemed just as guilty, but how can one convict an entire community? Everyone there knew that it was wrong, including members of Elissa's family, but no one did anything. They were many against one man, and while I understand that they were brainwashed, there were many who even Elissa admits knew that this was wrong. Hardly any of them, however, are condemned by her.

I didn't like the way that she kept saying how she had "tried" with Allen in her marriage. Perhaps as a child she thought she was trying, but now, as an adult, she should be able to admit that she didn't try. It was wrong and dirty, and so no, she did not make an attempt to make that horrible marriage work. I would respect her more, now, if she'd just said, "Look, I hated it, and I didn't try." Because let's face it, never being home is not trying. I also dislike the way she kept saying how she didn't want to abandon her mom and her sisters, how they "needed" her and she couldn't just leave them. I didn't see very many instances where she talked about doing that much for them, other than giving them money every now and again. Mostly, they were just there for her to use when she didn't want to be home with Allen. And, in the end, she didn't even "leave" the FLDS. She just kept becoming more and more "rebellious" until they finally just kicked her out.

I am not condemning any of Elissa Wall's actions during these years in the FLDS and in this arranged marriage. I just don't agree with the way she talks about them now, years later, as an adult. I expected a lot more than a child's repetitive story peppered with words that she would have never known. The co-author on this did not do a very good job at making me care about Elissa Wall's story. Perhaps if I heard this directly from Elissa, I would feel differently. With the telling of it in this book, however, I just didn't care. This was nowhere near as engaging at the other polygamy books that I had read, and as I said in the beginning of this, I would have preferred to hear the story of her father and his first wife. ...more

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Jun 04, 2008 CJ rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2008-books

I've read everything I could get my hands on about the FLDS in the last couple of years. This is another book about a woman who left the religion after years of abuse - she was married at 14 to her first cousin. This cousin then spent years mentally and physically abusing her before she broke away.

Great insight into the FLDS group and why it's so hard for women to leave it.

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Jul 25, 2008 Eva Leger rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: anyone interested in polygamy, anyone interested in non-fiction in general

Recommended to Eva by: found at Wal-Mart

Shelves: b-non-fiction, cults-polygamy-religon, autos-bios-memoirs

Astonishing. I think, for me, this was even more astonishing than Carolyn Jessups book Escape which was my entrance into the polygamy. I knew only the definition of the word before reading Escape and have since been gathering almost everything I can find on the subject.
This was a real quick book- mainly because you really can't put it down. The emotion is so raw it's scary. I found myself feeling so many different things at so many different points in her life story. One thing I liked a lot is Astonishing. I think, for me, this was even more astonishing than Carolyn Jessups book Escape which was my entrance into the polygamy. I knew only the definition of the word before reading Escape and have since been gathering almost everything I can find on the subject.
This was a real quick book- mainly because you really can't put it down. The emotion is so raw it's scary. I found myself feeling so many different things at so many different points in her life story. One thing I liked a lot is that the reader gets two points of view from Mrs. Wall, one from her childhood and one from her "adult" life. I use that term sparingly since she was technically a grown-up in the FLDS at age 14. She didn't leave the group until years later so we do see a much desired difference in her ways. Adding what happened with the court case, as of the time of writing was nice also for anyone who didn't follow the court proceedings like myself.
This is definitely in the top five books I've read this year- I was engaged the whole time and didn't find one page that I wasn't thinking, thinking, thinking.
It scares me to no end to think this is still happening and that there are still women and young children trapped in this type of situation.
Eliss Wall did an excellent job of sharing with her readers why us "normal" people have such a hard time understanding FLDS people. Before reading this and Escape I probably would have been one of the ones saying, "Just walk away. Leave. Get out." Now I realize it's not that easy. These people are taught that "normal" people are evil and will go to hell. They're taught that we will hurt them and take away from them when nothing is further than the truth.
I truly hope the rest of Mrs. Walls life is exactly the opposite of the beginning of her life in terms of pain and happiness. I also hope she can continue to help the young girls and women who are still stuck in the mentality that Warren Jeffs continued long after Joseph Smith and his father, Rulon Jeffs died.

...more

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Nov 20, 2008 HeavyReader rated it liked it

Shelves: life-stories

I am easily obsessed with these stories of women oppressed by and then escaping from the FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints, an offshoot of the Mormon Church).

This is heavy shit!

The author was forced to get married to her first cousin when she was 14. (I think the husband was 19.) She was then forced to "perform her wifely" duty with him. Yikes! Bad news. Bad, bad news. The happy news it that she finally found true love and escaped from the oppressive religion.

I am for religious fr ...more

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Sep 02, 2008 Cam added it

Shelves: 2008

I wanted to read this book after reading Carolyn Jessop's book on the same topic- living in polygamy. I think this adds more credit to Carolyn's account. I was wrapped up in this story and found myself crying when the verdict was read against Warren Jeffs. This girl has overcome a lot of challenges, and once again I've realized how blessed I am to enjoy so many freedoms.

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Jun 02, 2010 K rated it really liked it

Recommended to K by: Shana K.

Shelves: memoirs, spiritualityreligion, intense-sad-dark-or-bleak, thank-god-i-wasn-t-born-there

As a religious person, I tend to approach the whole how-I-broke-out-of-my-crazy-abusive-religion memoir genre with some caution. I've read some pretty off-the-wall descriptions (mostly in fiction, though occasionally in books purporting to be non-fictional memoirs) of abuse and suffering perpetuated by people claiming to practice my religion. Generally, even when the experiences being described ring true, I think a critical reader can see that the psychological dysfunction is what's causing the As a religious person, I tend to approach the whole how-I-broke-out-of-my-crazy-abusive-religion memoir genre with some caution. I've read some pretty off-the-wall descriptions (mostly in fiction, though occasionally in books purporting to be non-fictional memoirs) of abuse and suffering perpetuated by people claiming to practice my religion. Generally, even when the experiences being described ring true, I think a critical reader can see that the psychological dysfunction is what's causing the bizarre religiosity rather than the other way around. It's harder to make this distinction, though, if you're not familiar with the religion being described or the people practicing it.

Not being too familiar with the FLDS religion and community, I wondered whether typical polygamous families and arranged marriages in that context resemble Elissa's experiences in "Stolen Innocence." I remember being fascinated by the descriptions of FLDS life in Under the Banner of Heaven while I read it and then wondering afterward whether the book was sensationalized. Somehow Elissa Wall's experiences rang truer to me, though -- maybe because her descriptions, for all the horror involved, were three-dimensional and included acknowledgment of happier times and close relationships.

Elissa Wall was one of fourteen children born to her father's second wife (he had three). As she described her earlier childhood, I was fascinated by the dynamics of polgamy. Geez! Division of labor can be difficult enough to negotiate with two spouses and four kids -- it never occurred to me to consider what it might be like with several other wives to argue with about who's doing the dishes (or whose kids will).

But that's small potatoes compared to the events that started to unfold as Elissa grew older. The incredible amount of control held by the former prophet, Warren Jeffs, who broke up Elissa's family when the fighting among the three wives grew too intense to handle -- Elissa, her mother, and some of her siblings were sent to live in a new city with a new man who would now be Elissa's mother's husband. The living conditions were difficult, and the children's father was suddenly out of the picture. Is it any wonder that several of Elissa's older siblings left the FLDS fold? And when they did, Warren Jeffs orchestrated their mother's literal abandonment of them at the side of the road followed by a complete cut-off from the family and community.

But it gets worse -- Elissa was married off at fourteen to a nineteen-year-old first cousin whom she'd always despised. Begging her mother, her stepfather, and even Warren Jeffs himself to release her or at least postpone the marriage was to no avail. Elissa went on to suffer multiple rapes by her husband followed by miscarriages before she found the strength to leave the marriage and the FLDS community. Eventually, she served as the star witness when the state prosecuted and ultimately convicted Warren Jeffs.

Well, what this story lacked in literary quality it certainly made up for in drama. Although the book was long and occasionally slow, I found myself quickly turning its pages, eager to see what would happen next.

I also appreciated much of what Elissa went through as someone who is religious. Thankfully, I have not suffered abusive experiences and feel no desire to leave my religion or community; Elissa's description of the agony involved in this process, though, rang true to me. I felt that she did a good job of showing the reader that you cannot simply pick up and leave. Although the external pressures on Elissa to stay in her community were more extreme, I think, than they would be in my community, the internal pressures are similar.

Elissa's story also made me think about the dangerous power sometimes invested in religious figures. Scary to think that a self-proclaimed prophet (who later revoked his prophet status) can force a mother to abandon her children, leave her husband for another man whom she doesn't love, or allow her fourteen-year-old daughter to be forcibly married off. This level of blind faith, especially in a human being, was pretty foreign to me despite my own religious outlook. On the other hand, some of the sacrifices I make for my religious beliefs can be pretty difficult to explain too. While I wouldn't put them in the same category as the actions described in Elissa's book, maybe someone else would, or perhaps more accurately, would see them as existing on the same continuum if less extreme.

All things considered, this seemed to me to be a pretty balanced portrayal. I wonder whether someone more familiar with the FLDS lifestyle would agree. ...more

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Jan 01, 2009 Ingrid Lola rated it it was ok

I greatly admire and respect Elissa Wall, but not her book... obviously written with the help of an amateur journalist. Yes, the story SEEMED interesting enough for me to pay $25, but wasn't worth it in the least. I guess it could be a good beach read... but check it out of the library, or at least wait for the paperback. This book is no work of art, and certainly wasn't life changing. The writing was laugh out loud terrible. I guess I have to give it to Elissa, though--she certainly had a tough ...more

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Jan 11, 2017 Alissa Patrick rated it liked it

Shelves: 2017reading-challenge

2.5 Stars

Eh. It was okay. I probably would have liked it more if it was shorter. This memoir did not have to be so long. The bare bones of the story was solid- a girl forced to marry at age 14 to her first cousin and the ensuing rape and abuse by her husband and her need to escape was just awful. My heart went out to her, but at times the book just dragged and was long-winded

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Sep 12, 2015 Kavita rated it liked it

Shelves: real-women, religion, autobiography, usa

Elissa Wall was a teenage bride in FLDS, and played a key role in the conviction of Warren Jeffs. She testified against him and this book is her story as she saw it. It was slightly interesting because even though I have read a number of polygamy memoirs, it is not often that a woman gets to take a hand in the actual conviction of their ex-prophet.

The author left a lot of things unexplained. For example, she would stay out of her home and spend nights in her truck in the middle of the desert al Elissa Wall was a teenage bride in FLDS, and played a key role in the conviction of Warren Jeffs. She testified against him and this book is her story as she saw it. It was slightly interesting because even though I have read a number of polygamy memoirs, it is not often that a woman gets to take a hand in the actual conviction of their ex-prophet.

The author left a lot of things unexplained. For example, she would stay out of her home and spend nights in her truck in the middle of the desert all alone, and apparently no one questioned it or dragged her home. I am very surprised why she was allowed to get away with this while all other women have specifically stated in their memoirs that they had to take permission before to leave home for anything. Was this because her husband was too young? Too scared to confront her? His family was on her side for a change? No information!

At the same time, the author also psycho-analyses some characters to death, especially her mother. It is understandable that she would not want to actually analyse her mother's key role in her own abuse, but consistently claiming that her mother loved her but was brainwashed does not condone her mother of neglecting the welfare of her own children. When she gets down to analysing why it is fine that her mother allowed all the abuse, it seemed completely irrelevant. I also could not help having a slight sympathy with her husband. Yes, he did rape her but he knew no different. He was pretty much ordered to do so. He would have been thrown out of the sect if he could not control his wife. If we excuse her mother on the same grounds, we should do the same to Allan as well, who served a sentence for rape. But her mother got scott-free and no prison for child neglect and child abuse for her! Her father too comes into the same category, which is more emphasised for me because he was not from an FLDS sect originally. He just converted, probably to have all the power and women, and realised it's not as awesome as he thought it would be. In short, he was a douchebag who hit his children and abandoned them because some other men told him to do so. Seriously, how is this excusable?

Elissa Wall is not the only person to condemn Warren Jeffs as evil. But he never was the exclusive evil person in the FLDS. The entire system is evil and all these people are just a product of their circumstances. This is not to say that Allan and Jeffs should not have been convicted, but I am always left dissatisfied by the fact that almost all these memoirs just end with "Hey, the man is convicted. Victory!" It's nothing of the sort. There are other men who are still abusing their wives and children because they are told it's the path to eternal salvation. The court case, which was described in extremely boring length in the book, had the people consistently claiming that 'this is not about religion'. But that's exactly what it is about. Either the FLDS should make changes and provisions for the safety of its members, especially the children, or there should be some serious questions raised on the existence of this system. 'It's not about religion' is a cop out and extremely disrespectful to these victims, even if they don't actually realise it. I am sick of that line in any context. Warren Jeffs is not the problem, he never was. He might have made things tougher for the men, but for the women and children, the hardships were always there because the system demands it.

All the above is not to say that this memoir is not worth reading. I have just expressed some details in the review about the issues that the author failed to address in the book. ...more

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May 15, 2008 Lara rated it really liked it

Shelves: for-harper-collins

I was predisposed to enjoy the book, considering that I’m pretty fascinated by fundamentalist Mormons. I can’t remember if this fascination started with Big Love or if it started with Under the Banner of Heaven. In fact, it might be more appropriate to say I’m pretty fascinated with extremists of any kind, really. (Which brings me to a tangent: did y’all ever see that BBC show where the host basically visited extremists and tried to understand why they believed the things that they believed? He ...more

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Jul 06, 2008 Beth Young rated it really liked it

I wanted to read this so I could find out for myself what the FLDS church believed. I thought that they would have some similar beliefs with the LDS church of which I belong. There are really none except that they belive in The Book of Mormon. But, their interpretation of The Book of Mormon is so different than that of the LDS religion. The biggest difference is that the LDS religion is very pro-family and we are to supposed to support and love our families through all trials that we go through. ...more

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Mar 26, 2018 Erik Graff rated it it was ok

Recommends it for: students of fundamentalisms

Recommended to Erik by: no one

Shelves: biography

Having spent much of childhood and all of adolescence in a community with a large fundamentalist protestant population, but having grown up without a religious education myself, I've long been fascinated by the phenomenon. Later in life I married into a family with a Mormon faction leading me to begin reading about that schismatic sect in its various varieties. This book is the third I've read about the Fundamentalist Church of the Latter-day Saints, the first being 'Under the Banner of Heaven', ...more

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Sep 19, 2008 Cody rated it really liked it

Shelves: religion

At first I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this book. It is the story of a young girl growing up in the polygamous FLDS faith. Married at age 14 under duress she suffered much as a very young and naive bride. She eventually left the marriage and was instrumental in getting Warren Jeffs, the then prophet, sent to prison.

I have to admit that the more I read the more I enjoyed learning about her perspectives concerning the FLDS. I was appalled at the control that Warren Jeffs asserted over the ...more

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Mar 17, 2018 Jeanne rated it liked it · review of another edition

First and foremost, kudos to Elissa Wall for her courage to tell this most disturbing true story. This is a story about a woman who broke away from the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) and testified against the "Prophet". I don't care who you are or what religion you practice, there is no way in HE** that it is right to marry off a 14-year-old girl to her first cousin. An interesting look into an entirely different lifestyle, that often made me angry listening, b ...more

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Nov 28, 2009 Linds rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: fans of HBO's Big Love

Shelves: 2000s, downers, dysfunctional-family, family, empowered-women-or-characters, memoir, non-fiction, oppression, read-in-2010, southwest

Well, if you ever want learn how to twist people's religious beliefs into holding ultimate power over them Warren Jeffs is your kind've guy.

This book is unbelievably depressing. Only knowing that it turns all right in the end is what got me through this book.

I've read a few books about the women in Iran and how their lives were restricted. I think the FLDS Morman church has nothing on them. It's almost the opposite, in Iran the law is against you. In the FLDS, the law is for you but has the abi ...more

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Jun 16, 2014 NiteReader rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, memoir, 2014-reads

Sad story with a hopeful ending.
Terrible narrator.
Too long.

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May 11, 2009 Kelly H. (Maybedog) rated it really liked it

Shelves: what-bio-or-memoir, what-nonfiction, what-religion

I couldn't put this book down. Similar stories have been told before but this book is different from Escape by Carolyn Jessop in that Elissa was wed at 14 against her will and repeatedly raped as a child by her "husband" who was her first cousin. Although she continually tried to seek help, she was rebuffed at every turn. Then she had the strength at only 19 years old to begin to bring Warren Jeffs to justice. Although the writing was only fair, what I really appreciated about this book was that I couldn't put this book down. Similar stories have been told before but this book is different from Escape by Carolyn Jessop in that Elissa was wed at 14 against her will and repeatedly raped as a child by her "husband" who was her first cousin. Although she continually tried to seek help, she was rebuffed at every turn. Then she had the strength at only 19 years old to begin to bring Warren Jeffs to justice. Although the writing was only fair, what I really appreciated about this book was that the author told her story with as much love and respect as she could. Unlike most memoirs of atrocities suffered in childhood, Elissa doesn't paint everyone from her childhood as evil and the modern life as good. She describes the goodness in each person as well as the faults (with the exception of Warren Jeffs who she understandably has little compassion for) and tries to be as honest as she can about her own struggles. She talks about being "mean" to the "husband" who was horribly abusing her, as if lashing back at an abuser is mean. She has nothing but love for her mother, the woman who failed to protect her, and is able to understand where everyone is coming from, even those who hurt her. She is kind and courageous and is a good example of how someone can condemn an act, fault behavior, disagree with beliefs but not hate the person. I am honored to read her story and find it wonderfully refreshing that she is not bitter and angry but hopeful and looking towards the future. I particularly appreciate how she didn't take the easy road and rail against polygamy and every belief the FLDS has but instead focused on how polygamy affected her family and what the truly criminal acts were: rape; child molestation; child rape; physical, emotional, and sexual abuse; and brainwashing. She could have spent a lot more time on the latter but she didn't. In fact, I felt she underplayed the actual abuse if anything and was overly aware of how bizarre her life sounds to those of us outside. I commend her for her bravery. ...more

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Feb 09, 2009 jenna Hudrlik rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2009-for-me

i don't really know what i thought of this book - i listened to the whole thing and i do know that the whininess of the narrators voice irritated me and i had to keep telling myself that it is a sad story but found that i kept wanting her to shut up and stop whining! i would have liked more background into the FLDS since I know nothing, I would have liked the author to show more spine - though she was in a way - since she left her marriage eventually, did things behind the groups back etc but th ...more

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Nov 11, 2008 Jeanette "Astute Crabbist" rated it liked it

Shelves: biography-memoir, nonfiction

Elissa Wall is the brave and tormented young lady responsible for putting the evil Warren Jeffs behind bars.

At the age of fourteen, Elissa was forced by Jeffs to marry her first cousin, Allen Steed. In the FLDS cult, they have what is called "placement marriage." The "prophet" assigns you a marriage partner, supposedly revealed to him by god. Ms. Wall repeatedly begged "Uncle Warren" to let her have two more years to grow up before marrying, but he refused her requests. Jeffs was convicted of " ...more

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Apr 05, 2018 Jodi rated it really liked it

This book left me with a heavy sad feeling. Elyssa Wall’s story gives an incredible depiction of the FLDS life. It’s depressing to see how this radical break-off group of the mainstream LDS church I love, took plain and simple truths about salvation, and twisted them into a way to suppress women and hurt families. I’m so sickened by the accounts of abuse that happens to children in Warren Jeffs cult. The small sense of justice I felt as I read his sentencing in the book, was squashed when I did ...more

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Mar 24, 2018 J.H. Moncrieff rated it liked it

3.5 stars

Decently written firsthand account of growing up in the FLDS "church." Wall's story moves along pretty quickly until the Jeffs trial and a few epilogues and afterwords, when it slows to a crawl. It boggles the mind how so many people allowed the most terrible things to be done to their family and friends, all in the name of "God's will."

Even though Wall describes her terror of going to hell and being separated from the people she loves, I don't think anyone can truly grasp the power of ...more

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Aug 01, 2018 Laura Mcgee rated it liked it

This book, while not a difficult read, took me awhile to get through. I think I’ve read a few too many books on fundamentalist Mormons. But anyway, the FLDS is crazy and I’m glad Warren Jeffs is behind bars.

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Oct 21, 2011 DAISY DISNEY rated it it was amazing

Shelves: true-crime, my-favorites

** Spoiler Alert**

I was looking forward to this book after seeing news reports and documentaries on Warren Jeffs and the FDLS Church and my what a sad story this was! This book gives a great insight into the FLDS Church. Many things that occurred in this Polygamous sect was very shocking and sad. The beliefs of the men and women who are a part of this sect seemed to be brainwashed by Warren Jeffs. Many of the things he instilled upon these people was ridiculous and as an outsider it is very had
** Spoiler Alert**

I was looking forward to this book after seeing news reports and documentaries on Warren Jeffs and the FDLS Church and my what a sad story this was! This book gives a great insight into the FLDS Church. Many things that occurred in this Polygamous sect was very shocking and sad. The beliefs of the men and women who are a part of this sect seemed to be brainwashed by Warren Jeffs. Many of the things he instilled upon these people was ridiculous and as an outsider it is very had to understand how and why he had so many followers. Some of the rules were for his own selfish benefit. Even now as he is incarcerated and has said he was never "the prophet" he still continues to have a heavy following.

The parts of the book where Miss Wall talks about her marriage at age 14 to her first cousin Allen was very uncomfortable. He sexually abused her many times throughout their marriage. I did feel bad for him too though because he was a young teenager himself at the time of their marriage and I think he was also brainwashed having been born and raised under the FLDS Church rule. He didn't know any better. There were times when he tried to be romantic with Elissa but it was to no happy ending.

How bittersweet it was when she met Lamont and fell in love. My heart skipped a beat when reading this part of the book on how they would sneak around to meet up. When he told her for the first time that he loved her I got teary eyed. Here was a girl who looked for love her whole life and had not found it until now. She deserved the right that every human should have which is to choose to love and marry who we want.

It was very sad that the end of Miss Wall's story that her mother chose to still remain under the church's rule, even after loosing so many of her kids who have left the church. It was very heart-warming that Elissa's father still remained by her side in support even after she left the Church and went against its teachings. I hope to one day read or see on t.v that Elissa reunited with her mother. ...more

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Jul 16, 2013 Jaylia3 rated it it was amazing

I’m always interested in how upbringing and circumstances affect belief, and in Stolen Innocence Lisa Pulitzer has helped Elissa Wall write a fascinating account of her gradual transition from mildly rebellious believer to someone who would leave behind the only world she had ever known, even though she still worried her actions might cause her eternal damnation. Wall grew up in the Fundamentalist Church of the Latter Day Saints, the polygamous sect Warren Jeffs, now jailed, led, but since her f ...more

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Aug 02, 2016 Margaret rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

This is one of the first books I have read regarding the FLDS community, although I have seen news stories and reports regarding it. This book is a chilling recount of Elissa Wall, being brought up under the rule of the Jeffs, first being Warren Jeffs father, Rulon, and when his health began to fail him, Warren took over. Elissa is forced into marriage at 14 to a man much older than her, her wishes and pleads for reconsideration ignored. She is then raped, abused emotionally and physically, unti ...more

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Feb 24, 2009 Indra rated it liked it

An extremely gripping read...more for the story than the writing. I could not help but like the narrator, who risked a great deal to come forward to try to help others as well as herself. She does a good job explaining the beliefs she was raised with and her story illustrates just what a hold the FLDS church has on many of its believers. Elissa Wall has a lot of strength, grace, and dignity...when she says she still cares about her loved ones and understands their internal struggles--even though ...more

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May 27, 2009 Amber rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction

This was an interesting read for me. I felt horrible for this poor girl and the life she was forced to have. I'm happy that she had the strength and support from members of family and Lamont to break free and to take a stand. I can't begin to imagine the horror that she lived for those years married to such a monster. A few reviews that I read tore her down a bit for "claiming" to have "tried" to make her marriage work when those reviewers didn't feel that she was kind enough to Allen. My person ...more

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Play Book Tag: Stolen Innocence: My Story Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect... / Elissa Wall. 4.5 stars	9	20	Nov 24, 2016 12:11AM
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About Elissa Wall

Elissa Wall

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Elissa Wall detailing her childhood in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) and subsequent later life outside of the church. It was first published by William Morrow and Company in 2008.

Wall was born into a polygamous family in Salt Lake City and grew up attending the FLDS-run Alta Academy. She describes her living situation as tense; familial relations were furthe ...more

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“In the end, He's the only reason that I made it. Sometimes that's the only thing we have. Whether you call it God, or hope, or faith -whatever word you use- the fact is, I couldn't have survived if I hadn't believed in something. It was the one part of me that neither Warren nor Allen could touch, and no matter what happens, as long as I have that, I've won.” — 6 likes

“We were taught to always put on a good face, even when things are going poorly. We were told to “keep sweet,” an admonition to be compliant and pleasant no matter the circumstance. Since we couldn’t reveal our angry words and feelings, they got bottled up inside, and often there was no communication at all.” — 2 likes

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