The 19th Wife
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Review
A marvellous evocation of pioneer life...But his sympathy is with...women trapped in what the Mormons termed 'celestial marriages'. --Daily Mail
Review
Gripping and beautifully written.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
34 of 34 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This novel has received mixed reviews but I thoroughly enjoyed it and found "The 19th Wife" to be two diverting stories in one. In modern-day Utah, Jordan Scott, a young teenager excommunicated from a heretical Mormon sect that still engages in polygamy, tries to unravel the mystery of his father's murder in order to free his mother, who has been accused of the crime. Interspersed in this story is a fictionalised account of the life of Eliza Ann Young, the "19th wife" of the nineteenth century Mormon leader, Brigham Young. Eliza Ann was notable for speaking out against polygamy and her efforts are part of the reason the Mormons eventually abandoned the practice.
For me, the historical sections were the real "meat" of this book, fascinating in their detail and very well-executed. Eliza Ann Young's voice comes across very strongly and her struggle for independence, autonomy and dignity is highly readable. I found the modern strand of the story, curiously, to be less convincing and "real"; Jordan is not the living, breathing character that Eliza Ann is, although he is likeable enough. The contrast between the skill with which the historical sections are written, and the slightly clumsy narrative of Jordan, almost suggested to me that Ebershoff wanted us to think that Jordan was something of an unreliable narrator - at various places it seemed as if we were being spun a yarn by this young man rather than being told what really happened.
It is also true that the murder mystery is less involved and less satisfyingly resolved than it might have been, which seems to be a result of the "Jordan" sections being somewhat underwritten. Those expecting a modern-day crime novel will be disappointed as most of the book concerns historical Mormonism and Jordan's efforts to establish himself in a life beyond the sect he was born into.
Nevertheless, this book is still a very enjoyable read and I found it compelling. This book is six hundred pages long and perhaps could have done with a little trimming in places, but as I was enjoying the story and the company of the characters, the length of "The 19th Wife" did not bother me too much.
For me, the historical sections were the real "meat" of this book, fascinating in their detail and very well-executed. Eliza Ann Young's voice comes across very strongly and her struggle for independence, autonomy and dignity is highly readable. I found the modern strand of the story, curiously, to be less convincing and "real"; Jordan is not the living, breathing character that Eliza Ann is, although he is likeable enough. The contrast between the skill with which the historical sections are written, and the slightly clumsy narrative of Jordan, almost suggested to me that Ebershoff wanted us to think that Jordan was something of an unreliable narrator - at various places it seemed as if we were being spun a yarn by this young man rather than being told what really happened.
It is also true that the murder mystery is less involved and less satisfyingly resolved than it might have been, which seems to be a result of the "Jordan" sections being somewhat underwritten. Those expecting a modern-day crime novel will be disappointed as most of the book concerns historical Mormonism and Jordan's efforts to establish himself in a life beyond the sect he was born into.
Nevertheless, this book is still a very enjoyable read and I found it compelling. This book is six hundred pages long and perhaps could have done with a little trimming in places, but as I was enjoying the story and the company of the characters, the length of "The 19th Wife" did not bother me too much.
253 of 267 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is somewhat misleading. From the cover and the blurb on the back you'd think it was a murder mystery set within a Mormon sect, which in a way it is, but it's much more than that. It's set in two times periods: the modern day, in which Jordan, a young gay man excommunicated from a fanatical Mormon sect that still practices polygamy, attempts to solve the murder of his father, a murder that his mother, the 19th wife, is accused of committing; and the mid 19th century, where it follows the life of Ann Eliza Young, a real life figure who was the 19th wife of Brigham Young and sister of the man who founded the First breakaway sect that Jordan and his mother are a part of, her divorce from Brigham Young and her crusade against the practice of polygamy. It's much more about the destructiveness of polygamy than it is a murder mystery, and it's well worth reading.
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I think this novel could have been vastly improved by being about 200 pages shorter.
It started off interesting and addictive - though I initially found the references to Mormons, Latter Day Saints and Firsts a little confusing, it was soon much clearer in my mind. There is no doubt that DE has a fluid, readable writing style and a flair for full and honest characterisation - that much I certainly did like.
Narrated by Mormon's, Ann Eliza Young, the 19th wife of the Prophet Brigham Young and various members of her family during the 19th Century and Jordan a Century later - an excommunicated homosexual trying to piece together the murder of his father while his mother awaits trial for it, the story is brimming over with Historical fact.
However, by the middle third of the book, I was flagging. It just went on and on and on far too long to hold my attention. I wish DE had been more succint in his tale as I know I would have savoured it. Instead, I was speed-reading in order to move on to something else.
A huge shame...
It started off interesting and addictive - though I initially found the references to Mormons, Latter Day Saints and Firsts a little confusing, it was soon much clearer in my mind. There is no doubt that DE has a fluid, readable writing style and a flair for full and honest characterisation - that much I certainly did like.
Narrated by Mormon's, Ann Eliza Young, the 19th wife of the Prophet Brigham Young and various members of her family during the 19th Century and Jordan a Century later - an excommunicated homosexual trying to piece together the murder of his father while his mother awaits trial for it, the story is brimming over with Historical fact.
However, by the middle third of the book, I was flagging. It just went on and on and on far too long to hold my attention. I wish DE had been more succint in his tale as I know I would have savoured it. Instead, I was speed-reading in order to move on to something else.
A huge shame...
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
How many?!!
I wouldn't want to share my husband with one other wife - let alone 18 others...An interesting, thought-provoking book. I recommend it to those interested in historical matters.
Published 7 days ago by Jenny
three novels where one would be better
This book seems to be trying to do too many things at once:
- it describes at some length the history of the Mormons
- it describes parts of the life and times of... Read more
- it describes at some length the history of the Mormons
- it describes parts of the life and times of... Read more
Published 1 month ago by thetruthshallsetyefree
Mind Opening
I think I loved everything about this book, the voices were strong and the characters came alive when I was reading it. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Alison Fable
Great Condition
Brilliant condition only a penny plus postage and was very wel cared for, arrived on time. For the record the book is also a very fascinating read, long but worth it, an eye... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Therese
Real Hard to get into
It has taken me a long time to finish this book and it is unlike any book I have really read before.
I felt that this book was really two stories in the one book. Read more
I felt that this book was really two stories in the one book. Read more
Published 8 months ago by S.Duncan
Powerful
Whilst this book centers on the issue of polygamy and the influences and repercussions felt by all involved, it is also about many other things. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Rebecca
Polygamy now and then
Early Mormon history interspersed with a murder mystery in modern-day First territory (the splinter sect which continues to practice polygamy). Read more
Published 9 months ago by JoTownhead
Good but wish there was more to the modern story
This is a 2-thread story: one about Ann Eliza Young, the 19th wife of Brigham Young and another about a young man whose mother (who also is the 19th wife in a polygmous marriage)... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Lori
"It is not a religious practice, it is not a declaration of faith, it...
This rather sad and poignant tale is the fictionalised account of a true polygamist sect founded in the 1800's, interspersed with the story of a murder of a polygamist husband in... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Nicola F (Nic)
Learning about Mormon's.
This book is excellent if you like learning about topics, i.e religion, history, cultures, within a fictional story. Read more
Published 14 months ago by I. Reed
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