A review by kamrynkoble
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

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. 

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