3.5 stars.

Thoughts:

- Down from the Mountain felt weirdly familiar, even though I'm 98% sure I've never read it before. Then again, like the author, I devour books on cults, so.

- The writing skews young, which seems appropriate given Eva/Lily's age and general naiveté. Yet I felt like certain, more adult concepts were perhaps watered down or skirted around as well (e.g., like the systemic rape found in cults).

- No way would Eva be allowed to wear the burgundy top pictured on the cover. ( )

This is the story of Eva, a fourteen year old who has spent almost 10 years living within a religious cult. As she is allowed a little bit of interaction with the outside world she begins to question some of the rules and decisions their leader makes, ultimately leading Eva to a situation that requires her to face her doubts and make choices that could change all of their lives forever.

There were moments when the book seemed just a little bit slow, and other times where it seemed like the scenes were too rushed. There was a little bit of inconsistency in some of the minor details but it wasn't terrible enough to make me dislike the book. The only reason I didn't give this book a 5 is because of the ending. Which I knew ahead of time that I probably wasn't going to like because I skimmed the other reviews. It's not that the ending was bad, the final events were pretty much what I expected, it's just that I want to know more! It definitely ends too soon, even if the story is probably technically complete as it is. Maybe Ms. Fixmer will write a sequel or two...


I received a digital copy of this book through NetGalley. ( )

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Albert Whitman & Company for an honest review.

Eva and her mother (her biological mother, not the other mothers on the compound) have lived with Righteous Path for over 10 years. They live simply, striving to always be better in God’s eyes than the heathens of the outside world. Eva, almost 15, is frightened — she will soon become one of Ezekiel’s wives, just like the rest of the women on the compound. She will have to begin her duty as a woman of trying to conceive offspring for Ezekiel, their elderly leader. Mother has been doing this for years, and she has just announced that she is with child. After Eva was born, the doctor said that she would likely die if she gave birth again. Without modern medicine or doctors to help, Eva is worried that this baby could be the end of her mother, the only person who makes her feel safe in this dangerous compound.

When Eva is given the task of creating and selling jewelry in a heathen flea market in Boulder, Colorado, she gets a chance to see the outside world that she used to live in. The nice people she meets can’t really be the devil trying to make her sin, to damn her, can they? She makes a few friends that help her see what she has been kept captive from seeing — that God is not the vengeful being that Ezekiel says, but a benevolent one who brings joy to those who believe. “Down from the Mountain” is a quiet psychological thriller set in a polygamist cult — it’d be a sin to miss this one. ( )

Eva, a member of the Righteous Path cult begins selling jewelry in the local town. As life on the compound grows harder, Eva begins to realize that the heathens aren't the evil monsters they have been made out to be. When she is called to become the prophet's wife, she must decide if she will continue following the cult or escape.

This was a fascinating book. I would love to read a sequel. Eva felt very realistic. She was a very dynamic character. I look forward to reading more from this author. ( )

I'm so glad I picked this book up. Eva's journey is so heartwrenching and intriguing, and I loved all the Narnia references (because I am a huge nerd like that). This book never feels disrespectful or flippant about religion, either, which I really appreciate. The reader knows that Ezekiel's beliefs are wrong, but they're never treated pejoratively, either. Truly engrossing. ( )