The 19th Wife

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4 Stars= It was a very good read. Might read it again

TRIGGER WARNING: SEXUAL AND PHSYICAL ABUSE, HOMOPHOBIA, POLYGAMY, MURDER, RELIGION!

POV: Single, First Person (Present storyline), Multiple, First Person (Historical storyline)Series/Standalone: StandalonePart of an interconnected series: NoSafe or Dark: Darkish (See trigger warning above)

First and foremost, I want to say that I respect all religions. People are free to believe and have faith in whatever they want, as long as it isn't hurting themselves or someone else. Polygamy included. With that being said, I do believe the FLDS (NOT THE LDS) are a harmful organization and view them as a cult. While this does not affect my review of the book, I just felt the need to make that clear.

I picked up this book because I have been interested in learning about the earlier days of different religions and enjoy learning about religions and even cults. My husband's surname is Young, he is a descendent of Nicholas Ephraim Young (the first commissioner of baseball), and for some insane reason I am wholeheartedly convinced that he is also in some way related to Brigham Young. Therefore, I have been doing a bunch of research to try and find an answer to that. It is my new life goal.


While I enjoyed the story overall, I found myself more interested in the historical parts of the book (Ann Eliza Young's story, Chauncey Webb's diary, etc.) than the “mystery” aspect of the story set in the present. (Although, I could have done without the parts of Kelly Dee's master's thesis. Those essays of hers sure did drag on. I could have done without some of the family member's letters as well.) Even though we do not know how historically accurate any of the information given in the story was, what was true and what was fabricated by David Ebershoff? It was entertaining regardless.

The transition between past and present flowed nicely together. It didn't feel like the timeline was jumping around too much or too choppy. However, the current story that Ebershoff spun about Jordan Scott, his mom, and the FLDS just didn't have enough excitement for something that was supposed to be a murder mystery, but in the end we get all the answers we were looking for, so I suppose that is something.

The book did get me thinking about Ann Eliza Young and her standing in history. It has made me want to read her book, Wife No. 19. Which I am sure will also leave me and other people wondering what parts of her story are true and which are pure fabrication. We weren't there, so we will never know. Was she truly a pioneer for women's rights and the abolishment of polygamy? Was she truly treated this way by Brigham Young and his harem of wives, or was she a woman who felt wronged by her husband(s) and religion, spewing out lies? But I digress.

I enjoyed this book, and I think it is worth a read.