The 19th Wife in Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge

May 16, 2011 Angie rated it it was ok

Whew. That was quite a read. I really don't know how to even discuss this book but this will probably be my longest review yet. I'll be discussing it with my Book Club in June and I honestly don't even know where to start with it when we delve into discussions. Here are a few of my scattered thoughts about this book:

1- Despite the fact that it's historical FICTION many parts of the book are written as "documents" which gives it's authenticity a very convincing feel. It made me want to verify and Whew. That was quite a read. I really don't know how to even discuss this book but this will probably be my longest review yet. I'll be discussing it with my Book Club in June and I honestly don't even know where to start with it when we delve into discussions. Here are a few of my scattered thoughts about this book:

1- Despite the fact that it's historical FICTION many parts of the book are written as "documents" which gives it's authenticity a very convincing feel. It made me want to verify and research things because they were presented in such a legitimate way (that's not necessarily a bad thing, to want to do further research I mean). I almost wish the author's notes at the end of the book reiterating the FICTION aspect of the story had been printed at the FRONT of the book. I had to constantly remind myself: fiction Fiction FICTION!!!! Of course many of the events, circumstances and people described in the book were real, but the bulk of the story was created by the author and it was a little hard while reading the book to remind myself that the story (and "documents") were author creations.

2- I'll probably read historical fiction novels with a lot more caution in the future. When reading others before this I've let myself get swallowed up in the story and trust that details are accurate. This one helped me realize that historical fictions are still just made up stories within the parameters of a real historical time or event. (And as the author pointed out in his notes at the end of the book, even history is tainted by perspective and the same event or circumstance can be described by two different people in completely different ways. So ultimately, it seems to me that with historical fictions, the author gets to pick and choose which perspective to take so you can't read a historical fiction novel as if it's a more entertaining substitute for a historical document.)

3- I appreciated the author's distinction between early Latter-Day Saints, the modern day "Firsts", and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as it is today.

4- I thought the book was really REALLY long with really small margins and really small font LOL. It was a long book. Some of it felt like work because it was so long.

5- I was extremely frustrated with the language used in the telling of the modern day story. It was the worst in the first few chapters of the modern day story, but it was peppered throughout the entire book whenever the modern story was being told. I thought it was unnecessary.

6- I didn't think the modern day story was very well told and the characters weren't very well developed. The relationship between Tom and Jordan was awkward and rushed and unrealistic. Johnny was almost just a caricature of a runaway boy. The resolution in the modern-day story was somewhat satisfying with a bit of a twist, but overall I didn't care for the modern-day story and didn't feel like it was nearly as well developed as the rest. And a few modern-day LDS references were off and that pulled me out of the story a bit.

7- There were some unique perspectives in the Ann Eliza time period story that I really liked. I appreciated reading various peoples' perspectives of polygamy, including (and particularly!) several men's personal stories. I thought that was an interesting touch. I would have liked to have read a story or two from women who actually loved and valued the practice of polygamy as an alternate view point to Ann Eliza's story. I thought there were some really touching parts of the Ann Eliza time period story and I liked the inclusion of some important historical events in the early LDS church (although they were somewhat glossed over because they weren't really the focus of the overall story). Since the bulk of the story was from Ann Eliza's perspective it's no shock that it's very critical of Brigham Young and the early church practices. Again, I would have really liked to read a few more positive perspectives, but it's pretty clear that the author had no intention of singing any praises of polygamy in his book.

8- This is totally a random remark, but something of note in my opinion. The author tried to depict how closed the early records and journals and such were kept by the LDS church, how difficult they were to obtain when trying to do research, etc. I thought it was interesting that even fictitiously, Gordon B Hinckley was the prophet used in the book to show a swing in a different direction as far as releasing information. He was known as a leader in our time who was very much an open book, very willing to talk to the media and very well-loved and respected for that. I liked that the author portrayed that :)

My final thought? I'm really REALLY glad to be done with this book. I just didn't enjoy it at all. I didn't feel like the modern day story and the Ann Eliza story paralleled well enough to go back and forth as companion stories, and in the end it just felt like two really long stories shoved together in one book cover. I could have done without the modern-day story altogether, as I didn't feel like the author spent nearly as much time researching and digging into that culture and that story as he did the Ann Eliza one and it came across that way in the writing and story-telling.

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Jun 25, 2011 Corinna rated it really liked it

This was a summer bookclub selection which I did not manage to finish in time for the meeting. It is always an indication of an interesting read if I take the time after the meeting is over to finish the book. This one was a very interesting read - 3 books in one, it was stated at the meeting. A modern murder mystery, a historical "biography" and some church history, too. I won't write a summary here, but I will say that this book definitely had some interesting perspectives and fascinating stor ...more

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Dec 30, 2015 Emily rated it it was amazing

I loved reading this book - I really couldn't put it down.

I'm not sure to whom to recommend it, though. It is a work of fiction, based in large part on historical sources. There is some language in the modern-day parts. Topics include polygamy (19th and 21st century), Brigham Young and Joseph Smith (not always in the most flattering light), and children who are kicked out of or flee polygamist communities. One of the threads is a murder mystery, which is right up my alley.

I now want to know mo ...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Cindy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A well written fictionalized memoir of a Mormon pioneer, mixed in with a modern day murder mystery. Regardless of your flavor of religion, regardless of your version of God, it all boils down to one question. Do you have faith?

I've long been interested in the history of the Mormon church. Ebershoff weaves several different stories together in such a way that it makes perfect sense and in the end, you see that the stories weren't that different to begin with.

Once I started the book it was with gr ...more

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Sep 06, 2009 Gina rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction

This is a well-researched book of historical fiction about one of Brigham Young's wifes, along with a present day murder-mystery on a polygamist compound. I really like the style of the book and found it entertaining. Ultimately, it seemed too long and I lost interest in both stories by the end. ...more

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Oct 06, 2008 Stacy rated it liked it

This is an intersting book with two different stories and two different protagonist - one story is about Bringham Young's 19th wife who left the Morman church. The other story is about a modern Morman bride accused of kiiling her husband. The second story is a bit disjointed but a good read nevertheless. The first story is interesting but after a while gets a little drawn out and too lengthy. ...more

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Jul 18, 2010 Anastasia rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2010, historical, fiction, womens-issues

This was an engaging read about an interesting subject. Some of it was a little repetitive after having read Under the Banner of Heaven.

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Sep 07, 2009 Nicole rated it liked it

Shelves: audio-book, bookclub, 2009

This book is a story of polygamy in the Mormon-church told from the archival writings and research intermixed with a modern-day murder mystery set in one of the fundamentalist sects of the church. Interesting to learn more about the Mormon church, but I didn't love the book. ...more

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