The Escape

Escape by Carolyn Jessop with Laura Palmer
In Escape Carolyn Jessop tells her story of leaving the FLDS community and her polygamous marriage. Not only is she able to leave, but she's also able to get all 8 of her children out before. I'm not sure what I find so fascinating. I think part of it's because it's such a different life I can hardly imagine what it would be like. It's almost like reading about a different time period, except this is actually happening now.

This isn't the first memoir like this I've read, I previously read Stolen Innocence, and it's interesting to note the difference between the two. To start with since Carolyn was born during a slightly less restrictive time she was actually able to attend college. Whereas Elissa from Stolen Innocence was barely able to finish high school. Then there's the age each was when the left. Carolyn was in her 30s when she escaped, compared to Elissa being only in her teens. I'm sure because of these difference Carolyn's book contained a lot more details about FDLS region itself. And also since Carolyn was not only married but gave birth to 8 children, in a way it seems that she went through move of a struggle during her time in FLDS.

I found it interesting that at the end of the book she allows her oldest daughter to rejoin the community after she turns 18. One would think that she would refuse to let her daughter go back to such a potentially harmful environment. But when you think of the fact that what she had been fighting for was freedom, it makes sense she'd also give her daughter the freedom to make her own decisions as well.

After finishing the book I was really curious to know what's happened to the family since the book was published. And I was pleasantly surprised to find that Carolyn actually published a sequel, Triumph: Life After the Cult--A Survivor's Lessons earlier the year. I'll definitely make a point to read that one as well, and would recommend this one to anyone whose every been at all curious to know just a little more about polygamy.

~Shoshanah