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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
Golden, husband to 4, father of 27 or so, watches his life begin to unravel - not unlike the car salesman in Fargo. Only not quite that squeamish or at that fever-pitch. The stories of wife #4 - Trish, and one of the sons - Rusty, also unfold. The tale meanders between present and past but without confusing us. The pace is not fast, but the richness of the details and depth of the characters is fascinating enough to keep our interest. This isn't a neat and tidy story, but it is well-told and I appreciated it in a way that I simply can't articulate.
This book was long and somewhat entertaining but I'm not sure that I get it. It is about a polygamist family living in chaos, each member living with hidden secrets or lies that are able to persist because there is not enough individual attention to go around. Its a story of loss and living the way you're expected to rather than how you actually want to live. Its depressing really. While learning the inner working of a mormon polgymist family with 4 wives and 28 children was interesting, seeing how each family member's needs were not being met was a bit too much. I had really hoped certain characters such as Trish would have seized the opportunity to leave the oppression and put themselves first. I had also hoped Golden, the patriarch, would have married the woman he actually wanted to rather than continue to be a puppet on a string, listening to his wives and the elders of the church. I think the take away message of this book is that people are inclined to make decisions out of obligation and to keep up appearances rather than following their hearts.
Much heavier on tragedy than comedy. A (very) few comical or touching scenes/observations do little to offset the morass of loneliness, despair and tragedy.
Hmm. There’s much to like about this book: excellent writing, humor, interesting premise, decent character development. It flips a lot of preconceived notions about polygamist lifestyle upside down. Yet the plot didn’t hold my interest, and a few of the more dramatic points were telegraphed early on so when they happened, I felt sort of ho-hum. This is a book club selection so I’m hoping for good discussion (a lot to discuss!) but I have a feeling most of the participants won’t finish it ha.
The title of the book grabbed me, the book, however, did not.
About half way through, bored to tears, I just gave up. I didn't find the characters well developed, sympathetic or remotely interesting. I had such high hopes and wanted to read a narrative about something I know nothing about. I went in open minded and excited and gave up bored.
I don't even care what happens to the characters!
About half way through, bored to tears, I just gave up. I didn't find the characters well developed, sympathetic or remotely interesting. I had such high hopes and wanted to read a narrative about something I know nothing about. I went in open minded and excited and gave up bored.
I don't even care what happens to the characters!
A book that gives you the full spectrum of emotions: a laugh, a cry, fear.
Golden Richards has chewing gum stuck in his pubic hair, and he has no earthly idea how it got there. It's just one more calamity in the life of this lonely polygamist, who, with four wives and 28 children, has all but lost control. As Udall tells us about halfway through the novel, "(Golden's) very life, including his marriages to his wives, his children, his church position, was none of his own doing." Indeed, his life is a combination of a careful orchestration by his wives of where to be and when, and putting out fires caused by misbehaving kids and a failing construction business. Dude just can't get a moment to himself to relax!
Brady Udall's irony rich (starting with the title!), tragi-comedy novel is a fantastic (if a bit lengthy) read. Believe it or not, Golden is one of the more sympathetically pathetic characters I've read in a while. Will he ever be able to take control of his life? Here's a great detail to illustrate just how much he's been emasculated: His first wife Beverly, who rules the brood, has placed instructional signs everywhere in Old House (where she lives with her litter of 10), most notably above the toilet: "Golden, Please Take A Seat." Poor guy can't even pee like a man.
Really, the gum-in-the-pubic-hair (the reader does know how it got there, and it's hilarious) is a rather inventive metaphor for Golden's life — it's tangled beyond relief. And, other than make a clean break/cut, he has no idea how to extract himself. Despite being surrounded with his family, he's lost the emotional attachment to them, and starts looking elsewhere to relieve his loneliness.
Compounding the loneliness theme of the novel is the interspersed narratives of two other characters. One is Golden's 12-year-old son Rusty, who is a misunderstood miscreant who tries on his sisters' underwear, steals things from his siblings and genearlly misbehaves as a sincere cry out for attention. Golden's young and beautiful fourth wife, Trish, also is just beginning to realize the true degree of her own loneliness. She grew up in a polygamist sect and vowed never to live that life herself, but after an abusive first marriage, her mother has convinced her to join Golden's family for security and emotional support. She's getting neither, and she may soon look elsewhere, too?
But this is really Golden's story, and again, it's equal parts funny and sad. This novel had gotten great reviews when it came out last year, but I put it off because I was worried that it might be a "look how bizarre polygamy is" story in which I'd have to keep track of a War-and-Peace-like number of characters. Not the case. Udall doesn't totally ignore the "abnormality" of the Richards clan, mentioning awkward moments for Golden here and there in the community at large, and that Rusty gets teased at school for being a "plyg kid." But it's really a story of how Golden, Trish and Rusty combat their loneliness. And it's really good. Highly recommeded!
Brady Udall's irony rich (starting with the title!), tragi-comedy novel is a fantastic (if a bit lengthy) read. Believe it or not, Golden is one of the more sympathetically pathetic characters I've read in a while. Will he ever be able to take control of his life? Here's a great detail to illustrate just how much he's been emasculated: His first wife Beverly, who rules the brood, has placed instructional signs everywhere in Old House (where she lives with her litter of 10), most notably above the toilet: "Golden, Please Take A Seat." Poor guy can't even pee like a man.
Really, the gum-in-the-pubic-hair (the reader does know how it got there, and it's hilarious) is a rather inventive metaphor for Golden's life — it's tangled beyond relief. And, other than make a clean break/cut, he has no idea how to extract himself. Despite being surrounded with his family, he's lost the emotional attachment to them, and starts looking elsewhere to relieve his loneliness.
Compounding the loneliness theme of the novel is the interspersed narratives of two other characters. One is Golden's 12-year-old son Rusty, who is a misunderstood miscreant who tries on his sisters' underwear, steals things from his siblings and genearlly misbehaves as a sincere cry out for attention. Golden's young and beautiful fourth wife, Trish, also is just beginning to realize the true degree of her own loneliness. She grew up in a polygamist sect and vowed never to live that life herself, but after an abusive first marriage, her mother has convinced her to join Golden's family for security and emotional support. She's getting neither, and she may soon look elsewhere, too?
But this is really Golden's story, and again, it's equal parts funny and sad. This novel had gotten great reviews when it came out last year, but I put it off because I was worried that it might be a "look how bizarre polygamy is" story in which I'd have to keep track of a War-and-Peace-like number of characters. Not the case. Udall doesn't totally ignore the "abnormality" of the Richards clan, mentioning awkward moments for Golden here and there in the community at large, and that Rusty gets teased at school for being a "plyg kid." But it's really a story of how Golden, Trish and Rusty combat their loneliness. And it's really good. Highly recommeded!
I adored this book until the last 80 pages or so. I loved the humor, grit, and tenderness. Sometimes, tying a bow at the end of novels is unfair to the events and characters that lead up to it.
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Brilliant! This book was absolutely wonderful, and I would highly recommend! I laughed quite a bit throughout most of the book, and was deeply moved by other parts. It has a bit of everything, and is very well-crafted. Brady Udall did a marvelous job with this story, and I can't wait to read more of his work!