I cannot even imagine the courage it took for Ms. LeBaron to write this book, and I thank her for it. My only ideas of polygamy were seen on television depicting large families by multiple wives all living in separate homes being fed and cared for. Not that I agreed with it or thought such conditions were ideal for the children. I was obviously grossly uninformed because I never dreamed such horrific circumstances existed.
The author’s mother was the wife of self-proclaimed prophet Ervil LeBaron. I couldn’t help but notice that only one letter kept his name from being “Evil” which after reading her story I find much more appropriate. She had 49 siblings! She was only 9 years old when she begins her story. There are no dolls, games, or spending time being held and snuggled. Her life was one of unimaginable neglect, abuse constant fear and hideous poverty. These were considered the norm not only for the adults but for the children. My heart broke for her and her siblings. They were treated more like animals than children! Being taken to other countries and left in the same poverty with people she did not know and who did not care for her. She never felt loved or safe. It hurt to read about how she was always seeking and craving that tender relationship of a parent and child. All this she endured until her teens when she remarkably escaped from the cult. Another great act of courage for one so young!
I find it even more incredible after enduring all this that she has become the beautiful well-adjusted woman she is today. As sad as the book may sound (and it is), hope, love and forgiveness are what stands out. How the love of God can heal all wounds and bring beauty from ashes.
I received this book from Tyndale Publishers in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have stated are my own.