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Breaking Free: How I Escaped Polygamy, the FLDS Cult, and my Father, Warren Jeffs
In this searing memoir of survival in the spirit of Stolen Innocence, the daughter of Warren Jeffs, the self-proclaimed Prophet of the FLDS Church, takes you deep inside the secretive polygamist Mormon fundamentalist cult run by her family and how she escaped it.
Born into the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Rachel Jeffs was raised in a strict patriarchal culture defined by subordinate sister wives and men they must obey. No one in this radical splinter sect of the Mormon Church was more powerful or terrifying than its leader Warren Jeffs—Rachel’s father.
Living outside mainstream Mormonism and federal law, Jeffs arranged marriages between under-age girls and middle-aged and elderly members of his congregation. In 2006, he gained international notoriety when the FBI placed him on its Ten Most Wanted List. Though he is serving a life sentence for child sexual assault, Jeffs’ iron grip on the church remains firm, and his edicts to his followers increasingly restrictive and bizarre.
In Breaking Free, Rachel blows the lid off this taciturn community made famous by John Krakauer’s bestselling Under the Banner of Heaven to offer a harrowing look at her life with Warren Jeffs, and the years of physical and emotional abuse she suffered. Sexually assaulted, compelled into an arranged polygamous marriage, locked away in "houses of hiding" as punishment for perceived transgressions, and physically separated from her children, Rachel, Jeffs’ first plural daughter by his second of more than fifty wives, eventually found the courage to leave the church in 2015. But Breaking Free is not only her story—Rachel’s experiences illuminate those of her family and the countless others who remain trapped in the strange world she left behind.
A shocking and mesmerizing memoir of faith, abuse, courage, and freedom, Breaking Free is an expose of religious extremism and a beacon of hope for anyone trying to overcome personal obstacles.
Born into the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Rachel Jeffs was raised in a strict patriarchal culture defined by subordinate sister wives and men they must obey. No one in this radical splinter sect of the Mormon Church was more powerful or terrifying than its leader Warren Jeffs—Rachel’s father.
Living outside mainstream Mormonism and federal law, Jeffs arranged marriages between under-age girls and middle-aged and elderly members of his congregation. In 2006, he gained international notoriety when the FBI placed him on its Ten Most Wanted List. Though he is serving a life sentence for child sexual assault, Jeffs’ iron grip on the church remains firm, and his edicts to his followers increasingly restrictive and bizarre.
In Breaking Free, Rachel blows the lid off this taciturn community made famous by John Krakauer’s bestselling Under the Banner of Heaven to offer a harrowing look at her life with Warren Jeffs, and the years of physical and emotional abuse she suffered. Sexually assaulted, compelled into an arranged polygamous marriage, locked away in "houses of hiding" as punishment for perceived transgressions, and physically separated from her children, Rachel, Jeffs’ first plural daughter by his second of more than fifty wives, eventually found the courage to leave the church in 2015. But Breaking Free is not only her story—Rachel’s experiences illuminate those of her family and the countless others who remain trapped in the strange world she left behind.
A shocking and mesmerizing memoir of faith, abuse, courage, and freedom, Breaking Free is an expose of religious extremism and a beacon of hope for anyone trying to overcome personal obstacles.
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First published November 14, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,471 reviews
November 19, 2017
I knew Warren Jeffs pretty well, having been charged with his safe-keeping for over a year at the Utah State Prison. I was very interested in this book. Rachel did a fabulous job of telling the story of the Inmate that I knew. In prison, Jeffs was a weird dude. He got boxes of mail from fawning little girls like Rachel. Anyway, as for the book itself, what a harrowing and chilling life Rachel endured as a young girl. I am so glad she escaped the Mormon cult run by Jeffs. Brave of you to write your memoir. And you did a stellar job (I saw no ghost-writing credit so I am assuming every word is yours). Best of luck to you, Rachel. Your book was very good.
May 15, 2021
An inside look at FLDS life under the rule of Warren Jeffs as experienced by his daughter Rachel. Although it is difficult to read of the abuse that Rachel suffered at the hands of her father, her story is one that must be told. Imagine not having the freedom to name your own child, or not being able to go to a doctor. So many other women and children still live under the oppressive rules of this polygamous cult. Some truly scary stuff going on in the FLDS compounds. I am glad that Rachel is telling her story, breaking free, and living the life she deserves to live.
November 27, 2017
Rachel Jeffs is one of the fifty-three children of FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints) “prophet” Warren Jeffs and Breaking Free is her account of living within the polygamous cult of a sadistic and abusive madman. Thankfully, this lunatic is serving a prison sentence of life plus twenty years for felony charges and molestation of minors. Rachel catalogues the abuse that she suffered at her father’s hands and at this point I needed to put down the book and take a shower. I didn’t pick it up for a few days not knowing if I was going to finish it.
Obviously, I finished the book. I needed to know how she found the strength and courage to break free from the indoctrination and only life she had ever known. Rachel chronicles her pluralist marriage and relationships with her sister wives as well as the punishments she received solely based upon her father’s demented perceptions and fabrications. These punishments included separation from her children and isolation for long periods of time. This is a disturbing read and I fervently hope that Rachel’s story will help bring down this fanatical cult. Warren Jeffs continues to lead the FLDS church from his prison cell.
Obviously, I finished the book. I needed to know how she found the strength and courage to break free from the indoctrination and only life she had ever known. Rachel chronicles her pluralist marriage and relationships with her sister wives as well as the punishments she received solely based upon her father’s demented perceptions and fabrications. These punishments included separation from her children and isolation for long periods of time. This is a disturbing read and I fervently hope that Rachel’s story will help bring down this fanatical cult. Warren Jeffs continues to lead the FLDS church from his prison cell.
May 28, 2022
I was binge watching the show Escaping Polygamy and learned of Rachel Jeffs. I looked her up seen she had a book and wanted to learn more about her. This book was good but sad. I hate that one evil man can ruin so many lives.
October 20, 2019
Rachel Jeffs and Jenna Miscavege (Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape )have a lot in common. Both were born into the top family of their respective cult. While the cults were philosophically very different (one claimed to be god-centered, the other god-free) both centralized power in one man and both men (father to Rachel and uncle to Jenna) used the same techniques to control their members.
First and fundamental is the threat and reality of separating families. Second is stigmatizing possible dissenters. In Scientology they are “suppressive persons”; with FLDS they are “non-members”. In both, not being sufficiently deferential to your oppressor has enormous penalties.
Rachel’s situation was complicated by her father’s abuse. She tells you how he did it, how he kept it secret and how he controlled others to not even want to hear it.
Members of the FLDS are in a tough situation. Like those in Scientology, to leave, they can’t just walk out, they must escape. FLDS has considerably lower tech barriers than Scientology, but given its emphasis on procreation (which Scientology discourages) there are family ties to consider. Once outside, the escapees (and this is an accurate term) have no education, work history and for women, no marketable skills. With little knowledge of the outside world, they need help to get out and established.
The reader will marvel how Rachel’s father dictates from, a US penitentiary, what people thousands of miles away should eat and wear; how they should clean a wall ; who should marry whom and when spouses should have/not have sex or even a hug. It seems strange that people stand around for a read out of his messages from prison, especially since they usually declare someone a sinner and require their removal. He moves people around like chess pieces; some to other FLDS communes, others to solitary confinement. Parents are separated from each other and often mothers from children.
There are good times. When you are not forbidden to go outside, there is the great outdoors, hiking, sledding with family companions of your own age.… of course if you are a girl, you “enjoy life” in a long skirt and covered arms and regulation hair do. The bad times are bad. You can suddenly be moved or sent to repent alone or in some prison-like arrangement. You can die if Father Jeffs doesn’t think you need medical treatment.
Most of the book is sad, but it will keep you page turning if only to see the author out of this horrible situation.
First and fundamental is the threat and reality of separating families. Second is stigmatizing possible dissenters. In Scientology they are “suppressive persons”; with FLDS they are “non-members”. In both, not being sufficiently deferential to your oppressor has enormous penalties.
Rachel’s situation was complicated by her father’s abuse. She tells you how he did it, how he kept it secret and how he controlled others to not even want to hear it.
Members of the FLDS are in a tough situation. Like those in Scientology, to leave, they can’t just walk out, they must escape. FLDS has considerably lower tech barriers than Scientology, but given its emphasis on procreation (which Scientology discourages) there are family ties to consider. Once outside, the escapees (and this is an accurate term) have no education, work history and for women, no marketable skills. With little knowledge of the outside world, they need help to get out and established.
The reader will marvel how Rachel’s father dictates from, a US penitentiary, what people thousands of miles away should eat and wear; how they should clean a wall ; who should marry whom and when spouses should have/not have sex or even a hug. It seems strange that people stand around for a read out of his messages from prison, especially since they usually declare someone a sinner and require their removal. He moves people around like chess pieces; some to other FLDS communes, others to solitary confinement. Parents are separated from each other and often mothers from children.
There are good times. When you are not forbidden to go outside, there is the great outdoors, hiking, sledding with family companions of your own age.… of course if you are a girl, you “enjoy life” in a long skirt and covered arms and regulation hair do. The bad times are bad. You can suddenly be moved or sent to repent alone or in some prison-like arrangement. You can die if Father Jeffs doesn’t think you need medical treatment.
Most of the book is sad, but it will keep you page turning if only to see the author out of this horrible situation.
January 22, 2019
This book was fantastic and I learned so much. Warren Jeffs was/is a terrible man and I am so glad Rachel escaped the religion.
I am so glad my friend suggested this book to me. I suggest it to everyone else.
"Born into the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Rachel Jeffs was raised in a strict patriarchal culture defined by subordinate sister wives and men they must obey. No one in this radical splinter sect of the Mormon Church was more powerful or terrifying than its leader Warren Jeffs—Rachel’s father.
Living outside mainstream Mormonism and federal law, Jeffs arranged marriages between under-age girls and middle-aged and elderly members of his congregation. In 2006, he gained international notoriety when the FBI placed him on its Ten Most Wanted List. Though he is serving a life sentence for child sexual assault, Jeffs’ iron grip on the church remains firm, and his edicts to his followers increasingly restrictive and bizarre.
In Breaking Free, Rachel blows the lid off this taciturn community made famous by John Krakauer’s bestselling Under the Banner of Heaven to offer a harrowing look at her life with Warren Jeffs, and the years of physical and emotional abuse she suffered. Sexually assaulted, compelled into an arranged polygamous marriage, locked away in "houses of hiding" as punishment for perceived transgressions, and physically separated from her children, Rachel, Jeffs’ first plural daughter by his second of more than fifty wives, eventually found the courage to leave the church in 2015. But Breaking Free is not only her story—Rachel’s experiences illuminate those of her family and the countless others who remain trapped in the strange world she left behind."
I am so glad my friend suggested this book to me. I suggest it to everyone else.
"Born into the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Rachel Jeffs was raised in a strict patriarchal culture defined by subordinate sister wives and men they must obey. No one in this radical splinter sect of the Mormon Church was more powerful or terrifying than its leader Warren Jeffs—Rachel’s father.
Living outside mainstream Mormonism and federal law, Jeffs arranged marriages between under-age girls and middle-aged and elderly members of his congregation. In 2006, he gained international notoriety when the FBI placed him on its Ten Most Wanted List. Though he is serving a life sentence for child sexual assault, Jeffs’ iron grip on the church remains firm, and his edicts to his followers increasingly restrictive and bizarre.
In Breaking Free, Rachel blows the lid off this taciturn community made famous by John Krakauer’s bestselling Under the Banner of Heaven to offer a harrowing look at her life with Warren Jeffs, and the years of physical and emotional abuse she suffered. Sexually assaulted, compelled into an arranged polygamous marriage, locked away in "houses of hiding" as punishment for perceived transgressions, and physically separated from her children, Rachel, Jeffs’ first plural daughter by his second of more than fifty wives, eventually found the courage to leave the church in 2015. But Breaking Free is not only her story—Rachel’s experiences illuminate those of her family and the countless others who remain trapped in the strange world she left behind."
December 3, 2017
While I'm not sure why this is considered a holiday book release, readers can appreciate Rachel Jeffs' honesty about her pedophile/cult leader father, Warren Jeffs.
Despite Warren Jeffs' prohibiting other perspectives (television, newspapers, outside commentary), what finally changes Rachel's mind and leads her to exit the family are her father's repeated instructions breaking up her families, especially separating her from her young children.
A brave and thoughtful book from someone willing to question her entire family and upbringing, a difficult challenge.
Despite Warren Jeffs' prohibiting other perspectives (television, newspapers, outside commentary), what finally changes Rachel's mind and leads her to exit the family are her father's repeated instructions breaking up her families, especially separating her from her young children.
A brave and thoughtful book from someone willing to question her entire family and upbringing, a difficult challenge.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2021
Book-song pairing: Under The Table (Fiona Apple)
“How did you know about sex before we were married?”
Rich was my husband, and now the father of my unborn child. I had kept this secret for so many years, I hardly knew how to answer him. And then, just like that, I did: “Father taught me.”
So begins Rachel Jeffs’ story, and it’s a doozy. The sexual abuse she endured at the hands of her father (leader of the FLDS cult and husband to 85 wives, some as young as 12 years old) boggles the mind and sickens the stomach.
But what really stays with me, more than a week after finishing her memoir, is how this woman - trained on every conceivable level to shut up and obey - fostered enough sense of self to push back and ultimately escape.
My hat is off to her, and I’m happy to give a strong 4 stars for this straightforward, at times painfully vulnerable, account of her transformation from victim to victor.
I wish her all the best.
“How did you know about sex before we were married?”
Rich was my husband, and now the father of my unborn child. I had kept this secret for so many years, I hardly knew how to answer him. And then, just like that, I did: “Father taught me.”
So begins Rachel Jeffs’ story, and it’s a doozy. The sexual abuse she endured at the hands of her father (leader of the FLDS cult and husband to 85 wives, some as young as 12 years old) boggles the mind and sickens the stomach.
But what really stays with me, more than a week after finishing her memoir, is how this woman - trained on every conceivable level to shut up and obey - fostered enough sense of self to push back and ultimately escape.
My hat is off to her, and I’m happy to give a strong 4 stars for this straightforward, at times painfully vulnerable, account of her transformation from victim to victor.
I wish her all the best.
October 7, 2021
When I laid eyes on this title I was immediately drawn in, and when I picked it up I was as riveted as I expected to be. Within the first chapters I was disturbed by her recounting the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her delusional and pedophilic father; a delusion that becomes more fervent as the seizing of her father entails.
This was an eye opening read; I found myself thinking at times "what is it going to take for her to leave" and "why would she let her children's lives be put at risk like this", but by the time I put the book down I had developed an educated understanding.
The once tight and serene community (aside from women having to forever and passionately submit to their husbands, even in abuse) shatters as her fathers manipulation and control becomes increasingly severe as he runs from the government and is eventually detained. I not only learned detailed accounts of events from an insider, but saw a daughter torn between resentment, fear, and love. To have the only life you've known not be safe. I realized there is so much more to leaving an abusive cult or even relationship than just saying "Im done and leaving" (although it can be like so). I now have a more compassionate view of what it really takes to leave the only life you've known, some people with even less than what Rachel had, which wasn't much.
I will be recommending this book as well as Escape and a couple others, as much as possible.
This was an eye opening read; I found myself thinking at times "what is it going to take for her to leave" and "why would she let her children's lives be put at risk like this", but by the time I put the book down I had developed an educated understanding.
The once tight and serene community (aside from women having to forever and passionately submit to their husbands, even in abuse) shatters as her fathers manipulation and control becomes increasingly severe as he runs from the government and is eventually detained. I not only learned detailed accounts of events from an insider, but saw a daughter torn between resentment, fear, and love. To have the only life you've known not be safe. I realized there is so much more to leaving an abusive cult or even relationship than just saying "Im done and leaving" (although it can be like so). I now have a more compassionate view of what it really takes to leave the only life you've known, some people with even less than what Rachel had, which wasn't much.
I will be recommending this book as well as Escape and a couple others, as much as possible.
June 5, 2018
For those who read everything possible about FLDS, this book is important in that it is more recent and fresh than many of the other popular memoirs about this horrible cult. Most of the books you may have read will tell you a lot about life under the Jeffs' family rule in the Short Creek/Colorado City community, but stop a little after the time Warren Jeffs is arrested (Carolyn Jessop, Elissa Wall, Flora Jessop, Brent Jeffs, and Krakauer's books are all from 2004-2009). A decade has now passed since Warren Jeffs was arrested and imprisoned for his crimes, and yet during that time FLDS has remained in the news, been raided by the state government in Texas, spread throughout the country, and still very much under the rule of their tyrannical prophet. I appreciated Rachel Jeffs' book for showing just how much power her father had over his followers even from prison, controlling everything from marriages and ownership of children to what foods they were not allowed to eat.
The writing isn't particularly great and certain parts of the narrative could be fleshed out better, but the book and her story are important, albeit painfully sad and even uncomfortable at times.
The writing isn't particularly great and certain parts of the narrative could be fleshed out better, but the book and her story are important, albeit painfully sad and even uncomfortable at times.
December 15, 2017
This book was heartbreaking and so honest. Rachel's narrative is so gripping because it seems so sincere and unaffected. She explains exactly what her life was like as daughter of a whackadoodle child molester prophet and the complexity of being a sister wife of a man she loved. She has 5 children in succession and then escapes the church. She doesn't stop to analyze. She just tells the story. It's a vivid play by play account that hides nothing. What injustices these people suffer at the hands of reckless and delude men. Especially all the girls and women who are reduced to domestic work and breeding. So happy Rachel got out and has told her story.
September 1, 2022
This was so eye opening. I know who Warren Jeffs is and I remember when we was arrested since it was all over the news. But I wasn't prepared for exactly everything he had done. This guy is disgusting. What he has done to women and children is despicable. I'm so glad he's in jail where he belongs and I can't believe that he is still the leader of this group and that people still listen to him. This is a great account from his daughter and my heart went out to her and everyone around her.
November 28, 2017
While I don’t necessarily recommend the audio, the book itself is great.
January 12, 2022
This was just...wow. I have no words.
February 15, 2019
I first saw Rachel Jeffs on the television show “Escaping Polygamy” when she wanted to reach out to her sister. I was struck by her poise and bravery. I am even more impressed with her fortitude after reading her autobiography. This book was tough to read emotionally because your heart just goes out to her as you read about the abuse that she suffered. But I also cheered for her as her spirit remained strong despite it all and she was able to escape. This book is beyond captivating. I had a crucial doctor’s appointment today and I canceled EVERYTHING to just read this. I can’t recommend it enough and I never enjoy biographies!
April 14, 2018
This book was crazy to me, to read how Warren Jeff's abused his children and had such a strong hold over the FLDS church was really insightful for me. It also speaks volumes that from a young age Rachel knew that one day she would probably end up leaving the church and all she knew behind. You could definitely feel all her sadness, anger and disappointments from the abuse that she experienced at the hands of her father. This book was really eye-opening and made me want to find more books to research the strongholds of cults such as the FLDS church and how people get caught up in them
March 20, 2023
I had seen Rachel Jeffs on various interviews and an episode of Escaping Polygamy, but had not realized she had written her own book. A quick, if not easy, read that I finished in just over 24 hours. It gives more insight into the crazy(er) rules that sprang up after Warren Jeffs went to prison and how it ripped communities and families apart.
April 11, 2019
A little lacking in the writing department and I really wish we'd gotten more of an epilogue, but overall interesting enough.
February 1, 2021
This is an incredibly important book, for academics and non academics alike.
If you want to understand how effectively women around the world can be oppressed, controlled, and even advocate for and choose their own oppression, this seems like an important book to read. Rachel Jeffs gives an account of being raised on a steady diet of religious ideology that taught her, from the day she was born, about her place in society. It didn't matter that outside her tiny, local environment lay a much bigger world, with options aplenty for women to be their own agents, develop their own identities and careers. Her tiny world was the whole world. It was all that mattered, and it taught her that females live to serve a god -- and therefore a human male prophet-- who makes all the rules and decrees, in absolute terms, that women should be extremely obedient; should not be educated; should sew, cook, clean, care for children; and above all serve as a mere body with which to reproduce children and serve the sexual needs of powerful men. At the same time, they must keep sweet and chaste. Good luck figuring out how that mindfuck, of completely opposite directives, can exist within a single brain.
Rachel Jeffs is the daughter of the self proclaimed prophet Warren Jeffs, who married and had sex with girls as young as 12. He sexually abused his own daughters who were even younger than that. Warren, like his father before him, was extremely effective at controlling the thoughts and actions of everyone around him. His number one tool, used by men all over the world to control the women and, to a much lesser extent, the other men in their groups, was religion. It's no surprise that Warren could convince so many to behave in extremely (read the book to find out how extreme) controlled ways -- such as only eating a severely limited type of food, marrying who you are told to marry (even if you are 12 and they are 50), have sex with only one man (even though he is married to and fucking many other women, confessing to thoughts that no one could possible know you think if you don't tell them, policing other around you who take the tiniest step out of line, and so on. Religion is super useful for generating this type of control over people. It has been for thousands of years. So, while interesting, it wasn't nearly as enlightening as the other mechanisms employed by Warren to so completely dominate the lives of others and bend them to his own personal will, for his own personal benefit.
Warren acted exactly like the alpha gorillas, described so eloquently in Frans deWaal's book. Frans deWaal is himself extremely sexist, so I really dislike having to cite him here, but the parallels can't be dismissed. deWaal's alpha gorilla took great pains to keep the males from being able to communicate. It was shocking to me how much time, effort, and energy it took for the alpha male gorilla to make sure the other males could not spend enough time coordinating a plan that would allow them to take his spot as alpha. Warren Jeffs followed that alpha male playbook to the letter. He shuffled his family around so they could not live near each other. He controlled their phone lines and phone use, so they could not even call one another. From hundreds of miles away, Warren could control who spoke to who, what truths got told, and what lies got kept, what information made it to the light of day. He used guards, men he trusted, to act as 24/7 police presence in his communities to make sure everyone was crystal clear on the fact that their every move was monitored. He so effectively isolated people, while at the same time spouting out decree after decree that said, "God has told me that (fill in the blank with the thing that Warren personally wants for himself or personally just gets off on punishing others with). No one questioned the orders given by Warren, no matter how obvious or how absurd they were, that they might not have been orders from God himself. You might wonder how people who join cults as adults can believe such crazy claims by the cult leader, but why the people in the FLDS believe such obviously false claims isn't something you will wonder reading this book. When you can raise humans from the time they are born to believe that they will be punished by an all powerful God if they do not spend their entire lives giving you your way, by cutting them off from the outside world, by filling their head with beliefs that are shared by every single person they interact with, it's the perfect breeding ground for getting hundreds or thousands of people to do whatever you want them to do. As a 50 or 60 year old man, you can fuck 12 year old pussy and call it a religious calling instead of rape or pedophilia. You can have people care for your every need and desire. And, if you are a straight up sadist, like Warren is, you can hand out punishment after punishment and cause great suffering to so very many people and sit back and get off on it. It's a brilliant gig for a psychopath if you can get away with it.
A while ago, I read Prophet's Prey by Sam Brower. Even though I had read about Warren before and followed the news, it was pretty shocking. I wish I had been reading this at the same time. If you are considering which book to read, Brower or Rachel Jeffs, I highly recommend reading both at the same time. R. Jeffs gave the reader a front row seat to what it was like inside that situation. Her writing is fabulous because it is clear to the reader that she is honest, still very naive, yet able to recount accurately the daily (insane) life in the FLDS. It doesn't even matter if she never reaches full awareness of the crimes of her father. She outlines them-- very matter of factly-- with incredible detail. I am sure the average person has many things from their upbringing of which they are unaware and may remain unaware of until they die. It's literally just a condition of being human. But, Rachel is certainly aware enough to be a powerful and credible source to unveil the exact mechanisms that have oppressed and harmed so many people around the world, because no matter where in the world the men who oppress others reside, they use a shocking similar game plan for doing so. I recommend that activists read this as a playbook, so they know what they are up against and know how to counter these unsavory yet effective strategies.
The thing I am most impressed by is the courage displayed by Rachel Jeffs, her sisters, and others who have escaped. It takes courage to speak up against harmful actions, especially when you will be punished in some way. It takes a monumental amount of courage to risk the loss of just about everyone you have known for your entire life, risk severe punishment (which is always looming and always present), risk being stalked, risk possibly being killed (because if someone is willing to stalk you that much, who is to say they won't physically harm or kill you), risk not being able to feed yourself or your children, and risk facing a world in which what you were taught from the time you were born is not reliable. As a result of having authored this book and shared her knowledge with the public, I suspect Rachel Jeffs will be viewed in the future as an important voice in not only the feminist movement, but also in future movements to eradicate the use of religion to control the masses. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
I fear that some people will see this book as a guilty pleasure, because it is so shocking and salacious, like many true crime books. However, after reading this body of work, I hope it will be viewed by academics as something with which to educate the public about the mechanisms of control in societies. It is worthy of much study and discussion. I also think the audio version is a must. Rachel Jeffs, herself, narrated the book. Hearing her accent, which is clearly FLDS, really added to helping immerse myself in her experience. I wish I had put this at the top of my list a long time ago.
If you want to understand how effectively women around the world can be oppressed, controlled, and even advocate for and choose their own oppression, this seems like an important book to read. Rachel Jeffs gives an account of being raised on a steady diet of religious ideology that taught her, from the day she was born, about her place in society. It didn't matter that outside her tiny, local environment lay a much bigger world, with options aplenty for women to be their own agents, develop their own identities and careers. Her tiny world was the whole world. It was all that mattered, and it taught her that females live to serve a god -- and therefore a human male prophet-- who makes all the rules and decrees, in absolute terms, that women should be extremely obedient; should not be educated; should sew, cook, clean, care for children; and above all serve as a mere body with which to reproduce children and serve the sexual needs of powerful men. At the same time, they must keep sweet and chaste. Good luck figuring out how that mindfuck, of completely opposite directives, can exist within a single brain.
Rachel Jeffs is the daughter of the self proclaimed prophet Warren Jeffs, who married and had sex with girls as young as 12. He sexually abused his own daughters who were even younger than that. Warren, like his father before him, was extremely effective at controlling the thoughts and actions of everyone around him. His number one tool, used by men all over the world to control the women and, to a much lesser extent, the other men in their groups, was religion. It's no surprise that Warren could convince so many to behave in extremely (read the book to find out how extreme) controlled ways -- such as only eating a severely limited type of food, marrying who you are told to marry (even if you are 12 and they are 50), have sex with only one man (even though he is married to and fucking many other women, confessing to thoughts that no one could possible know you think if you don't tell them, policing other around you who take the tiniest step out of line, and so on. Religion is super useful for generating this type of control over people. It has been for thousands of years. So, while interesting, it wasn't nearly as enlightening as the other mechanisms employed by Warren to so completely dominate the lives of others and bend them to his own personal will, for his own personal benefit.
Warren acted exactly like the alpha gorillas, described so eloquently in Frans deWaal's book. Frans deWaal is himself extremely sexist, so I really dislike having to cite him here, but the parallels can't be dismissed. deWaal's alpha gorilla took great pains to keep the males from being able to communicate. It was shocking to me how much time, effort, and energy it took for the alpha male gorilla to make sure the other males could not spend enough time coordinating a plan that would allow them to take his spot as alpha. Warren Jeffs followed that alpha male playbook to the letter. He shuffled his family around so they could not live near each other. He controlled their phone lines and phone use, so they could not even call one another. From hundreds of miles away, Warren could control who spoke to who, what truths got told, and what lies got kept, what information made it to the light of day. He used guards, men he trusted, to act as 24/7 police presence in his communities to make sure everyone was crystal clear on the fact that their every move was monitored. He so effectively isolated people, while at the same time spouting out decree after decree that said, "God has told me that (fill in the blank with the thing that Warren personally wants for himself or personally just gets off on punishing others with). No one questioned the orders given by Warren, no matter how obvious or how absurd they were, that they might not have been orders from God himself. You might wonder how people who join cults as adults can believe such crazy claims by the cult leader, but why the people in the FLDS believe such obviously false claims isn't something you will wonder reading this book. When you can raise humans from the time they are born to believe that they will be punished by an all powerful God if they do not spend their entire lives giving you your way, by cutting them off from the outside world, by filling their head with beliefs that are shared by every single person they interact with, it's the perfect breeding ground for getting hundreds or thousands of people to do whatever you want them to do. As a 50 or 60 year old man, you can fuck 12 year old pussy and call it a religious calling instead of rape or pedophilia. You can have people care for your every need and desire. And, if you are a straight up sadist, like Warren is, you can hand out punishment after punishment and cause great suffering to so very many people and sit back and get off on it. It's a brilliant gig for a psychopath if you can get away with it.
A while ago, I read Prophet's Prey by Sam Brower. Even though I had read about Warren before and followed the news, it was pretty shocking. I wish I had been reading this at the same time. If you are considering which book to read, Brower or Rachel Jeffs, I highly recommend reading both at the same time. R. Jeffs gave the reader a front row seat to what it was like inside that situation. Her writing is fabulous because it is clear to the reader that she is honest, still very naive, yet able to recount accurately the daily (insane) life in the FLDS. It doesn't even matter if she never reaches full awareness of the crimes of her father. She outlines them-- very matter of factly-- with incredible detail. I am sure the average person has many things from their upbringing of which they are unaware and may remain unaware of until they die. It's literally just a condition of being human. But, Rachel is certainly aware enough to be a powerful and credible source to unveil the exact mechanisms that have oppressed and harmed so many people around the world, because no matter where in the world the men who oppress others reside, they use a shocking similar game plan for doing so. I recommend that activists read this as a playbook, so they know what they are up against and know how to counter these unsavory yet effective strategies.
The thing I am most impressed by is the courage displayed by Rachel Jeffs, her sisters, and others who have escaped. It takes courage to speak up against harmful actions, especially when you will be punished in some way. It takes a monumental amount of courage to risk the loss of just about everyone you have known for your entire life, risk severe punishment (which is always looming and always present), risk being stalked, risk possibly being killed (because if someone is willing to stalk you that much, who is to say they won't physically harm or kill you), risk not being able to feed yourself or your children, and risk facing a world in which what you were taught from the time you were born is not reliable. As a result of having authored this book and shared her knowledge with the public, I suspect Rachel Jeffs will be viewed in the future as an important voice in not only the feminist movement, but also in future movements to eradicate the use of religion to control the masses. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
I fear that some people will see this book as a guilty pleasure, because it is so shocking and salacious, like many true crime books. However, after reading this body of work, I hope it will be viewed by academics as something with which to educate the public about the mechanisms of control in societies. It is worthy of much study and discussion. I also think the audio version is a must. Rachel Jeffs, herself, narrated the book. Hearing her accent, which is clearly FLDS, really added to helping immerse myself in her experience. I wish I had put this at the top of my list a long time ago.
April 9, 2019
Rating this a two somehow seems wrong considering all the trauma this woman went through and the bravery it took to write it down and publish it for all to see. But this book didn't contain the depth or analysis I guess I was hoping for. Jeffs lays everything out plainly, relaying each event, one after another. Rarely stopping to reflect or discuss any greater impact on herself, her family, or the church at large. In fact, she rarely even speaks of the impact these events had on her religious beliefs and relationship with the church. In the end this left the memoir feeling more exploitative? I guess. Not really sure how to quite describe it, but in the end the stark detail of the traumatic sexual abuse without any larger context felt more used for shock than sympathy or revelation. Not what I was expecting from someone so central to this particular story. Not recommended, I am sure there are better books on the subject.
January 20, 2018
This was scary to read. I had to skip pages, actually I skipped whole chapters because I couldn't wait to see Rachel escape towards the end.
I'm so glad Rachel is doing well now.
I'm so glad Rachel is doing well now.
January 10, 2019
This is kind of a shocking book, shocking cult, but actually, not very surprising. It is the impossible story of Rachel Jeffs. She was child molested by her father, the profit Warren Jeffs since she was six or so. He did with her whatever he wished, and she knew that it was wrong and did not want that. If it is very hard to any kid to deal with such situation, it is even worse when you are in a cult, that the dad plays a role of a complete dictator. My heart was wrenching for Rachel. Reading about how he got her sexually abused made me so mad. “If you touch me right here,” Father said, pointing to his crotch, “I’ll get you a dog.” I turned my back to him. Why is this the only way he will be kind to me? Will he ever stop doing this to me? I knew I would have to give in. She knew it was wrong, and she could do nothing against it.
It was awful when she confessed the abuse to her husband, and he that agreed that it is not supposed to happen , decides that following the leader is more important, and there is probably a reason that Warren had to do this.
The whole cult is shocking, and the way that women are treated is appalling. The men are sure (and raised to believe) that they can do anything, and that every type of compassion is their choice and great favor. “I don’t do for my other wives what I do for you,” Rich said. “I don’t shower with the other ladies when they’re pregnant. You should be grateful that I give you more of my time and love than I do them.” This also tends to create big chasms between the poor women.
The book that Rachel wrote is heartbreaking and it is so honest. I am so happy for her, and her five children that she is out of this horrible place. 4 stars.
It was awful when she confessed the abuse to her husband, and he that agreed that it is not supposed to happen , decides that following the leader is more important, and there is probably a reason that Warren had to do this.
The whole cult is shocking, and the way that women are treated is appalling. The men are sure (and raised to believe) that they can do anything, and that every type of compassion is their choice and great favor. “I don’t do for my other wives what I do for you,” Rich said. “I don’t shower with the other ladies when they’re pregnant. You should be grateful that I give you more of my time and love than I do them.” This also tends to create big chasms between the poor women.
The book that Rachel wrote is heartbreaking and it is so honest. I am so happy for her, and her five children that she is out of this horrible place. 4 stars.
January 3, 2018
A book I was very interested in reading that turned out to be a disappointment. I applaud her for making the choice to leave with her children, but this is not particularly good writing.
Following the time line is quite difficult as it moves quite fast; it is very much reporting what happened and feels like you are skimming the entire thing due to how vague and rushed it is. I understand protecting people, but I think that this is one book that would have benefitted from a ghost writer assisting the author in the writing to really get to the emotion of the work.
Following the time line is quite difficult as it moves quite fast; it is very much reporting what happened and feels like you are skimming the entire thing due to how vague and rushed it is. I understand protecting people, but I think that this is one book that would have benefitted from a ghost writer assisting the author in the writing to really get to the emotion of the work.
November 22, 2017
Disturbing, disgusting, eye opening and necessary. Proud of the author for sharing her story and absolutely love her opening line: ‘I am not a victim and I do not want anyone’s sympathy.’
January 31, 2018
I always find it hard to rate non-fiction novels. The writing wasn't the greatest and I really wish we would of gotten more of an epilogue. I am glad to have read this story though.
May 11, 2018
This memoir is the mesmerizing and harrowing tale of Rachel Jeffs, the daughter of Warren Jeffs. Born into the FLDS church, Rachel is raised under her fathers rule in the secretive fundamentalist cult. In this memoir, she details shocking events and takes the reader inside this culture. She eventually broke away from the church in 2015 despite many major obstacles. It is shocking to me how one man can have so much power over other human beings. Warren Jeffs is currently serving a life sentence for child sexual abuse yet still has devoted followers under his rule. This memoir is shocking, captivating, and heartbreaking. I enjoyed getting to see inside a church we've heard so much about in the news. Rachel is incredibly brave for sharing her story, with her sole intent to help others who are facing giant trials. For me, this was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars (I added an extra star for the bravery it took to share her story). *Trigger warning- this book is hard to read at times as she details abuse at the hands of her father*
February 24, 2018
“The most important rule in the FLDS religion is this: Never question the Prophet.”
Rachel Jeffs, daughter of incarcerated prophet Warren Jeffs, explains in detail what it was like growing up in her family. I’ve read a few FLDS memoirs, but this was different due to Rachel’s direct relationship with her megalomaniacal, sociopathic father. This is a pretty tough read, but worth it. These FLDS women deserve to be heard.
TW: sexual abuse, neglect
Rachel Jeffs, daughter of incarcerated prophet Warren Jeffs, explains in detail what it was like growing up in her family. I’ve read a few FLDS memoirs, but this was different due to Rachel’s direct relationship with her megalomaniacal, sociopathic father. This is a pretty tough read, but worth it. These FLDS women deserve to be heard.
TW: sexual abuse, neglect
January 14, 2023
"after all this time it seemed my prayers had finally been answered"
★★★★
I found this story really interesting. it was really gripping and I was on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next, especially at the end. the background and flds culture was explained really well but it could've used some more overall editing. the writing wasn't the best, it was really hard to follow who she talked about at times and I felt that she skipped over parts I think would've been interesting to go deeper into which would've given a lot to the story and context. her story will stick with me but that's only because of the story in itself, not because of any literary merit.
she's also not the greatest narrator. I usually prefer the author narrating the audiobook especially with nonfiction because it shows more emotion but I think I would've preferred a professional narrator for this one because she reads it like a robot and it was honestly hard to listen to at times. If you're interested in this I would definitely recommend reading it instead of listening to it.
cawpile rating: 7.71
ig: @winterrainreads
★★★★
I found this story really interesting. it was really gripping and I was on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next, especially at the end. the background and flds culture was explained really well but it could've used some more overall editing. the writing wasn't the best, it was really hard to follow who she talked about at times and I felt that she skipped over parts I think would've been interesting to go deeper into which would've given a lot to the story and context. her story will stick with me but that's only because of the story in itself, not because of any literary merit.
she's also not the greatest narrator. I usually prefer the author narrating the audiobook especially with nonfiction because it shows more emotion but I think I would've preferred a professional narrator for this one because she reads it like a robot and it was honestly hard to listen to at times. If you're interested in this I would definitely recommend reading it instead of listening to it.
cawpile rating: 7.71
ig: @winterrainreads
May 16, 2024
*3.5 Stars
As someone who has been fascinated by the FLDS for years now, this account was honest, shocking, and compelling. A great read for those who have a bit of a morbid fascination with the rise and fall of the FLDS and the dangerous thinking that develops when you are born and raised a victim of a cult.
As someone who has been fascinated by the FLDS for years now, this account was honest, shocking, and compelling. A great read for those who have a bit of a morbid fascination with the rise and fall of the FLDS and the dangerous thinking that develops when you are born and raised a victim of a cult.
November 19, 2017
Extraordinary biography of growing up in a destructive cult. Would have loved more about how the author gained free thought and her process of recovery after a life lived with such terror and control.
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