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A review by _laurasbookshelf
Becoming Sister Wives: The Story of an Unconventional Marriage by Kody Brown
2.0
Synopsis
Since TLC first launched its popular reality program Sister Wives, Kody Brown, his four wives—Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn—and their seventeen children have become one of the most famous families in the country.
The uncensored, New York Times bestselling memoir by the polygamist stars of the hit show Sister Wives, Kody and his four wives openly discuss what it’s like living in a plural marriage.
Thoughts
I was interested in reading this book after binge watching 17 seasons of the show because I thought it would fill in the gaps of story lines that the show lightly glossed over - boy was I wrong. There were negative dynamics between the Sister Wives that were brought up, but when the challenges were mentioned the explanations were cut short.
For example, one of the main problems discussed was that the relationship between Meri and Janelle was non-existent, awful even. But no specific examples were covered. As readers, we want to know what events/arguments caused Janelle to pack up the kids and move out for nearly a year, but we never find out. With being under the public eye and wanting to connect with readers, why not take the chance on being totally transparent?
Robyn and Janelle's backstories had the potential to be the most interesting, with both of them having previous monogamous marriages (one with Meri's brother, too) and corresponding divorces. I wanted to hear way more about their lives before becoming a sister wife, but they stop short of telling anything about their previous lives or marriages other than the fact that they happened and subsequently ended.
This book was written 10 years ago and now in 2023 (spoiler) these Sister Wives no longer share a husband. I ultimately wish the best to the wives that have split from Kody. Hopefully, if they choose to write singular books on their individual stories, that they don't repeat the surface level writing that was completed here.
Since TLC first launched its popular reality program Sister Wives, Kody Brown, his four wives—Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn—and their seventeen children have become one of the most famous families in the country.
The uncensored, New York Times bestselling memoir by the polygamist stars of the hit show Sister Wives, Kody and his four wives openly discuss what it’s like living in a plural marriage.
Thoughts
I was interested in reading this book after binge watching 17 seasons of the show because I thought it would fill in the gaps of story lines that the show lightly glossed over - boy was I wrong. There were negative dynamics between the Sister Wives that were brought up, but when the challenges were mentioned the explanations were cut short.
For example, one of the main problems discussed was that the relationship between Meri and Janelle was non-existent, awful even. But no specific examples were covered. As readers, we want to know what events/arguments caused Janelle to pack up the kids and move out for nearly a year, but we never find out. With being under the public eye and wanting to connect with readers, why not take the chance on being totally transparent?
Robyn and Janelle's backstories had the potential to be the most interesting, with both of them having previous monogamous marriages (one with Meri's brother, too) and corresponding divorces. I wanted to hear way more about their lives before becoming a sister wife, but they stop short of telling anything about their previous lives or marriages other than the fact that they happened and subsequently ended.
This book was written 10 years ago and now in 2023 (spoiler) these Sister Wives no longer share a husband. I ultimately wish the best to the wives that have split from Kody. Hopefully, if they choose to write singular books on their individual stories, that they don't repeat the surface level writing that was completed here.