Response: The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff
I am going out on a limb by writing this up. I have never yet written a review for a book I haven't actually finished. I feel like I am stirring the pot a bit, since this book is getting rave reviews all over the Internet - but I feel like I need to voice my own alternate opinion.
First of all, let's get this point out in the open: I am a member The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Yes, that makes me a Mormon. Thus stems my interest in the book, since the 19th Wife was one of the wives of Brigham Young, an early prophet of my church. I wanted to see what the fuss was about and find out if this book was as fantastic as so many people say it is.
The book takes place in two time periods - both now and the time of Brigham Young and other early Latter Day Saints (early, mid 19th century). The murder mystery storyline takes place in the modern day, where a polygamist "apostle" has been killed, apparently by one of his many wives. Jordan, the excommunicated son of the main suspect, heads to the town of the polygamist compound where he grew up, in order to try and help his mom and find out what really went down in the basement of his Dad's house. This part of the book, despite its irritatingly foul language, was very engaging. The mystery was well set up. I appreciate that Jordan made it quite clear that the polygamists in this compound are NOT members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. His storyline, the "Prophet" of the polygamist group and the situation in the compound grabbed you and made you want to keep reading.
I can't, though. Read it, I mean. And here is why: to me, the "historical fiction" part of this book feels false and offensive. Here is my church’s statement on polygamist activities during this time, please read it to get an alternative viewpoint. The men who practiced polygamy in this book are made out to be lustful and unfaithful, which is historically inaccurate and certainly not the norm. If there were those that became polygamists for sexual or any other deviant reasons, they were not following the commandment that had been given.
Brigham Young is made out to be a merciless and dishonest fanatic, obviously an opinion of the 19th Wife herself but certainly not necessarily the sole opinion of others at the time. His portrayal is decidedly prejudiced in the negative. The text is filled with "historical documents" that Ebershoff uses to provide background, as well as to back up the 19th Wife's claims regarding the Church and the behavior of its members. Using documents in historical fiction to further the plot is a literary devise I usually really enjoy. However when you intersperse real documents and completely fabricated documents, it leaves the reader at a loss to know what is historically accurate and what is completely fiction. Even I, as a reader, knowing the history of my church, found myself going to google to find out more about certain documents, only to find out that no such document exists. This is when I went to the back of the book, and found Ebershoff's notes actually explaining that he is the author of those documents and although "many" are "inspired" by an actual text, he invented many of them.
Although Ebershoff's notes clearly state that the book is fiction and much of it is invented, I am under the impression from reading others' reviews, that many people are taking the historical portions of this book to be wholly authentic and that the book is an accurate history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints during this period. Take this review, for example. Obviously, this reviewer is under the impression that Ebershoff's storyline is the only thing that is fictional. It’s not Ebershoff's story I am taking issue with per say, and I don't deny that he has done a lot of research to write it. What bothers me is the way his fiction is being taken by readers as historical fact because of how it is presented.
The main reason I had to put this book down is that, mid-book, Ebershoff began writing about things that are sacred to me and others of my religion, in a way that is both mocking and misrepresentative. While this may be based on how the 19th Wife actually felt, I am uncomfortable with both the context and the content. I'm choosing not to read something that discusses this subject written by someone who doesn't understand it or respect it.
I am neither a historian nor an apologist, this review is wholly my personal opinion. If you have questions regarding The Church's history, please feel free to search here at the church's website.
First of all, let's get this point out in the open: I am a member The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Yes, that makes me a Mormon. Thus stems my interest in the book, since the 19th Wife was one of the wives of Brigham Young, an early prophet of my church. I wanted to see what the fuss was about and find out if this book was as fantastic as so many people say it is.
The book takes place in two time periods - both now and the time of Brigham Young and other early Latter Day Saints (early, mid 19th century). The murder mystery storyline takes place in the modern day, where a polygamist "apostle" has been killed, apparently by one of his many wives. Jordan, the excommunicated son of the main suspect, heads to the town of the polygamist compound where he grew up, in order to try and help his mom and find out what really went down in the basement of his Dad's house. This part of the book, despite its irritatingly foul language, was very engaging. The mystery was well set up. I appreciate that Jordan made it quite clear that the polygamists in this compound are NOT members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. His storyline, the "Prophet" of the polygamist group and the situation in the compound grabbed you and made you want to keep reading.
I can't, though. Read it, I mean. And here is why: to me, the "historical fiction" part of this book feels false and offensive. Here is my church’s statement on polygamist activities during this time, please read it to get an alternative viewpoint. The men who practiced polygamy in this book are made out to be lustful and unfaithful, which is historically inaccurate and certainly not the norm. If there were those that became polygamists for sexual or any other deviant reasons, they were not following the commandment that had been given.
Brigham Young is made out to be a merciless and dishonest fanatic, obviously an opinion of the 19th Wife herself but certainly not necessarily the sole opinion of others at the time. His portrayal is decidedly prejudiced in the negative. The text is filled with "historical documents" that Ebershoff uses to provide background, as well as to back up the 19th Wife's claims regarding the Church and the behavior of its members. Using documents in historical fiction to further the plot is a literary devise I usually really enjoy. However when you intersperse real documents and completely fabricated documents, it leaves the reader at a loss to know what is historically accurate and what is completely fiction. Even I, as a reader, knowing the history of my church, found myself going to google to find out more about certain documents, only to find out that no such document exists. This is when I went to the back of the book, and found Ebershoff's notes actually explaining that he is the author of those documents and although "many" are "inspired" by an actual text, he invented many of them.
Although Ebershoff's notes clearly state that the book is fiction and much of it is invented, I am under the impression from reading others' reviews, that many people are taking the historical portions of this book to be wholly authentic and that the book is an accurate history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints during this period. Take this review, for example. Obviously, this reviewer is under the impression that Ebershoff's storyline is the only thing that is fictional. It’s not Ebershoff's story I am taking issue with per say, and I don't deny that he has done a lot of research to write it. What bothers me is the way his fiction is being taken by readers as historical fact because of how it is presented.
The main reason I had to put this book down is that, mid-book, Ebershoff began writing about things that are sacred to me and others of my religion, in a way that is both mocking and misrepresentative. While this may be based on how the 19th Wife actually felt, I am uncomfortable with both the context and the content. I'm choosing not to read something that discusses this subject written by someone who doesn't understand it or respect it.
I am neither a historian nor an apologist, this review is wholly my personal opinion. If you have questions regarding The Church's history, please feel free to search here at the church's website.
Comment
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Comment by Corinne on November 6, 2008 at 8:58am -
Thanks for asking!! Polygamy has not been practiced in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (what most people consider "Mainstream Mormonism") since 1890. That link to the Church's statement on it is quite interesting (it's here, if you want to read it. It gives background and context to the polygamy issue. If someone who has been baptized into the Church chooses to practice polygamy, he/she is excommunicated.
I'm happy to answer your questions!
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Comment by Heather Kemp on November 6, 2008 at 8:20am -
I heard buzz about this book because it was coming on the tails of the recent raid on the compound in Texas and there is the cable series Big Love. I'm not overly familiar with the faith of the LDS church, but are you saying that some (or all) of those ideas of polygamy that are currently in the cultural forefront are the exception or not in line with the mainstream Mormon faith?
Thanks for being willing to speak up about this.
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Comment by Corinne on November 5, 2008 at 10:11pm
- No, I don't believe he is affiliated with the Church in any way. I agree, I try to read them too, so that I can put out my own opinion :)
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Comment by Heather Kemp on November 5, 2008 at 10:02pm
- I'd heard a little about this book and put it on my "wish list" of future reading. Is Ebershoff in any way related to the LDS church (i.e., current or former member)? I agree that it's sometimes difficult to read works of fiction that do not accurately represent my faith as an evangelical Christian; however, I try to read them so that I'm aware of the misapprehensions that people in the world have so I'm able to know how to accurately address their questions and correct where they've been misled.
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