Book Review

I just finished what I found to be a very interesting book, The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff. I thought of it as historical fiction meets a modern day murder mystery. The historical fiction is based on a wife living a life of polygamy in 1875 separating from her husband. What brings more attention to the situation is that her husband is the prophet and leader of the Mormons at that time, Brigham Young. She chooses not only to separate but to travel and speak against polygamy. The story flashes back and forth to modern day where polygamy is still practiced in a compound in Utah. This group refers to themselves as the Firsts. I found it interesting in the way it examines faith, not the validity or even the form it comes in, but simply the strength. The way in witch individuals truly believe and can not fathom wavering from that faith even if the situation it puts them in is not ideal. I liked the back and forth between history and modern day to give the faith that this sect, the Firsts base their polygamist beliefs.