The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

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Are you ready for a long haul? Because this is a BIG book! 

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff (see The Danish Girl) is both an epic historical fiction and a modern murder mystery with great suspense. Ann Eliza Young is expelled from the Mormon Church after she leaves her husband, Brigham Young, prophet and leader of the church. She embarks on a crusade to end polygamy in the United States. The book is a rich account of a family’s polygamous history in a world where young girls are married to older men with multiple wives in their household. The story is intertwined with the narratives of Jordan Scott in present times, who was expelled from a fundamentalist sect years earlier but came back to solve the mystery of his father’s death.

Blending facts and fiction, Ebershoff cast a light on the abuse that goes on behind the closed door of sectarian religions: the enslavement of women, pedophilia, child rape, and incestuous relationships. The modern story reminds the reader that centuries later, totalitarian theocracies within democracies are still relevant ( look up Warren Jeff, Lila Green, and the Kingston Group).

The format of the book is unusual as it is like 2 stories in one, bound by the theme of polygamy. Many parts of the book are presented as documents to give it authenticity. There is also a lot of foul language in the modern story but it suits the characters I felt. However, beware, it is a long 500-page novel. But I felt completely immersed in the world of the Mormons.