Stolen Innocence

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

By: Elissa Wall, Lisa Pulitzer

Narrated by: Renée Raudman

Length: 15 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

In September 2007, a packed courtroom in St. George, Utah, sat hushed as Elissa Wall, the star witness against polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs, gave captivating testimony of how Jeffs forced her to marry her first cousin at age fourteen. This harrowing account proved to be the most compelling evidence against Jeffs, showing the harsh realities of this closed community and the lengths to which Jeffs went in order to control the sect's women.

Now, in this courageous memoir, Elissa Wall tells the incredible story of how she emerged from the confines of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) and helped bring one of America's most notorious criminals to justice. Offering a child's perspective on life in the FLDS, Wall discusses her tumultuous youth, explaining how her family's turbulent past intersected with her strong will and identified her as a girl who needed to be controlled through marriage. Detailing how Warren Jeffs's influence over the church twisted its already rigid beliefs in dangerous new directions, Wall portrays the inescapable mind-set and unrelenting pressure that forced her to wed despite her repeated protests that she was too young.

Once she was married, Wall's childhood shattered as she was obligated to follow Jeffs's directives and submit to her husband in "mind, body, and soul." With little money and no knowledge of the outside world, she was trapped and forced to endure the pain and abuse of her loveless relationship. Yet even in those bleak times, she retained a sliver of hope that one day she would find a way out, and one snowy night that came in the form of a rugged stranger named Lamont Barlow. Their chance encounter set in motion a friendship and eventual romance that gave her the strength she needed to break free from her past and sever the chains of the church. But though she was out of the FLDS, Wall would still have to face Jeffs---this time in court.

©2008 Elissa Wall (P)2008 Tantor

Amazing Perseverence

This book is very interesting because although the listener might imagine what generally happens in this story, in fact Elissa Wall recalls well the painful events imprinted on her soul in so many ways and it’s the specific details which make this recounting of her long-term abuse so compelling to hear. There is also a very tender love story which weaves its way into this true story and the unfolding of that sweet drama comforts not only Elissa but those who read about it. Eventually, Elissa must take her bullies to court and her perseverance and caring for rights-of-others enables her to stay strong instead of “Staying Sweet” as was the mantra for all females in that polygamous choice of religion. Well done, Elissa, I am so proud of you!

jaw dropping

Would you listen to Stolen Innocence again? Why?

Absolutely, as soon as it ended I knew I would listen again!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Elise, her story went from happy to the depths of hell and back to a wonderful, new world. Her purpose for writing this book was if she could help just one person...I am sure she has and will continue to help thousands!!! She is so brave and I wish her the very best life has to offer...If you see this Elissa, I love you...

What does Renée Raudman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Now that I have been listening to books, I jotted down her name because I will be looking for her as a narrator...I don't think any one could have captured the highs and lows the way Renee did, she is now one of my favorite narrators. I just want to say that if I don't like the narrator I just can't like the book, so Kudo's to Renee, awesome job!!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Keeping Sweet

Any additional comments?

Just that I came away from this book more knowledgeable, disturbed by many of the events...but at the end, I was lifted to a higher plane.

Very compelling and unnerving. A brave girl.

I especially enjoyed this book because it gives such insight into a life that we cannot even imagine. The Bible shows us that polygamy never ends well. Case in point.

Very well written. I wish Ms. Wall and the little family she's built all the luck in the world. God bless.

Narrator

The narrator of this audio book was awful. I almost did not finish because the sound of her voice was so annoying.

Educational

I thought the book was well written and provided a thorough insight into the FLDS. I didn't mind the narration by the females, but it was very disconcerting to have every male --brother, father, boyfriend, husband, elder and attorney--narrated by the same male voice! It took me out of the moment and back into reality which is not what one wants to achieve when immersing themselves in a book.

Fascinating

I really liked this book. It was a great insight into the FLDS community. It was wonderful to have it from the the point of a young woman who grew up in the FLDS. The performance of the reader was wonderful.

Great story

It was a great story to hear. It's hard to imagine what is like for these women and men. The performer had a hard a voice to listen too.

Annoying

The narrator is too over-the-top with her sappy voices. The story is good but gets too boring with details. Also, I find it hard to believe that the author remembers the events in such great detail. I know she's trying to convey her story but it comes across like a fiction at some points. Back to the narrator... at least she doesn't mispronounce words, but she ruins the story with her weirdo voice and cry-talking.

Compelling memoir

Loved the compelling narrative and the narrator’s performance also. I was on the edge of my seat.

Chris from Cedar City, UT USA

I thought the book was fascinating and gave great insight into the mindset of the FLDS. So little is known about this religion and culture, and the thing that was quite shocking was the lack of personal freedom. If you didn't know better, you would have thought it was written by a person born in a third world country, certainly not the USA. It is gratifying to know that light has been shed on some practices of the FLDS and that maybe the underage marriages and abuse might not go unnoticed and unpunished.
My one criticism of this audio book was the narration. The narrator was hard to listen to because of the constant whine in her voice that after a few chapters became extremely annoying. I know she probably was trying to portray the fear and emotions Elissa was feeling but to be perfectly blunt, it was dreadful. The narrator of Escape by Carolynn Jessup was much better.