A review by bluestjuice
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

4.0

I think I was expecting a slightly prurient historical fiction out of this - something robust with a pioneering spirit but tinged with an aura of sexual misconduct. Something intriguing but ultimately forgettable. This was much, much better than I was expecting. The structure is fascinating and, initially, baffling, weaving together two primary layers of story with many other threads to create a tapestry that is poignant and breathtaking. One layer is ostensibly the narrative of Ann Eliza, 19th century wife of Mormon leader Brigham Young, and it provides the deep, contemplative historical drama, and also the sense of scope, of the weightiness of history. She narrates the early history of the Mormon church, drawing on her own mother's experiences as one of the early converts, and brings that part of the story a great deal of clarity and respect, despite some of its more obviously sketchy elements. The second layer is one set in the modern day, narrated by a young adult 'lost boy' who is drawn back into the world of polygamy and fundamentalism that he left behind when his father is killed, and his mother is blamed for the murder. His search for answers is more detective than action movie, and his insightful, rough personality is fascinating and makes a compelling contrast to Ann Eliza's more polished-sounding narrative. Intertwined with these stories are any number of original poems, 'articles,' interviews, etc, all fictional, all contributing unique fragments of information or atmosphere to help support the illusion that this is a story that is being carried down through history. Though much of the framework is true, the story itself is a fiction. But it's fiction with a deeper soul than simple entertainment: although it isn't true, it posits questions and reveals the workings of the human heart and mind in a way that rings with truth. I loved it.