Trying something new

[Ashley]

I thought that this month we could comment as we go, rather than saving up a final statement for the end of the month. Just an experiment, to see if anyone else is willing to contribute. Everyone is welcome!

[Andrew]

Yes, a good idea.
So far, I'm finding the book fairly interesting. I have to admit there are a couple of times I've turned the page from a Wife #19 bit to a 19th Wife bit and sighed slightly. I think I am enjoying the present day bits more. Some of the 19th century chapters I find a little unrealistic, not in content but in tone. The parts written in the form of Chauncey Webb's autobiography and Gilbert Webb's deposition I just find occasionally jarring - they don't ring true for me as what they propose to be, the 'deposition' in particular. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems too literary for a witness statement. It leaves me with the feeling that I dislike this side of the novel mocked up as a structured presentation of historical documents. Maybe I would like these chapters better if the headings were binned and they were just chapters written from the point of view of other characters rather than dressed up as something else. Or maybe it's just me.
There's one thing though. Int Brigham Young an arsehole?

[Ashley]

I'm actually really liking the interweave of mystery, autobiography, and PhD thesis, but I know I'm weird like that, it isn't often a popular technique. I haven't had time to compare them yet, but I'm curious as to whether Ebersoff used Ann Eliza Young's actual autobiography in his work, or whether he's written new text based on it. I'm still working my way through it, but I'm enjoying it much more than I thought I would. And I agree with regards to Brigham Young.

[Ashley]

I liked this one, although I found the smart-alec runaway irritating and unnecessary to the story. I want to read Young's original memoir now, to see how it compares with Ebershoff's version. I might pick up another of Ebershoff's novels as well, it was an entertaining read.

[Diane S ☔]

Hope to start this soon.

[Ashley]

Feel free to jump in whenever--or on any of our past reads. Do you have any requests for our next read? Andrew and I have been doing all the selections for the past few months, and the current schedule can be changed if there's something you'd like to read first.