I’ve sidetracked from my summer 2013 reading list, a stop along the way was The 19th Wife.
The 19th Wife tells two stories: the first of Jordan, who was excommunicated from a fundamentalist Mormon sect and the second of Ann Eliza Young, a wife of Mormon prophet Brigham Young who divorced him and became an anti-polygamy advocate. Jordan is brought back into his troubled childhood when his mother is accused of murdering her husband, opening a federal investigation into the illicit activities inside the fundamentalist town.
I was really excited about the prospect of this book: one part historical fiction and one part murder mystery. At first the historical fiction was a little dry and difficult to keep up with the names and backstories. However, once you delve into the history, it’s actually pretty fascinating.
The murder mystery aspect, in my opinion, held the opposite arc of the historical plotline. It started off fairly gripping but ultimately fell flat. I would rate The 19th Wife as a passable beach read but not worth a second glance.
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