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home_again's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
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 the historical documents were interwoven into the story, though for the most part the story moved along nicely.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.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Child abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Death of parent, Murder, Rape, Blood, Homophobia, and Sexual violence
miap09's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Incest
orlagal's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Hate crime, Grief, Incest, Infidelity, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence