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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
I kept trying to read this book but just couldn't do it.... It was too long and a bit confusing(too many characters)/bizzare for my taste.
Not exactly what I hoped it would be and I really couldn't care less about the protagonist. I might pick it up again later on though, but right now it's not what I need.
This book started off well, but lost steam and bored me to tears by the end.
Udall's book is a volume, weighing in at a lengthy 600 pages, but contrary to my initial impressions, it didn't slog along and bury me in a bunch of back story and useless information. The story marches forward at an impressive clip. Populated by such memorable characters as Golden, a bumbling polygamist, Rusty, a troubled child in a brood of over thirty, and Trish, the neglected fourth wife of Golden's family, the novel alternates between poignant exploration of what it means to be human and the comical antics of people determined to find out for themselves.
The writing is beautifully rendered. One prime example is the chapter where Udall looks at Golden's first wedding in relief with an atom bomb fallout. The juxtaposition of these two events heightens the drama of both and serves as a way of understanding both the relationships present in the novel and the historical landscape where the story unfolds.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves finely detailed fiction that explores what it means to be alive, to love, and to suffer in the pursuit of goodness. Udall has proven himself to be a novelist of the highest caliber with this book.
The writing is beautifully rendered. One prime example is the chapter where Udall looks at Golden's first wedding in relief with an atom bomb fallout. The juxtaposition of these two events heightens the drama of both and serves as a way of understanding both the relationships present in the novel and the historical landscape where the story unfolds.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves finely detailed fiction that explores what it means to be alive, to love, and to suffer in the pursuit of goodness. Udall has proven himself to be a novelist of the highest caliber with this book.
Here’s the thing. I shouldn’t have liked this book. The story develops very slowly. The characters aren’t really likable. There is little dialogue or forward motion. The book is much longer than I anticipated. But I absolutely loved this book.
Golden is a simple man. He wants to run his construction businesses the best he can. He wants to get through his life with as little trouble as possible. This is difficult to do, though, as a man with four wives and 28 children. He is a leader in the church hiding from his family that he is in the process of building a brothel while secretly falling in love with his client’s wife and trying to avoid taking a fifth wife of his own. He is also dealing with the loss of a special needs daughter.
This story is told alternately from the point of view of Golden, his 11 year old son Rusty, and his youngest wife, Trish. Because of this, most of the story is dialogue-free. I usually find this is a tedious format. It so often becomes overly-descriptive and limits character development and forward story movement. That is not the case in “The Lonely Polygamist” and I believe this has everything to do with how beautifully written this book is.
Udall is a fantastic writer. In the opening sentences, as Golden arrives home, Udall describes Golden physically while exploring the environment, Golden’s thoughts and the chaos going on in the house as Golden approaches. Without even realizing it, the reader knows what Golden looks like and what he is thinking before the main character enters his house.
As much as I love this book, it is not for everyone. It is a slowly-paced book and the story may not really go anywhere (depending on how you read the end. I believe Golden did change). It is also a long read. I didn’t notice this so much because I loved the book, but at almost 600 pages, it is very long. I would imagine that is quite a slog if you aren’t enjoying the book. There is also a general sense of sadness in all of the characters that runs throughout the book. This also makes it a little more difficult to read.
Bottom line: I love this book. It was long. It was beautifully written.
Oh, and it takes place between 1976-78 (based on milestones offered in the book). I tell you this because I was trying to stay spoiler-free but wondered about the year it took place. I checked one website that gave a year (the wrong one) and a three-sentence description of the book. The third sentence was a HUGE spoiler and over-shadowed the book for me.
Golden is a simple man. He wants to run his construction businesses the best he can. He wants to get through his life with as little trouble as possible. This is difficult to do, though, as a man with four wives and 28 children. He is a leader in the church hiding from his family that he is in the process of building a brothel while secretly falling in love with his client’s wife and trying to avoid taking a fifth wife of his own. He is also dealing with the loss of a special needs daughter.
This story is told alternately from the point of view of Golden, his 11 year old son Rusty, and his youngest wife, Trish. Because of this, most of the story is dialogue-free. I usually find this is a tedious format. It so often becomes overly-descriptive and limits character development and forward story movement. That is not the case in “The Lonely Polygamist” and I believe this has everything to do with how beautifully written this book is.
Udall is a fantastic writer. In the opening sentences, as Golden arrives home, Udall describes Golden physically while exploring the environment, Golden’s thoughts and the chaos going on in the house as Golden approaches. Without even realizing it, the reader knows what Golden looks like and what he is thinking before the main character enters his house.
As much as I love this book, it is not for everyone. It is a slowly-paced book and the story may not really go anywhere (depending on how you read the end. I believe Golden did change). It is also a long read. I didn’t notice this so much because I loved the book, but at almost 600 pages, it is very long. I would imagine that is quite a slog if you aren’t enjoying the book. There is also a general sense of sadness in all of the characters that runs throughout the book. This also makes it a little more difficult to read.
Bottom line: I love this book. It was long. It was beautifully written.
Oh, and it takes place between 1976-78 (based on milestones offered in the book). I tell you this because I was trying to stay spoiler-free but wondered about the year it took place. I checked one website that gave a year (the wrong one) and a three-sentence description of the book. The third sentence was a HUGE spoiler and over-shadowed the book for me.
I really liked this book, even though it took me a while to finish it. The writing was so clear and let you into the most intimate thoughts & feelings of the 3 main characters who were the main protagonists of the story. At times it was depressing and dealt with some tragedies, but in the end there was hope. I didn't expect to like this odd story of a polygamist with 4 wives and 28 children as much as I did.
Golden Richards is a hard man to like. Not only does he have 4 wives and 28 children, who he barely sees, but he seems sort of confused as to how he ended up here. Add to that his recent infatuation with a married woman and his snowballing lies to the rest of his family about his job situation, and you come up with a guy you just want to yell at for about an hour straight. Slowly, though, we get to know Golden - his sad and lonely childhood, his confusing entrance into the world of plural marriage, his overwhelming grief at the death of a beloved daughter, and his desire to be happy. In the end, I still can't say that I really liked Golden, but I certainly sympathized with him, wanted him to turn his life around and be happy, and rejoiced when he started taking control of his life and responsibility for his own actions.
Despite the overwhelming number of characters, this book really centered on Golden, his 4th wife, Trish, and one of his many sons, 11-year-old Rusty. Like Golden, Trish and Rusty both struggle with the seemingly impossible feeling of loneliness in the midst of a large, polygamist family. Trish is the most isolated of the wives, living by herself in a tiny house with her one daughter, mourning the stillborn death of her most recent son. What Trish wants more than anything is to really be a part of this large, loud, overwhelming family, to be loved and treasured by her husband, and to have more children. In the end, Trish is able to decide for herself if she wants to stick with her family, or peel off on her own to start a life with one man who truly loves her. But is there really a decision to make? Despite the temptation, she knows what she really wants is full immersion in family life, and after pursuing what she wants, she gets it.
Rusty. Poor, confused, unloved, desperate Rusty. Despite being kind of a jerky kid, Rusty comes out as the most likable character in the book for me. He is one of those kids that can't figure out the "right" way to act to get what he wants. Yes, he wants attention, but not the kind he's getting. Rusty says at one point that his dad had only ever said his name in exasperation or anger. What Rusty wants to just to be remembered and loved, but he'd settle for just being remembered. Instead of being accepted, Rusty becomes the butt of everyone's jokes, the family punching bag, and experiment in the effects of punishment. So it's no surprise that Rusty ends up acting out the way he does. And it's a fitting end that it is Rusty, the seemingly least-lovable son, who brings the family together.
In the end, all of the many characters in this book are well-written and realistic, which is truly a feat with a novel and cast list this size. The prose is engaging and enjoyable to read, and at times I had to fight to put it down. I think the enduring message everyone can take away from this one is treasure your family, whether it's chosen or otherwise. Enjoy and love everyone while you still can.
Despite the overwhelming number of characters, this book really centered on Golden, his 4th wife, Trish, and one of his many sons, 11-year-old Rusty. Like Golden, Trish and Rusty both struggle with the seemingly impossible feeling of loneliness in the midst of a large, polygamist family. Trish is the most isolated of the wives, living by herself in a tiny house with her one daughter, mourning the stillborn death of her most recent son. What Trish wants more than anything is to really be a part of this large, loud, overwhelming family, to be loved and treasured by her husband, and to have more children. In the end, Trish is able to decide for herself if she wants to stick with her family, or peel off on her own to start a life with one man who truly loves her. But is there really a decision to make? Despite the temptation, she knows what she really wants is full immersion in family life, and after pursuing what she wants, she gets it.
Rusty. Poor, confused, unloved, desperate Rusty. Despite being kind of a jerky kid, Rusty comes out as the most likable character in the book for me. He is one of those kids that can't figure out the "right" way to act to get what he wants. Yes, he wants attention, but not the kind he's getting. Rusty says at one point that his dad had only ever said his name in exasperation or anger. What Rusty wants to just to be remembered and loved, but he'd settle for just being remembered. Instead of being accepted, Rusty becomes the butt of everyone's jokes, the family punching bag, and experiment in the effects of punishment. So it's no surprise that Rusty ends up acting out the way he does. And it's a fitting end that it is Rusty, the seemingly least-lovable son, who brings the family together.
In the end, all of the many characters in this book are well-written and realistic, which is truly a feat with a novel and cast list this size. The prose is engaging and enjoyable to read, and at times I had to fight to put it down. I think the enduring message everyone can take away from this one is treasure your family, whether it's chosen or otherwise. Enjoy and love everyone while you still can.
Weird, funny, very realistically odd characters, and had a lot of interesting things to say about the nuclear bomb tests in America. I was not, however, a fan of the ending.