The 19th Wife

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff is really two stories, something I didn't realize when I initially began reading. Not that that turned out to be a bad thing, but going in I thought I was just getting the story of Ann Eliza Young and I ended up with that and more. I'm still not sure the present-day story was needed, or even all that good, really. But interesting? Yes, indeed.

So...This is the story of Ann Eliza, who became the nineteenth wife of LDS leader Brigham Young and later divorced him amid much public turmoil and sensation in the 1870s. We follow the story of her mother, Elizabeth Webb, who was the first wife of Chauncey Webb, and whose faith is strongly shown in her life and the way she raised her children. Ann Eliza is very headstrong, however, and quickly marries James Dee once she's an adult; that marriage, though disastrous and ending in divorce, produces Ann Eliza's two sons. Interwoven with Ann Eliza's problems are those of her brother, Gideon, who ends up at the mercy of Brigham and convinces his sister to marry the leader, even when she does not want to. All of these stories are told from differing points of view, some in several chapters and some in only one, and we even have Brigham's voice telling us his doubts and desires. It's obvious Ebershoff did his research thoroughly and well in the way he illuminates the tenets of the LDS Church and the problems and interests of polygamy.

Bouncing in and out of this story is the present-day mystery of Jordan Scott, whose mother (Number Nineteen in her own marriage) is accused of the murder of her polygamous husband. Jordan doesn't buy this story because he knows his mom; she's not unhappy with her conservative, fundamentalist lot and there are other wives/people with more motive than she has. Jordan, traveling with his dog, Elektra, goes to the town of Mesaville to see what he can discover and finds out that not only is he unwelcome, he's not wrong, either. While he investigates, he also becomes involved with a new boyfriend, Tom, and a fellow runaway/former "First" child, Johnny.

The story of Ann Eliza is well done, and the focal point for most of the book. I loved how we moved among the important people in these events. Ebershoff uses a variety of methods, including newspaper clippings, narratives, and even a wikipedia entry to get his points across, all to good effect. He's brought Ann Eliza to life and given us a fairly accurate (or as accurate as can be) portrait of a woman who had finally had enough and wished to be more than just a number in her husband's harem. She wasn't always likable, and she had her own issues, to be sure, but without her interference, polygamy might have taken much longer to not be recognized in the LDS. 

The modern day story is good, in that it points out that there are still sects that practice polygamy and the subjugation of women, and the children of those unions often turn out disenfranchised and forsaken. I just never really liked Jordan all that much, and didn't get very involved in the overall story. There were too many characters I didn't really care about, and maybe the intention of alerting the  reader to the continuing problem should have been the focus rather than a murder story. It's not bad, and I did find myself trying to figure out what happened. I just don't think it was a necessary component to the overall success of the novel.

If you don't know much about the history of polygamy in the United States, this book will do a pretty fair turn at informing you in such a way as to give several sides to the story and making you think about how/why it happened. It's well written and engaging, and will probably have you looking up more information once you close the last page. I'll be thinking about this one for a while.

~taminator40

Sister Wife

One thing I left out of my review for Amazon is the fact that I adore the cover art for this book--it speaks volumes without saying a word. Love it! Now on to the actual review of a book I couldn't put down.

Shelley Hrdlitschka's Sister Wife is actually one story told from three points of view, and what a riveting read it is! Fifteen year old Celeste, raised in the fundamental polygamist society of Unity, knows her time to be married to a man chosen by the group's Prophet is rapidly approaching. It's how she's been raised and all she's ever known, and her only way to achieve the highest celestial glory in heaven. So what's the problem? Her heart skips a beat whenever she sees Jon, another teen, though she knows she'll be forbidden to be with him. Added to that is her pregnant mother's scary health condition and the removal of a friend from the community by the Prophet, and Celeste finds herself questioning the teachings of her way of life.

Moving deftly between the points of view of Celeste, Taviana (a runaway adopted into Unity and subsequently forced to leave), and Nanette, Celeste's younger sister, Sister Wife showcases the angst and frustration of feeling an outcast in what should be a safe haven. Celeste is sure that she doesn't want to become a plural wife to a much older man, but her headstrong disobedience can only result in that happening all the sooner. Nanette cannot understand Celeste's reluctance to accept the lifestyle; Taviana finds herself needing to start over in a safe house after she is dismissed. All three young women face crises of faith, perseverence, and conscience as they determine what's really important in life.

I was riveted from the first pages of Sister Wife, and I loved how the author moved among the personalities, weaving a tale that was heart wrenching. This book doesn't make it easy to know what is right and wrong because as the young women come to understand, those concepts can vary from person to person. If the ending did seem a bit rushed, I can forgive it because I was totally engrossed by the emotions invoked and the ideas created in this fascinating tale. Highly recommended to readers of all ages.

~taminator40

The Chosen One

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams comes in as my first 10/10 read for the year. I can't say it enough...get this book and read it. It's absorbing, amazing, and affirming; it could easily be gulped down in one sitting.

~taminator40

Almost fourteen year old Kyra has lived her entire life as a Chosen One--a member of a religious polygamist group which has separated itself from the world with a fence and a lifestyle few understand. Kyra's family life includes a loving father, three mothers, and approximately eighteen brothers and sisters, and she's been raised to accept her own future as one of her husband's subservient wives. Though Kyra has a bit of a rebellious nature in that she slips out regularly to the mobile library to read forbidden books, she knows she will continue to do as she's told by the community's Prophet...until he declares that he has had a vision that will make Kyra the seventh wife of her much older uncle.

Told from Kyra's point of view, this gripping young adult novel unfolds a story of freedom, young love, fear, and desperation in a sparse 200 pages. Kyra is adamant that she isn't going to marry her uncle, and though her family agrees with her, they are powerless to stop the marriage once the Prophet has spoken. I watched breathlessly as I saw Kyra's world spinning out of control with no adult able to stand up for her lest they risk losing everything they know and love. The balanced way Ms. Williams portrays the polygamist society was well done; Kyra's mothers honestly seem to love all the children and their shared husband, and Kyra feels nothing but warmth and care from not only the mothers but also her father. It is when the bigger picture of the Chosen Ones society is revealed--killing of "defective" infants, forced marriage, brutal physical punishments, and the not so subtle idea that young girls are being forced to wed the much older leaders--that my skin began to crawl and I felt almost as trapped as Kyra. The idea that the only way out might be the sacrifice of never seeing your beloved family again rips into your soul and makes you understand why some young women choose to remain subservient.

This novel might have been torn from recent headlines and it brings a very real, very personal face to the tragedy of some young females at the hands of religious zealots. Ms. Williams builds to a climax that is dangerous and gut-wrenching in so many ways that I literally could not put this novel down. Once I closed the last page, I was so worked up I couldn't stop thinking about Kyra and her sisters, both fictional and real. This book is tremendous, and deserves to be read and shared. I am going to be thinking about this one for a very, very long time. Get this book. Now. You won't be sorry. Highly, highly recommended.