Down from the Mountain

I enjoyed this story. The characters felt real and our heroine was quite likeable. A story taking place in the odd world of a religious cult was different and made for a page turner of a story. Thank you for this book.

I actually really enjoyed this book, but the ending killed a four star rating. Other than that, the up points that can be found here are so incredibly worthwhile.

Between the writing style and feeling like I was actually with Eva in Righteous Path, enduring her pain and torment, this book was a very quick read (once you got past the first thirty or so pages). This is the first book I've read about a cult, and the attention to detail is SUPERB. You really feel immersed in the lifestyle while you're reading through Eva's experiences, and reading about Annie and Jacob, the Mothers, and of course Ezekial.

Trevor and a few other heathens help to add some of the normalcy that we're all used to. Eva's reactions to them and how they act are so pure that it practically breaks your heart to think of someone so sheltered and unexposed to the beauty that the world has to offer.

The biggest downfall of this book for me is unfortunately the ending. I feel like suddenly things really started happening, Eva finally got her footing, and then suddenly it was ending. I needed a little bit more leading to the end of the book, instead of a sudden head on collision with no more pages.

I wish I could give this four stars, but my problems with the ending really stop me. I would definitely suggest this to a ton of people though. The journey is beautiful and the writing is addictive. Elizabeth Fixmer built a world that is terrifying to consider, one that of course is real and surrounding us, and I enjoyed it a lot more than I initially thought I would.

The author really captured the freedom that access to education (and especially a library) can provide. I loved that Eva was so interested in the Chronicles of Narnia, and the fact that Father Ezekiel is so against them, speaks volumes of the way he is controlling the sect. He exhibits classic cult-like behavior, especially against that favorite Christian allegory.

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...

A quick, enjoyable, and rather gripping read, with amazing attention to detail. As I was reading, I kept having to remind myself that I wasn't reading nonfiction, and thus wasn't learning about a real-life pseudo-religious system. Then I would get upset with the author for writing something so obviously exaggerated that was yet so intriguing.

But, I was wrong! The author's note at the end reveals that the author has built a career counseling ex-cult members, and thus this book has the weight of research (or at least primary source material) behind it!

Overall, this was a very interesting exploration of faith systems and the malleability of people's beliefs. Sometimes it was slightly unbelievable to me that Eva, who was raised in The Righteous Path since she was 5, could independently develop so many thoughts and opinions different from that of her surrounding community. However, I suppose not everyone developed similar beliefs. In fact, different characters navigated their changing beliefs and the changing structure of The Righteous Path very differently, and I found these differences to be the most interesting part in the book.

Honestly, though, I wish it had been nonfiction!

I’ve had an interest in cults for some time, so I was looking forward to reading Down from the Mountain. I think the book has a powerful message and I liked reading a novel from the unique perspective of a brainwashed teenager.

Eva was very easy to connect with. Although she has been raised inside of a cult with radical ideas about the end of the world and living a righteous life, she doesn’t readily accept everything told her to by the group and the cult leader. I grew to like her even more as she started interacting with people outside of her sect.

This book is well researched and felt very authentic. The author delved into the psyche of a cult member and what it takes to mentally break away from a sect. Eva is only fourteen and I felt her young age made a lot of the cult activities truly shocking. I definitely felt very uncomfortable with the thought of the cult women as breeders for the leader Ezekiel.

Down from the Mountain isn’t in my normal reading genre, but I’m glad I took a chance on the book. The story is haunting while also being a powerful coming of age tale.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the novel for review!

Let me start off with the fact that I love this book! Elizabeth Fixmer is a very talented writer and readers are immediately absorbed by Eva's simplistic, yet almost melodic narration. Her growth and rebellion of what she's know for nearly her entire life is beautiful and realistic. "Down From the Mountain" blends a haunting subject matter with a wonderful cast of characters that will pull at your heart in the best way possible.

As far as cults go, I have always been a little bit interested in them. The fact that someone can go from being sound-minded and individual and suddenly become radicalised by someone with such out there beliefs is such a crazy notion for me that it is something I have watched countless documentaries on. As soon as I saw the synopsis of this book I knew that I had to read it. Also, the fact that it is written by someone who has worked with sect escapees as a therapist definitely helps to authenticate it a little better,

I loved how this book was written from the point of view of a 14 year old. Eva was naive and young and this was definitely demonsTrated in the way the book was written. I loved the first few undred pages and I could barely put the book down - Eva was strong-willed and if she hadn't escaped from The Righteous Path I would have worried for her safety. The other sisters in the sect, Rachel especially, made for great support characters showing the different ways the members approached life in the sect. I loved Eva's relationship with the young man who saves her. I thought it was going to be romantic but it ended up being a purely platonic friendship which I so appreciated. Finally, Ezekiel was a suitably evil character, so I loved how well he was written.

The only thing I can really complain about is the ending. I didn't like how eager Fixmer was to get action in there. I understad that it was probably necessary, but the action just wasn't engaging enough to work and the emotions following it just were not fitting, for me at least. I felt like some things didn't make sense and I wish it had been thought through and edited more because the ending itself probably brings my grade for this book down by at least a whole grade. Ugh!

Overall, Down From the Mountain was a well written and well developed look into how cults work, and how one person can bring that whole system down. It was deep and engaging but the ending made the whole thing seem lacklustre.

Overall Rating: B-

I find myself missing this book now that it is finished. The author created an exciting story surrounding a main character that was hard not to become attached to. I found the book interesting from the beginning and only got better as I read. Definitely a story that tugs at your heart strings.

Stories about religion fascinate me, and when they deal with extreme sects such as the one Eve lives within, even better. I really liked how the author captured Eve as an authentic teenage girl, dealing with the struggles we all faced of growing up and finding ourselves, but facing this extra level of complication when her beliefs factored in, as well. Eve is very questioning -- wondering about the things she has been taught are true and right, and then scolding herself for even thinking those things. I felt her struggle between those two sides of herself. There were some parts that I would have liked to see more fleshed out -- when Eve finds out information about her father, and when she has a realisation about Ezekiel, too. I felt those moments lacked impact somewhat, when they were really pivotal moments in the story. Overall, though, I liked how Eve made the decision for herself about what was true and right, and the courage she found to act in certain ways.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book! My review will go up on my blog on February 8th -after which I will include a link here- but I will share it here as well.

MY REVIEW (4/5 stars):

When I read the premise of this book on Netgalley, I requested it immediately. I don’t really know why, but the idea of a religious cult fascinates me. I can’t ever wrap my head around the fact that people join the cult and believe the leader is their prophet. I don’t know. Maybe it’s because it is so far removed from my reality. Whatever the reason may be, it fascinates me. So I thought this book would be perfect for that!

Down from the Mountain was definitely different than I expected it to be -which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I feel like it took a while for the story to get to the stockpiling weapons-point mentioned in the premise. And because I’d already read about it in the synopsis that made the story seem a bit slower to me. But honestly, that’s kind of a minor dislike to me, I really enjoyed this book.

First, let’s talk about the plot. Like I said, in the beginning it’s a bit slower but that did give me the time to get to know all the characters and immerse myself in the story. Once the story does reach the previously mentioned point, all hell breaks loose -no pun intended- and things go downhill VERY quickly. So the last part of the story was very fast-paced. I really enjoyed the journey we go on with these characters because even though it is told through Eva’s eyes, you learn a lot about the side characters as well.

On to the characters! First, there’s the main character Eva. Eva has been a member of the Righteous Path since she was 5 so it’s practically what she was raised on. Because of that, she is very devoted to Ezekiel and truly believes that the rest of the world are heathens that won’t go to heaven when they die. She was brought into the cult by her mother who is also a member. But, in the religious group, mothers can’t show a preference for their own child because every elder woman is a mother to every child -I don’t know whether that explanation made sense to you, sorry. Eva however, has always had a special bond with Mother Martha -her actual mom. That was kind of a confusing aspect for me, that every adult woman has Mother in front of their name -which one is the real mom??

Eva is quite a likeable character -to me. Although she is devoted, she has these thoughts going through her mind that make her doubt Ezekiel. But since it’s the only thing she has ever learned, she pushes them away and tries to be more obedient. I read a certain sentence in this book and highlighted it immediately because it’s something I needed to share in my review. So here it goes, this is what Eva needed to learn after she dared to ask reverend Ezekiel a question:

I need to learn to be more feminine: silent, speaking only when spoken to, obedient and patient.

That right there, will tell you everything you need to know about Ezekiel. That is what he is teaching this girl. It makes me sick to think that there are thousands of cults like this one in the world. As you can deduce from the quote above, Eva has some issues with blind obedience -as she should. She asks questions -which apparently, you can’t- is curious and wants to learn. All things that are apparently not supported by the Righteous Path. I loved to see Eva’s journey: how her doubts got stronger, especially when she got to go outside of the compound and see the way most of us actually love.

Another aspect I liked was to see how the different characters reacted to the changes in the Righteous Path and Ezekiel. He would grow more arrogant and mean and they would fast more often -because they didn’t have any money for food. But according to Ezekiel it’s just God punishing them for their sins and if they would just pray a little harder, they’d have food coming their way again. Some characters grew closer to Ezekiel and admired them more, while others like Eva had growing doubts. I especially liked to see the changes in Annie, Jacob and Rachel. Annie and Jacob are the other two children of the cult closest to Eva’s age and her friends. Mother Rachel is the youngest adult woman and Ezekiel’s most recent wife. They all had very different reactions to the changes.

To be honest, aside from the abuse and so on, what disgusted me the most was that Ezekiel -who must be like 60- married all of the adult women, took them as his wives. And every night he would choose one to spend the night with. And one day, Eva will become his wife as well -she’s only fourteen! THAT IS DISGUSTING. And don’t even get me started on the abuse. I have another quote to show that one -it’s a flashback to when Eva was about 5 years old:

“Now you will obey me and give me that necklace,” Ezekiel demanded. He paddled me hard until I gave it to him. That’s when I wet myself in front of everybody. I could cry all over again thinking about it. It was a powerful lesson, one that I needed to learn – that God comes before any material possessions.

HELLO. What the hell? How could any mother just sit there and watch a guy hit her child? I do not understand. And it’s not just physical abuse but emotional as well. The only aspect I didn’t like as much about the novel was that the friendship with Trevor felt a bit rushed.

Overall, I’d definitely recommend this book. As you can see from my review, I was very invested in the story! It just seems so real: both the characters and the plot line. I was surprised to see -in the author’s note I believe- that the author has actually worked with (ex-)cult members before. I think that’s why it seems so real to me.

Go ahead and give this one a try! It’s such a quick but fascinating read!

A haunting look at the realities of life in a strict religious group. Very captivating.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this book, but I knew as soon as I read the synopsis I had to read it. Eva(not her birth name) has lived with The Righteous Path since she was young, after her father allegedly abandoned her after her parents' messy divorce.

Raised to fear God instead of to truly feel his love, she lives a life of fasting for long intervals and of fear that her time to marry Ezekiel is soon coming.

Though I(thankfully) cannot relate to Eva and the others based on experience, the author's raw, emotional portrayal of these characters had me near tears(okay, in tears) and feeling like I truly could . Besides Eva, I really liked Rachel. I believe the book would have been wonderful from her point of view as well. One thing that was great about this book, to me, is that it had little focus on romance, it was an honest fictionalized portrayal of a young girl's experience in a cult-like setting. The research that the author must have put into this is amazing, and I found myself fearing Ezekiel almost as much as Eva did. This book may not be for everyone, simply because of the subject, but I found it to be a wonderful and thought-provoking read and definitely recommend it!

DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN By: Elizabeth Fixmer

Publication Date: March 1, 2015

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

* I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I have always had a strange fixation with cults and cult-like religions such as the polygamist ex-Mormon sects from Utah. The television show that was popular a few years ago called "Big Love" was a show I watched religiously (pun intended) every week. It was fascinating to me that the women on that show saw nothing wrong with the way they chose to live. Because I have no particular belief system it boggles my mind what some people can be convinced to believe.

Cults have been around for a long time and there are quite a few groups that are active in the United States to this day.

This book may be fiction, but it highlights an issue that is very much a part of the lives of thousands of Americans every day. Children raised in these isolated communities know nothing else. If they are taught to believe in a specific set of principles by their parents, they have no reason to question whether these practices are right or wrong. They quite simply do not know that they have a choice.

In "Down From The Mountain" the story begins with fourteen year old Eva attending church. The culture of fear in which she lives is evident from the very first paragraph.

"I try not to stare at the discipline paddle that hangs on the wall near the bare table we use as an altar. Fourteen swats if I mess up the Bible passage. One swat for every year of age."

Right away the reader must ask themselves what kind of church has a discipline paddle beside the altar? I know that in Ontario, Canada where I live, it is illegal to hit a child. If a child were "paddled" in church the police would be called and child abuse charges would be laid.

Eva has been taught to believe that God talks to Reverend Ezekiel and "has given him the job of shepherding us to keep us pure." The Reverend gives out rewards and punishments to keep his followers on "the righteous path."

Eva and her friends Annie and Jacob live in a closed community surrounded by an electric fence. They belong to a group that call themselves "Righteous Path." They refer to everyone who is not part of their group as "heathens." They believe that only 444 people will survive Armageddon and go to Heaven and that they are among the chosen few.

Eva and her mother joined the community when Eva was only four years old. When they joined her mother sold their home and belongings and turned over all the money to Reverend Ezekiel. This is common practice for cults. It keeps the cults coffers full and because the members no longer have money or possessions of their own, they are reliant on the leader for everything.

Eva knows that she must follow all the rules set out by Reverend Ezekiel. These include not showing too much pride, keeping her heart pure, not being selfish, not wearing jewelry, being demure, not speaking to the heathens, etc. Basically she must be pure in thought and deed.

Eva loves school. Even if they only have a few textbooks and most of the information in them has been blacked out to avoid them learning worldly ways, Eva craves knowledge. They used to have a few novels including the first Narnia book, which Eva adored, but Ezekiel burned them all as being inappropriate. He believes that girls only need to learn to read so that they can read the bible.

The problem arises when Ezekiel calls Eva into his office and announces that she is almost a woman. He has already married every woman on the compound and they rotate which of them spends the night in his trailer. Eva is terrified that he will want to marry her too. Thankfully it isn't marriage that he wants to talk to her about ... Yet. He assigns her to make jewelry to sell at a local flea market to the heathens.

When Eva gets a look at what the outside world is really like, she begins to have questions. How can all the nice people she meets be agents of Satan? Is it so bad to come up with ways to make more money for the group? Why is it wrong for her to want to read books? Is the outside world really evil? And most of all, she begins to question whether or not she believes Ezekiel is right about God and heaven.

This book illustrates the brainwashing and the culture of fear that cult children grow up with. I believe that it is important that books like this are written, published and marketed to young adults. They need to know that sometimes evil comes in the guise of a Prophet or Priest. This book will open the eyes of many who read it who were not aware that cults like this exist in our modern society.

I give this book a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. It is a quick but dramatic read.

To learn more about this author go to www.elizabethfixmer.com

To read more of my reviews visit http://amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com

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.

There is so much to like about this book. I love the slow progression of Eva's understanding of her world. She starts out fully believing in the Righteous Path and only gradually questions. I also appreciate the acknowledgement of goth a head and a heart understanding of God, that a thinking person need not banish the concept of religion. Additionally, many of the cult novels I've read have the girl leaving because of the love of a boy. Yes, Eva meets Trevor and he helps her out but A) he's too old for her and B) even if he wasn't she's far too naive to be able to handle a romantic relationship. Also, I like that there's no perfect happy ever after, just the notion of choice and possibility. Sure it has it's problems. It's repetitive at times and some of the situations seem slightly out of character for the cult present (and the final conflict in particular seemed far too simple) but these don't' outweigh the positives.

3.5 stars

I really enjoy stories set around 'alternate religions' or 'cults' i find this to be a really fascinating subject matter.

I thought that Elizabeth Fixmer did an amazing job of showing us why and how Eva had come to believe the things she did and also showing us her kind of slow realisation that maybe everything the cult leader, Ezekiel, is telling her isn't necessarily correct and that all people not 'chosen' aren't necessarily heathens. Eva was such a wonderfully complex character.

I also really liked that this book wasn't romance heavy at all because i feel that would have really taken away from the overall plot of the book so i appreciated the author holding back on that because it easily could have gone down that road.

I did feel like the ending was a little rushed, not necessarily the climatic part of the story but the parts following on from that, i felt like they could have been done a little better.

Overall this was definitely a worthwhile read.

Amazing, I loved the main character Eva and the ending, which was the email communications. I also loved how Eva was smart and could think for herself, like when she blew out the tires in ezekials bmw. I will be writing a review in my blog, myreadingdog.wordpress.com, within most likely this week.

Down from the Mountain was a book that I didn't expect to enjoy as much as I did. I tend to avoid books that heavily involve religion, particularly those whose themes revolve around wrongdoings justified by religious beliefs. But this was an extremely compelling and emotional novel.

The story takes place within a fundamentalist group in Colorado who call themselves the Righteous Path, living in an isolated compound high in the mountains. With the exception of the leader and a couple of men and boys, the community is almost entirely composed of women. The adult women become the sister wives of the leader, helping him to create a community of believers. Most of these women came to him with children and those daughters are also groomed to be his wives as well. It is a group in which complete obedience is required and their main tenet is that they are the chosen few that will ascend to heaven after the apocalypse. Those outside the community are eschewed, except when necessary for trade and financial gain.

The protagonist of the novel is Eva, a 15yo girl being groomed to be the next wife to Ezekiel, the self-appointed leader and prophet of God. She and her mother became a part of the group after her parents divorce. Because of the complete obedience required by Ezekial, exclusive parent/child relationships are strictly prohibited. Instead, all children belong to all women. Despite this, Eva and her mother have maintained a secret relationship, hidden from the community. It is because of that relationship that Eva's eyes have been opened and she starts to question the world she lives in.

The conflict of the novel is entirely in the form of Ezekial and his complete control over every aspect of the lives of those in the Righteous Path community. Whether he is delusional or just domineering is debatable, the end result is complete exploitation of the people within his hands. Polygamous marriage is forced upon them under the guise of God's word. Many of the more recent marriages are to very young girls, girls younger than the legal age of consent. Brain washing and isolation are a big part of his methodology, as is punishment. The severity of the punishment ranges from public humiliation to actual physical abuse, depending upon the level of "sin" the person committed. Other punishments can be the deprivation of food and education, especially the girls who don't require education in the eyes of Ezekial.

Ezekial is a maniacal, misogynistic, abusive man, a detestable character in every way. He commits his atrocities in the name of religion and expects his followers to accept them for the same reasons and without question. Conflict arises when Eva begins to see him for what he is, due in large part to her recent interactions with the outside world. It is through that that she realizes that perhaps the world isn't what Ezekial has portrayed, that good exists outside the compound and that perhaps what is inside the compound isn't as righteous as she has always been taught. As detestable as Ezekial is, Eva is captivating. Her change doesn't come all at once, but over time and with thought and consideration. She has spent most of her life being groomed, yet she has maintained the ability to think for herself and her character grows through that.

The writing of this book was engrossing and compelling, investing the reader into Eva's plight, and that of the other women. There was so much complexity and depth and that complexity carried into the conclusion. I loved that the ending was realistic, showing the good and the bad, showing the differing feelings within the aftermath of a community such as Righteous Path.

My Recommendation

I loved this book, despite the themes of religious abuse. I felt like the author portrayed a controversial subject realistically, without sugar coating it or glamorizing it. It was dramatic and thought-provoking and I enjoyed it.

There are so many books out there about religious cults and polygamy. Unfortunately, many of them specifically mention the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints (also known as the Mormon Church), although that church has not endorsed polygamy for a very, very long time. So I was quite pleased when Down from the Mountain was about a religious cult more along the lines of the Branch Davidians.

Down from the Mountain is a first-person narrative of a young woman (Eva) whose mother joined a cult called the Righteous Path when she was at a vulnerable place in her life. As is often the case, the leader, Elijah (who sees himself as a version of David Koresh), preyed on her need for protection and love, providing what she thought was a safe place both on this earth and in heaven. Of course, it was all lies. But what's important in this story is how Eva learns to question what she has been taught most of her life.

In many religions (not just cults) people are taught that those outside their religions (or who don't share their beliefs) are less than them. Are going to hell. Are awful, evil people, not to be pitied, only to be shunned. And I'm not just talking about those small churches and communities on the fringes. Some more mainstream churches are this way, and it makes me angry and sad in the worst way.

What is especially amazing about Down from the Mountain and that sets it apart from other similar stories is that Eva didn't start questioning her beliefs because of anything that was going on in the community (that only came later). What really planted that seed of doubt was her seeing the genuine kindness and good in people outside of her community. Seeing how that contrasted with the behavior of those that she had been taught to believe were God's chosen people.

Down from the Mountain is a refreshing take on the insular religious community trope. After you read it, you won't look at your own churches and communities the same way again. It's almost a call to action; one I hope we'll all follow.

I received a copy of Down from the Mountain in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Albert Whitman Teen and Netgalley. A copy of this review is also on my blog: www.bookblogbird.weebly.com

Down from the Mountain tells the story of Eva, a fourteen year old girl who lives on a ranch in Colorado with her mother, her best friends Annie and Jacob, a dozen or so additional mothers and the Prophet Ezekiel, God’s representative on Earth and the one man chosen to lead four hundred and forty-four souls straight to the gates of Heaven, come the end of days.

Yes! Eva lives in a crazy cult!

Gotta say, I find the whole concept of cults fascinating, so I was really excited to read this book. The plot is a bit of a slow burner to begin with and there’s a lot of description about life in the cult, about the constant praying and fasting and so on, but it picked up a lot in the second half and rattled along quite excitingly.

I liked Eva immensely as a main character. She was very intelligent and was devoted to her mother, despite the fact that they were forbidden from having a close relationship with each other. I liked the way Eva was torn between life on the Righteous Path and her natural curiosity about the outside world. She’s had it hammered into her from the age of four that life as a ‘heathen’ would mean the loss of her eternal soul, and all she wants to do is be a good disciple, but she is increasingly enticed by the world outside the compound she lives on and suspicious of Prophet Ezekiel’s motives.

The thing I didn’t really get was why everyone chose to follow Ezekiel. From the first page, he just comes across as terrifying and creepy and the kind of guy you’d just want to run a billion miles from. I understand cult leaders are really charismatic and manipulative and that they prey on people who are vulnerable, but Ezekiel was just horrible to everyone. I wasn’t really getting any charisma or manipulation, just bullying. I didn’t understand how he managed to convince all those women to leave their husbands and marry him instead! Also, how were they all okay with him living in luxury while everyone else basically lived in a barn? I guess the manipulation went on behind the scenes, but I would have liked to have seen more of it.

I thought the writing was very gripping, and the author dealt with the whole dichotomy between ‘people who are religious’ and ‘people who do crazy things in the name of religion’ sensitively. I would definitely recommend this book.

Wow this was intense!! What a freaking emotional rollercoaster.

One of the best YA books I've read this year.

I was fully invested in Eva's story. It was real and very emotional. I really felt for her, all her doubts and disappointments.

I was really satisfied with the ending. It was maybe a little too neat but honestly, after everything Eva went through she deserved some peace.

Excellent.

Wow! I loved everything about this! This is an emotional and compelling story of a girl growing up in, and eventually escaping, a religious cult in Colorado. I was just pulled into this world and once I started reading I could NOT stop. The characters and the group dynamics within the cult are both realistic and terrifying - the jealousy among members, the fear of accusations and the compulsion to confess even minor "sins" (such as misplacing a bag of potatoes, and the public shaming and punishments. Eva's thoughts and conflicting beliefs and emotions when she is exposed to the "heathens" in the outside world lead her to question Prophet Ezekiel's teachings and to begin to see the truth behind his lies.

A truly enjoyable read!

DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN – Elizabeth Fixmer

INSIDE A CULT – 3.5 stars

Plot – 3.5 stars – This is a fascinating look from the inside of a religious compound. Lily came with her mother to the Righteous Path after her parents’ contentious divorce. Now she’s called Eva and must follow extremely strict rules about right and wrong, as defined by Prophet Ezekiel. She’s never questioned these rules before, but now that she’s 14 years old and has had a chance to go into the outside world when selling her jewelry at a flea market, she’s starting to question the beliefs she’s been taught. Her world is expanding as she learns how to use a library and the computer, all through the goodness of a friendly “heathen.”

Writing – 4 stars – I was caught up in this story despite myself. I hadn’t expected to enjoy reading about such a limited lifestyle, especially as seen through the eyes of a child. But Fixmer created almost a different world, so insulated and not at all like the world most people enjoy. This book is geared toward younger audiences, offering vast differences between right and wrong and almost too-stereotypical characters. But, sadly, there really are many cults like this, and it was fascinating to learn more about one. The thought processes are unbelievable to those on the outside, but a clever and self-serving leader can build his community however he likes.

Characters – 3.5 stars – Eva is a growing, bright girl who has a talent for creating beautiful jewelry. When she attends flea markets to sell it to the outside world she begins to see the friendliness and caring of those she has been taught to fear. Her intelligence and concern for her mother’s health start creating questions in her mind about the rightness of their chosen path. Trevor is an open and positive young man who is studying alternative religions and befriends Eva. Ezekiel is a little boilerplate, seeming to typify all the bad things we’ve heard about cult leaders, but I suspect much of his personality is fairly common. We really get inside Eva’s head since the story is based around her. The other characters are less well known, but they add new dimensions to Eva’s life.

Title – 3.5 stars – The title is quite good, describing Eva’s physical movement from their compound in the woods, while also representing her mental and emotional distancing from the group’s beliefs..

Cover – 3 stars – This cover is fine, showing Eva by herself, obviously thinking about her life.

Overall – 3.5 stars – I enjoyed this more than I expected to. The subject is intriguing, embodying such a mysterious lifestyle since most religious groups of this type are so cut off from the rest of the world. And Fixmer puts us in the mind of an intelligent young woman who is questioning the choices that are made for her.

Down from the Mountain is the first book that’s I’ve read about cults. And to be honest, this book is still haunting me. I’ve never expected that it was gonna be that honest and shocking. My knowledge about cults is limited, I just know that they exist and that’s it. So when I first read the blurb of Down from the Mountain, my interest was piqued and I just know that I have to read it.

Elizabeth Fixmer’s writing is really vivid. It feels like you are right there along with the main characters environment and experiencing what her characters are going through. I mentioned in my past reviews that I loved putting myself in the main characters shoes when I’m reading because it helps me understand the book even more, but in here, it was hard. Eva is so young and her strength and her curious mind is admirable. I asked myself, ‘What if I’m on Eva’s shoes? At that age. With that kind of situation. What will I do?’ I came up with.. nothing.

The plot, everything in this book actually, is so real that it terrifies me. Because what’s happening are twisted and scary and some are even inhumane. I found out that Elizabeth Fixmer is really someone who works with people who are rescued from a cult that’s why everything screams ‘accurate’. And yes, that little fact over there just terrified me even more.

Down from the Mountain is really a book worth reading! Read and your eyes will be open about some dark things that is really happening in our world. Elizabeth Fixmer is brave and admirable because of writing such a book like this. Down from the Mountain deserves to be in your shelf!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Eva has been a member of the "Righteous Path" since she was five years old. Her mom joined up because she and Eva's dad were going through a nasty divorce and she wanted something "right" in their lives.

Enter brother Ezekiel.

Brother Ezekiel talks to God. He had been told by God that he is to take all the wives of the men that were his followers and marry them himself. He needs that son that will become the "prophet". Just so happens that Eva's mom becomes pregnant by him.

Eva is fourteen years old at the time of the story and Ezekiel realizes that she can make some exceptional jewelry. So he has her make it and along with another of the wives she gets to go into town and sell it to the "heathens". (It's okay to take their money)

While in town Eva begins to question the things that are going on back at the compound. Everyone has to last for several days a week because they are sinners.or maybe because their is never enough food to go around?

Then there is a "Community Tattletale" day where if you don't confess your sins for the week for punishment one of the fellow members can turn you in.

After reading this book I read the afterword by the author (sometimes I think these add to the story). Fixmer used to work with cult members that have survived extraction from religious cults. She does a really good job with the psychological part of being involved in one of these factions in this book. The beginning of the book Eva is a devout member and her thoughts read more adult like. The brainwashing is very believable in how she portrays it.

Then towards the second part of the book when Eva was chosen to be the next bride her mindset has began to change and as she learns more of the "heathen" world she becomes more of a younger person in the way she thinks.

Overall: Good experiment but I don't think I would be reading a book similar to this one anytime soon...

I really, really enjoyed this! I LOVED our main character Eva, and I love her openness and the fact that she is just a good person. It's so refreshing to read. I also really loved that there was no romance in this story. I read a lot of contemporary, so I don't often have a story without heavy romance, and I enjoyed the break from it. The fact that this book touched on topics such as cult and religion and did it in a non-aggressive or non-pushy way was fabulous, and by far my favorite aspect of the entire book. I would highly recommend this one.

A haunting and realistic look at the realities of cults with a fresh teen perspective.