Down from the Mountain

by Elizabeth Fixmer

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780807583715
Publisher:	Whitman, Albert & Company
Publication date:	03/01/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

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.

Editorial Reviews

01/26/2015
All Eva has known since age five is the world of the Righteous Path and the word of Reverend Ezekiel. When Eva’s mother took her away from her father and her home in Chicago to join the itinerant congregation, neither anticipated the way their bond with each other would be severed, the brutal punishments they would face, or the reverend’s intention to marry Eva. Now nearly 15, Eva learns she must leave school to sell her jewelry to outsiders or the Righteous Path will starve. Fixmer (Saint Training) draws on her experience counseling former religious cult members to create believable and detailed accounts of Eva’s encounters with the “heathen” world. When Eva meets college student Trevor, his curiosity about her beliefs sparks her own questions. Eva faces difficult choices when the Reverend begins buying guns, one member flees, and her mother’s pregnancy complications turn dire. Fixmer’s references to C.S. Lewis’s Narnia books persuasively contrast the image of a loving god against the harshness of Reverend Ezekiel in this absorbing and smartly paced novel. Ages 13–up. Agent: Minju Chang, BookStop Literary. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"It's impossible not to root for Eva as she learns to trust her instincts and her own feelings. Teen readers fascinated by religious cults will be drawn in by Eva's story."—Booklist

"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."—School Library Journal

"Fixmer's references to C.S. Lewis's Narnia books persuasively contrast the image of a loving god against the harshness of Reverend Ezekial in this absorbing and smartly paced novel."—Publishers Weekly

"The action and the psychological realism combine to make an intriguing story, with believable characters and events. An absorbing treatment of a fascinating subject."—Kirkus Reviews

"Fixmer presents a fascinating inside look at daily life in a religious cult in this suspenseful coming-of-age story. Readers learn of the psychology that compels continued membership despite the demanding lifestyle."—VOYA

From the Publisher

02/01/2015
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

School Library Journal

2015-01-10
A girl slowly realizes that she must escape the religious cult in which she has grown up.Fourteen-year-old Eva was named by the Rev. Ezekiel, leader of the Righteous Path, when she and her mother joined it 10 years ago. Under commandment of God, Ezekiel marries all the women—most of the cult members—and forbids biological mothers and children from acknowledging any special relationship. He doles out frequent severe physical punishments for the slightest infractions and controls the lives of the cult members completely. However, the cult needs money, and Eva makes excellent jewelry. Ezekiel allows her and another cult member to go to town, where Eva buys beads and sells her jewelry, providing most of the group's income—which Ezekiel spends on guns, not food. In town, Eva meets Trevor, who becomes her only hope when Eva's mother faces death from a dangerous pregnancy. Finally exposed to the outside world, Eva begins to question her faith. Leaving the cult would mean an actual escape, however, and she knows she can't abandon her fragile mother. Fixmer illustrates the inner workings of a cult, illuminating Eva's psychological progress while exposing the leader as a con artist. Eva's doubts and fears as well as her growing courage are communicated clearly in her first-person, present-tense narration. The action and the psychological realism combine to make an intriguing story, with believable characters and events. An absorbing treatment of a fascinating subject. (Fiction. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews