Down from the Mountain - Hardcover

Fixmer, Elizabeth

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0807583707 ISBN 13: 9780807583708

Publisher: Albert Whitman & Co, 2015

Synopsis

Fourteen year-old Eva tries to be a good disciple of Righteous Path, a polygamy cult in Colorado, but her forays into the "heathen world" cause her to question all she knows.

Eva wants to be a good disciple of Righteous Path. She grew up knowing that she's among the chosen few to be saved from Armageddon. Lately, though, being saved feels awfully treacherous. Ever since they moved to the compound in Colorado, their food supplies have dwindled while their leader, Ezekiel, has stockpiled weapons. The only money comes from the jewelry Eva makes and sells in town―a purpose she'll serve until she becomes one of Ezekiel's wives. But a college student named Trevor and the other "heathens" she meets on her trips beyond the compound are far different from what she's been led to believe. Now Eva doesn't know which is more dangerous―the outside world or Reverend Ezekiel's plans.

About this title

About the Author

Elizabeth Fixmer writes middle-grade and young adult fiction and is also a licensed clinical social worker. She has an MFA in writing from Hamline University. She lives in Wisconsin.

Reviews

Gr 9 Up—Fourteen-year-old Eva and her mother are members of the Righteous Path, a 17-member cult located in Colorado. Eva struggles to be obedient and is justifiably afraid of Prophet Ezekiel's fierce moods and demands. Her faith is further shaken when her mother must suffer a difficult pregnancy without medical attention or proper nutrition. Eva and Rachel, the youngest of Ezekiel's 10 wives, are sent down the mountain to purchase supplies and sell Eva's handmade jewelry in the nearby town. Eva is fearful and amazed at the contrast between her stark, strict life and the freedom of the "heathen" world. She is also surprised at the kindness of the people she meets, contradicting everything Ezekiel has told them. Meanwhile, Ezekiel has become paranoid that outsiders may try to attack them and spends most of their money buying guns instead of food to last through winter. With the help of a young man whom she meets in town, Eva learns more about the broader world. Her forced betrothal to Ezekiel pushes Eva to take action, leading to a gripping climax. Fixmer, a therapist who has counseled former religious cult members, has written a taut psychological drama with believable and sympathetic characters. The first-person narrative sustains a tense mood throughout, with frequent referrals to tragic real-life cults, such as the Branch Davidians of Waco, TX. This book is similar in theme but less violent than Carol Lynch Williams's The Chosen One (St. Martin's Griffin, 2009). VERDICT Readers will be caught up in this realistic story of a brave girl rebelling against a fundamentalist society.—Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT

Edition details

• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Co
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0807583707
• ISBN 13: 9780807583708
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 288