Reviews with content warning for Adult/minor relationship - The 19th Wife

Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

5 reviews

home_again's review against another edition

emotional informative mysterious tense medium-paced

Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Two gripping plots intertwine in this novel, one set in modern times and the other set in the 1800's during the height of Brigham Young's reign in Utah. Both address the troubling topic of polygamy and the shocking horrors that so frequently accompany its practice.

Jordan is a young gay man who has built a life for himself after being kicked out of a fundamentalist Mormon community when he was 14. Jordan's mom, BeckyLyn, dropped him off on the side of the road at 2 am after he was seen holding his step-sister's hand. Now his mom is accused of murdering his dad and he feels compelled to visit her, never doubting that she had every reason to kill his dad. BeckyLyn was her husband's 19th wife.

Ann Eliza was born into a polygamous family that had faithfully followed the Mormon prophet Brigham Young across the plains to establish communities in the Rocky Mountains. The community fervently adheres to strict values but often finds its members engaged in shocking improprieties, not the least of which is the ongoing practice of polygamy. Ann Eliza is a true historical figure, known because she eventually married Brigham Young and then divorced him, an unthinkable act at that time in the Utah territory.

The plot remained interesting, getting tense near the end as Jordan looks into the circumstances leading up to his father's death and Ann Eliza faces the consequences of raising her powerful husband's ire. At times, the narrative ran a little dry as (actual or invented?) the historical documents were interwoven into the story, though for the most part the story moved along nicely.

It's a bit hard to tell which of the historical facts are real or invented as part of the story. The narrative paints a dark picture of early Utah, an image that was not unknown by contemporaries of the time. How much was exaggerated is a topic of debate, though there is ample evidence of many unsavory acts committed in those days.

You are unlikely to come away from reading this book feeling charitable toward polygamous communities. Sadly, there are polygamous communities which escaped members report are as riddled with the horrifying practices described in the book. The book, however, represents the extreme end of polygamist living and many polygamist communities live in much more peaceful circumstances.

I greatly enjoyed the book and think it deserves a solid 4 stars. The author clearly did his homework and created a believable narrative that includes many historical facts.

Content Warnings

kamrynkoble's review

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emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Wow! This one was a rollercoaster. I bought it at a used bookstore several years ago and with my new interest in Mormonism, I’m glad I finally picked this one up.

I enjoyed the historical parts more than the modern day story, but it was still interesting. I loved the dual timeline and the inclusion of various documents, letters, online chatting, journals, and autobiographies. I’ve never read anything else like it, honestly. Fiction and fact blurred, but I took everything with a grain of salt and what was there fascinated me. I read nearly 300 pages in one sitting I got so sucked in.

This honestly had more scandal than I even imagined going into a book about polygamy. I took multiple pictures to send to my friend who shares my interest in this topic. I doubt I’ll ever reread it, but I was thoroughly entertained by this one and it provided great food for thought.

Content Warnings