STOLEN INNOCENCE

Elissa Wall tells of her escape from the controversial polygamist sect the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) and its totalitarian leader, Warren Jeffs. After much soul-searching, Wall was instrumental in getting Jeffs imprisoned for his involvement in the marriages of underage girls, including her own forced marriage at the age of 14. Narrator Renée Raudman speaks in an immature-sounding voice--as one would read to a child. Her soft and sometimes-whispered tones contrast with the horrific experiences being described. Assuming the role of the young girl, Raudman recounts traumatic psychological insults such as familial dismemberments and the sexual violation of children. The juxtaposition of Raudman's narrative equanimity and the young girl's shocking experiences creates an arresting audio experience. J.A.H. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2008]